Free jazz, hip-hop, and experimental electronic all come together this month in the Jazz Underground
This month we’re honored to invite the Seattle-based beatmaker, jazz composer, and tenor saxophonist, Paper Son, to take over the Jazz Underground. He takes the mix into a whole new direction with 10 new songs that bend and blend the genre. With tracks from artists like Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Amaro Freitas, the mix crosses the intersection of jazz, hip hop, and ambient electronic music.
Paper Son began his career as a hip-hop DJ and producer — creating gritty, boom-bap beats and spinning records. Over time his sound evolved into something more expansive. Today, his music blends the rawness of classic hip-hop production with the improvisational spirit of jazz; it layers live instrumentation, electronic textures, and beat-driven rhythms.
Having spent years crafting beats, building atmospheric grooves, and collaborating with forward-thinking artists, Paper Son’s sound reflects a deep, unspoken journey. His work bridges genres and cultural landscapes.
“I really developed a love for jazz through digging for records to sample,” explains Paper Son when talking about his path to becoming a musician and producer. “Early on, outside of exploring some of the greats — the Coltranes (both John and Alice), Miles, Joe Henderson — I bought a lot of smooth jazz and fusion for sampling ease… and the discovery of a lot of my favorite boom bap samples ATCQ, Pete Rock, and Dilla, to name a few. I think what really sparked my exploration deeper into the genre was my love of Madlib’s jazz productions and his deep sonic palette.”
It’s no surprise then, that Paper Son was going to do something completely new with the mix this month. He’s taken the Jazz Underground to a place that celebrates improvisational music and blends traditional jazz with ambient electronic.
“These selected tracks from the past year really speak to what I really seek from jazz created in the modern day,” continues Paper Son when talking about his curation of the mix this month. “A focus on color, rhythm, and the willingness to take chances from artists that often have the ability to show off their virtuosity as musicians, but put forth a certain amount of emotional sincerity.”
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If this is your first time listening to the Jazz Underground, it’s a monthly feature where we enlist the musicians and producers who are pushing the boundaries of what jazz means to them. The idea is to change the perception of the music’s rotten public image — a genre that can sometimes be stuck in the past rather than something that is always evolving. Each month we invite a new resident artist to contribute and curate the playlist to reflect what jazz sounds like today.
Have a listen to the playlist below, and if you like what you hear, make sure to follow the Jazz Underground playlist on Spotify.
