Sandy Brown Jazz

Chet Baker, Norman Faye, Conte Candoli (trumpet); Bob Burgess, Frank Rosolino (trombone); Fred Watress, Phil Uro, Bob Graf, Bill Hood, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bill Perkins (reeds); Bobby Timmons (piano); Jimmy Bond (bass); Peter Littman, Larance Marable (drums)

Chet Baker Big Band

'This release presents the complete original album Chet Baker Big Band (Pacific Jazz PJ-1229), which was one of the rare occasions on which Chet fronted a large group as a leader. That being said, the formations on this LP are never as large as other orchestras, featuring from nine to eleven musicians. Although he always favored small groups, Chet would occasionally record again with larger bands during the course of his long career, including one of Chet’s very last concerts, performed in Hannover, Germany, on April 28, 1988, on which he was accompanied by the Radio Hannover orchestra conducted by Dieter Glawischnig' (album notes). 'These tracks essentially by two different sized groups, one of nine and one of eleven musicians - presented Chet to a record-buying public in an unfamiliar setting .. producer Bock had unstintingly presented Baker's small group persona ... Bock celebrated the trumpeter's return to the West Coast (from Europe) with this pair of sessions, that put his uncharacteristically aggressive trumpet at the head of these large ensembles.... if you don't have these sides, and even if you do, the extra material justifies splashing out' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise ****)

Details : Samples :

Art Tatum : Ben Webster - The Art Tatum - Ben Webster Quartet
(State Of Art) - Released: 30th November 2018

Ben Webster (tenor sax); Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson (piano); Red Callendar, Ray Brown (bass); Bill Douglass, Jo Jones (drums)

Art Tatum Ben Webster Quartet

'This is nearly the only existing collaboration between Art Tatum and Ben Webster. Their only other recordings together consist of four short tunes from the radio show “The New World A-Coming”, Program #17, recorded in New York on June 25, 1944. However, even though both Tatum and Webster are present on the radio show, the music it yielded doesn’t even begin to display the magic that they would create a dozen years later for their lone studio session on September 11, 1956. We are deeply indebted to Norman Granz, who was responsible for this session taking place. At the beginning of the 1950s, Tatum’s music style was beginning to be considered a bit outdated compared to the sound of Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and the rest of the modern players. Thus, it was more difficult for him to find record contracts. Granz sought to rectify this gross oversight by offering Tatum the opportunity to record extensive sessions, both as a solo pianist and in the company of other outstanding jazz figures like Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Buddy DeFranco, Buddy Rich and, of course, the great Ben Webster. “I think”, Granz wrote, “if I am ever remembered for any meaningful contribution to jazz it was presenting permanently for the future the incredible artistry of the greatest instrumental soloist in the history of jazz, Art Tatum”. And from the amazingly extensive body of Granz-Tatum tapes, the session with Ben Webster was perhaps the highest point (album notes). '.... Long hailed as a masterpiece, the synergy between Webster's mix of aggression and lyricism, and Tatum's flamboyance and delicacy made for a fascinating encounter ... All in all, the album is an oustanding example of laid-back mainstream, and reverence for the ballad form, never giving away for an instant that this is actually difficult material to play with such insouciant charm (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise ****)

Details :

Harry James - The Hits Collection 1938-53
(Acrobat) - Released: 11th November 2018 (3 CDs)

Harry James (trumpet, bandleader) with various personnel

Harry James Hits Collection 1938-53

'Trumpeter and bandleader Harry James was one of the most important, successful and influential personalities of the swing and big band era, his unmistakeable bravura trumpet style providing an inspiration and benchmark for trumpeters across the jazz and orchestral genres. He was hugely popular on radio, as a live attraction and on record with his music not only appealing to cutting edge jazz and big band enthusiasts, but also, through his recordings of sweeter orchestral material, featuring the many male and female vocalists who launched their careers with his bands, capturing a wider audience to achieve a remarkable string of big-selling hits from his debut as a bandleader in the late 30s right through into the 1950s just before the dawn of the rock n roll era. This great-value 71-track 3-CD set comprises just about all his records which featured in one form or another of the charts during his career, including the few that were listed as being Top 10 hits before the launch of the record sales charts in Billboard in 1940, and those which featured thereafter in one or other of the published Billboard charts or related listings. It naturally includes his No. 1 hits Sleepy Lagoon, I Had The Craziest Dream, I've Heard That Song Before, Ill Get By, I'm Beginning to See the Light and It's Been a Long, Long Time. Among the featured vocalists are Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, Kitty Kallen, Johnny McAfee, Buddy DeVito, Betty Grable, Willie Smith, Ginnie Powell, Marion Morgan, Art Lund and Dick Williams, and it also includes Harrys 1950s hits with Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney. Its a hugely entertaining overview of the commercially successful output of one of the great stylists and innovators of the big band era' (album notes). 'Though this overlooks James' work in small groups, some of which created some classic jazz, Acrobat have assembled a first-rate 3 CD package of almost all the trumpeter's major hits from 1938-53 thereby making it an ideal companion to Avid's Four Classic Albums set from the slightly later Vegas period' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise ****).

Details and Samples :

New Orleans Rhythm Kings - Complete Recordings 1922 - 1925
(Rivermont) - Released: 16th November 2018 [2 CDs]

Paul Mares (cornet); George Brunies, Santo Pecora (trombone); Leon Roppolo, Charlie Cordilla (clarinet); Glen Scoville, Don Murray (alto sax); Jack Pettis (C-melody sax); Elmer Schoiebel, Mel Stitzel, Jelly Roll Morton, Kyle Pierce, Gly Lea 'Red' Long (piano); Lou Black, Bob Gillette, Bill Eastwood (banjo); Arnold Loyacano, Steve Brown, Chink Martin (bass); Frank Snyder, Ben Pollack, Leo Adde (drums)

New Orleans Rhythm Kings Complete Recordings

'One of the most exciting and strikingly original of the early jazz bands was the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (NORK). Their approach was fresh and airy as well as hot, and would not fall prey to caricature, as did many other bands of the early 1920s. They literally redirected the public's attention to what jazz was at its core and, in doing so, influenced scores of musicians who would carry it into the future. Although the band's personnel changed often, the recordings on this set include such star players as Jelly Roll Morton, Paul Mares, Leon Roppolo, Santo Pecora, Ben Pollack, Don Murray, George Brunies, Steve Brown, Jack Pettis, and Elmer Schoebel. This new 2-CD set, a joint production of Rivermont and Off The Record (widely lauded for their recent restorations of King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and The Wolverines) presents all 42 master and alternative takes recorded by the NORK from 1922-1925. Every track has been meticulously transferred and restored from original disc sources by renowned engineer Doug Benson for superb sound quality. The NORK recordings have never sounded this good -- clear, open, and brimming with life and vitality! The copiously illustrated 40-page booklet includes detailed liner notes by Sue Fischer and 2-time Grammy nominee David Sager' (album notes). '..... the NORK was a fine band whose members had obviously been listening carefully to the work of New Orleans pioneers like Freddie Keppard and Joe 'King' Oliver .... This new set of the complete recordings the band cut between 1922 and 1925 is easily the clearest and most vivid ever likely to be achieved ... Rivermont stop short of including the reunion session NORK associates recorded in 1935, otherwise the exceptional recorded sound and fastidious notes make this the definitive NORK experience' (Philip Clark in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

Ernie Watts Quartet - Home Light
(Flying Dolphin Records) - Released: 16th November 2018

Ernie Watts (saxophones); Christof Sanger (piano); Rudi Engel (bass); Heirich Koebberling (drums)

Ernie Watts Quartet Home Light

'New and original music from Grammy winning saxophonist Ernie Watts. His latest Flying Dolphin release is 'Home Light,' just-pressed and filled with a variety of powerful and lyrical pieces, and also some humor, such as the irresistible, Ornette-like energy of 'Frequie Flyiers,' a tribute to bebop, and 'I Forgot August,' built on the harmonic structure of the standard 'I Remember April. ' 'Horizon' is a lovely meditative ballad, and the title tune, 'Home Light,' a nod towards gospel' (album notes). Veteran tenorman Ernie Watts, 73, has recorded with numerable musicians in wide-ranging musical genres. Apart from integrating the Charlie Haden Quartet West, Watts gave major contributions to works by Cannonball Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Lee Ritenour, Gerald Wilson, and Quincy Jones, just to name a few. Outside the jazz scene, he got known for his collaborations with Frank Zappa, Marvin Gaye, and Carole King, as well as for touring with The Rolling Stones.In the mid-2000s, Watts convened his European quartet with three German musicians: pianist Christof Sanger, bassist Rudi Engel, and drummer Heirich Koebberling. Their new outing, Home Light, is a straight-ahead ride with no bumps or stumbles that begins with “I Forgot August”, a contrafact of “I’ll Remember April”. Here, the saxophonist shows off his deft soloing skills and has the pianist joining him in the B section of the theme, doubling the melody .... Demonstrating a bonafide inner motivation, Watts mixes earthly vibes with some occasional spirituality, keeping jazz in its purest, classic forms' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to the Title Track : Listen to Frequie Flyers :

Orchestra Of the Upper Atmosphere - Theta Four
(Discus Music) - Released: 8th July 2018

Martin Archer (keyboards, electronics, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, recorders, melodica, voice); Steve Dinsdale (electronic drum kit, synth, frostlake); Jan Todd (vocals, lyrics, electronics, celtic harp, lute harp, korg wave drum, keyboards, bowed electroacoustic bass, idiopan); Yvonna Magda (violin, electronics); Walt Shaw (acoustic percussion, electronics, voice); Terry Todd (bass and electroacoustic bass guitars).

Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere Theta Four "When it comes to Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere's Theta Four, describing it as 'epic' feels like selling it short. The large ensemble harnesses a hybrid patchwork of electro-acoustic textures that brings to mind the spacey explorations of Alice Coltrane, Terry Riley, Tangerine Dream, Can et al. Choirs, choppy strings, throbbing beats, dreamy vocals and snarling bass rise and soar into bold themes creating a diverse and thrilling listen. If you're unfamiliar with their previous three albums, then start here." (Sid Smith, Prog); 'Fourth outing from this cutting edge progressive ensemble experiments with grander arrangements, rhythms, a few more commercial tracks, but with other pieces exploring more extended electronic music territory.This improvising rock group references the musical innovations of Terry Riley, the swooping exuberance of Alice Coltrane and a mastery of contemporary electronics. Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere still intend a Big Listen, this time round the core six piece group explode into Theta Four from the very first track- a cinematic epic with powerful brooding string arrangements from Martin Archer and the re- introduction of his performance poetry/improvising group Juxtavoices, who chant and improvise their way into a new deep dimension of sound. The CD continues to surprise and delight with spacious improvisations, composed pieces and all combinations in between, from hypnotic groove-driven drama to " What the hell did I just hear?" Theta Four features some of their best playing yet- virtuoso horns, wind, violin and keys, creative drums bass and percussion and haunting vocal lines. Seamless arrangements evoke an incredible variety of moods across a single CD which is energetic and confident. The musicians complement each other well with sheer enjoyment and it makes for a positive and addictive liste' (album notes). 'OUA is a rock group using repetition based improvisations referencing Terry Riley, Krautrock, Magma, Faust, Sun Ra and Alice Coltrane' (website).

Details and Samples : Website :

Kate Westbrook - Granite
(Westbrook Records) - Released: 27th July 2018

Kate Westbrook (vocals); Roz Harding (saxophone); Mike Westbrook (piano); Jesse Molins, Matthew North (guitar); Billie Bottle (bass); Coach York (drums).

Kate Westbrook Granite

'Kate Westbrook's album 'Granite', a soliloquy with lyrics by Kate Westbrook and music by Mike Westbrook - was inspired by her love of Dartmoor and its granite quarries, is a unique concept, brilliantly produced by Jay Auborn. Kate's astonishing vocal range, and strikingly original lyrics are matched by Mike Westbrook's genre-busting score and the outstanding and inventive playing of Kate's new group The Granite Band' (album notes). '..... This is a voice for winter, exile, anger. Mike Westbrook's settings leave that voice unrelentingly in our presence while the addition of found sounds reflecting from granite surfaces further propels the ritualistic patterns of these songs into mythic proportions ...' (Andy Robson in Jazzwise ****)

Details and Samples : Introductory Video : Listen to Tracks Of Desire :

Empirical - Indifference Culture
(Empirical Music) - Released: 16th November 2018

Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone); Lewis Wright (vibraphone); Tom Farmer (double bass); Shaney Forbes (drums)

Empirical Indifference Culture

'Marking the first release under the band’s own label, Empirical Music, Indifference Culture is the first of a two-part EP set of compositions that deal with the social evils, culture wars and political upheaval that have become the ‘new normal’ of life in 2018. With their unique commitment to group improvisation and musical risk-taking, this set of music retains the band's quartet format and captures the exhilarating intensity of Empirical’s live performances, which the band have honed through performing more than 130 live sets in the informal setting of their ‘Pop-up Jazz Lounge’. Tom Farmer recalls the recording process: ‘We went into the studio soon after one of our pop-up residencies. After such an intense run of gigs we were completely fired up and it was a case of ‘’let’s just play!’’’ Shaney Forbes explains further: ‘Even though the four us have been playing music together for more than ten years, we are still always excited to explore the creative possibilities that come out of our instrumentation and the fact that all four of us contribute to the music. It actually feels like we’ve only just begun that exploration.’ ' (album notes). 'A decade into its present incarnation, British quartet Empirical continue to hold true to the values of Ornette, Coltrane and the 1960s avant garde - and to the principle, declared on their website, that they treat jazz "as a search rather than a destination". This half-hour EP is a crisp summation of how skilful, soulful and thoughtful this fine ensemble continues to be .... Fine original music with exemplary improvisational craft to express it'. (John Fordham in Jazzwise ****)

Details and Samples : Audio Introduction : Listen to Celestial Being : Listen to Non Verbal Language :

Preston Glasgow Lowe - Something About Rainbows
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 7th December 2018

David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass); Laurie Lowe (drums).

Preston Glasgow Lowe Something About Rainbows

'Riding the loftiest cirrus of boundary-leaping improvised music, guitar fusion trio Preston Glasgow Lowe follow up their eponymous 2016 Whirlwind debut recording with 'Something About Rainbows' - a prismatic collection of original compositions which combine intricate, thunderous energy with aesthetic, harmonic grace. And while LA-based photographer Josh Rose's minimal 'industrial rainbow' cover art reflects the album's often darker vibe, guitarist David Preston, six-string bassist Kevin Glasgow and drummer Laurie Lowe also uncover fresher sunlit colours in their latest writing and experimentation. Preston Glasgow Lowe's intermeshing hues become alluring as each of these seven tracks develop. In 'Fumes', three overlapping time signatures provide the foundation for its chordal iridescence, propelled by Kevin Glasgow's agile bass and Laurie Lowe's rapid-fire percussion. Glasgow's hard-hitting 'Something About Rainbows' is unabashedly heavy, with gritty, overdriven bass octave pedal riffs underpinning outrageously breakneck guitar; and Lowe's audacious drumming throughout exemplifies the bassist's observation that "Laurie constantly blows our mind, as there are so many notes going by." The band's emphasized sense of contrast is heard vividly in wispy miniature 'May', where Preston's crystalline guitar melodies float above delicate, high-register bass chords and feathery cymbals. The technically precise, unclassified artistry of Preston Glasgow Lowe resonates with wide-ranging audiences, and the trio responds enthusiastically to live performance invitations from as far afield as Japan. There's certainly sonic gold to be found within 'Something About Rainbows' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video : Listen to Truex :

Ken Thomson - Sextet
(Panoramic Recordings) - Released: 7th September 2018

Ken Thomson (alto saxophone, clarinet); Anna Webber (tenor saxophone); Russ Johnson (trumpet); Alan Ferber (trombone); Adam Armstrong(bass); Daniel Dor (drums).

Ken Thomson Sextet

'Alto saxophonist/clarinetist Ken Thomson, a reputable member of New York’s Bang on a Can All-Stars and Asphalt Orchestra, squeezes excellent ideas into Sextet, an album that often swirls post-bop with classical elements. He plays alongside a wonderful set of horn players that includes tenorist Anna Webber, trumpeter Russ Johnson, and trombonist Alan Ferber, and a rhythm section that glues everything together with Adam Armstrong on bass and Daniel Dor on drums. Dominated by rich polyphony, Gyorgy Ligeti’s “Pasacaglia Ungherese” opens the recording in the classical fashion. The wide tonal range leans on melancholy here, contrasting with “Misery Is The New Hope”, in which drums and bass hold together to set a hasty, urban pace enlivened by relentless rhythmic accents in an unquiet contrapuntal activity. After the bandleader’s solo, mostly shaped within the boundaries of the implicit harmony, Johnson promotes dynamism in the call-response communication established between him and elements of the horn squad ......Thomson guides the crew with a firm pulse and sheer ambition, assuring that the arrangements hybridize genres with a personal musical stylization and influential narrative force. Sextet is a solid effort' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Introductory Video : Video of Resolve played Live :

Christian McBride's - New Jawn
(Mack Avenue) - Released: 26th October 2018

Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Josh Evans (trumpet); Christian McBride (double bass); Nasheet Waits (drums).

Christian McBride New Jawn

'If there's one thing the acclaimed bassist Christian McBride knows, it's that when it comes to grit there's no better resource to draw from than his own hometown, Philadelphia. So, McBride turned to one of the city's most beloved colloquialisms to christen his latest project, Christian McBride's New Jawn. On the band's eponymous debut, these four stellar musicians - including trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits - ably walk the razor's edge between thrilling virtuosity and gut-punch instinctiveness. "I was looking for a new challenge," says McBride of the birth of the New Jawn. "I don't get the chance too often to play in a chordless group. Every major group I've been a part of for the last ten years, whether it's been with Pat Metheny or Chick Corea or my own projects, there's been nothing but chords. So, I wanted to see what happens if I just pull the chords out altogether." The result is a surprisingly bracing and adventurous outing for McBride. A world-renowned bassist regularly lauded as a musician who can do anything, he proves it yet again by venturing into new territory. New Jawn runs the gamut of stylistic approaches, from deep-rooted swing to daring abstraction, singular blues to exquisite balladry. At the core of it all is McBride's trademark sound, robust and embracing, agile and inventive'. (album notes). 'Philadelphia-born Christian McBride, one of the most fluid and fluent jazz bassists in the world, debuts a new quartet, New Jawn, whose name derives from Philly jargon and can be translated as ‘new joint’. The quartet affiliates - saxophonist Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Josh Evans, and drummer Nasheet Waits - contribute with two compositions each to a colorful song list that also admits Wayne Shorter’s “Sightseeing”. The group’s eponymous album spreads thrillingly fresh ideas that surge with infectious energy and grandiose conviction. A great example of that is the opening tune, McBride’s “Walkin’ Funny”, which blends the exhilaration of Lee Morgan’s melodies with asymmetric notions of rhythm and collective improvisatory effervescence that refuses any commercial approach in favor of creative freedom ..... Communicating with countless details and peculiarities, these cats prove they dominate the jazz idiom from end to end'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to The Middle Man : Video of The Ballad Of Ernie Washington played live at the Malta Jazz Festival :

Nypan - Big City
(Losen Records) - Released: 5th October 2018

Oyvind Nypan (guitar); Ben Wendel (tenor saxophone); Taylor Eigsti (piano); Joe Martin (bass); Justin Faulkner (drums).

Nypan Big City

'Norwegian guitarist Oyvind Nypan traveled to New York City with the dream of recording his own tunes with some of his favorite music makers. And the dream came true and with a happy ending, which is the album in question, suggestively entitled Big City and featuring eminent musicians such as saxophonist Ben Wendel, pianist Taylor Eigsti, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Justin Faulkner. For a quintet that had never played together before, there’s a gluing essence in their musical narrative and an exceptional energy associated with the city. This is particularly noticeable not only on the opener, “The Greeting”, which combines a cool bass groove, exquisite backbeat, and mercurial solos by Wendel and Nypan, but also on “Come What May”, an elated post-bop with labyrinthine spirals and expeditious diagonals, and “Grasstopper”, a playful if twisted blues with bop fragments and hard-swinging eruptions. Both these tunes bridge tradition and innovation with an infallible sense of freshness .... Big City marks an important next step in the continuing evolution of Nypan, a gifted guitarist who deserves more opportunities to shine. I’m glad that New York and its musicians gave him what he needed for now' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to The Greeting : Listen to Grasstopper :

Florian Ross Quintet - Swallows And Swans
(Toy Piano Records) - Released: 25th November 2018

Florian Ross (piano); Kristin Berardi (vocals); Matthew Halpin (saxophones); Dietmar Fuhr (bass); Hans Dekker (drums).

