MARK WINKLER, Love Comes First

After more than 50 years as a singer, songwriter and consummate jazz storyteller, Mark Winkler continues to prove that artistic longevity has less to do with reinvention than with finding fresh, clever and colorful ways to express an unmistakable personality. On Love Comes First, his 23rd album, the veteran vocalist -whom I’ve fondly dubbed “the L.A. jazz scene’s poet laureate” - moves effortlessly between romance, autobiography, social satire and Great American Songbook elegance, tying everything together with his trademark hipster phrasing, easy flowing swing and cool conversational charm that have made him one of the most beloved figures in jazz.

Produced by an array of collaborators—including Greg Gordon Smith, Barbara Brighton, Steve Rawlins, Dori Amarilio and Winkler himself—the collection features various ensembles and musical settings, yet feels remarkably cohesive because Winkler’s voice and worldview as a consummate storyteller remain at its center.

The playful original “Snappin’ on the 2 and 4” sets the tone immediately, complete with finger snaps, insider jazz lingo, infectious swing and a dazzling Grant Geissman guitar solo. The gently swaying, Brazilian-flavored title track reveals the singer’s tender romantic side, while the autobiographical “Fame Adjacent” finds him reflecting on his career with characteristic wit and self-awareness.

Winkler’s gifts as an interpreter shine just as brightly.

He brings touching vulnerability to “More Than You Know,” recorded in honor of his late husband Richard Del Belso, and explores the intimate emotional depths of “Embraceable You.” His elegant revisit of “Mona Lisa”—a song he previously explored on The Mona Lisa Sessions EP—remains a masterclass in nuanced storytelling, while the bass-driven arrangement of “Just in Time” offers a clever rhythmic twist on a familiar classic. Then comes the delightful curveball “Why Are People So Stupid?,” a sharp, hilarious cultural critique whose laundry list of contemporary absurdities unfolds with equal parts exasperation and affection. By contrast, the closing original “Do You Ever Wonder?” leaves listeners with a wistful, heartfelt reflection enhanced by Geissman’s colorful improvisations.

Whether interpreting standards or singing his own songs, Winkler’s greatest gift is making every lyric sound lived, personal and completely his own. Love Comes First is another winning reminder that his artistry remains as vibrantly inventive, insightful and engaging as ever.