This week on Visions, I celebrate the life and legacy of Malcolm X, whose birthday is May 19. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” was one of the most important books I ever read. And the fact that there are jazz songs about Malcolm X means many others were impacted by him, too.

You’ll hear Malcolm X related music from Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble, Terence Blanchard, Archie Shepp, Leon Thomas, Billy Brooks, and Christian McBride.

I also play music from Makaya McCraven, Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Yusef Lateef, Geri Allen & The Mary Lou Williams Collective, Cecil McBee, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, and Abbey Lincoln.

The music about Malcolm in this episode is powerful, political, deeply spiritual, and raw. He may have been a controversial figure to some, but his impact is still present today.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for May 18, 2026

• “Malcolm X” – Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble
• “Black Rhythm Happening” – Makaya McCraven
• “Malcolm Makes Hajj” – Terence Blanchard
• “Retribution” – Abbey Lincoln
• “A Love Supreme” – Alice Coltrane*
• “Elmina” – Donald Byrd*
• “Taurus” – Geri Allen* & The Mary Lou Williams Collective
• “Brother Malcolm” – Christian McBride
• “Symbiosis” – Mike Nock, Bennie Maupin*, Cecil McBee & Eddie Marshall
• “Al Hajj Malik Al Shabazz – For Malcolm X (Live)” – Billy Brooks
• “Malcolm’s Theme” – Terence Blanchard
• “Warp And Woof (feat. Eric Dolphy & Booker Ervin)” – Mal Waldron
• “Malcolm’s Gone” – Leon Thomas
• “Port Of Call” – Cecil Taylor
• “Malcolm, Malcolm – Semper Malcolm” – Archie Shepp
• “Love Theme From Spartacus” – Yusef Lateef*
• “Springtime Again” –  Sun Ra

* indicates Detroit artists

This week on Visions, I play classics from from Idris Muhammad, Max Roach, Leroy Vinnegar, Betty Carter, Carla Bley, Gil Evans who interprets the music of Jimi Hendrix, 24-Carat Black, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Jackie McLean, Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell, and another cut from the recently released Oscar Peterson Trio live at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge.

I also play more recent selections from Jane Ira Bloom, my teacher, Andrew Bishop, and a brand new single from Mary Halvorson and Ambrose Akinmusire’s upcoming album.

This music comes from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 2000s and 2026, spanning fusion, hard bop, big band, avant-garde, funk, soul and more.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for May 11, 2026

• “Jacknife” – Jackie McLean
• “Cleaver’s Loops” – Andrew Bishop
• “Don’t Git Sassy (Live)” – Thad Jones* And Mel Lewis
• “Voodoo Chile” – The Gil Evans Orchestra
• “Rounds” – Marilyn Crispell, Gary Peacock & Paul Motian
• “Tight” – Betty Carter*
• “Mother’s Day” – 24-Carat Black
• “Almost Like Me” – Max Roach
• “I Got Rhythm But No Melody” – Jane Ira Bloom, Fred Hersch, Charlie Haden & Ed Blackwell
• “My Romance” – Leroy Vinnegar
• “Blood & Sand” – Ambrose Akinmusire & Mary Halvorson
• “Short Stuff (Medley)” – Don Cherry & Ed Blackwell
• “Lawns” – Carla Bley
• “Wander” – Idris Muhammad
• “Let There Be Love (Live)” – Oscar Peterson Trio

* indicates Detroit artists

This week on Visions I visit more classic cuts, this time spanning the early 1960s to the late 1980s. It’s a piano-heavy episode where you’ll hear Mary Lou Williams, Keith Jarrett, Elmo Hope, Kenny Barron, and Stanley Cowell.

I also play music from Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Steps Ahead, Tania Maria, Wes Montgomery, Ron Carter, Miles Davis, and Toots Thielemans. I have three songs that break the mold of classics with new tracks from Flea and Elsa Nilsson’s Band of Pulses, plus a 2008 release from Dave Holland.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for May 4, 2026

• “Fancy Free” – Donald Byrd*
• “Firm Roots” – Clifford Jordan
• “Come With Me” – Tania Maria
• “In a Sentimental Mood” – Steps Ahead
• “Morning Cry” – Flea
• “Nothing Like You (feat. Wayne Shorter, Frank Rehak, Paul Chambers & Jimmy Cobb)” – Miles Davis
• “Bluesette” – Toots Thielemans
• “Green Chimneys” – Kenny Barron Trio
• “Tourist Point of View” – Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
• “A Night in Tunisia” – Elmo Hope
• “Lalene” – Keith Jarrett
• “Fast Track” – Dave Holland Sextet
• “Mourning For Two” – Elsa Nilsson
• “Equipoise” – Stanley Cowell
• “Holy Ghost” – Mary Lou Williams
• “Up and at It” – Wes Montgomery
• “Yes, Indeed (feat. Eric Dolphy & Mal Waldron)” – Ron Carter*

* indicates Detroit artists

On this week’s episode of Visions I play new music from Immanuel Wilkins, Fabiano de Nascimento, and Melissa Aldana. I play fairly recent releases from Sara Serpa, Micah Thomas, and Kalia Vandever. Music from Anna Webber’s Percussive Mechanics, María Grand, and Wynton Marsalis grace the airwaves. Plus classics from Charles Mingus, Les McCann and Joe Henderson.