Florian Ross Quintet Swallows and Swans

'Florian Ross is a German pianist, composer, and arranger whose debut as a leader goes back to 1998. Since then, he has dedicated much effort and attention to small and large ensembles, but you could still find him arranging pieces for Martial Solal with WDR Big Band and Craig Brenan, orchestrating for the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, or playing Hammond in Nils Wogram’s Nostalgia project. Presently, he put together a cross-country, inter-generational quintet, featuring Australian singer Kristin Berardi, Irish saxophonist Matthew Halpin, and Dutch drummer Hans Dekker. Rounding out the group is German bassist Dietmar Fuhr, a longtime co-worker. The resultant output is a 12-track record entitled Swallows & Swans. Deliciously nuanced in tempo and rhythm, “Midway” is first introduced by Dekker’s brushes, to which piano cascades and voice/saxophone unisons are gradually added. Not being a ballad, the tune, nonetheless, surrounds itself by a velvety smoothness that is maintained even after the flow is rearranged ..... Taking simple and direct routes for most of its duration, the album comes to an end with a glossy voice-piano duo version of the traditional Irish song “The Lark In The Clear Sky”.' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Introductory Video :

Nat Gonella - The Nat Gonella Collection: 1930-1962
(Acrobat) - Released: 12th October 2018 (4 CD Box Set)

Nat Gonella (trumpet) with bandleaders including Roy Fox, Billy Cotton, John Kirby and various musicians from his Georgians bands.

Nat Gonella collection

'Trumpeter and bandleader Nat Gonella was the first real star of British jazz, beginning his career with the bands of Billy Cotton, Roy Fox, Lew Stone and Ray Noble in the early 30s before forming his own touring band ‘The Georgians’ in April 1935. Playing in the style of Louis Armstrong, he became a headlining concert attraction in the UK, recording two singles a month after he signed to EMI’s Parlophone label in 1935. In 1939 he was one of the first British jazzmen to visit the USA, where he recorded and performed with major names of the era. He subsequently led his big band, the ‘New Georgians’, through much of the 1940s and when traditional jazz experienced a boom in popularity during the later 1950s formed his ‘Georgia Jazz Band’, participating in the music’s new-found popularity as one of its elder statesmen until 1963. In later years he continued performing in Britain and Europe until his death in 1998. This great-value 96-track 4-CD set, marking the 20th anniversary of his untimely death (as well as the 110th anniversary of his birth), has been compiled to provide the first comprehensive overview of the first three decades of his career. It has been researched by celebrated British jazz cornetist and writer Digby Fairweather, who has written the 12,000-word booklet to annotate the anthology. The collection includes recordings with Billy Cotton, Roy Fox, all of Gonella’s principal recordings (both solo and with his Georgians and New Georgians), rare broadcast materials and long-unheard reissues of later 1950s sessions by his Strong Arm Men, Georgia Jazz Band, Doug Richford’s London Jazzmen and his full (and long-deleted) ‘Autobiography’ album ‘The Nat Gonella Story’ from 1961. It provides a thoroughly entertaining showcase for one of the great personalities of British jazz who was one of the true pioneers of the genre on this side of the pond. (album notes) 'Another of Acrobat's exemplary 4 CD career surveys, this one tracks Nat from Roy Fox and Billy Cotton via various iterations of georgians to his 1960s bands. But the greatest find are the four sides cut with John Kirby in NYC in 1939, where Nat holds his own with Billy Kyle, Buster Bailey and Benny Carter' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise)

Details, Track Lists and Samples :

Ivie Anderson - The Ivie Anderson Collection 1932-46
(Acrobat) - Released: 8th August 2018

Ivie Anderson (vocals) with the Duke Ellington Orchestra [2 CDs]

Ivie Anderson Collection album

'Throughout his 50+ year career with his Orchestra, Duke Ellington featured many vocalists, but none of them fit the band as well as Ivie Anderson, who was on and off with the Duke from the “Jungle Band” days of 1932 to the sophisticated swing days of the post WWII era. Even better, Ellington’s greatest band, the one from 1939-41 had Anderson as the featured singer, therefore solidifying her importance and signature sound with the band. During the Big Band era, every leader had to have a vocalist to “sell the hits,” so ladies such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Ward and Helen Forrest became as big a star as the bands themselves. Anderson held her own, possessing an earthy ‘girl next door’ delivery that could work in both the uptempo swing numbers as well as the torchier material. Her 1932 debut with Ellington produces a definitively buoyant “It Don’t Mean A Thing” with Anderson shouting out over Wellman Braud’s bouncy bass line. Other 30s pieces such as “Ebony Rhapsody” are works of art, while she also delved into popular ditties such as “When My Sugar Walks Down the Street” and “Oh, Babe! Maybe Someday.” Both her and Ellington reached an apotheosis in 1940 with Anderson and Ellington producing a wrenching “Solitude,” an agonizing “Stormy Weather” (with Johnny Hodges glowing on the alto sax” and reaching her zenith on a sparkling “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good.” She also was good with bluesy material, swinging gently on the fun “Five O’Clock Whistle” and getting down and dirty on “Rocks in My Bed.” The last few songs have her with the likes of Willie Smith/as, Buddy Collette/bar and Ceele Burke’s Orchestra, delivering some deep blues on “Empty Bed Blues” and “Big Butter and Egg Man” before she retired from the scene. This lady is a forgotten star in what is considered the greatest of all big bands with a surfeit of stars..' (Amazon reviewer). ' For the most part this excellent set charts Anderson's 10-year career as Duke Ellington's vocalist, adding four tracks from late in her short life when she was an LA restaurant owner ....' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise *** ).

Details and Samples :

Jimmy Smith - Four Classic Albums
(Avid Jazz) - Released: 5th October 2018

Jimmy Smith (Hammond organ) with various personnel [2 CDs]

Jimmy Smith Four Classic albums

'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD second set release from Jimmy Smith, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details 'The Sermon'; 'Crazy! Baby'; 'House Party' and 'Midnight Special' We don't think we would find many detractors if we were to say that our latest guest artist is probably the most famous jazz Hammond organist in the world. Mr Jimmy Smith, or to give him his rightful name The Incredible Jimmy Smith spent his formative years in the early 1950s in R&B bands playing piano and dabbling with the Hammond organ. After hearing Wild Bill Davis he made the permanent switch to the Hammond and was soon discovered by Blue Note supremo Alfred Lion. Smith was incredibly prolific, (hmm, perhaps that's where the name came from?), recording over forty sessions for Blue Note in a period of just eight years. He made many classic albums and we at AVID think we have snagged four of his best! Here's a few of the names on these swinging platters. Tina Brooks, Lou Donaldson, George Coleman, Lee Morgan, Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey, Curtis Fuller, Donald Bailey and Stanley Turrentine' (album notes). 'This is Smith at the height of his powers on Blue Note between 1957 and 1960, and with the larger bands on The Sermon and House Party; we also have the great quartet with Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine and Donald Bailey on Midnight Special - what's not to like?' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

The Ronnie Scott Trio - On A Clear Day 'Live' 1974
(Acrobat) - Released: 11th November 2018

Ronnie Scott (tenor sax, soprano sax); Mike Carr (organ); Bobby Gein (drums)

Ronnie Scott Trio On A Clear Day album

'The United Kingdom, 1974: a time of the 3-Day Week, of snap-general elections and Glam Rock: a nation rocked as much by strikes and IRA bomb blasts as by Abba and Mud: a country in which overhung Sixties optimism was finally giving way to crisis-driven Seventies reality. Much the same could have been said of Ronnie Scott that year too. Indeed, when he and his band took to the stage of a tiny pub in the backwaters of Wiltshire on a spring evening in 1974, a one-night stop on an exhaustive nationwide tour, he was in the midst of perhaps the most turbulent time of his life. Amid fractious personal relationships and an ongoing battle with depression, and surrounded by a jazz scene whose very fabric had changed unrecognisably in a few short years, Scott nevertheless remained one of the UK's great jazz catalysts a central figure around whom much of what was considered newsworthy within the idiom still concentrated. At forty-seven, the saxophonist was no longer chasing the music's cutting edge; instead he had forged a style very much his own, one which tipped its hat to many of the good and the great who'd graced his own Soho club, but which now boasted even greater authority, maturity and individuality than ever before. And, despite his off-stage tribulations, he was happy with his band, a hitherto rare instance of a Scott-led line-up lasting more than a few years. Supported by organist Mike Carr and drummer Bobby Gein, he tore the roof off the White Hart, whose 'Jazz at The Icebox' presentations were a magnet for West Country jazz fans, probably unaware that what was undoubtedly just another night's work for him and his hard-grafting colleagues was being caught on tape. Issued here for the first time, this recording captures Scott doing what he did best: playing no-holds-barred jazz, minus the pressures that came from being a frontman for his own club, or acting as 'support act' to his many American guests. As such, it reveals a Ronnie Scott rarely heard on record, an instrumentalist in full-flow, sounding relaxed yet forthright, and making a mockery of the notion that art must mirror life. Scott may have been sailing stormy waters elsewhere but On A Clear Day finds him at the eye of a creative hurricane. 'Ronnie is one of our finest jazz musicians and saxophonists, period.', wrote one Melody Maker reviewer that same year, a declaration fully borne out on this album. Packaged with period photos, reminiscences by some of those present on the night, and an in-depth booklet essay by award-winning saxophonist Simon Spillett, this album makes a powerful case for a long-overdue re-evaluation of Ronnie Scott, jazz musician, doubly so in featuring two rare examples for his oft-overlooked soprano saxophone work (album notes). 'Scott kept a trio going for a decade or so, at first with Tony Crombie on drums, later succeeded by the young South African, Bobby Gein. This previously unreleased session dates from a period in 1974 when the trio was out on tour .... Treat this as a valuable example of a Scott line-up that allowed him to play as he pleased, unfettered and fruitful' (Peter Vacher in Jazzwise *** ).

Details and Samples :

Andy Hague - Coming Of Age
(Ooh-Err Records) - Released: November 2018

Andy Hague (trumpet/flugelhorn), Ben Waghorn (tenor sax), Jim Blomfield (piano), Chris Jones (double bass), Mark Whitlam (drums).

Andy Hague Coming Of Age

Over the past 25 years trumpeter and drummer Andy Hague has become well known in Bristol both as a performer and as organiser of weekly jazz venue, The Be-Bop Club. Besides his jazz activities he has played in many other settings, including albums by the band Portishead and for theatre, TV and film productions. In 2016 he appeared as part of Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley's Back To Jazz Big Band at the Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival and at Ronnie Scott's Club. Andy is also a jazz educator having taught under the banner of Bristol Jazz Workshops for over a decade, tutoring on summer schools and acting as an external examiner for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. With Andy on this album are musicians that he has worked with on many occasions: saxophonist Ben Waghorn is a long-term associate and pianist Jim Blomfield has long been part of Bristol's jazz scene. Bassist Chris Jones and drummer Mark Whitlam can also be found with their own project 'We Are Leif'.

Details and Samples : Click here for our Profile of Andy Hague :

Clark Tracey Quintet - No Doubt
(TenToTen Records) - Released: 28th September 2018

Alexandra Ridout (trumpet, flugelhorn); Sean Payne (alto sax); Elliott Samson (piano); James Owston (bass); Clark Tracey (drums).

Clark Tracey Quintet No Doubt

'Formed in January 2018, this group is the latest in a succession led by drummer Clark Tracey since the early '80s, which showcases emerging, young and exceptionally talented jazz musicians. 'No Doubt' marks Clark's 40th year in jazz as he turned professional in 1978 when he joined his father Stan Tracey CBE's band. Trumpeter Alex Ridout is already making heads turn, winning the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award in 2016 when just 17 years old. 18 year old alto player Sean Payne was a finalist in the first of those awards when he was 14. Both musicians were heard by Clark at the Purcell School of Music some years ago and are currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music. On piano is Elliott Sansom, who recently graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire where Clark regularly teaches and he was also a finalist in the BBC jazz awards. Bassist James Owston is still studying at Birmingham where he is tutored by Arnie Somogyi and Mark Hodgson. Recorded in April of 2018, this recording, which is Clark's 15th under his own name, has two original tunes by the horn players and three tunes which allow the musicians to stretch out. In their first year, under Clark's guidance, the quintet have performed at a number of major venues including Ronnie Scott's Club and the Pizza Express, along with festivals such as Swanage and the South Coast Jazz Festival' (album notes). ' ......Clark himself encourages everyone and plays with taste, power and precision. I hope he'll keep this group and let it develop and grow. This CD has given me so much listening pleasure, it has ended up as my Record of the Year' (Tony Hall in Jazzwise ****).

Details : Listen to Pools :

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - Peter And The Wolf
(Spartacus Records) - Released: December 2018

Tommy Smith (conductor); Tam Dean Burn (narrator); Makoto Ozone (piano); Yvonne Robertson (flute); Martin Kershaw, Paul Towndrow, Konrad Wiszniewski, Bill Fleming (saxophones); James Davison, Sean Gibbs, Tom MacNiven, Lorne Cowieson (trumpets); Chris Greive, Liam Shortall, Michael Owers (trombones); Calum Gourlay (bass); Alyn Cosker (drums); text adapted by Liz Lochhead.

SNJO Peter And The Wolf

'Tommy Smith’s jazz version of Peter and the Wolf will remain true to Prokofiev’s premise that particular instruments are allocated to each character and the wonderful melodies will be lovingly preserved whilst actor Tam Dean Burn will narrate new text specially adapted by Liz Lochhead' (album notes).

Details : Available in January : Video Introduction :

Dave O'Higgins Trio with Max Ionata - Tenors Of Our Time
(Albore Jazz) - Released: 7th December 2018

Max Ionata, Dave O'Higgins (tenor sax); Ross Stanley (organ); Luca Santaniello (drums).

Dave O'Higgins Tenors Of Our Time

'Led by UK saxophonist, Dave O’Higgins, the idea came about when Dave performed at the 2018 Rochester Jazz Festival in New York with Italian drummer, Luca Santaniello. Doing a 2-tenor combo with the wonderful Max Ionata seemed like a perfect UK-Italian collaboration, and it was a sheer pleasure from the first note. The quartet was made up with UK virtuoso jazz organist, Ross Stanley. The session was 'live in the studio' and swinging hard: 5 originals by Dave, 2 by Max, a tricky blues theme by James Williams, a Dizzy Gillespie rhythm changes and an old Italian pop song!' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video of You're Nicked :

Paula Rae Gibson and Kit Downes - Emotion Machine
(Slowfoot) - Released: 2nd November 2018

Paula Rae Gibson (vocals); Kit Downes (piano, cello)

Paula Rae Gibson Emotion Machine

'Emotion Machine is the first collaboration between Paula Rae Gibson, a prolific artist renowned for her photography, lyricism and ethereal vocal work, and highly acclaimed composer and pianist Kit Downes. Downes' minimal, abstract arrangements of sombre piano meditations and Arthur Russell-esque cello experimentation blend with Gibson's idiosyncratic vocals to create a sense of emotional urgency - a raw, distressing honesty is prevalent throughout the album. Drawing inspiration from Delta Blues, Icelandic Art Rock and Early Music, the sonic world created is both inviting and menacing, giving the perfect template for Gibson's lyrics of love, loss and the various fuels of the Emotion Machine (album notes). 'The sense of close integration between the idiosyncratic singer-songwriter Paul Rae Gibson and her new partner Kit Downes, on piano and cello, on her fifth CD is a fresh approach that works very well. Downes' intelligent, resonant semi-abstract sonic sculptures ... curl invitingly around the singer's naked personal lyrics and half-spoken, ethereal goth-ish vocals (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise ***)

Details and Samples : Listen to Tell Me Why :

Cécile McLorin Salvant - The Window
(Mack Avenue) - Released: 28th September 2018

Cécile McLorin Salvant (vocals); Sullivan Fortner (piano, organ); Melissa Aldana (tenor sax).

Cecile McLorin Salvant The Window

'The Window, an album of duets between Cécile McLorin Salvant and pianist Sullivan Fortner, explores and extends the tradition of the piano-vocal duo and its expressive possibilities. With just Fortner's deft accompaniment to support McLorin Salvant, the two are free to improvise and rhapsodize, to play freely with time, harmony, melody and phrasing. The world first learned of the incredible vocal artistry of Cécile McLorin Salvant when she won the prestigious 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. In just under the span of a decade she has evolved from a darling of jazz critics and fans, to a multi-GRAMMY® Award winner and a prescient, fearless voice in music today. Thematically, 'The Window' is a meditative cycle of songs about the mercurial nature of love. The duo explores the theme across a wide repertory that includes Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim, the inner-visionary Stevie Wonder, gems of French cabaret, and early Rhythm and Blues, alongside McLorin Salvant's brilliant, original compositions. Just as a window frames a view - revealing as much as it hides, connecting as much as it separates - each song on the album offers a shifting and discerning perspective on love's emotional complexity. McLorin Salvant sings of anticipation and joy, obsession and madness, torment and longing, tactics and coyness. 'The Window' traverses love's wide universe, from the pleasure of a lover's touch with its feelings of human communion, to the invisible masks we wear to hide from others and from ourselves. Touched at every moment by McLorin Salvant's brilliance, The Window is a dazzling new release from an artist who is surely, to quote Duke Ellington, "beyond category." (album notes). 'A mix of studio and live tracks, the latter recorded at the Village Vanguard ... few recordings this year (2018) have been as unfailingly engaging, uplifting and accomplished as The Window (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise ****).

Details and Samples : Review by Chris Mosey (allaboutjazz) ; Listen to Somewhere from the album :

Paul Simon - In The Blue Light
(Sony Music/Legacy) - Released: 7th September 2018

Paul Simon (vocals, guitar, percussion); with various personnel including Bill Frisell (guitar); Sullivan Fortner (piano, celeste); John Paitiucci (bass); Jack DeJohnette, Steve Gadd (drums).

Paul Simon In The Blue Light

'In The Blue Light is legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon‘s 14th studio album. Produced by Simon and Roy Halee, who have worked together since the 1960s, the album features a talented cast of musicians who have joined Simon to lend fresh perspectives on 10 of the artist's favorite (though perhaps less-familiar) songs, drawn from his unparalleled body of work. Revisiting his repertoire, Paul Simon has selected songs originally appearing on There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), Still Crazy After All These Years (1975), One-Trick Pony (1980), Hearts and Bones (1983), The Rhythm of The Saints (1990), You're The One (2000) and So Beautiful Or So What (2011), refreshing and transforming the compositions through new arrangements and collaborations. Among the many musicians joining him on ‘In The Blue Light’ are jazz icons trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, guitarist Bill Frisell, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Steve Gadd. “This album consists of songs that I thought were almost right, or were odd enough to be overlooked the first time around. Re-doing arrangements, harmonic structures, and lyrics that didn’t make their meaning clear, gave me time to clarify in my own head what I wanted to say, or realize what I was thinking and make it more easily understood.” - Paul Simon (album notes). 'For both jazz instrumentalists and vocalists, Paul Simon's Music has long proved an inspiration, as covers by pianists Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny, Paul Desmond .. and more have attested. With his 14th studio album, the jazz-inspired In The Blue Light, Simon now returns the favour .... Simon appears to revel in this musical company and, at the age of 77, the vocal pipes seem remarkably unchanged (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise ***)

Details and Samples : Introductory Video : Listen to One's Man Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor :

Kamasi Washington - Heaven And Earth
(Young Turks Recordings) - Released: 22nd June 2018 (box set)

Kamasi Washington (tenor saxophone); Dontae Winslow (trumpet); Ryan Porter (trombone); Patrice Quinn (vocals); Cameron Graves (piano); Brandon Coleman (keyboards); Miles Mosley (bass); Thundercat (bass); Ronald Bruner Jr. (drums); Tony Austin (drums); Robert Searight (drums); and more.

Kamasi Washington Heaven And Earth

'The long-awaited follow up to Washington’s debut The Epic, Heaven & Earth is comprised of two halves, which find Washington confronting quotidian realities with cosmic themes. A further investigation of Washington’s world building ideas, the new album explores his reckoning with current global chaos and his vision for the future. Washington convened his band, The Next Step, as well as members of the long running collective The West Coast Get Down at Henson Studios in Los Angeles to record the 16 tracks on Heaven & Earth. The music was composed, written and arranged by Washington, with new arrangements of jazz and bebop legend Freddie Hubbard’s “Hubtones” and iconic kung fu film theme “Fists of Fury,” as well as one song by bandmate Ryan Porter. Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Ronald Bruner, Jr., Cameron Graves, Brandon Coleman, Miles Mosley, Patrice Quinn, Tony Austin and many more contribute to the album. Heaven & Earth, will be available on double deluxe CD. “The world that my mind lives in, lives in my mind.” This idea inspired me to make this album Heaven & Earth. The reality we experience is a mere creation of our consciousness, but our consciousness creates this reality based on those very same experiences. We are simultaneously the creators of our personal universe and creations of our personal universe. The Earth side of this album represents the world as I see it outwardly, the world that I am a part of. The Heaven side of this album represents the world as I see it inwardly, the world that is a part of me. Who I am and the choices I make lie somewhere in between.” Kamasi Washington (album notes). 'Kamasi Washington’s new double-disc Heaven And Earth boasts a sound that is completely identifiable with the saxophonist’s previous creations, but definitely doesn't match them in terms of grooviness and excellence. Catching up with today’s musical trends, Kamasi combines traditional jazz and retro-funk elements with contagious beats and synth-infused layers. Occasionally, on top of it, there are heavy string orchestrations and chants carried out with a luxuriant opulence that may or not affect the existing idea of nostalgia ... Even not venturing into new ground, Kamasi remains with an intact and eclectic vision. Even expecting more from this album, I found that the connection of the group as a whole is never put into question (JazzTrail)

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Andrew Rathbun - Character Study
(Steeplechase) - Released: 1st November 2018

Andrew Rathbun (tenor saxophone); Tim Hagans (trumpet); Gary Versace (piano); Jay Anderson (acoustic bass); Bill Stewart (drums).

