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Dear Readers:
…..Martin Mueller is a dear friend of mine who has had a lifelong passion for jazz music. I served on the board of PDX Jazz – the presenting organization of the PDX (Portland) Jazz Festival – with him for several years, and he is a member of a jazz appreciation listening group I am a part of. During his career he was an eminent jazz educator, serving for many years as the Dean of The New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. He is very well connected to the jazz world, and highly respected by it.
…..A few years back, Martin left Portland and settled in the town of Laytonville in Mendocino County, California, where he works hard on his property, managing his land, and, along with his wife and son and daughter-in-law, participates in the raising of his young grandchildren. As a hobby, Martin is a disc jockey in Laytonville, sharing his knowledge and passion with local (and web) listeners every Saturday evening on the radio station KPFN.
…..I will periodically be sharing playlists from his show with readers, knowing his carefully curated music will reward you with discoveries of new sounds, as well as reminders of jazz music’s classic performances as well.
…..In this edition, Martin focuses on a sampling of jazz recordings by artists nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards, which he played during his November 15 program.
Check it out!
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Joe Maita
Editor/Publisher
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The vocalist Samara Joy is a 2026 multi- Grammy Award nominee
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Martin Mueller introduces the playlist:
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…..With the 2026 Grammy nominations just announced (and virtually no attention that will be given to Jazz on the live awards show on Feb. 1, 2026), it’s only right to shine the light on the talented Jazz artist nominees. To that point, last week I presented the recordings on this playlist on my radio show, “Jazz on a Saturday Night” (5 – 8 pm, www.KPFN.org, Laytonville CA). Most, but not all nominees in each Jazz category are represented, per my personal preferences.
…..Tracks 1 – 5 are nominees for Best Jazz Performance. Three of these (Nicole Zuraitis, Michael Mayo, and Samara Joy) are also nominated for Best Vocal Jazz Album, so not repeated, and Track 6 is a final Vocal Jazz nominee, Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap. Tracks 7 – 10 are the nominees for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and tracks 11 and 12 are nominees for Best Latin Jazz Album.
…..I finished up the Grammy nods with two New School alums featured in the Best Alternative Jazz Album category, Robert Glasper and Brad Mehldau (Lakecia Benjamin is also an alum, nominated for Noble Rise, Best Jazz Performance). Jazz continues to stand on the shoulders of the giants in new forms and expressions. Enjoy!
Martin Mueller
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Spotify subscribers can access the entire playlist
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Martin Mueller is the former Dean of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. He has worked in jazz for 36 years, in higher education, through board service, and through concerts and educational programs in the US and in more than 24 countries. He is a founding member of the International Association of Schools of Jazz. Mr. Mueller was the New York City Project Leader for a “Study of Jazz Artists,” a groundbreaking needs assessment survey initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts. He received the 2002 Downbeat magazine Achievement Award for Jazz Education and the 2005 “A Team” award from the Jazz Journalists Association. He is retired and lives in N. California, where he hosts a weekly Jazz program on KPFN.org.
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Click here to access other playlists
Click here to read The Sunday Poem
Click here to read “My Vertical Landscape,” Felicia A. Rivers’ winning story in the 69th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
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