Jazz 93.5 has a rich and varied playlist for you right at your fingertips all throughout the year. But now that we’re into the dog days of summer, perhaps you’re seeking sounds with a summer sensation, and as much as we love

Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, and the Jazztet, you won’t find them on any “Best of Summer Music” lists. If you’re looking for that perfect summer vibe and still want your jazz fix, our hosts have a few suggestions to jumpstart your summer playlist.

Starfruit – Moonchild
Billed as a “neo-soul trio,” Moonchild’s music features relaxed beats and puffy synths backing vocalist Amber Navran (also an accomplished saxophonist and reedist for the band). But their music also digs deep into fascinating, non-conventional harmonies a la Chick Corea and Wayne Shorter, and all three members of the group contribute intricate horn lines to each song that are rooted in the work of jazz icons like Clifford Brown and Branford Marsalis. Starfruit is the band’s most recent release, but they have an extensive catalogue for you to explore.

Knower Forever – Knower
Knower is the brainchild of duo Genevieve Artadi (vocals) and Louis Cole (drums), who just released their latest album, Knower Forever on Bandcamp. The new record retains a lot of Knower’s signature sound, full of rich harmony and polytonality, electronica-inspired drum grooves (all performed acoustically – and impressively – by Cole), all underpinning off-beat and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. But the band’s ability to deliver such complex rhythm and harmony belies their high jazz pedigree, and this latest project also includes some writing for big band and burning jazz solos by members of the rhythm section.

Keyboards – Kait Dunton
Kait Dunton may not be a household name, but jazz-heads and current music afficionados may already be familiar with her work as one of the founding members of the popular band Snarky Puppy – already a high-water mark of jazz musicianship. Her new album Keyboards is solely an exploration of the myriad of keyboard sounds, textures, and grooves popularized in the jazz fusion revolution of the 1970s and ‘80s, with a contemporary view towards song form. For those with any affinity for jazz, funk, and R&B, Keyboards is certainly worth a few listens this summer.