Andrew Rathbun Character Study

'Unquestionably, 2018 was a positive, busy year to Canadian saxophone stylist Andrew Rathbun, who, in the aftermath of his Atwood Suites, a jazz-orchestra project released on the Sunnyside label, collaborates once more with trumpeter Tim Hagans on his latest SteepleChase outing, Character Study. The quintet album, inspired by the idea of character and the political situation in America, is entirely composed of originals with the exception of “EtCetera”, in which Rathbun takes Wayne Shorter’s sound palette to something of his own. Starting in a trio setting with helical saxophone flames flying above the restless rhythm laid down by bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Bill Stewart, this classic piece also exhibits Rathbun’s motifs being replicated by the bassist. The swinging flux that persists while Hagan improvises is discontinued in favor of a looser texture, urging pianist Gary Versace to express his ideas against a funk-inclined background .... Rathbun’s challenging writing requires an attentive execution from his cohorts. All the same, the theoretical complexities turned spontaneous moves keep sounding natural, also due to the musicians’ ability to create a bond with the listener' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Introductory Video :

Slava Ganelin and Vladimir Homyakov - Neuma
(Leo Records) - Released: 14th November 2018

Slava Ganelin (piano, synths, drums); Vladimir Homyakov (pipe organ).

SlavaGanelin and Vladimir Homyakov Neuma

'The Russian city of Chelyabinsk is in the Urals, the gateway to Siberia. The State Philharmonic in Chelyabinsk has a huge pipe organ. Vladimir Homyakov is a new name in the catalogue of Leo Records. He plays this pipe organ while Ganelin plays the piano, two synths and drums. But what kind of music do they play? In his liner notes, Steve Day is trying to persuade us that they play jazz. Jazz or not, but playing seventy minute concert in Chelyabinsk to the ecstatic audience, these two musicians managed to create something very special, new and original. Steve Day calls it 'gigantic creative epic'. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video :

Charles Mingus - Jazz In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden
(Jazz Workshop) - Released: 2nd November 2018 (5 CD Box Set)

Charles Mingus (bass); Joe Gardner (trumpet); John Stubblefield (tenor sax); Don Pullen (piano); Roy Brooks (drums, musical saw)

Charles Mingus album

'After recent discoveries of 'lost' tapes by John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk there now arrives this 5-CD box set of previously unreleased recordings by the great bassist/composer/bandleader Charles Mingus (1922-79) taken from a week-long residency at the Strata Concert Gallery in Detroit during February, 1973. With Mingus (bass) were tenor saxophonist John Stubblefield (1945-2005); trumpeter Joe Gardner (died 2002); pianist Don Pullen (1941-95) & drummer Roy Brooks (1938-2005) all in blistering form playing magnificent versions of 'Pithecanthropus Erectus', 'Peggy's Blue Skylight', 'The Man Who Never Sleeps', 'Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk', 'Celia', 'Noddin' Ya Head Blues', 'C Jam Blues' and the first appearance on record of Mingus's 'Dizzy Profile'. The late 1960s & early '70s were generally a low time for Charles Mingus but these powerful and atmospheric live club recordings for radio station WDET-FM, released with the approval of his widow Sue Mingus, stand comparison with some of the bassist's finest work' (Amazon Reviewer *****); 'Well, this is a pleasantly unexpected Christmas present, and no mistake. Not merely because of its musical quality, but also its rarity. Tenor saxophonisdt Stubblefield's five-month tenure with Mingus was previously only the subject of memory .. while trumpeter Gardner, an inventive and non-cliched soloist, didn't stay much longer ....The entire four-hours-plus of first-generation public-radio recording is presented unedited ... The sound is good for a club set and the performance is inspiring (Brian Priestly in Jazzwise ****)'

Details :

Jazz City UK Volume 2 - The Jam Sessions
(Big Bear Records) - Released: 16th November 2018

Humphrey Lyttelton, Digby Fairweather (trumpet); Roy Williams, Roy Crimmins (trombone); Dave Shepherd, Randy Colville (clarinet); Peter King, Bruce Turner (alto sax); Dick Morrissey (tenor sax); John Barnes (bass sax); Brian Lemon, Mick Pyne (piano); Martin Taylor, Jim Douglas (guitar); Dave Green, Harvey Weston (bass); Allan Ganley, Johnny Richardson (drums).

Jazz City Volume 2

'.... two celebratory jam session recordings from the 1980s collected here under the Jazz City heading, this being an allusion to Birmingham, the HQ for (Jim Simpson's Big Bear Agency) both set up as the ceremony finales (for the British Jazz Awards) ....' Both have Humphrey Lyttelton out front ... 'Here as often applies with impromptu gatherings, proceedings get a bit mixed, not to say raucous. Still, its a chance to hear solos from some fine but now departed players, as well as such hardy survivors as Green, Williams, King and Taylor ....' (Peter Vacher in Jazzwise ***)

Details and Samples :

Stanley Turrentine - Four Classic Albums
(Avid Jazz) - Released: 5th October 2018

Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone) with various personnel

Stanley Turrentine Four Classic Albums

'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Stanley Turrentine, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details 'Look Out'; 'Dearly Beloved'; 'Blue Hour' and 'That's Where It's At'. Despite being born only half a dozen years before the likes of Miles and Trane, our next guest artist, Stanley Turrentine, became known primarily as a tenor sax giant from a much later generation. Perhaps this was due to his early years playing in the bands of R&B legends such as Lowell Fulson and Earl Bostic. He also became known for playing with two legendary soul jazz organist, the Incredible Jimmy Smith and his wife (in the 1960s) Shirley Scott. Our four selections feature Stanley playing with organist Shirley Scott and quite a few upcoming future soul jazz legends such as pianist Les McCann, Gene Harris and Herbie Lewis' (album notes). ' .... here's a fine collection from his previous run of BN (Blue Note) material that includes the classics Look Out and That's Where It's At' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise ***).

Details :

Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party 2017 - Pleasure Mad
(Lake Records) - Released: date not given

Mike Durham and various international musicians

Mike Durham Pleasure Mad

'A common criticism of reproductions of Vintage Jazz is that many of the original recordings from the 1920s and '30s are readily available, so why try to recreate them? Most people associated with the Classic Jazz Party would agree with that, but that’s not what the Party is about. It is about giving people the opportunity to experience what these bands might have sounded like ‘live’ in their day, recreated by musicians who are experts in their field and – dare we say it – sometimes better jazzers than some of the originals.‘Pleasure Mad’ is a brand-new 2-CD album comprising selected highlights recorded live in hi-fidelity stereo at the 2017 Party. It represents a snapshot of what’s on offer at the Party; the wide spectrum of classic jazz performed in 2017 included King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, The Young Benny Goodman, Jabbo Smith, Luis Russell’s Orchestra, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band and Bennie Moten. ‘Pleasure Mad’ includes numbers from concerts themed on all of these great artists, and many others besides. Ultimately the album captures what the Party is all about – why musicians come from all over Europe, the USA and even Australia to take part, and why dedicated fans return year after year' (album notes)

Details : Further Information : Video Andy Schumm band : Video Jam Session : Video Spats Langham band :

Helena Kay's KIM Trio - Moon Palace
(Ubuntu Music ) - Released: 7th December 2018

Helena Kay (saxophone); Ferg Ireland (double bass); David Ingamells (drums)

Helena Kay KIM Trio Moon Palace

'Fresh from winning Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year in 2015 and the 2017 Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, emerging saxophonist Helena Kay releases her debut album, Moon Palace, on Ubuntu Music. Moon Palace takes its title from a Paul Auster novel of the same name. It features a selection of Kay's original compositions which evoke the various places and experiences that inspired them, from the leafy streets of Muswell Hill, north London ('Strawberry Terrace') to the jazz Mecca that is Greenwich Village, Manhattan ('Perry Street'). "I wrote Perry Street after my first visit to New York, and named the tune after the street I stayed on for the two weeks I was in the city. I heard a lot of amazing music while I was there; it's an incredibly inspiring place to be," says Kay. "I love the Larry Goldings/Peter Bernstein/Bill Stewart Trio: some of the tunes they play encapsulate a gritty, American (to my ears!) sound, and I wanted to capture that attitude in my own tune Perry Street". Moon Palace also reflects Kay's love of the jazz tradition with her quirky arrangement of Charlie Parker's 'Kim' and her moving solo rendition of Hoagy Carmichael's beautiful ballad 'Stardust'. Kay leads KIM Trio with David Ingamells on drums and Ferg Ireland on double bass. "I met David Ingamells at Guildhall: he was in fourth year when I was in first year. I love his swinging and playful playing, especially in a trio setting," explains Kay. "Dave introduced me to Ferg. He is a virtuoso on the bass; every time I play with him he pushes me to play better. Dave and Ferg make a great team." (album notes). The band is on tour during December (click here for details).

Details (and Samples when available) : Video Strawberry Terrace played live : Video L and D played live :

Square One - Double Bind
(Square One / Bandcamp) - Released: 24th November 2018

Joe Williamson (guitar); Peter Johnstone (piano); David Bowden (double bass); Stephen Henderson (drums & percussion); with special guest Andy Middleton (tenor and soprano saxophones).

Square One Double Bind

'This international partnership brings together two generations of musicians from very different backgrounds - award-winning Scottish quartet Square One and leading Vienna-based saxophonist Andy Middleton (USA). Andy first met Joe whilst teaching a masterclass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2016. Later that year, they ran into each other by chance at the Silesian Jazz Festival in Katowice (Poland), where Andy saw the band perform, and soon after proposed a collaboration. In March 2018, Andy joined Square One for a tour of Scotland and two days in the studio to record this album' (album notes).

See Tea Break article with Joe Williamson in this month's What's New : Details and Samples : Listen to Double Bind :

Gabrielle Ducomble - Across The Bridge
(MGP Records) - Released: 28th October 2018

Gabrielle Ducomble (vocals); Nicolas Meier (guitar); Nick Kacal (double bass); Richard Jones (violin); Saleem Raman (drums) plus guests Bill Mudge (piano); Fausto Beccalossi (accordion).

Gabrielle Ducomble Across The Bridge

'Belgian-born and London-based chanteuse Gabrielle Ducomble is gifted with an irresistible voice. Obvious comparisons can be made (and usually are) to the great Edith Piaf or at a pinch, a jazzier Mireille Mathieu, but this does Ducomble a disservice since she exudes her own unique vocal charm. Across The Bridge follows in the footsteps of Ducomble's first two albums, J'ai Deux Amours (2011) and Notes From Paris (2014), remaining stylistically true to form to its predecessors. In common with the previous two albums she is accompanied by master guitarist Nicolas Meier, who has again co-produced the record with Ducomble ... (Roger Farbey, allaboutjazz). 'Across The Bridge features twelve original compositions that embrace contemporary jazz, chansons, tango and Lating rhythms, telling stories and reflecting on the mems of nature, art, social justice and ideology ... (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video of Like A Bridge Across Your Heart sung live : Full Review by Roger Farbey 3.5* :

Jessica Radcliffe - Remembrance
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 30th November 2018

Jessica Radcliffe (vocals); Tom Dennis (trumpet); Sam Jones (piano); Joe Downard (bass); Will Glaser (drums)

Jessica Radcliffe Remembrance

'A unique and powerfully empathetic portrayal of the impact of the First World War, Remembrance transcends boundaries and the definitions of genres and does what arts do best - expresses life's truths." (Issie Barratt, award-winning composer & educator). As 2018 draws to a close, vocalist and composer Jessica Radcliffe releases her debut album, Remembrance, marking the end of the First World War centenary. Based on her in-depth study of the devastating event through music, poetry, reports, letters and other historical documents, Radcliffe's original compositions and arrangements create a moving tribute. Radcliffe began composing the music for The Remembrance Project in her final year at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. "When the WWI centenary rolled around in 2014, I realised that I knew little of nothing about the conflict, and, having enjoyed studying the poetry of the Great War for A Level English, challenged myself to compose some pieces for my composition module," explains Radcliffe. The pieces 'Remembrance', 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', 'There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding'. 'Over The Top' and 'And When They Ask Us', made up Radcliffe's final performance, for which she received a First. The album was completed following an emotional visit to the Western Front. "I wanted to walk in their footsteps and see all of these places I'd been reading about for a year come to life. I wanted to present something entirely focused on the humanitarian struggles during the conflict. "Remembrance draws on a range of influences and styles form all aspects of Radcliffe's musical journey as well as some of the most poignant literature from the conflict. 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', one of Radcliffe's favourite poems by Wilfred Owen for the strikingly onomatopoeic language is a directed group improvisation; for the title track Radcliffe re-harmonised The Last Poet and set a section of Robert Laurence Binyon's poem 'For The Fallen' and the music echoes the music of the classical composers of the time, Vaughan Williams' (album notes).

Details and Sample : Video Introduction : Video of Dulce et Decorum live : Video of Little Boy Lost live :

Duke Ellington - In Coventry 1966
(Storyville Records) - Released: 22nd June 2018

Duke Ellington (piano) with Cat Anderson; Cootie Williams; Herbie Jones; Mercer Ellington (trumpet); Lawrence Brown; Chuck Connors; Buster Cooper (trombone); Jimmy Hamilton; Russell Procope; Johnny Hodges; Paul Gonsalves; Harry Carney (reeds); John Lamb (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums); George Webb; Cliff Adams Singers (vocals).

Duke Ellington In Coventry 1966

'During the year of 1966 Duke Ellington was touring Europe. Duke Ellington's sacred concerts had many incarnations, more than the three on the commercial records: The First (1965), The Second (1968) and The Third (1973). At concerts Ellington often made changes in the proceedings, left out some numbers, and played others, and altered the succession of numbers played. This was evidenced at Coventry Cathedral on a winter's Monday, February 21st 1966. The Coventry concert had its centerpiece in In The Beginning God , but apart from that it was no ordinary sacred concert: Two numbers, Come Sunday and Tell Me It's The Truth would have a vocal on the issued record and in other performances of A Concert of Sacred Music the previous year, but were purely instrumental here and the two numbers following In The Beginning God had no connection to a religious theme. With him on that day in Coventry Cathedral were some highly professional British vocalists, The Cliff Adams Singers and the baritone singer George Webb, giving the performance a special quality, which the band acknowledged by playing on the top of their game. The concert was filmed for TV, and part of it was telecast. Two numbers were regrettably omitted from the TV production, but are on this album, a powerful version of Light (Montage) from Black, Brown And Beige, and the above-mentioned Come Sunday. The concert also includes a premiere and only performance of a new Ellington composition Come Easter, a premiere of another new Ellington piece West Indian Pancake, and one of the first performances of a piece which would become an important part of many concerts during the following years, La Plus Belle Africaine' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Review :

Sara Dowling - Two Sides Of Sara
(Self Release / Bandcamp) - Released: 10th August 2018

Sara Dowling (vocals); Gabriel Latchin (piano); Bill Mudge (organ).

Sara Dowling Two Sides Of Sar

'I was very expressive as a cellist. It was a whole new world being able to extemporize with words and melody. No lady in jazz did it better than the stylish Anita O’Day who also gave me the courage to tackle those faster tempos. It’s obvious to say that Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday were heavy influences too. There’s no other way of saying it, If you’re a jazz singer and you’re learning repertoire, you’ve got to start with Ella. She’ll teach you everything you need to know. Billie will remind you that you’ve got to be true and real and mean every word you sing. Then along came Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter of which all these women have been tremendous teachers to me through the recordings they have left with their legacy' (Sara Dowling). 'Sara Dowling is a London-based ex-virtuosic cellist who got the bug for time-honoured Ella-influenced jazz singing about a decade ago. Her epiphany has probably triggered the kind of heartfelt commitment needed to stand out in an oversubscribed sub-genre, as demonstrated by these intimate straightahead duos ......' (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise ***)

Details, Samples and Listen to I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry : Sara's website :

Mark Masters Ensemble - Our Métier
(Capri Records) - Released: 21st September 2018

Mark Masters (composition, arrangements, conductor); Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Oliver Lake (alto saxophone); Gary Foster (alto saxophone); Tim Hagans (trumpet); Dave Woodley (trombone); Bob Carr (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Anna Mjoll (vocals); Craig Fundyga (vibraphone); Putter Smith (bass); Andrew Cyrille (drums); and more.

Mark Masters Ensemble Our Metier

'The eight Masters compositions featured on the album showcase some of the most adventurous creative improvising musicians in jazz today: Andrew Cyrille, Mark Turner, Oliver Lake, Tim Hagans, Gary Foster, Dave Woodley, and Putter Smith. In addition, Masters incorporates the unique voice of Anna Mjoll as an orchestral colour, mixing with the instrumental waves in wordless swirls of sound. The ensemble that supports these improvisers includes Scott Englebright and Les Lovitt (trumpet), Stephanie O'Keefe (French horn), Les Benedict and Ryan Dragon (trombone), Jerry Pinter, Kirsten Edkins and Bob Carr (woodwinds), Ed Czach (piano), and Craig Fundyga (vibes). The group's big band sound is augmented by bass clarinet and vibes giving the project, at times, an ethereal personality. On this album, Masters applies his prodigious talent for painting brilliant, complex, and satisfying jazz landscapes. This is the composer/arranger's eleventh project for Capri Records (album notes). 'American bandleader and trumpet player Mark Masters has been establishing a reputable career mostly with works released on Capri Records. Our Métier, his new album on that label, comprises eight originals specifically composed for an elite of top-notch soloists .... Masters has the entire band having fun with his compositions and arrangements where the presence of jazz tradition is as important as it is the modern infiltration. The aesthetics of his music, built with passages that alternate between the adventurous and the predictable, have the soloists carrying much of the flame' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Listen to the title track Our Métier : Full JazzTrail Review :

Jacob Sacks - Fishes
(Clean Feed) - Released: 28th Spetember 2018

Jacob Sacks (piano); Ellery Eskelin (tenor saxophone); Tony Malaby (tenor and soprano saxophones); Michael Formanek (acoustic bass); Dan Weiss (drums).

Jacob Sacks Fishes

'Pianist/composer Jacob Sacks has been an important voice in the adventurous jazz with the stamp ‘made in New York’. Although revealing dynamic writing skills, he doesn't record as much as a leader, preferring to disseminate his irresistible sonic zest in projects of likes such as David Binney, Dan Weiss, and Eivind Opsvick or co-leading duos (with singer Yoon Sun Choi) and quartets (Spirals, 40Twenty, Two Miles a Day). The exceptions to this rule are his quintet albums Regions (1999) and No Man’s Land (2013). Always leaning on the avant-garde without neglecting traditional forms and sounds, Sacks now convenes a pungent new quintet with provocative saxophonists Ellery Eskelin and Tony Malaby, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Dan Weiss, the only one who remained from the former group. Released on Clean Feed label, Fishes features eleven tracks, five of which are sketchy, relatively short collective improvisations with Carnegie in the title. The ambiguity of these sonic canvases usually comes from two disparate melodic threads created by the reed players, fulminant single-note drives and disarming chords that sometimes lead to whimsical piano textures, and an unimposing bass-drums flux. .... The creative ideas take either seductively cerebral or emotionally spontaneous forms. Even though it carries some complexity, Fishes is still an approachable outing from an adventurous pianist in full bloom and at the helm of his own group' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to Carnegie Echos Kent :

Myra Melford's Snowy Egret - The Other Side of Air
(Firehouse 12 / Red Distribution) - Released: 2nd November 2018

Myra Melford (piano); Ron Miles (cornet); Liberty Ellman (guitar); Stomu Takeishi (bass guitar); Tyshawn Sorey (drums).

