It’s hard to think of someone who knows jazz in New York City as well Sullivan Fortner. The New Orleans-born pianist, whose masters degree comes from the city’s Manhattan School of Music, is celebrated as both a sideman and bandleader, having dazzled audiences at storied institutions like Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz Standard, and Smalls Jazz Club—all of which is exactly why we asked him to help us celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month by curating our Jazz Currents playlist. Here, Fortner includes music from New York-based musicians like Immanuel Wilkins, Melissa Aldana, Micah Thomas, Fred Hersch, and Cécile McLorin Salvant, to name but a few, prioritizing artists who continue to push the boundaries of the art form. “I chose tracks that showcase musicians that I admire, that I’ve collaborated with, and that have distinctive voices in the jazz idiom,” Fortner says. “I think the unifying thread of these musicians is that you hear an awareness of lots of different types of music and musical traditions that aren’t just limited to jazz.”