DownBeat November 2025 Featured Selections

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The November 2025 spotlight blends holiday cheer, soulful standards, and transatlantic grooves—three sessions that swing from festive to funk-forward. Holiday Fun finds trombonist Wycliffe Gordon leading friends and hometown ringers through a warmly brassy set for the season. From “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night” to bluesy originals, Gordon’s jubilant horn, smart arrangements, and easy rapport bottle the spirit of a lively holiday jam. Trumpeter James Suggs opens the songbook wide on For All We Know , threading jazz standards with New Orleans grit and soul classics. “Grazing in the Grass,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” “Black or White,” and “St. James Infirmary” sit comfortably alongside bop staples—sleek, swinging, and full of surprise. Finally, organ fire meets sax swagger on Bam Meets Craig Handy: First Encounter , a German-American collaboration that leans into deep-pocket funk, greasy Hammond textures, and nimble improvisation—available on CD and LP. Buy distributor direct here on MVDShop or from your favorite music retailer.