Myra melford The Other Side Of Air

'Myra Medford, a singular pianist, composer, and bandleader (Be Bread, Trio M, Snowy Egret), continues to depict new landscapes and narrate interesting stories with innovative sounds. On The Other Side of Air, the members of Snowy Egret - a quintet featuring Ron Miles on cornet, Liberty Ellman on guitar, Stomu Takeishi on bass guitar, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums - create unpredictable fusions within the legitimate compositional aesthetic of the pianist. The virtuosity and intuition of the group are immediately perceptible on the opening track, “Motion Stop Frame”. The attractive melody, either uttered in unison or counterpoint, is laid over a stealthy bass groove that anchors further sonic layers. Miles and Melford find the space they need for their respective impromptu discourses; the former enjoys a serene, more rudimentary backing, whereas the bandleader reacts particularly colorful by engaging in busy single-note trajectories, patent rhythmic figures, and harmonic chains filled with tension ..... The tight structures of this jazz-influenced new music encapsulate a fluid amalgam of composition and improvisation that strikes you with the force of thunder. This is another elegant work from an accomplished pianist' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to Small Thoughts:

NYSQ (New York Standards Quartet) - Heaven Steps To Seven
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 21st September 2018

Tim Armacost (saxophone); David Berkman (piano); Ugonna Okegwo (bass); Gene Jackson (drums).

NYSQ Heaven Steps To Seven

'Building on the significant success of their sixth release, 'Sleight of Hand' (Whirlwind, 2017), the New York Standards Quartet presents another coruscating showcase of reimagined, classic songs on 'Heaven Steps to Seven'. Saxophonist Tim Armacost, pianist David Berkman and drummer Gene Jackson present individual arrangements full of characteristic inventiveness; and, for the first time in the studio, they are delighted to document bassist Ugonna Okegwo's relationship with the band, a regular on their US tours. It's a recording of remarkable finesse, once again refracting kaleidoscopic colours across old favourites and less-familiar treasures from the jazz heritage. Having played together for so long, Armacost highlights two key facets: "One is to discover a beautiful standard you haven't heard before; the other is finding something well known, then portraying it differently. So we honour the tradition of this music, representing it authentically, but also creating environments which feel new." The breadth of the detailing is remarkable - from Armacost's vamping, fast-walking-bass take on Leonard Bernstein's "Tonight" to Gene Jackson's boisterously arrangement of Cole Porter's "I Love You". Recorded off the back of a week-long tour, the first-take immediacy of these eight sparklers is evident' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video Introducion : Review by Roger Farbey 4.5* :

Chris Pasin - Ornettiquette
(Planet Arts Recordings) - Released: 19th October 2018

Chris Pasin (trumpet); Adam Siegel (saxophone); Karl Berger (piano, vibraphone); Ingrid Sertso (vocals); Michael Bisio (acoustic bass); Harvey Sorgen (drums).

Chris Psin Ornettiquette

'Chris Pasin is a proficient trumpeter who feels equally comfortable in the avant-garde and straight-ahead jazz currents. When listening to the ecstatic Ornettiquette, his fourth album as a leader and a gorgeous tribute to Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry conjoint work, it’s hard to remember that his versatility made him collaborate with celebrated singers such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan. To achieve the adventuresome fluidity required for a tribute of this kind, Pasin hired competent musicians, two of which had worked together with Coleman and Cherry in the past, namely, vocalist Ingrid Sertso and pianist/vibraphonist Karl Berger. While the bandleader teams up with alto saxophonist Adam Siegel in the frontline, the foundation is entrusted to bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Harvey Sorgen, who effortlessly disseminate swing and shuffle rhythms throughout the recording ....The blues-based free bop of “Tomorrow Is The Question”, the balladic intonations of “Just For You”, and the linear bop curves of “When Will The Blues Leave” can be enjoyed in this recording, however, no Coleman composition sounds better than “Jayne”, which overflows with joy and emotion while carrying an inherent Latin touch. If Berger harmonizes it with heart and extemporizes with inspiration after responding to his colleagues’ provocations, then Siegel flies high with a swaggering, raucous tone adorned here and there with cheeky squeaks. By blending freedom and lyrical intensity with panache, Pasin and his bandmates provide us with ear-catching moments that are colorful and jubilant at the same extent. Ornettiquette is a competent revival of classic avant-jazz from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to Just For You : Video :

Harriet Tubman - The Terror End Of Beauty
(Sunnyside Records / Alliance Import) - Released: 23rd November 2018

Brandon Ross (guitar); Melvin Gibbs (electric bass); JT Lewis (drums).

Harriet Tubman The Terror End Of Beauty

'The runner dashes toward the cliff's edge, his hang glider's wings rattling above. He has reached the crest and, before he can think to stop, he is falling. For those few seconds before the wind mercifully sweeps him away, he is in a freefall, in a state of exhilaration, heightened awareness and, perhaps, terror. Yet, he has committed himself and had to push through the fear in order to soar. // The members of Harriet Tubman find this an apt analogy for their musical approach. For over two decades, guitarist Brandon Ross, bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer JT Lewis have thrown themselves into making music that is sans genre, infective and overpowering. Their years of experience playing alongside and driving many of the improvised music, jazz and rock's most celebrated ensembles have prepared them to run this gauntlet, The Terror End of Beauty (album notes). 'Powerhouse trio Harriet Tubman (named after the African-American slave turned abolitionist and political activist) - Brandon Ross on guitar, Melvin Gibbs on bass, and JT Lewis on drums - continues to trail an audacious path in modern music without confining themselves to a particular genre. Notwithstanding, jazz, blues and rock, in its written and improvised forms, can be considered their strongest motivations, especially if we take a closer look to their newest album The Terror End of Beauty, a great addition to the Sunnyside Records’ catalogue .... By intelligently interspersing moments of opaque obscurity and sheer beauty, Harriet Tubman achieves a perfect balance in its incisive and concise writing. The record, not too dense but not too immediate, never refrains in emotion and rewards in abundance after multiple listenings' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Amaro Freitas - Rasif
(Far Out Recordings) - Released: 19th October 2018

Amaro Freitas (piano); Henrique Albino (baritone sax, flute, bass clarinet); John Elton (bass); Huge Medeiros (drums, percussion).

Amaro Freitas Rasif

'In the sweltering North-Eastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco lies the coastal city of Recife, where Amaro Freitas is pioneering the new sound of Brazilian jazz. For the prodigious young pianist, the spirit of his hometown runs deep. From the Afro-Brazilian maracatu born on the sugar plantations of slavery, to the high intensity carnival rhythms of frevo and baião, Amaro's heavily percussive approach to jazz is as indebted to these Pernambuco traditions as it is to Coltrane, Parker and Monk. As with many of the greats before him, Amaro began playing piano in church aged 12, under the instruction of his father, leader of the church band. As his natural talents became obvious, the young prodigy quickly outgrew his father's instruction. He won a place at the prestigious Conservatório Pernambucano de Música but had to drop out as his family could not spare the money for the bus fare. Undeterred, Amaro gigged in bands at weddings and worked in a call centre to fund his tuition. The transformative moment came at age 15 when Amaro stumbled across a DVD of Chick Corea concert, "he completely blew my mind, I'd never seen anything like it but I knew that's what I wanted to do with a piano". Despite not actually owning a piano, Amaro devoted himself to studying day and night – he would practice on imaginary keys in his bedroom, until eventually striking a deal with a local restaurant to practice before opening hours. By the age of 22 Amaro was one of the most sought-after musicians in Recife and resident pianist at the legendary jazz bar Mingus. It was during this time he met and begun collaborating with bassist Jean Elton and the pair went in search of a drummer. "We kept hearing about this crazy kid who was playing in 7/8 or 6/4, we knew we had to meet him". Hugo Medeiros joined, and the Amaro Freitas Trio was born. "I want to show the simplicity of music, to break the stigma that the piano is for a particular social class. Yes, it's a difficult instrument, which many people do not have access to, but with it you can express everything." Following his critically acclaimed debut album Sangue Negro (black blood), the title of his sophomore release Rasif is a colloquial spelling of Amaro's home town. A love letter to his native northeast, Amaro explores its traditional rhythms through the jazz idiom, employing complex mathematical patterns reminiscent of some of the most challenging works by fellow Brazilian masters Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti and Moacir Santos. Preferring to see the piano as a though it were a drum with 88 unique tones, Amaro's intelligence and emotion intertwine on every track, from album opener 'Dona Eni': a scorching reconstruction of the baião rhythmic structure, played in seven measures instead of two, to the serene homage to the coastal reef and its ecosystems on the title track 'Rasif'. 'Aurora' is a suite of three parts, representing the sun's journey from the light and soft of the rise, to the aggressive dissonance at its midday zenith and descending chromatic cadences as the sun sets. Due for an Autumn release on Far Out Recordings, Rasif sees Amaro Freitas take a deserved step onto the world stage. Having already made a name for himself in Brazil, Amaro and his phenomenal band will embark on their first European tour later this year.All compositions by Amaro Freitas' (album notes). 'A real find this ..... Breathtaking stuff from a rising A-lister' (Jane Cornwell in Jazzwise ****)

Details and Samples : Review : Listen to Rasif : Listen to Mantra :

Raul Midón with the Metropole Orkest - If You Really Want
(Artistry Music) - Released: 14th September 2018

Raul Midón (vocals, guitar) with the Metropole Orkest strings and horns.

Raul Midon If You Really Want

'The New York Times has called Raul Midón "a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus." Now, with his exciting album 'If You Really Want', Midón's voice and guitar ride the waves of an actual orchestra: the acclaimed Metropole Orkest. The Grammy Award-winning Dutch ensemble has collaborated with artists from Al Jarreau and Elvis Costello to Laura Mvula and Snarky Puppy. Midón - who earned his first Grammy nomination for 'Bad Ass and Blind', (Artistry Music, 2017) worked hand in glove on 'If You Really Want' with another renowned Grammy winner and frequent Metropole Orkest collaborator: conductor-composer-arranger Vince Mendoza. He created beautifully dynamic arrangements, inspired not only by the singer-guitarist's melodies, harmonies and rhythms but by his lyrics, too. Alongside fresh versions of six favourites from past Midón albums, it features four previously unrecorded songs. Midón performed in National Public Radio's popular "Tiny Desk Concert" feature, with NPR prefacing the broadcast by saying: "Raul Midón lives in a world of sound - blind since birth, Midón's interpretation of his surroundings is borderless. He sings with the passion of the best classic soul singers, and his instrumental chops stand alongside the most accomplished jazz musicians." (album notes). '....this collaboration with one of Europe's most progressive orchestras, Metropole, casts him in a new light, which should do nothing other than enhance his artistic credibility. Blessed with a stirring, soulful voice and smart rhythm guitar technique, Midón is much more than another of the world's many Stevie Wonder wannabes ..... his repertoire and execution are that of an artist who has set his own very high standards of artistry' (Kevin Le Gendre in Jazzwise *** ).

Details : Introductory Item : Video :

Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Ole Morten Vågan - Happy Endlings
(Grappa / Odin Records) - Released: 8th November 2018

Ole Morten Vågan (bass, compositions); Elvind Kvernberg (trumpet); Øyvind Brække (trombone); Fredrik Ljungkvist, Epsen Reinertsen (tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet); Ririk Hegdal (alto sax, bass sax clarinet); Oscar Grønberg (piano); Ståle Storløkken (organ); Gard Nilssen, Hakon M. Johansen (drums); Sofia Jernberg (vocals); Ola Kvernberg (violin).

Trondheim Jazz Orchestra Happy Endings

'Trondheim Jazz Orchestra is one of the most important and creative jazz ensembles in Norway. During the course of the last seventeen years, the orchestra has had a great number of exciting projects with Norwegian and international jazz profiles such as Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman, Erlend Skomsvoll, Eirik Hegdal, Sofia Jernberg, Maria Kannegaard, Kim Myhr, Jenny Hval, Stian Westerhus, Ståle Storløkken, Kristoffer Lo and Marius Neset. The orchestra belongs to the Mid-Norway Centre of Jazz who initiates and organises new projects. The orchestra is operated as a musicians' pool, so that the orchestra changes as to instrumentation and size from project to project. This gives room for great width in the repertory. The musicians that have been involved in the orchestra are among Norway's most famous jazz profiles. Happy Endlings is TJO’s twentieth album. Artistic director of the project is Ole Morten Vågan, who composed the material, plays bass on the album and who co-produced it with Midtnorsk Jazzsenter. Vågan’s connection with TJO is longstanding – he played on the albums We Are (2005), Wood And Water (2008) and What If? (2009)' (Trondheim Jazz Orchestra website). 'The size of the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra varies from project to project ... Here it performs in mid-band mode, liberally sprinkled with rising young Norwegian jazz stars. In this ambitious two-disc set Vågan's tight compositional control holds the attention from start to finish ...' (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise ****)

Details and Samples : Video : Trondheim Jazz Orchestra website :

John Coltrane Quartet - Africa / Brass
(State Of Art) - Released: 21st September 2018

John Coltrane (tenor sax, soprano sax); McCoy Tyner (piano); Reggie Workman, Art Davies (bass); Elvin Jones (drums); plus Eric Dolphy and brass ensemble.

John Coltrane Quartet Africa Brass

'This CD contains all of the music recorded during the Africa/Brass sessions with the sole exception of a third take of “Africa” which was left out due to time limitations (it was recorded during the first session and was the first attempt at the song). The original LP Africa/Brass (Impulse AS-6) consisted of tracks 1-3 of this edition, while tracks 4-6 were issued on its sequel The Africa Brass Sessions, Vol.2 (AS- 9273). “The Damned Don’t Cry” and the initial version of “Africa” omitted here were first issued on a compilation LP titled Trane’s Modes' (album notes) 'Still exciting after all these years .... On the surface, its certainly a case of saxophonist-plus-big-band - despite Dolphy's presence, the only soloists are the members of the regular quartet .... The only thing missing from the present 75-minute programme, by comparison with Impulse!'s Complete Africa/Brass Sessions reissue, is the 'first version' of 'Africa' from the May session, but the two majestic takes from June are perhaps sufficient for those approaching this material for the first time'. (Brian Priestly in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Django Reinhardt - The Best Of Django Reinhardt
(State Of Art) - Released: 21st September 2018

Django Reinhardt (guitar)

The Best Of Django Reinhardt

'This compilation, made by renowned jazz critic Ralph J. Gleason, puts together some of the very best items of Django’s vast discography' (album notes). 'Well, if you forgive the abscence of 'Nuages' this comes close to the definitive Reinhardt anthology, and if you only have one Django album in your collection, this probably ought to be it ...' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie!
(Poll Winners) - Released: 30th September 2018

Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Lou Levy (piano); Herb Ellis (guitar); Stan Levy (drums) and others.

Ella Fitzgerald Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie

'This edition presents the complete classic album Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! (Verve V64053), which coupled two superb small group sessions featuring Ella Fitzgerald with pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, and drummer Stan Levey, among others. As a bonus, we have added four more studio tracks by Ella backed by Levy, as well as a complete live 1954 performance in Hartford' (album notes). 'This original Verve album (here with 9 bonus tracks) had Ella on top form with Lou Levy ... who encourages her to tackle the Billie Holiday repertoire, but with rewarding differences ... (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra - Gillespiana
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 30th September 2018

Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder, John Frosk (trumpet); Urbie Green, Frank Rehak, Britt Woodman (trombone); Julius Watkins, Gunther Schuller, Jimmy Buffington, Al Richman, Morris Scott, William Lester (french horn); Don Butterfield (tuba); Leo Wright (alto sax, flute); Lalo Schifrin (piano); Art Davis (bass); Chuck Lampkin (drums); Jack Del Rio, Willie Rodriguez (percussion).

Dizzy Gillespie Gillespiana

'The complete original LP Gillespiana (Verve BMGV8394), the first of many collaborations between Dizzy Gillespie and Argentinean pianist Lalo Schifrin. In addition to his role as the band’s pianist, Schifrin also composed the complete “Gillespiana” suite. A week after the studio session, the “Gillespiana” suite was performed live in Paris in a quintet format. Four of the five movements from that concert have been added here as a bonus, allowing us to compare the orchestral and small group versions' (album notes). 'This session marks the moment when Lalo Schifrin took over from Junior Mance as Dizzy's pianist in the quintet, bringing with him new ideas and a fresh repertoire. Gillispiana was conceived as a concerto grosso, in which the trumpeter's quintet played as the group of soloists and a massed big band brass section formed the ripieno ensemble ..... EJC have wisely decided .. to add a Paris concert .... that urges one to acquire this reissue even if the Verve original is already on hand (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

Ike Quebec - Four Classic Albums
(Avid Jazz) - Released: 5th October 2018 (remastered original)

Ike Quebec (tenor sax) with various personnel

Ike Quebec Four Classic Albums

Albums: 'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD second set release from Ike Quebec, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details 'Blue And Sentimental'; 'It Might As Well Be Spring'; 'Heavy Soul' and 'Bossa Nova Soul Samba' Welcome back Ike Quebec! 1945-1961, that's a long time between releases! So what happened to the great tenor saxophonist? Sadly an all too familiar story of the decline of big band jazz audiences followed by serious drug problems. Ike Quebec had quite an extraordinary split career which either end you look at was remarkable for the jazz men he played with. The early years in the 1940s gets you Hot Lips Page, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Cab Calloway, Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge. While the comeback years of the 1960s courtesy of friend and great fan Alfred Lion at Blue Note gets you Grant Green, Paul Chambers, 'Philly' Joe Jones, Sonny Clark, Louis Hayes, Freddie Roach, Milt Hinton, Al Harewood and Kenny Burrell' (album notes). 'Four of the tenorists great Blue Note albums in one package, these run the gamut from the almost straightahead Blue and Sentimental .. via the organ quartet ... to the Bossa Nova Soul Samba ... - all essential Quebec (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise **** ).

Details :

Ant Law - Life I Know
(Edition Records) - Released: 9th November 2018

Ant Law (guitar); Mike Chillingworth (alto saxophone and bass clarinet); Ivo Neame (piano); Tom Farmer (double bass); James Maddren (drums).

AntLaw Life I Know

'Life I Know is the third and much anticipated album from British guitarist and composer Ant Law. Utilising some of the finest musicians in British Jazz today, Ant Law has crafted a masterpiece, merging wide-ranging stylistic and genre influences, virtuosic musicianship and melodic accessibility into one career-defining album. Abounding in warmth and energy, Life I Know is a deeply experienced musical expression of all the influences that surround Ant: his sense of community, culture, human interaction and creative spirit. It’s these influences that inspire Ant’s ambition and motivation to create. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video extract of Aquilinus live : Listen to Credits :

Flying Machines - New Life
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 19th October 2018

Alex Munk (guitars); Matt Robinson (piano, synths, Fender Rhodes); Conor Chaplin (electric bass); Dave Hamblett (drums).

Flying Machines New Life

'Having established themselves as one of the biggest breakthrough acts to have emerged from the exploding UK jazz scene in recent years, Flying Machines continue their rapid ascent with the release of their second album New Life. New Life represents a significant milestone in the band’s development. In partnership with Grammy, MOBO and Mercury nominated producer Sonny Johns, the band’s trademark fusion of contemporary jazz with progressive rock has been lifted to soaring new heights. From thundering, all out metal assaults, to ambient meditations and plaintive melodies, New Life sees Flying Machines pushing the envelope in terms of extremities of dynamics and explorations of form, with a marked leap forward in production values. The band also document their foray into the anarchic freedom of group improvisation for the first time, with unrestrained, improvised interludes that dove tail gracefully into more expansive and through-composed tracks, a risk-embracing approach that now informs the band’s electric live performances' (album notes). ' ... What sings out immediately about New Life is Munk's love of playing: not in a shred-tastic way, but in a relish of the many voices the guitar offers him ... We are lucky to have a new generation of guitarists growing in confidence, and Munk and his band could yet fly furthest' (Andy Robson in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Video about Making the Album : Live Performance Video of New Life :

Anstey, Gibbs, Helson, Langford - Fringe Activity
(Bandcamp) - Released 7th August 2018

Paul Anstey (double bass); Phil Gibbs (guitar); Bob Helson (drums, percussion); Mark Langford (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone).

Anstey, Gibbs, Helson, langford Fringe Activity

'Fringe Activity is the newest release of “FreeTone Records”. The album was recorded by Mark Langford (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone), Paul Anstey (double bass), Phil Gibbs (guitar) and Bob Helson (drums, percussion). The musicians like to make brave, innovative and original musical decisions. Their collective improvisations are like real bursts of energy, shocking contrasts, sudden stylistic changes, eclectic combinations and spontaneous waves. The music has inspiring, bright and engaging sound – it’s created by using huge variety of different playing techniques, expressions, timbres and sounds. Each improviser is great, creative and interesting – all of them have unique sound, evocative and bright playing manner, rich musical language and the talent to reveal wide range of different playing techniques, moods, senses and expressions. They do all that by using a masterful and organic fusion of sounds, unusual noises, strange timbres and other elements of musical language. All the pieces are connected together in the most effective, bright, evocative and organic way ..... This album has many effective, gorgeous and interesting duos, solos or trios. Roaring, passionate and dynamic reeds solos gently fit together with subtle, variable and bright double bass solos, unusual timbres or original, energetic and intensive guitar solos. Inspiring variety of styles, sounds, expressions, timbres and chords makes an effort to remarkable, luminous and tremendous sound of this album. (Avant Scena).