I also play two previously unreleased live recordings from the Oscar Peterson Trio and Roy Hargrove which just came out over the weekend, the latter for Record Store Day. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, so sit back and enjoy the ride!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for April 20, 2026

• “Vittor e Fabi” – Fabiano do Nascimento & Vittor Santos e Orquestra
• “Gemini” – Cannonball Adderley Sextet
• “Better Git It In Your Soul” – Charles Mingus
• “Grounds” – Micah Thomas
• “Sometimes I Cry” – Les McCann
• “Caryisms” – Roy Hargrove
• “Ocaso” – Melissa Aldana
• “Chicago (Live)” – Oscar Peterson Trio
• “Tacos Wyoming (feat. James Wylie, Julius Heise, Elias Stemeseder, Igor Spallati, Max Andrzejewski & Martin Kruemmling)” – Anna Webber’s Percussive Mechanics
• “Harriet Tubman” – Wynton Marsalis
• “Pick It Up (and Drop It Again)” – Kalia Vandever
• “TI: Isis” – María Grand
• “Language (feat. Ingrid Laubrock, Angelica Sanchez & Erik Friedlander)” – Sara Serpa
• “CITRINE (Live)” – Immanuel Wilkins

This week on Visions, I play a little bit of a lot of things. Selections span from 1960 to newly dropped singles, with a couple really exciting exclusives in the mix.

I play new music from Mary Halvorson and Ambrose Akinmusire, Yvonne Rogers, the Sean Imboden Large Ensemble, Ingrid Jensen, Flea, and Jeff Parker. I play classics from Herbie Hancock, Gene Ammons, Kirk Lightsey, Larry Young, and Leo Parker.

I play a track from the Oscar Peterson Trio recorded live at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in 1960, but previously unreleased. The whole album is coming out this Friday, April 17, on Verve Records.

Along similar lines, I play a track from Buster Williams‘ debut record that is being re-released for Record Store Day, Saturday April 18.

Happy listening!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for April 13, 2026

• “Number Nine (feat. Marcus Belgrave*, Craig Handy, David Williams & Eddie Gladden)” – Kirk Lightsey*
• “Wave (feat. Ira Coleman & Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez) [Live]” – Joanne Brackeen & Ravi Coltrane
• “Flowing Currents” – Sean Imboden Large Ensemble
• “Ripley” – Kim Cass
• “Triangle” – Herbie Hancock
• “Noble Eagle” – Buster Williams
• “S’Posin’ (Live)” – Oscar Peterson Trio
• “Tastin’ the Jug” – Gene Ammons
• “Bad Girl” – Leo Parker
• “Many Homes, Many Places” – Ingrid Jensen
• “Free As I Want to Be” – Flea
• “Soundcheck” – Ambrose Akinmusire & Mary Halvorson
• “Cloud Chorale” – Yvonne Rogers
• “Like Swimwear (part one) [feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson]” – Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet
• “Tyrone” – Larry Young

* indicates Detroit artists

This week on Visions, I have no theme, just good music. I play artists spanning from the 1960’s through 2026 with classics and new music discovery all in one episode.

You’ll hear classic cuts from Freddie Hubbard, Robert Glasper, Charlie Rouse, and Steps Ahead. I have new music discovery from Nicole McCabe, and Ralph MacDonald. New records from Caroline Davis, Irreversible Entanglements and Immanuel Wilkins. Plus Samara Joy, Walter Smith III, Joel Ross, Walter Bishop, Jr., and more.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for April 6, 2026

• “Sometimes I’m Happy (Take 1)” – Walter Bishop, Jr.
• “Swingin’ at the Haven” – Walter Smith III
• “Hope” – Nicole McCabe
• “Pools” – Steps Ahead
• “Smoke Rings and Wine” – Ralph MacDonald
• “COMPOSITION II (Live)” – Immanuel Wilkins
• “Reincarnation Of A Lovebird” – Samara Joy
• “Alone Together” – Robert Glasper Trio
• “Hostile” – Joel Ross
• “The Intrepid Fox” – Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter*, Joe Henderson* & Lenny White
• “Bitchin'” – Charlie Rouse
• “Panamanian Fight Song” – Irreversible Entanglements
• “Barbara Allen (for Geri)” – Caroline Davis
• “All Blues” – Ethnic Heritage Ensemble & Kahil El’Zabar

* indicates Detroit artists