Details and Samples : Full Avant Scena Review :

Josephine Davies' Satori - In The Corners Of Clouds
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: - 2nd November 2018

Josephine Davies (tenor saxophone); James Maddren (drums); Dave Whitford (bass).

Satori In The Corners Of Clouds

'Saxophonist and composer Josephine Davies is engaged in a continually evolving, creative musical expedition with near-chordless trio project Satori; and for this second recorded waymarker, In The Corners of Clouds (the follow-up to the 2017 Whirlwind debut, Satori), she welcomes drummer James Maddren alongside existing double bassist Dave Whitford to explore eight original numbers, fronted by her own inquiring tenor resonances. The spontaneity of this purely acoustic trio has already captured imaginations, as well as spurring Davies on in its progression. “We played a lot of shows after the first release and soon after I had written another album’s worth of material; and because our approach has become more and more open, I began to see my tunes mainly as a basis for improvisation. It might be seen as limiting to have no traditional "harmonic instrument" in this line-up—especially with the deeper frequencies of the tenor—but it actually throws melody to the fore, which I like. And if melody is happening you really can do whatever you want. We create so much space together that it actually encourages me to both compose and play in a different way.” Comprised almost entirely of first takes, the less-rehearsed immediacy of Satori’s sound is fundamental to the ambiences which Davies seeks, and is encapsulated in opening number ‘Wabi Sabi’, named after a Japanese philosophy which embraces and celebrates the beauty in imperfection. Here, Whitford’s rhythmic ostinato and the core melody are broken up, creating an oriental long groove for improvisation before being put back together into a similarly beautiful state. Davies’ long-held fascination with the music of John Coltrane can be heard in ‘Dancing Saint’, its bluesy, smouldering rhythms and long, shaped tenor lines paying homage (with animated individual features for bass and drums) ..... Reflecting on the affecting unrestraint of Satori, Josephine Davies concludes: “As a culture, we mostly don’t celebrate the crusty, technically imperfect, unglossed aspects of life, but rather seek perfection—and that doesn’t move me. I’ll always go for the intangible or the emotional; that ‘creative something’—which is what I feel all the timeless albums have got. The enduring appeal of Satori is its freedom—a wonderfully exciting and valuable experience.” (album notes).

Details and Sample : Introductory Video :

Caroline Scott - Khoalesce
(Bandcamp) - Released: 9th November 2918

Duncan Eagles (tenor saxophone); John Turville (piano); Kevin Glasgow (bass); Caroline Scott (drums).

Caroline Scott Khoalesce

'The Khoalesce project was started by drummer Caroline Scott in 2017 to bring together jazz musicians in London to develop and perform original compositions. The group have been gigging around London, and recorded a debut album at Livingston Studios in London in July 2018 thanks to a successful Crowdfunding campaign. Caroline Scott is a Scottish drummer who has been prevalent on the London jazz scene in recent years. She has played and recorded in a wide range of musical environments, from theatre shows and jazz big bands, to playing on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Caroline has worked with leading conductors such as Marin Alsop (a protégé of Leonard Bernstein), playing at London's Royal Festival Hall in March and April 2018. Caroline has also lived in Boston where she played regularly with jazz bands and orchestras at Harvard, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory and MIT, and gigged on the local jazz circuit. She plays drums with piano trio Cygnus Flare (who won the 2017 Yamaha Soho Jazz Sessions competition, played at Ronnie Scott’s and Pizza Express Soho jazz clubs and toured in Armenia), Tomorrow's Warriors, the MO Jazz Orchestra, the Swinging Magpies, and plays timpani in various orchestras including the Amati Orchestra and BBC Elstree Concert Band ...... In an unfortunate stroke of fate, Caroline underwent open-heart surgery in 2017, rendering her unable to perform for several months. During this intense and frustrating period, Scott began composing what would eventually become Khoalesce. It was during this time that she was accepted on the Masters course at Trinity Laban with a full scholarship and set the task of composing and recording an album within a year. Deciding to incorporate and develop what she had started whilst recovering, Khoalesce is subject to contrasting atmospheres and moods that have influenced the creative process....' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Introductory Video : Article by Robin Kidson for Sandy Brown Jazz

Laura Cole - Enough
(Discus Music) - Released: 2nd August 2018

Laura Cole - piano, voice

Laura Cole Enough

'Enough is pianist/composer Laura Cole's first solo album. It is a double album: one disc is entitled 'This is Water', and is a collection (on tracks 1 to 10) of arrangements of pieces given to Laura for the album from esteemed friends and colleagues, such as Robert Mitchell, Alex Wilson, Nikki Iles, Jason Yarde and Corey Mwamba; and the other disc, entitled 'As Warm As The Sun', is a collection of compositions and improvisations by Laura herself. This album was developed during a residency at Lyth Arts Centre, in Wick, Scotland, in September 2017; a few months later, it was sensitively recorded at Steinway Recording by Spencer Cozens. Enough represents a highly personal gathering of musical ideas and intimate emotional journeys, and is an attempt to express this in the solo format. The basis for this album was inspired by Laura reading the sculptor Anne Truitt's journal, 'Daybook', and is an exploration of emotional themes related to the nature of composing and improvising, both as a musician and a mother. The wider context to both the conception and recording of Enough was an attempt to express the real life challenges outside of music which Laura experienced during that time; this context was explored and brought into focus during the residency, in particular in regards to the relationship between the private and public spheres within creative processes, and the situating of music-making within this (album notes).

Details and Samples :

Ron Caines / Martin Archer AXIS - Les Oiseaux De Matisse
(Discus Music) - Released: 2nd September 2018

Ron Caines (alto and soprano saxophones); Martin Archer (saxophones, clarinets, electronics); Laura Cole (grand piano, electric piano); Gus Garside (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums); Hervé Perez (live sound processing, shakuhachi); Graham Clark (violin, electric guitar).

AXIS Les Oiseaux De Matisse

'A beautiful and atmospheric collision of real time jazz playing and studio collage from Martin Archer and East Of Eden mastermind Ron Caines who is making his first commercially available recording since 1970. This CD which teams Ron with a cast of regular Discus Music collaborators is a collision of pure jazz skill happening in real time and studio collage. We hope, even though the music is quite different, that it contains a spark and continuation af the 'arts lab' ethos of Ron's early work with E of E. Now based in Brighton where he is a regular on the leftfield scene, Ron's fluent and highly individual playing seems as able as ever to cross and recross the line between tradition and abstraction with deeply informed ease' (album notes)

Details and Samples :

Vitor Pereira Quintet - Somewhere In the Middle
(Details coming) - Released: 1st December 2018

Vitor Pereira (guitar); Chris Williams (alto sax); Alam Nathoo (tenor sax); Mick Coady (bass); Adam Teixeira (drums).

Vitor Pereira Quintet Somewhere In the Middle

'Somewhere In The Middle is the title of the third album of original music by this London based contemporary jazz band. It embodies an idea which naturally spilt from this music where the audience meet the musicians in a symbiotic middle plane of mutual stimulation. With a variety of influences from “Vijay Iyer” to “Queens of the stone age”, these compositions are carefully thought to fulfil a mixed bag of particular tastes of a refined but diverse audience whilst at the same time they offer excellent platforms for the musicians to shape and bend the music as they please and feel on the moment. Being it a thrill for head-banging guitar riffs or the complexity of contrapuntal interweaving melodic lines, this music will induce a comprehensive and contrasting journey. We live in a polarised world today, both musically and socially and although the fringes can be very trending, this album tends to sit on the idea that there’s plenty of space to be innovative and unique when you navigate in the middle. The choice of musicians was equally important. All of them are extremely open and versatile musicians who understand the music very well and naturally take a lot of liberties both on the written and improvised material. This is essential for the music to have the elastic and organic sound it has as well as to produce the cohesive nature of this album’s idea. Vitor Pereira was born in Porto/Portugal where he studied mainly classical music and classical guitar. His interest in Jazz took him to participate in seminars and private lessons with the likes of Pat Metheny ......' (album notes).

Details available shortly : Click here for a video of Lomo : Click here for a live performance of Refreshments : Click here for a live performance of Alternative Facts.

Jonathan Finlayson - 3 Times Round
(Pi Recordings / Alliance) - Released: 5th October 2018

Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet); Steve Lehman (alto saxophone); Brian Settles (tenor saxophone); Matt Mitchell (piano); John Hebert(bass); Craig Weinrib (drums).

Jonathan Finlayson 3 Times Round

'Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson's 3 Times Round is his first release since the widely-lauded Moving Still, which was named one of the top albums of 2016 by the New York Times and the best release of the year by PopMatters, who called it "clean and cool while still ripping with adventure." Among the most admired young musicians on the scene, Finlayson is the first-call of innovative musicians seeking a trumpeter who is able to negotiate the most complex musical material yet still bring his own sense of individuality and verve. These include a stunning list of cutting-edge artist such as Henry Threadgill, Muhal Richard Abrams, Steve Lehman, Mary Halvorson and, of course, Steve Coleman, with whom Finlayson has played with for the last 18 years. Finlayson is joined on 3 Times Round by the alto and tenor saxophones of Steve Lehman and Brian Settles, which he intertwines with his own horn with fluidity and grace. The inventive pieces leave plenty of room to showcase each musician's distinctive improvisational personalities, yet still convey an overarching sense of narrative mystery. It's another purposeful step forward for a young artist on the rise'. (album notes). 'If you dig sterling modern jazz, Jonathan Finlayson is a name to memorize. At the age of 36, the Californian trumpet ace is flying way above the standards and is still receiving accolades for his fantastic CD Moving Still, featuring his Sicilian Defense group. On the newest 3 Times Round, his third outing on Pi Recordings, he is joined in the frontline by two vibrant saxophonists - altoist Steve Lehman and tenorist Brian Settles - whose fieriness and passion help taking Finlayson’s compositions to a level that many experienced musicians would aspire to reach ..... This is a must-have album from a rising trumpet star and smart composer whose innovative jazz perspective has absolutely everything one might ask for. One of the year's very best (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video 'In Person' :

Walking Distance - Freebird
(Sunnyside Records) - Released: 21st September 2018

Caleb Curtis (alto saxophone, trumpet); Kenny Pexton (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Adam Coté (double bass, mellotron); Shawn Baltazor (drums, percussion). Featured guests - Jason Moran (piano, samples); Ben Rubin (bass, mellotron).

Walking Distance Freebird

'It's almost trite to mention the indelible mark that saxophonist Charlie Parker left on the world of culture at large, and more specifically with the practitioners of jazz, the music that he redefined. In the years since his death, his music has been covered incessantly, which in many ways, has robbed the music of it's essential vitality. One solution to this ubiquitous problem lies in the stunning invention of the NYC based quartet Walking Distance and their second album, Freebird, which features the resplendent piano playing of Jason Moran on a number of tracks' (album notes). 'Walking Distance, a quartet of emerging New York artists, takes inspiration on Charlie Parker to create bop-derived originals with a contemporary twist. For their sophomore album, Freebird, they invite virtuosic pianist Jason Moran to join them in 6 of the 9 tracks. Alto saxophonist Caleb Curtis signs nine of the twelve tracks, two of them co-penned with bassist Adam Coté, who also delivers “Quasar Halo”, a disciplined chamber musing sweetened by docile unisons traced by clarinet, alto sax, and arco bass, and contrastingly bolstered by enthusiastic piano injections and relatively busy drum work. Relying on an unbending form and structure, “William” starts the album off as a pure hard bop exercise, thriving with Curtis and Moran’s eruptive vocabularies while Coté and drummer Shawn Baltazor assure an indestructible bass-drums foundation. An engulfing melodic crescendo announces a short drum solo, renewing its vows before the reestablishment of the theme’s vibrant energy ..... Even idolizing this swing-to-bop core, the band vouches for variety, which is reflected on “Feather Report” (an allusion to the revered band Weather Report), a fusion delight, magnificently enhanced by Moran’s keyboard dexterity and containing multiple shifting passages and interesting rhythmic deconstructions ..... A breath of fresh air in an album that, enjoying the comforts of hard bop, empowers up-to-dateness so it can be considered colorful, modern, as well as a personal statement (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video :

Matthew Stevens & Walter Smith III - In Common
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 19th October 2018

Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone); Matthew Stevens (guitar); Joel Ross (vibraphone); Harish Raghavan (double bass); Marcus Gilmore (drums).

Matthew Stevens Walter Smith III In Common

'.... “Walter and I had been talking about putting a recording session together" explains Stevens, “and decided to go into the studio with music that could be quickly interpreted with an interesting group of musicians and to let it unfold naturally from there.” The resulting sessions yielded an unaffected and dynamic recording by a group of peers sharing a mutual musical vocabulary. “Part of the basis for the project was to write relatively simple music," says Smith. “The idea of simplicity downplayed individual ownership which was liberating.” The outcome is a collection of succinct, in-the-moment canvases that exhibit an engaging contemporary style .... The success of In Common's informal collaboration is in creating a work that is unmistakeably alive and instinctive'. (album notes).

Details and Sample : Sample the track freefive :

Thelonious Monk - Mønk
(Gearbox) - Released: 28th September 2018

Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); John Ore (double bass); Frankie Dunlop (drums).

Thelonious Monk Monk album

'Hot on the heels of Impulse’s recently unearthed Coltrane number one hit album comes another beauty from Jazz’s ‘Holy Trinity’. This is a previously unreleased, precious lost treasure from Monk’s most critically acclaimed line-up; Charlie Rouse on saxophone, John Ore on double bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. The music was recorded live in Copenhagen in 1963 at the peak of Monk’s career. A year later he was to feature on the cover of TIME magazine, one of only for 4 Jazz artists ever to do so. The performance, a mixture of Monk originals and interpretations of standards, showcases Monk at his prime: full of avant-garde flair and wit, but always with a swinging feel that explains his title as the 'High Priest of Bebop'. The original tapes, saved from a skip and blessed with the approval of the Monk estate, have been faithfully restored, mastered and cut using Gearbox's legendary all-analogue process' (album notes).

Details and Sample :

Maria Muldaur - Don't You Feel My Leg (The Naughty Bawdy Blues Of Blue Lu Barker)
(Last Music Company) - Released: 28th September 2018

Maria Muldaur (vocals); David Torkanowsky (piano & Musical director); Herlin Riley (drums/percussion); Chris Adkins (guitar); Roland Guerin (bass); Kevin Louis, Duke Heitger (trumpet); Roderick Paulin, Tom Fischer (saxophone/clarinet); Eric Trolsen, Charlie Halloran (trombone).

Maria Muldaur Don't You Feel My Leg

'This will mark Maria's 41st album in a distinguished career that has established her as a preeminent and revered interpreter of American roots music ~ and it is her first studio album in six years. For this stunning set, Maria pays tribute to the wonderful Blue Lu Barker, the popular vocalist and songwriter of the late 30s and early 40s whom Billie Holiday once cited as her biggest influence. It was Barker's "Don't You Feel My Leg" that made it onto Maria's 1973 self-titled solo debut album at the suggestion of Dr. John. The album went on to spawn a million-seller hit with "Midnight at The Oasis," and yet to this day, "Leg" remains her most requested song. Maria and Blue Lu would later form a friendship that lasted until Blue Lu's death in 1998. In 2016, Maria was invited to perform a tribute to her old friend in New Orleans. While researching material for the tribute, to Maria's surprise and delight, she discovered that the Barkers had written and recorded dozens of songs equally naughty, bawdy, witty, and clever as "Don't You Feel My Leg." "I put together a wonderful "all star" band of stellar New Orleans players, and we had a blast performing this fun material to a sold-out audience! The response was overwhelming and after the show people swarmed up to the merchandise table all clamoring to buy a CD of the fun material they had just heard," says Maria. "At that moment we all realized that this wonderful collection of songs needed to be recorded and shared with the world!"' (album notes).

Details : More Details and Samples : Article by Kate Gamm :

John Scofield - Combo 66
(Verve) - Released: 28th September 2018

John Scofield (guitar); Gerald Clayton (piano, organ); Vicente Archer (bass); Bill Stewart (drums).

John Scofield Combo 66

'On Combo 66, top-tier guitarist John Scofield is featured in a quartet with his longtime drummer, Bill Stewart, and two new collaborators, pianist/organist Gerald Clayton and bassist Vicente Archer. Scofield keeps the fire burning, commemorating his 66th anniversary with a provocative blend of post-bop, rock, swinging blues, soul-jazz, and funk. His nonpareil guitar strokes and bracing language are immediately perceived on the opening tune, “Can’t Dance”. The guitarist discloses his incapacity to dance but, on the other hand, substantiates the ability to play swinging post-bop pieces with hints of soul-jazz à-la Lou Donaldson with groove, humor, and hot bluesy licks ...... Scofield creates an automatic empathy, letting us know that he is here to fly for many more years'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Mary Halvorson - The Maid With The Flaxen Hair
(Tzadik) - Released: 23rd July 2018

Mary Halvorson (guitar); Bill Frisell (guitar).

Mary Halvorson The Maid With The Flaxen Hair

'Mary Halvorson is one of the most acclaimed guitarists of her generation a virtuoso improviser, distinctive composer, arranger and a deep student of the jazz guitar. Here she joins forces with living legend Bill Frisell to pay tribute to Johnny Smith, a guitarist who has been a huge influence on them both. Performing nine ballads associated with Smith and his classic composition Walk Don't Run, this is an essential CD of soulful guitar duets by two of the most beloved and original guitarists in modern jazz. A beautiful CD of ballads like you have never heard them before!' (album notes). 'Pursuing fashionable sounds, Mary Halvorson joins forces with her fellow guitarist Bill Frisell on The Maid With The Flaxen Hair, where both follow their natural stylistic impulses to interpret nine ballads associated with Johnny Smith. The idea came from saxophonist John Zorn, who opened the doors of his record label, Tzadik, to these guitar-centric duets with abundance of melody and experimentation. Electronic seasoning confers a 21st-century presentation to timeless standards shaped with hints of folk and country ... Wry sounds spread throughout and sometimes the sound of the guitarists blend in such a way that it’s hard to say who’s doing what, especially when Halvorson doesn’t use that descendant pitch shifting effect that characterizes her playing .... This is a fun, accessible disc from two open-minded sound-shapers who bring interesting ideas to songs from the past'. (JazzTrail).

Details : Samples : Listen to Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair :

Ben Wendel - The Seasons
(Motema) - Released: 12th October 2018

Ben Wendel (saxophone, bassoon); Aaron Parks (piano); Gilad Hekselman (guitar); Matt Brewer(bass); Eric Harland (drums).

'The Seasons is not a new conceptual project by saxophonist and bassoonist Ben Wendel, a founding member of the eclectic band Kneebody, whose expressive tone jabs as much as bewitches. Still, this is the first time he presents it on record. For that purpose, he gathered a remarkable quintet harmonically driven by pianist Aaron Parks and guitarist Gilad Hekselman, and all propelled by the rhythmic bond of bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Eric Harland. .... On “January”, despite the wintry connotations that the month implies, there’s a total absence of coldness in its ternary fluency due to the ardent way Hekselman and Wendel conduct their improvisations. Instead, that wintry torpor is left to “August”, a grey ballad that becomes darker and agitated as it moves forward. Wendel is abrasively lyric in his solos, attaining climatic heights on pieces such as “February”, a confluence of vibrant post-bop and robust rock with a hint of Brazilian rhythmic flair .... The guitarist, who shares an undeniable musical chemistry with the saxophonist, infuses contrasting folk textures on the Metheny-esque “May”, where the suggested crossover jazz takes the shape of a blues. Guitar and bassoon are complimentary forces on the effect-drenched “December” .... The Seasons is a wonderful, multi-colored work, a sagacious demonstration of Wendel's capacities. It’s an album that, deservedly, will be among the natural choices for best of the year'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of July played live : Video of February played live :

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall - Love Is Here To Stay
(Verve) - Released: 14th September 2018

Tony Bennett, Diana Krall (vocals); Bill Charlap (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall Love Is Here To Stay

'All songs in the album are from the Great American Songbook and were composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Bennett first recorded "Fascinating Rhythm" in 1949. By recording the song again for Love Is Here to Stay, he received the Guinness World Records title for "longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist." The time span is 68 years and 342 days, according to the Guinness adjudicator who presided over the record-setting. Bennett and Krall have been friends for more than two decades. Krall previously participated in recording two Bennett’s albums, Duets: An American Classic (2006) and Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues (2001). This record is their first full-length project together' (Wikipedia). '...One of the great pleasures of this recording is the immaculate playing of the Bill Charlap trio ... they offer a masterclass in understatement ... (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Video of Love Is Here To Stay :

Darren Barrett : Time For Romance - But Beautiful
(dB Studios) - Released: 26th September 2018

Darren Barrett (trumpet, vocals); Takeru Saito (piano); Santiago Bosch (keyboards, synth); Youngchae Jeong (bass); Daniel Moreno (drums); Judy Barrett (percussion) + guest Kurt Rosenwinkel (electric guitar).

Darrenn Barrett Time For Romance But Beautiful

'On his new album with the Time For Romance band, Canadian trumpet player Darren Barrett shows an enormous respect for jazz tradition, devoting himself to pure melody and transforming eight classic ballads to be firmly fit in the present. Sporadically, we can sense the same innovative, futuristic vibes that made The Opener, his previous album, an unexpected phenomenon of the contemporary jazz. These are mirrored in tunes like “Everything Happens To Me”, where we find him flirting with hip-hop rhythms and dubstep synthesis while reeling off bop-inflected phrases with long-held notes; and “The Touch Of Your Lips”, here designed with a flamboyant Afro-Latin rhythm and tasteful sound effects while upholding the warm, mellow tone reminiscent of Chet Baker .... These re-imaginations of ballads chosen from the Great American Songbook don’t have the powerful impact of Barrett’s last year’s originals. That wasn’t expected since the nature of the music is very different. However, and despite making us enjoy immortal melodies, the instrumentation and modernistic garnishes of But Beautiful, didn’t captivate me as much as I would have liked'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Shai Maestro - The Dream Thief
(ECM Records) - Released: 28th September 2018

Shai Maestro (piano); Jorge Roeder (acoustic bass); Ofri Nehemya (drums).

Shai Maestro The Dream Thief

'The first ECM leader date for Shai Maestro (following his label debut with Theo Bleckmann on Elegy) features the gifted pianist fronting his superlative trio with fellow Israeli Ofri Nehemya on drums and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder, and also playing alone. A solo interpretation of Matti Caspi's "My Second Childhood" opens the curtain on a programme of characteristically thoughtful Maestro originals, each one with a story to tell. "Hearing the Shai Maestro Trio is like awakening to a new world", All About Jazz has suggested. "Expressions of joy, introspective thoughts and heightened intensity all come to the fore." Maestro's differentiated touch is special; he can convey a range of fleeting emotions in a single phrase. A deconstruction of "These Foolish Things", the album's sole standard, serves as a prelude to "What Else Needs To Happen", a sombre meditation on inner city violence and its aftermath. The Dream Thief was recorded at Lugano's Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in April 2018 and produced by Manfred Eicher. It is released in both CD and LP formats (album notes). 'Comprising six originals and two solo piano covers, The Dream Thief marks a strong ECM debut as a leader from the Israeli pianist Shai Maestro, whose trio includes longtime associate Jorge Roeder on bass and a new partner, the drummer Ofri Nehemya (replacing Ziv Ravitz). The band’s state of mind airs a candid sophistication that also feels gentle and literate, expressing carefully practiced mechanisms and spontaneity alike. However, Maestro decides to open solo with a rendition of Matti Caspi’s “My Second Childhood”, a rubato reflection eked out by yearning tenderness and profound beauty. The choice to include a song from Caspi is not fortuitous since Maestro is a confessed admirer of his work and even took some lessons from him in the past ...... A confluence of classical and jazz streams give a magical touch to “These Foolish Things”, another solo effort, before the poignant “What Else Needs To Happen” raises awareness of the gun problem with the assistance of a couple Obama speeches. Emotionally charged atmospheres surround The Dream Thief, a definitive statement of maturity from Maestro, a refined world-class pianist'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Introductory Video :

Ron Davis' SymphRONica - UpfRONt
(Really Records) - Released: 1st October 2018

Ron Davis (piano, leader); Kevin Barrett (guitar/ Music Director); Ross MacIntyre (bass); Giampaolo Scatozza (drums); Aline Homzy (violin); Jessica Deutsch (violin); Ben Plotnick (viola); Tess Crowther (cello); Nagata Shachu: Kiyoshi Nagata (Founder/ Artistic Director); Aki Takahashi; Akemi Akachi; Tony Nguyen.

Ron Davis Symphronica Upfront

'SymphRONica UpfRONt is Ron’s 12th and SymphRONica’s 3rd collection of his unique, and world renowned sound. UpfRONt, is a quantum leap from his previous works, representing the greater cross--cultural and cross-stylistic diversity of the players and contributors, including Juno Award winner Mike Downes (who also acted as producer). UpfRONt showcases the great Canadian talent that has coalesced in and around SymphRONica. UpfRONt is pure Ron Davis and the entire essence of the SymphRONica project at its peak' (album notes). 'Ron Davis is a Canadian jazz visionary. His music blends genres and pushes boundaries, building on his jazz and classical training, influenced by world music (klezmer, Hungarian, Italian, Brazilian, Latin, Québecois). He seeks new textures, new forms, new compositions, new formations and new ways of presenting his signature sound without losing a connection to audiences. The music is diverse in a characteristically Canadian way' (Ron Davis website).

Details and Samples : Video of Whirlycurl live : Video of Dodeka Nagata live :

Lionel Loueke - The Journey
(Aparté Music) - Released: 2nd November 2018

Lionel Loueke (guitars, vocals, percussion); Pino Palladino (bass); Coro Baptista (percussion); John Ellis (soprano saxophone); Christi Joza Orisha (percussion); Robert Sadin (keyboards); Dramane Dembélé (peul flute); Mark Feldman (violin); Patrick Messina (clarinet); Vincent Ségal (cello); Étienne Charles (trumpet); Massimo Biolcati (bass); Ferenc Nemeth (percussion).

Lionel Loueke The Jorney

'The Journey brings together a wide range of influences that shape Loueke's distinctive musical personality. His trademark nylon guitar seamlessly blends jazz with traditional African and modern Brazilian sounds but we also hear the range of his electric guitar, from the delays and distortions of 'Dark Lightening' to the orchestral sustained sounds of 'Hope' ....All 15 tracks that make up The Journey are original compositions and embrace the rich vocal harminies, clicking sounds, lyrical melodies and brilliant vocal improvisations that have helped gain Loueke the reputation he has today' (album notes). '....While dancing rhythms and celebratory chants, typical for Lionel Loueke, do find their way into this record, the more reflective side of things prevails and makes this endeavor one of a very profound and touching amplitude. The minimalist instrumental approach only adds to this intimate feeling and places the listener right by the source. If not in person, then this is probably the closest one might ever get to meeting Lionel Loueke ....' (allaboutjazz).

Details and Sample : Introductory Video : Video of Molika :

Sarah Vaughan - Sings George Gershwin
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 25th July 2018

Sarah Vaughan (vocals) with Hal Mooney's Orchestra

Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin

'The complete original Sarah Vaughan 2-LP set Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin (Mercury MGP-2-101), which presents Sarah performing songs by the great composer backed by the Hal Mooney orchestra. A variety of other Gershwin songs (and different versions of the same songs included on the album) recorded by the singer for different labels during that same period have been added here as a bonus. Featured musicians include Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, J. J. Johnson, Kai Winding, and Roy Haynes, among many others. Includes 16-page booklet (album notes)'. '....with Hal Mooney's Orchestra being what Nelson Riddle's was to Ella, this attractive set has 12 additional Sarah Vaughan interpretations of Gershwin from the same period (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Miles Davis - Birth Of The Cool
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 3rd August 2018

Miles Davis (trumpet); Mike Zwerin (trombone); Bill Barber (tuba); Junior Collins (French horn); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); John Lewis (piano); Al McKibbon (bass); Max Roach (drums).

Miles Davis Birth Of The Cool

'The complete seminal album “Birth of the Cool”, bringing together the talents of Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis and Gil Evans, among others. As a bonus, all of the tracks recorded by the same group live at the Royal Roost a year before the studio LP was made. Arrangements by John Lewis, Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans, Miles Davis and Johnny Carisi (album notes)' 'An identical album to the Dream Covers issue (of) a couple of years ago, this not only has all the original Capitol sides, but also the Nonet's 1948 radio broadcasts from the Royal Roost, making it the essential collection of this music' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Jazz On A Summer's Day - Deluxe Edition (4 discs DVD / CD)
(Proper Music) - Released: 26th October 2018

Various Artists

Jazz On A Summers Day

'60TH ANNIVERSARY NEWLY REMASTERED SPECIAL EDITION - Complete film DVD + bonus documentary + extras. Newly-remastered soundtrack on CD plus 2x 10-inch LP's mastered half-speed on audiophile vinyl and a 40-page lavishly illustrated hardback book with new liner notes by Fred Dellar. Bert Stern's acclaimed film of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival is newly restored for its 60th Anniversary by Richard J Whittaker of FX with DVD authoring by Ray Shulman at I-Sonic while the soundtrack has been digitally remastered for CD by Peter Reynolds at Reynolds Mastering and for the first time ever, mastered at half-speed by Barry Grint at Alchemy Studios on two 33 1/3 rpm audiophile Vinyl LPs. The special edition comes housed in a lavish, blue-foil blocked fully-illustrated 40-page hardback book complete with new, definitive sleeve notes by Mojo's Fred Dellar, including artist and track-by-track details. 'Jazz On A Summer's Day' is one of the greatest concert movies ever made, a timeless record of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, with some of the most stunning images of live music ever brought to the cinema screen. Conceived by stills photographer Bert Stern (Vogue magazine, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn) and brilliantly filmed over three days in August 1958, Jazz On A Summer's Day provided the template for future concert documentaries such as Monterey and Woodstock. Interspersing footage of the crowd and fashions of late Fifties America, the America's Cup yacht race with artists live on stage and largely devoid of dialogue, Stern's fluid form perfectly echoes the jazz vibe tempering a fly-on-the-wall documentary style with surreal, dreamlike flourishes. Although the festival featured a glittering array of jazz giants such as Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, and Gerry Mulligan, the event encompassed far more. Chuck Berry duck-walked his way to rock glory, Big Maybelle provided her powerhouse R&B and the magnificent Mahalia Jackson delivered gospel in a manner that demonstrated what true soul was all about. In 1999, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". DVD extras include an interview with Bert Stern, an introduction to Jazz On A Summer's Day, artist biographies and photo gallery' (album notes).

Details :

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Bossa Nova USA
(State Of Art) - Released: 27th July 2018

Dave Brubeck (piano); Paul Desmond (alto sax); Gene Wright (bass); Joe Morello (drums).

Dave Brubeck Quartet Bossa Nove USA

'On June 25 and July 1, 1959, Dave Brubeck recorded 'Time Out', which became such a huge success that even the musicians were taken by surprise. By 1959, the Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond (the bass player and the drummer changed a few times until Joe Morello arrived in 1956 and Eugene Wright joined the group in 1958/59) had been in existence for nearly a decade and it enjoyed tremendous popularity among jazz audiences. The band had begun playing in colleges, and slowly made their way into concert halls and jazz festivals. In 1954 Brubeck was featured on the cover of Time magazine (the second jazz musician to receive the honor following the groundbreaking cover of Louis Armstrong in 1949). In the mid and late fifties, the Dave Brubeck Quartet issued many popular albums, including 'Brubeck Time', 'Jazz Red Hot and Cool', 'Jazz Impressions of the USA', 'Jazz Goes to Junior College, Newport ’58' (the group had become a regular feature at the Newport Jazz Festival, and at the 1958 edition they played a homage to the music of Duke Ellington), 'Jazz Impressions of Eurasia', and, in 1959, just before taping 'Time Out, Gone with the Wind', which received a 5-star rating in Down Beat' (album notes). '..... While not the huge success of Getz's recordings, Brubeck's Bossa is done with equal deference and respect to the idiom, to the extent Brubeck's polytonal, polyrhythmical and percussive aspects of his style simply do not surface here, allowing him to concentrate on his gift for shaping and developing melody .....' (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise).

Details :

Camilla George - The People Could Fly
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 28th September 2018

Camilla George (alto saxophone); Sarah Tandy (piano and Rhodes); Daniel Casimir (upright and electric bass); Shirley Tetteh (guitar); Quentin Collins (trumpet).

Camilla George People Could Fly

'Following on the heels of her smash success debut album, alto sax sensation Camilla George releases her second album, The People Could Fly, which is based on African folk tales. The music portrays the lives and experiences of African slaves, who created stories in which various animals assumed the personalities of the slaves and the slave owners. The album delivers a fusion of African, Caribbean and American influences, within a distinctly jazz foundation'. "This is a project which is very close to my heart as I grew up listening to my mum and grandmother tell me these stories," says George. "I have always been fascinated by these tales and really wanted to explore them further ...... The People Could Fly was my favourite story in this collection of tales ... The idea behind it is that some Africans were magical and had the ability to fly but through long enslavement lost the ability to fly away." (album notes).

Click here for details and samples : Listen to The People Could Fly track : Listen to Here But I'm Gone track:

Fabled - Short Stories
(Pictor Records) - Released: 28th September 2018

Sam Rapley (saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet); Alex Munk (guitar); Matt Robinson (piano); Conor Chaplin (double bass); Will Glaser (drums)

Fabled Short Stories

'Formed in 2014, Fabled is the brainchild of saxophonist/clarinettist, Sam Rapley. Following on from the success of their recent EP, the band have been performing extensively across the UK building a loyal fanbase and writing material for their debut album Short Stories. As the title implies, the album interprets a collection of short stories tackling subjects such as life, love, and death told through richly atmospheric and expressive music, which draws from Rapley and his fellow musicians shared love of jazz ensembles, literature, classical musicians, world music, modern composition and indie-folk. Originally from Manchester and now living in London, Rapley has been quickly solidifying himself as one of the most exciting up and coming musicians and composers in the scene. As well as playing in Fabled, Rapley plays regularly as a sideman with BBC Radio 3 Next Generation artist Misha Mullov-Abbado Group, Troykestra, Maria Chiara Argiro Quintet, Waaju and Ralph Wyld's Mosaic. Looking at his recent work it's easy to see how such a multifarious source of styles and genres have collided on Short Stories. At times the album calls to mind the likes of Mammal Hands, Gogo Penguin, Polar Bear and Tigran Hamasyan whilst undertones of Debussy, Ravel, Peter Broderick and Lau can also be heard throughout. Tracks such as Old Owls capture the raw intensity that can be heard throughout the current London scene. Whilst elsewhere, tracks such as Dove Stone and H.G are heavily cinematic with mellifluous sax and clarinet lines layered over idiosyncratic guitar and piano parts, which provide percussive and rhythmic qualities whilst also intertwining melodies throughout Rapley's playing. There is a sentimental poetry to Fabled's approach to finding new ways to tell age-old stories through their intimate and heavily textured music. Their redolent instrumentation and vast voicings speak volumes in the absence of words, giving contemplative life to the stories laid out by the band. Albums that manage to merge such a wide variety of styles and exhibit such a multitude of musical landscapes are rare. Fabled have produced a debut which is both accomplished and distinctive, and this is only the very start of their journey'. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Listen to High Mayfield : Video of Yellow Card live : Listen to The Picture House :

Lorraine Baker - Eden
(Spark! Records) - Released: 12th October 2018

Lorraine Baker (drums, percussion); Binker Golding (tenor saxophone); Liam Noble (piano); Paul Michael (electric bass).

Lorraine Baker Eden

'Lorraine Baker is a drummer, percussionist and bandleader. Originallly from Kent, she started playing the drums for a local swing band when she was twelve. She graduated from Trinity Laban in 2009 with First Class Honours. Baker has worked with acclaimed British musicians including Julian Siegel, Simon Purcell and Christine Tobin. She performs on Christine’s latest recording, Pelt. Baker has recorded for BBC Radio 4 and performed at many prestigious venues including Tokyo Opera House, Ronnie Scott’s and the Royal Albert Hall. Baker’s debut album, Eden, pays tribute to drummer Ed Blackwell. Lorraine has always admired the dance-like quality of Blackwell’s playing. She has crafted her latest project with the drums at the centre, re-arranging tunes that Blackwell famously played and adding exciting modern compositional twists. “A career highlight for me was to perform the Don Cherry tune ‘Guinea’ with the international bassist Dave Holland who played and recorded with Ed Blackwell. This collaboration was such a unique experience it inspired me to form my latest quartet,” says Baker. Tracks include Dakar Dance, a drum-heavy, infectious riff-based tune, Thumbs Up, a raw fusion of progressive rock and Afro groove and Blues Connotation which has an aggitated, edgy introduction that explodes into hard driving swing. The quartet features some of the country’s finest improvising musicians - critically acclaimed pianist and mentor Liam Noble, Paul Michael on Bass and MOBO winning saxophonist Binker Golding'. (album notes).

Details and Sample : Video of Dakar Dance drum solo : Listen to Thumbs Up track :

Gwyneth Herbert - Letters I Haven't Written
(Monkeywood Records) - Released: 12th October 2018

Gwyneth Herbert (vocals, horn, ukelele); Rob Luft (guitar, vocals); Ned Cartwright (piano, saxophone, vocals); Sam Burgess (bass, covals); Corrie Dick (drums, vocals).

Gwyneth Herbert Letters I Haven't Written

'Letters I Haven't Written is award-winning singer, composer, lyricist, record producer and multi-instrumentalist Gwyneth Herbert's 7th album and first since the acclaimed The Sea Cabinet in 2013. Since this time Gwyneth's been on all sorts of creative adventures in all sorts of places, collaborating with artists, orchestras, brass bands, amazing young people and... puppets. After all that, when she finally sat down to write this album she didn't know where to start: "The world was full of so many stories," she says, "and my voice suddenly felt so small on its own". Then a close friend said: "If you were to sit down at your piano right now and write a song that no one else would hear, what would it be?" Terrified by the idea, she thought she should probably do it. "My beautiful friend Sophie had just taken her life", Gwyn continues, "so I decided I would write to her. And this was my first letter song. After that the songs came thick and fast: a thank you to her inspirational 6th form music teacher, Martin Read; a duet of friendship with her best pal Krystle Warren; a letter of love and separation inspired by time in the refugee camp in Calais; one to our government campaigning for a revolution in education and more". Gwyn brought together her fantastic band and special guests to record the album in Rockfield studio in Monmouth this summer, with engineer Sean Genockey. The single You're Welcome is an infectious track exploring the journey of the Windrush generation in Britain, from their hope-filled, invited arrival in 1948, through the street violence and political unrest of the '50s and '60s, up to the devastating scandal that has just left this country shaken. Alongside the album Gwyn has also developed an ambitious new live show with these songs at its heart, collaborating with an extraordinary creative team including her band, video designer Will Duke, director Susannah Tresilian and designer Tom Rogers, exploring how we communicate, and trying to find a more meaningful way of connecting with ourselves and the world. (album notes) '..... The album arrangements are full of ear-catching detail, from tintinnabulating toy pianos and glockenspiels to Herbert's own multi-layered backing vocals, with the circuitous song structures often leading to codas of quite breathtaking emotive power'. (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise 4*).

Details : Video :

Mike Westbrook - Starcross Bridge
(Hat Hut) - Released: 17th August 2018

Mike Westbrook (piano)

Mike Westbrook Starcross Bridge

'This album is rooted in the personal. Westbrook's enduring creative partnership with his wife, the singer, lyricist and painter Kate Westbrook is represented by two songs they wrote together. Starcross is a rail station nearby the Westbrook home in Devon, near Plymouth where his creative life began all those years ago. His title track is dedicated to the tenor saxophonist Lou Gare, whose death in 2017 was a particular wrench. Starcross Bridge is an intricately woven network of musical and personal references'. (Philip Clark, album notes). 'Wait 40 years for a solo piano recording from Mike Westbrook then stone me, two come along at once. Starcross Bridge is, if it's at all possible, even more intimate and elusive than 2016's Paris .... We hear through a veil, often of tears. And yet it is in that witnessing of an artist easing yet pleading, sometimes blithely at one with his art, at others challenged and defeated, that the beauty and strength prevails .... Starcross Bridge is a rail crossing close to Westbrook's Dawlish home. One side the sea, on the other a cosy pub. And that's what this release brings us: wide wild vistas on one side, hunkered down delight, warm with detail on the other ...' (Andy Robson in Jazzwise 4*)

Details and Samples :

Soft Machine - Hidden Details
(Dyad Records) - Released: 7th September 2018

John Etheridge (guitar); Theo Travis (tenor and alto saxophones, flute, keyboard); Roy Babbington (bass); John Marshall (drums, percussion); Nick Utterbridge (percussion).

Soft Machine Hidden Details 'The studio album 'Hidden Details' is the first Soft Machine album (as opposed to Soft Machine Legacy) in 37 years. This is three quarters of the celebrated 1970's version of the legendary jazz-rock group, which recorded the acclaimed 'Softs' album in 1975 - John Etheridge, Roy Babbington and John Marshall - completed by outstanding saxophone star Theo Travis (Robert Fripp/David Gilmour/Gong). The music is broad ranging from psychedelia to jazz rock to free form improv to simple pop-ish tunes to hypnotic mood pieces. The band plays material from the era (compositions by Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge and Karl Jenkins) as well as many contemporary works. 'Hidden Details', released in 2018, exactly 50 years since the release of the band's 1968 debut album 'The Soft Machine' was recorded in the late Jon Hiseman's studio in Surrey in Dec 2017. The recording features new compositions by the band, group improvisations and interpretations of two Soft Machine classics - from 'Third' and 'Bundles'. Whilst the line-up of Soft Machine may have changed many times since the heady days of the late 1960's, the band's spirit of musical adventure, and the ease with which it freely avoids being pigeon holed and can move from powerful progressive jazz fusion to atmospheric psychedelia to free improvised jazz-rock to ambient loop music, continues to make it both unique and totally contemporary'. (album notes). 'The loss of Jon Hiseman inevitably hangs over Hidden Details, but there could be no more fitting tribute to his skills as producer than this high-octane release. This is the Softs as questing and rocking as ever ... long term Softs fans, whatever their stylistic loyalties, will savour Hidden Details'. (Andy Robson in Jazzwise 3*).

Details and Samples :

Get The Blessing - Bristopia
(Kartel) - Released: 21st September 2018

Pete Judge (trumpet); Jake McMurchie (saxophone, electronics); Jim Barr (bass); Clive Deamer (drums); Adrian Utley (guitar); Margerethe Bjorklund (pedal-steel guitar).

get The Blessing Bristopia

'Following the success of their 2015 album Astronautilus, jazz-rock mavericks Get The Blessing return with their spellbinding new Album 'Bristopia'. Blending their mutant jazz sensibilities with spacey electronics and post rock atmospheres, 'Bristopia' ventures into new, unexplored territories. From the jagged, interweaving brass patterns of opening track 'If It Can It Will', through the brooding atmosphere of 'Bristopia' and absorbing, haunting melodies of 'Not With Standing', the Bristolian quintet channel subterranean depths and soar from dizzying heights, leading the listener through a complex labyrinth of tangled melodies and sliding soundscapes of dark, immersive production. Having been conceived, born and raised in Bristol, the band now pay tribute to their hometown with an album that careers around the city's one-way system (not always in the correct direction of travel), darting into some of its hidden alleyways and lesser-known night-time hot-spots, and occasionally just stopping to take in the dizzying vistas of sprawling buildings and distant hilltops. Enlisting the help of regular / irregular collaborator Adrian Utley, whose guitar sprayed some strikingly unexpected colours across some of the objects, they then persuaded pedal-steel guitarist Margerethe Bjorklund to add some skilfully applied brushstrokes to the piece. With this powerful return, Get The Blessing send their sonic transmission deep into the furthest corners of the universe, setting the pace for the current UK Jazz revival, demonstrating that the early pioneers of the scene still have something important to say'. (album notes). 'Even as the BBC Jazz Award for best album was handed to them in 2008, Get The Blessing felt like interlopers in a disapproving scene. A further decade and jazz's march in from the mainstream will likely still leave them outsiders, their cinematic soundscapes a more outré urban vision than that of the new London scene .... Atmosphere combines unpredictably with groove, trumpet solos that float pensively in space, and diverse melodies and emotions grip sufficiently to ensure these pioneers' ongoing worth'. (Nick Hasted in Jazzwise 3*).

Details and Samples :

Mark Turner / Ethan Iverson - Temporary Kings
(ECM Records) - Released: 7th September 2018

Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Ethan Iverson (piano).

Mark Turner Ethan Iverson Temporary Kings

'With Temporary Kings - their debut on record as a duo - saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson explore aesthetic common ground that encompasses the cool-toned intricacies of the Lennie Tristano/Warne Marsh jazz school, as well as the heightened intimacy of modernist chamber music. The album, issued in CD and vinyl formats, presents six originals by Iverson (among them the nostalgic solo tune "Yesterday's Bouquet") and two by Turner (including "Myron's World," which has acquired near-classic status among contemporary jazz players). There's an off-kilter blues ("Unclaimed Freight") and a strikingly melodic, almost Ravelian opening track dedicated to the Swiss town where the album was recorded ("Lugano"), plus an interpretation of Marsh's playfully serpentine "Dixie's Dilemma." The initial musical connection between Turner and Iverson was made in 1990s jam sessions in New York City, with both going on to individual success – Iverson in hit trio The Bad Plus and Turner as a solo leader and in such groups as the trio Fly (recording in both capacities for ECM). A decade after their first meeting, the saxophonist and pianist began an association in the Billy Hart Quartet, the two players featuring sympathetically on two widely lauded ECM albums by that band' (album notes). 'Tenorist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson, two resplendent titans of the current jazz scene, join forces for an intimate outing. Temporary Kings aggregates nine compositions - six by Iverson, two by Turner and one by Warne Marsh - that, besides bristling with competence, allow for space, reflection, and expansion. Ten years after meeting for the first time in New York, the two distinguished players and members of the Billy Hart Quartet release their first duo album on the ECM label ...... Temporary Kings is a guileless jazz session whose bi-directional moves converge and diverge with an astounding conviction' (JazzTrail).

Details and Sample : Full JazzTrail Review :

Jeff 'Siege' Siegel Quartet - London Live
(ARC) - Released: 6th September 2018

Erica Lindsay (tenor saxophone); Francesca Tanksley (piano); Uli Langthaler (bass); Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel (drums).

Jeff Siegel Quartet London Live

'Drummer Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel, a sculptor of rhythm with a tendency to spiritual post-bop and gospel-inflected modalism, showcases London Live, an 8-track album recorded at the Pizza Express Jazz Club on the last night of a 2010 European quartet tour. The band features habitual co-workers Erica Lindsay on tenor saxophone and Francesca Tanksley on piano, both contributing with originals, plus Vienna-based bassist Uli Langthaler ......Even if not so strong as last year's King of Xhosa, London Live has an uplifting quality deriving from a rich combination of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic senses that also shows the generous and thoughtful temperament of Siegel’s compositional style' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Stefon Harris and Blackout - Sonic Creed
(Motema) - Released: 28th September 2018

Stefon Harris (vibraphone, marimba); Casey Benjamin (alto and soprano saxophones, vocoder); Felix Peikli ( clarinet, bass clarinet); James Francies (piano, keyboards); Mike Moreno (guitar); Jean Baylor (vocals); Regina Carter (violin); Daniel Frankhuizen (cello); Elena Pinderhughes (flute); Joseph Doubleday (marimba); Joshua Crumbly (bass); Tarreon Gully (drums); Pedrito Martinez (percussion).

Stefon Harris and Blackout Sonic Creed

'Prodigious vibraphonist/marimbist/composer Stefon Harris, a mallet master who has recorded as a member of the SF Jazz Collective and The Classical Jazz Quartet, renews the group Blackout for their first recording since 2009, the time when the Grammy-nominated Urbanus caught the jazz world’s attention. Sonic Creed, a reflection on African American life in our times, comprehends inspiring explorations of tunes by masters such as Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, and Abbey Lincoln, plus a tribute to Michael Jackson and a couple of original compositions that go perfectly well with the rest of the material ..... Filled with gorgeous ideas, Sonic Creed offers a smooth voyage to the world of jazz masters with imaginative, regenerating sounds deep-rooted in the powerful African American culture'. (JazzTrail).

Details and samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Helen Sung - Sung With Words
(Stricker Street Records) - Released: 14th September 2018

Helen Sung (piano); John Ellis (tenor and soprano sax, bass clarinet); Ingrid Jensen (trumpet); Reuben Rogers (bass); Kendrick Scott (drums); Samuel Torres (percussion) + guests Jean Baylor, Carolyn Leonhart, Christie Dashiel, Charenee Wade (vocals).

Helen Sung Sung With Words

'Helen Sung keeps up the glowing sophistication in her way of playing that withstands any sort of a synthetic approach to music. She puts this skill into use in her new recording, Sung With Words, the first containing all original compositions. Every single piece was inspired by the words of Californian poet Dana Gioia. Sung puts together a central sextet with saxophonist/clarinetist John Ellis, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Kendrick Scott, and percussionist Samuel Torres. The vocal tracks, in which every syllable is served with lyric refinement after Gioia’s spoken-word intros, are ‘entrusted’ to one or two accomplished guest singers such as Jean Baylor, Carolyn Leonhart, Christie Dashiel, and Charenee Wade ...... The rhythms and textures devised by Sung, an intelligent composer, somehow restore and revitalize Gioia’s poems in an ingenious combination of jazz and poetry. This work feels like a necessary, certainly confident step in the pianist’s career'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Miguel Zenón - Yo Soy La Tradición
(Miel Music) - Released: 21st September 2018

Miguel Zenon (alto saxophone) + The Spektral Quartet - Clara Lyon (violin); Maeve Feinberg (violin); Doyle Armbrust (viola); Russen Roles (cello).

Miguel Zenon Yo Soy La Tradicion

'The powerful musicality and extended possibilities one can achieve by combining saxophone and strings were tested and confirmed by jazz giants such as Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Ben Webster, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, and many more. Drawing from several musical and cultural Puerto Rican traditions, saxophonist Miguel Zenon takes the concept to a completely different level on Yo Soy La Tradicion, recipient of 8 chamber-like pieces written for alto sax and a quartet of strings. With the help of The Spektral Quartet - Clara Lyon and Maeve Feinberg on violin, Doyle Armbrust on viola, and Russen Roles on cello - the saxophonist validates his own identity, exploring the Puerto Rican roots and heritage with compositional virtuosity ..... Yo Soy La Tradicion is a chamber tonic for the ears. Its complexities, in form and tempo, are hidden through cerebral arrangements that permit an intuitive readability of the music. Because in music, demanding executions usually require demanding listenings, get ready for the challenges this CD offers'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Marcin Wasilewski Trio - Live
(ECM Records) - Released: 14th September 2018

Marcin Wasilewski (piano); Slawomir Kurkiewicz (double bass); Michal Miskiewicz (drums).

Marcin Wasilewski Trio Live

'For years, fans of Poland's Marcin Wasilewski Trio have been asking for a live album. The group made this one "by accident", unaware that their August 2016 performance at Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp had been recorded by the festival. On listening, they felt that it captured the soul of things rather well, "maybe because there was no awareness of playing to the microphone". Unselfconsciously dynamic and outgoing, the trio draws an enthusiastic response from the audience. "Being out in front of an audience of 4,000 doesn't change your playing or your skills," Wasilewski reflects, "but with a crowd of this size you have to project more energy. You can hear that in this recording." The trio is certainly in energetic, extroverted mode, fanning the flames of their 'Spark of Life' repertoire and drawing on the deep understanding Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz and Michal Miskiewicz have established in the course of a quarter century of shared musical endeavour. As Jazz Journal has noted, "Wasilewski's music celebrates a vast dynamic range, from the most deftly struck pianistic delicacies to gloriously intense emotional exuberance, the chords pounded with unrestrained joy, yet always within a marvellously melodic concept." (album notes). '..... On Live, Wasilewski follows the same methodology that hailed him as a spellbinding pianist whose charming jazz propagates warmness and comfort. The three musicians, all former members of the Tomasz Stanko Quartet, thank the late trumpeter on the CD booklet for ‘the inspiration as well as precious and unique experiences in music’ .....The material speaks to me gracefully and the trio rises to the occasion with inventive interpretations of an excellent set of songs'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Hilde Marie Holsen - Lazuli
(Hubro) - Released: 25th May 2018

Hilde Marie Holsen (trumpet, electronics)

Hilde Marie Holsen Lazuli 'Acclaimed trumpeter/soundscaper Hilde Marie Holsen follows up her critical hit mini-album debut, 'Ask', with the dark and mysterious 'Lazuli', a suite of four compositions inspired by visual art and named after minerals used to colour paint. "All the electronic sounds on the album are still live and processed trumpet, as they were on 'Ask'" says Holsen. "Since 'Ask', I've been exploring, among other things, different ways to play the acoustic trumpet, both conventional and unconventional, trying to find different timbres that can also give a larger register of processed sound in the electronic soundscape. The music on 'Lazuli' began as improvisation, and then later on I've had the chance to do minor adjustments and edits on the tracks. 'Lazuli' came about through a collaboration with the artist and painter Tyra Fure Brandsæter… The titles on the album are an homage to this collaboration: they are all different types of minerals that have been used as colour pigment in painting." 'Lazuli's' combination of beautifully pure-toned, almost classical-sounding acoustic trumpet with an often dark and dense forest of electronically manipulated noise, is devastatingly effective. We seem to hear what might be snuffling animals or squelching sci-fi film FX alongside random clicks and glitches or rumbling, ominous, industrial machine-hum, together with gentler sounds from a more lyrical or pastoral realm: snatches of sleigh or shepherd bells, perhaps the mystical half-echo of a tamboura drone. As the ambient sounds have themselves been triggered by the trumpet through various electronic plug-ins or captured by re-processing the instrument's total sound-making potential, from blowing to sucking to playing as percussion, there is no real gap between one and the other, reinforcing the organic nature of the entire artistic process, from first puff to final parp'. (album notes). Norway's Hilde Marie Holsen creates bewitching soundscapes using her trumpet and an array of electronics. She compares her work to visual art .... Sometimes Holsen's sound paintings are vast to the point of infinite, but there are also moments of incredible intimacy, when it feels like quick-winged moths are tickling the nooks and crannies of your ear. After the album ends, the silence is deafening. You almost feel bereft'. (Thomas Rees in Jazzwise 4*)

Details and Samples :

Lars Danielsson and Paolo Fresu - Summerwind
(ACT) - Released: 28th September 2018

Lars Danielsson (bass, cello); Paolo Fresu (trumpet, flugelhorn)

Lars Danielsson and Paolo Fresu Summerwind

'.... The timely arrival of Summerwind, a minor masterpiece, shows us what so much of jazz today is missing. Teachers and students take note. A duo configuartion means there is nowhere to hide - every note has to count. Fresu's beautiful tone, melodic erudition and sheer craftsmanship presents endless lines of well-polished melodic development burnished by years of experience. Danielsson too is no stranger to valuing and caressing melody ... They both know their subject inside out, but they do not seek to flaunt their knowledge. Rather they gently use their combined wisdom to reveal deeper meaning ...' (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise 4*).

Details and Sample :

Wolfgang Muthspiel - Where The River Goes
(ECM) - Released: 12th October 2018

Wolfgang Muthspiel (guitar); Ambrose Akinmusire (trumet); Brad Mehldau (piano), Larry Grenadier (bass); Eric Harland (drums)

Wolfgang Muthspiel Where The River Goes

'Where The River Goes carries the story forward from Wolfgang Muthspiel’s highly-acclaimed Rising Grace recording of 2016, reuniting the Austrian guitarist with Brad Mehldau, Ambrose Akinmusire and Larry Grenadier, heavy talents all, and bringing in the great Eric Harland on drums. Much more than an “all-star” gathering, the group plays as an ensemble with its own distinct identity, evident both in the interpretation of Muthspiel’s pieces and in the collective playing. The album, recorded at Studios La Buissonne in February 2018, and produced by Manfred Eicher, features six compositions by Wolfgang Muthspiel and one by Brad Mehldau, plus group improvisation. It is issued in both CD and vinyl formats'. (album notes). '..... Though Muthspiel albums incline nowadays toward a mix of solo meditations and probing collective speculations over nailed-down grooves, there's a good enough balance of both for this set to intrigue both freefall-jazz voyagers and pursuers of blues and leftfield perceptions of swing .... It's as classy a session as the personnel would imply, if extendedly pensive at times'. (John Fordham in Jazzwise 4*).

Details and Samples when available :

The Savory Collection - 1935 - 1940
(Mosaic) - Released: Mid-September 2018 (Box Set 6 CDs)

Various artists including Bobby Hackett, Coleman Hawkins, Stuff Smith, Fats Waller, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and many others.

The savory Collection 1935-1940

'For Loren Schoenberg of the Jazz Museum of Harlem, it's the discovery that capped nearly forty years of searching. For us at Mosaic, it's the "find" that has us re-examining an era we thought we knew inside out. And now, for listeners, it's an historic and fleeting opportunity to own a treasure trove of previously unknown music. Mosaic Records presents "The Savory Collection" - six CDs with 108 tracks locked away for more than 70 years and finally available on CD for the very first time anywhere. The recordings are from the personal collection of Bill Savory, a quirky and secretive studio engineer in New York whose day job in the late 1930s and early 1940s was transcribing radio broadcasts for foreign distribution, and whose nighttime passion was turning on the disc recorders to pull in and preserve what was happening in the clubs of New York City and other cities ........' (album notes). '.... It would be prohibitive to try and list the highlights, but a couple that need to be mentioned are the six-minute 'Body And Soul' by Hawkins (amplifying his then recent single) and a 10-minute slow 'Blues' by Hampton featuring Charlie Shavers and Herschel Evans ...... despite stiff competition, this could well be the archive release of the year'. (Brian Priestley in Jazzwise 4*).

Details, more information and Samples :

Benny Golson - Four Classic Albums
(Avid) - Released: 3rd August 2018

Benny Golson (saxophone) with various personnel

Benny Golson Four Classic Albums

'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Benny Golson, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details - 'The Modern Touch'; 'Benny Golson's New York Scene'; 'The Other Side of Benny Golson' and 'And The Philedelphians'. Perhaps better known as a writer and arranger, influenced by the great Tadd Dameron with whom he played with from 1953-59, Benny Golson was none the less a very fine tenor sax player as noted in our four fine selections. He played in the bands of Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges, Earl Bostic and Art Blakey amongst others and was a contemporary of Coltrane, Red Garland, Jimmy Heath and Philly Joe Jones. On our selections Benny is joined by the likes of Kenny Dorham, J. J. Johnson, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Max Roach, Gigi Gryce, Art Farmer, Lee Morgan and Ray Bryant. That should give you some idea of the esteem Benny Golson was held in and the classic jazz company he kept'. (album notes). 'A who's who of the hard-bop scene in 1957-58, these four Golson albums .... are simply essential - the last named being the highlight, featuring the Lee Morgan/Golson partnership from the contemporaneous edition of the Jazz Messengers'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise 4*).

Details : Review : Video of the Benny Golson Quintet playing Whisper Not, one of the tunes in this collection.

Johnny Griffin and Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Four Classic Albums
(Avid) - Released: 3rd August 2018

Johnny Griffin; Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (tenor saxophones) with various personnel.

Johnny Griffin Eddie Davis Four Classic Albums

'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Johnny Griffin & Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details - 'Tough Tenors'; 'Lookin' At Monk'; 'Blues Up And Down' and 'Griff & Lock' - Two tough tenors, indeed! These two titans of the tenor sax both had wildly prolific careers but somehow found the time to come together as a hard blowing unit from 1960-1962. Discovering they had compatible styles on their chosen tenors the pair decided to form their famous quintet where you will hear, rather than perhaps the expected cutting sessions, their styles perfectly complimenting each other. This was of course greatly helped by the fine band of jazzmen accompanying them, from the delicate piano of Junior Mance to the subtle but forceful rhythm section of Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums. (album notes). 'No less essential than the Golson reviewed above, this is one of the great two-tenor partnerships of the same era, and few albums from that 1960-61 period match up to the excitement of the sparring on the original LPs of Tough Tenors or Blues Up And Down'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise 4*).

Details : Video of the saxophonists playing Funky Flook, a tune on the Tough Tenors album

Dakota Staton - Four Classic Albums
(Avid) - Released: 3rd August 2018

Dakota Staton (vocals) with various personnel.

Dakota Staton Four Classic Albums

'....a re-mastered 2CD second set release from Dakota Staton, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details - 'Dakota'; 'Dakota Staton Sings Ballads And The Blues'; 'Softly' and ''Round Midnight. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dakota Staton attended the famed George Westinghouse High School, (alumni include pianist Ahmed Jamal, possibly at the same time!) and went on to study music before entering the music scene through that tried and tested, and very tough route, of the night club circuit. From a young age she was travelling around the country appearing in night clubs from Detroit to Indianapolis to Cleveland and to St. Louis and to Harlem in New York, where she was discovered by Capitol Records producer Dave Cavanaugh who promptly signed her to a recording deal with Capitol. Dakota made many highly acclaimed albums in the 1950s and 1960s and we have included five here for your listening pleasure. There may be more to come!' And here they are! Our original sales notes to accompany our first acclaimed Dakota Staton release promised more to come. Well it's not five albums this time but four, but hey, when they are this great, it's quality not quantity that counts!'. (album notes). 'This collection focuses on the more intimate side of Dakota's work .... it shows she could inhabit the Great American Songbook with class'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise 3*).

Details : Listen to an earlier release of 'Round Midnight :

Freddie Hubbard - Gleam
(BGOCD) - Released: 6th July 2018

Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn); Carl Randall, Jr. (tenor sax, flute); George Cables (electric piano); Henry Franklin (electric bass); Carl Burnett (drums); Buck Clark (percussion).

Freddie Hubbard Gleam

'Jazz trumpeter Hubbard's 1975 CTI album, recorded live in Tokyo at Yubin Chokin Hall. Features Carl Randall, Jr., George Cables, Henry Franklin, Carl Burnett and Buck Clark. Digitally remastered and slipcased; Extensive new notes (album notes). 'While the run of fine studio albums that marked Hubbard's mid-1970s fusion years is rightly celebrated by fans, a couple of cracking live sets should also be noted. This performance recorded in Japan is as good as the much-loved North Sea Jazz Festival gig .... Good document of a musician whose influence on several generations should not be overlooked'. (Kevin Le Gendre in Jazzwise 4*).

Details : Listen to Put It In The Pocket from 1975 :

Tom Barford - Bloomer
(Edition Records) - Released: 31st August 2018

Tom Barford (saxophone); Rupert Cox (piano); Billy Marrows (guitar); Flo Moore (bass); Dave Storey (drums).

Tom Barford Bloomer

'Bloomer is the debut album from Tom Barford, saxophonist, composer and winner of the 2017 Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize .... From the first notes Bloomer is impactful, youthful and energetic, but it's Barford's contribution that hits you immediately: this is an artist with something to say! His sound is immediate, bold and fluent and he's an improviser adept at resoucing a vast bank of harmonic language. The influence of US saxophonists Seamus Blake or Chris Potter are there, but an original and distinctive new voice is clear and present'. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Introductory Video : Listen to Bloomer :

Metamorphic - The Two Fridas
(Discus) - Released: 1st April 2018 (2 CDs)

Kerry Andrew (vocals); Chris Williams (alto sax); John Martin (tenor / soprano sax); Ollie Dover (bass clarinet); Seth Bennett (double bass); Ruth Goller (double bass / electric bass); Johnny Hunter (drums); Laura Cole (piano/ Rhodes, composer).

metamorphic The Two Fridas

'Metamorphic are an octet of some of the finest improvising musicians in the UK, who play compositions written by pianist and bandleader Laura Cole, based on her emotional journeys and personal experiences. The Two Fridas is their third album; their two previous albums, Coalescence (2013) and The Rock Between (2011) received widespread critical acclaim, with the music described as ‘amazingly original’ (Jez Nelson, Jazz on 3); ‘highly personal and self-revelatory’ (John Fordham, The Guardian); ‘compelling and ear-catching’ (Peter Quinn, Jazzwise); and ‘utterly remarkable’ (Brian Morton, Jazz Journal). This is a group who really relish playing together, and the sound and intention behind this music is one that has hugely evolved in the ten years the band have been playing together. Metamorphic explore the intensity of collective experience, with Laura Cole’s compositions as a starting point, through spoken word, improvisation and tightly written passages' (album notes).

Details and Samples : Information About Laura Cole :

Bansangu Orchestra - Bansangu Orchestra
(Pathway Records) - Released: 3rd August 2018

Saxes: Paul Booth (MD, alto/bass flute, tenor saxophone); Sammy Mayne (alto sax); Jason Yarde (alto sax); Richard Beesley (tenor sax); Gemma Moore (bass clarinet/baritone sax). Trumpets: Ryan Quigley; Kevin Robinson; Andy Greenwood; Shanti Paul Jayasinha; Steve Fishwick. Trombones: Trevor Mires; Barnaby Dickinson; Robbie Harvey; Martin Galddish; Richard Henry. Rhythm Section: Giorgio Serci (guitar); Alex Wilson (piano); Davide Mantovani (electric bass); Rod Youngs/Tristan Banks (drums); Satin Singh (percussion).

Bansangu Orchestra

'Leading British saxophonist Paul Booth formed Bansangu Orchestra with Giorgio Serci and Kevin Robinson in 2014. While retaining a Traditional Big Band format, Bansangu consciously steers clear of the traditional Big Band Jazz and Swing repertoire. The orchestra has recorded nine self-penned compositions and arrangements that show case the rich and diverse musical influences from Brazilian, African, Cuband, Caribbean, Indian and Middle Eastern cultures'. (album notes). 'The album draws on an eclectic range of influences: Brazil, Africa, Cuba, the Carribean, India and the Middle East are all represented here and this multicultural "X Factor" undoubtedly contributes to its strength. The music is alive, vibrant and engaging and offers an aural punch that only a great big band can deliver. Incidentally, the band's curious name derives from the compliment Airto Moreira pays to his band in his Brazilian accent: "Ban San Goo," which actually means "Band Sounds Good!" (Roger Farbey in AllAboutJazz 4½*). 'This gloriously feel-good album offers irresistibly catchy hooks, a myriad of musical influences handled with an unruffled ease, plus a communicative power that thrills at every turn'. PeterQuinn, The Arts Desk).

Details and Sample : Video of Cross Channel : Review 1 : Review 2 :

Phronesis - We Are All
(Edition Records) - Released: 14th September 2018

Jasper Høiby (double bass); Ivo Neame (piano); Anton Eger (drums).

Phronesis We Are All

'With the critically acclaimed release of their sixth album ‘Parallax’ in 2016 (recorded at Abbey Road studios) and a reputation for spell-binding, roller-coaster live performances, twice MOBO-nominated Anglo-Scandinavian trio Phronesis have captured the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide. Formed in 2005, they have performed widely across Europe and taken their engaging grooves, irresistible rhythmic energy and breathtaking group interplay to concert stages and festivals across the world from Morocco to Brazil and Australia to North America (where the trio returned in the summer of 2017 for a tour of seven jazz festivals.) In 2017 Phronesis released their seventh album, ‘The Behemoth’, recorded in Germany with the hr Frankfurt Radio Big Band – a special commissioned project to celebrate the band’s tenth anniversary, for which composer/arranger Julian Argüelles created innovative big band arrangements of the trio’s compositions drawn from their entire back catalogue. These arrangements have been performed in the UK, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands including at North Sea Jazz Festival 2017. In October 2017 Phronesis won the ‘Jazz Ensemble of the Year’ award at the UK’s Parliamentary Jazz Awards. We Are All, the band’s eighth and newest studio album, offers plenty of emotional range and musical richness for committed Phronesis fans and new listeners alike. But in its title and scope, it also seeks to focus attention on an important message of togetherness and balance beyond the one the trio demonstrate on the bandstand'. (Edition Records).

Details and Samples : Video of One For Us :

Karen Sharp - The Sun, The Moon And You
(Trio Records) - Released: 20th April 2018

Karen Sharp (tenor sax); Nikki Iles (piano); Dave Green (bass); Steve Brown (drums).

Karen Sharp The Sun The Moon and You

'Saxophonist Karen Sharp returns with a long awaited second album on Trio Records featuring her now well established British Jazz Award "All Winners" quartet of Dave Green (bass), Niki Iles (piano), and Steve Brown (drums) - a stella line-up indeed. Since releasing their debut recording back in 2011 - 'Spirit', the quartet have been busy touring clubs and festivals across the UK, delighting audiences with their unique sound, group interplay and shared passion for strong, melodic material and the jazz tradition. The band's repertoire has evolved naturally over time and this album features familiar and lesser-known standards together with original pieces written by Karen and Nikki. Highlights include a great version of Monk's "Pannonica" as well as the little heard, deceptively simple tune by bassist Ron Carter, "Little Waltz" but everyone will find their own delights within this album. Far from being a horn with accompanying trio, Karen's quartet features each voice to its fullest without ever undermining the integrity of the group, with fine contributions by all' (album notes). 'This quartet has been together for a while now and it shows. Each player is given space to air their artistry with Sharp taking the lead, of course, her slightly languid sound perfectly caught, with Iles spinning out cherishable commentaries and then soloing with the kind of nimble alacrity that seems to mark all her appearances ....'(Peter Vacher in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

John Horler - Free And Easy
(Trio Records) - Released: 13th April 2018

John Horler (piano).

John Horler Free And Easy

'John Horler is a highly respected pianist and composer who has earned a formidable reputation on the British jazz scene over half a century. Probably best known for his collaboration with Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine for over 20 years, he has also worked with many well know American jazz icons, including Chet Baker Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry. A graduate of The Royal Academy Of Music aged 16 (later being made an ARAM for services to music) John became an avid disciple of the late Bill Evans and also absorbed the music of the European composers Debussy, Ravel and even Brahms which he welded into his own very special jazz language. This intimate solo album, full of melodic invention and sophisticated harmony, features five free pieces, where a figure is played spontaneously and developed randomly, without any preconceived idea of where it might lead. Other tracks include My Ship by Kurt Weil, inspired by the Miles Davies Gil Evans recording, What Kind of Fool Am I played in tribute to composers Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and Beija Flor by Nelson Cavaquinho and an improvisation on Bach's Prelude in e flat minor. There is just one of Horler's own compositions a melancholy tune in A major, called "Piece for Poppy" Dave Gelly described John's playing best when he wrote "Horler has a delightful habit of lulling you into a sense of false security with sweet, simple phrases and warm chords, before suddenly heading off into the harmonic undergrowth. Little scraps of melody, which at first seem quite random, gradually come together into a fascinating pattern." Andrew Cleyndert's recording of the piano is superb and has contributed in no small measure to a really excellent CD'. (album notes). '.... the veteran pianist John Horler's classical background serves him equally well on this superbly recorded and succinctly performed solo piano set' (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise).

Details : Samples : Review :

Beats And Pieces Big Band - Ten
(Efpi Records) - Released: 13th July 2018

Ben Cottrell (director); Anthony Brown, Oliver Dover, Tom Ward (saxophones); Richard Foote, Simon Lodge, Rich McVeigh (trombones); Owen Bryce, Graham South, Nick Walters (trumpets); Anton Hunter (guitar); Richard Jones (piano, Fender Rhodes); Stewart Wilson (bass); Finlay Panter (drums).

Beats And Pieces Big Band Ten

'This exciting ensemble led by composer/conductor Ben Cottrell boasts 14 musicians, many of them bandleaders in their own right, with each player’s distinct musical background and individual voice being key to the collective band identity. Now in their 10th year, Beats & Pieces are a rarity in keeping a fairly consistent lineup for so long – especially remarkable for a group this size. Such is the level of trust and friendship across the group that they perform entirely from memory, effortlessly switching between super-tight ensemble playing and generous soloistic expression in the same way as a trio or quartet. A driving force of the vibrant Manchester music scene and one of the most striking ensembles of its kind, the group continues to win new fans and friends across Europe and beyond. Beats & Pieces is not an average ‘big band’ – rather a band that’s big'. (band website). '.... the title Ten of their third CD points to the Manchester-based band's longevity; they celebrate a decade together with a 'live' album recorded at the Royal Northern College of Music ... There's a hunger and intensity to the solos and the personnel's execution of Cottrell's arrangements that attests to their shared conviction over the past decade' (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise).

Details and Sample : Video of Nois :

Dave Holland - Uncharted Territories
(Dare2Records) - Released: 11th May 2018

Evan Parker (tenor saxophone); Craig Taborn (keyboards, electronics); Dave Holland (upright bass); Ches Smith (percussion).

Dave Holland Uncharted Territories

'Uncharted Territories, released in 2CD and 3LP formats, reunites Dave Holland with saxophonist Evan Parker, a longtime friend from their early days in London. They're joined by Craig Taborn, on piano and electronics, and Ches Smith on percussion. In addition to quartet improvisations, they also broke off into every possible subset of duo and trio configurations. The group also recorded two compositions by Smith and one by Holland. A resulting 23 tracks present a series of deep, multi-layered conversations between the musicians, some of whom were interacting for the first time'. (album notes). 'Everyone into jazz knows about the extreme versatility of English bassist/composer Dave Holland, an extraordinary bandleader and valuable sidemen. The ability and competence to play in a variety of settings - from post-bop to free jazz and from solo to big band - with a voice of his own are remarkable. For his new quartet recording, Uncharted Territories, Holland teams up with the adventurous English saxophonist Evan Parker, inventive pianist Craig Taborn and multi-faceted percussionist Ches Smith, both American. This was the first time the latter has recorded with the bassist while Evans first joined forces with Holland in a 1968 free improvisation session for John Stevens/Trevor Watts’ Spontaneous Music Ensemble ..... This comprehensive adventure consists of a double record mostly composed of improvised material - in duo, trio, and quartet configurations - selected from a two-day recording session. Except for three scored compositions, they entitled the 23 tracks with a code that indicates the instrumentation, the day they recorded it (Tuesday or Wednesday) ..... The entire program, manifesting the individual freedom and collective unity of four confident risk-takers, folds into amorphous figures, passionate interplay, and irregular trajectories pelted with rugged and decorous textures'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas' Sound Prints - Scandal
(Greeleaf Music) - Released: 6th April 2018

Joe Lovano (tenor and soprano saxophones); Dave Douglas (trumpet); Lawrence Fields (piano); Linda May Han Ho (bass); Joey Baron (drums).

Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Sound Prints Scandal

'Scandal marks the first time that trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano have recorded a full studio album of material together, revealing a passionately adventurous band for whom no territory is off-limits. As on their live debut recording, Sound Prints features pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Joey Baron. The super group heads off into swinging, heartfelt and sophisticated new territory inspired by saxophonist giant Wayne Shorter. Two of Shorter's pieces receive special treatment. A truly fantastic and original group playing new originals and music by Shorter'. (album notes). 'Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano, two incredible composers/arrangers and stalwarts in the art of playing trumpet and saxophone, respectively co-lead the Wayne Shorter-inspired quintet Sound Prints, for which they composed original material. Their high caliber rhythm section - pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Linda May Han Ho, and drummer Joey Baron - spends time creating intuitive bounces that would better serve the soloists while solidifying rapport ..... This is a great comeback from Sound Prints, whose effervescent and sagacious playing sounds pretty damn good.(JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

The New York All-Stars - Burnin' In London
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 7th September 2018

Eric Alexander (saxophone); Harold Mabern (piano); Darryl Hall (bass); Bernd Reiter (drums).

New York All Stars Burnin' In London

Recorded at the legendary Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, London on 20 & 21 November 2017, Burnin' In London features six classic tunes including Harold Mabern's own Nightlife In Tokyo and a beautiful interpretation of Gershwin's classic Summertime .... "The interplay between Eric and Harold is magical, supported by the rock solid bass lines from Darryl and the exacting rhythmic underpinning of Bernd's precision-like drumming ..." (album notes / Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music Director). 'Mabern really is a remarkable talent. At 81, he's still playing with the passion of a man at least half his age and his ace pupil Eric Alexander continues to grow'. (Jazzwise).

Details : Video of The Night Has A Thousand Eyes : The band is on tour in Europe during September and November 2018.

Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams - Vanished Gardens
(Blue Note Records) - Released: 29th June 2018

Charles Lloyd (tenor saxophone, flute); Lucinda Williams (vocals); Bill Frisell (guitar); Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar and dobro); Reuben Rogers (bass); Eric Harland (drums).

Charles Lloyd Vanished Gardens

'When Lucinda Williams joined Charles Lloyd & The Marvels at UCLA’s Royce Hall in April 2017, the musicians beamed with unbridled joy. Same for the fans fortunate to witness, to share the depths of the artistry and exploration happening on stage. There were tears, too, as Williams reached inside herself for expressions of love, longing and loss in equal measures. But the image that remains strongest from this remarkable night is of Lloyd, radiant and enchanted, at times not even playing, just taking in the wonders of this grouping that had come together around him. That same energy and elation buzzed through the compact sessions in a Los Angeles studio that brought us the luminescent music heard on this album, Lloyd and Williams with the singular set of talents that comprise the Marvels ... musicians who just as Lloyd and Williams have done have set their own courses, found their own ways of expression and exploration, while thriving most profoundly in sparks-filled collaborative settings'. (Blue Note). 'Among the songwriting credits for this work we find not only Lloyd and Williams but also Jimi Hendrix, Thelonious Monk, and Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman. The latter’s “Ballad of the Sad Men”, a tune popularized by Roberta Flack and instrumentally rendered by Keith Jarrett, is amiably cooked with Lloyd jumping in halfway to blow our minds with his sui generis vocabulary. This strategy is also put into effect on “Monk’s Mood”, a marvelous duet with Frisell, who prepares the ground for the saxophonist’s musical enlightenment with a relaxed introduction. This song is the closest they get to jazz since the project’s philosophy falls more into a blend of country, folk, blues and rock genres ... Drawing inspiration from the roots of American music, the band effortlessly coat these songs with a charming charisma. With The Marvels establishing an unshakable bridge between styles, Lloyd/Williams collaboration is indeed successful'. (JazzTrail). 'The mood is varied, however. Williams reprises three old songs, including 2007’s Unsuffer Me, with Lloyd matching her anguish (and how nice to hear her without guitar squalls), while a version of Hendrix’s Angel caresses the song’s beauty and optimism. Lloyd’s playing, in his 80th year, remains fluid, still pushy on the title track, reflective on Blues for Langston and La Rue, while the Marvels match his invention. Too bad Williams doesn’t sing on the plaintive Ballad of the Sad Young Men. Otherwise, this unexpected collaboration doesn’t miss a trick'. (Neil Spencer in The Guardian)

Details and Samples : Full Blue Note Description : Full JazzTrail Review : Neil Spencer's Guardian Full Review :

Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer - Decade
(Decca Records) - Released: 5th July 2018

Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); Dan Tepfer (piano).

Lee Konitz Dan Tepfer Decade

'To celebrate a decade of intense musical collaboration and friendship, the masterful 90-year-old altoist Lee Konitz and the resourceful pianist Dan Tepfer, 36, release Decade .... an auspicious follow up to Duos With Lee (Sunnyside, 2009). The duo has been performing extensively throughout the years, but their mature sense of impromptu comes bolstered throughout these 15 spontaneous short tunes. In possession of an enviable originality in terms of sound and language, the pair takes the same direction and overcomes any possible generational gap with their modernistic facility ...... Wielding a delightfully quirky style, Konitz and Tepfer provide the listener with those truly magical moments that will keep them sigh with pleasure'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

The Eclectic Maybe Band - The Blind Nightwatchers' Mysterious Landscapes
(Discus) - Released: 1st April 2018

Roland Binet (flute / tenor saxophone track 6); Joe Higham (electronics / soprano saxophone / doudouk track 7); Michel Delville (electric guitar); Catherine Smet (keyboards); Guy Segers (bass / samplers track 5); Dirk Wachtelaer (drums).

Eclectic Maybe Band Blind Night Watchers Mysterious Landscapes

We’re delighted to make this music available. You’ll know Guy Segers from his days as bass guitarist with the influential and brilliant RIO group Univers Zero, but you may not know that Guy has been a tireless creator and releaser of music – often via his own Bandcamp page – up to the present day. This new release by Eclectic Maybe Band has a great vibe and atmosphere to it. A group of highly skilled and compatible players came together in the studio under Guys’s direction and made some improvisations. Although improvised the outcome is stylistically varied. Some tracks make you think of electric Miles filtered via zeuhl, while others are freer and open ended. Really flexible and great sounding bass and drums provide an ever shifting backdrop. The guitar is angular, surprising, expressive, a real stand out performance. Flute is the main horn at the forefront, blown by the wind eerily back and forth over the tracks, with the saxes digging in occasionally. Very original use of keys here too, especially when a rather icy grand piano cuts in. These initial improvisations have been carefully restructured in post production by Guy to produce a result very much in keeping with the Discus Music spirit (album notes).

Details and Samples :

Meloche / Archer / Robair / Hodnett - The Sincerity Of Light
(Discus) - Released: 20th April 2018

Chris Meloche (guitar and electronics); Martin Archer (woodwind and electronics); Gino Robair (percussion and electronics); Lyn Hodnett (voice).

MelocheArcherRobairHodnettSincerityOfLight

Trance-like minimal loops and drones from Canadian electronics composer Meloche orchestrated by Archer with improvised percussion and voices from Robair and Hodnett. A unique meeting of minimalism and improv (album notes). "I wanted to do something which would be interesting if we played it live, and I hit on the idea to use my woodwinds with live audio to midi conversion so that my playing would trigger a whole surrounding set of sounds. I invited my long term colleague Lyn Hodnett, who specialises in very high frequency vocal improvising, to record a session. Then I set things up so that my playing would trigger a cloud of vaguely related randomised Lyns to each note I played ..... I used the same technique in Part 2 to trigger a whole group of saxophones from my alto sax .... We think it's unusual to combine static and active elements together in this way, with a whole load of detail dancing around over the drone material ....(Martin Archer)

Details and Samples :

Trygve Seim - Helsinki Songs
(ECM Records) - Released: 31st August 2018

Trygve Seim (tenor and soprano saxophones); Kristjan Randalu (piano); Mats Eilertsen (double bass); Markku Ounaskari (drums).

Trygve Seim Helsinki Songs

'With its overt lyricism, strong themes and a sense of perpetual melodic invention, Norwegian saxophonist Trygve Seim’s new album quickly identifies itself as a classic-in-the-making. Themes of dedication run through Seim’s Helsinki Songs album, a set of tunes composed - for the most part - in the Finnish capital, and radiating tributes in many directions. Here are songs referencing Igor Stravinsky and Jimmy Webb, pieces dedicated to each of Seim’s gifted bandmates, and tunes that tip the hat, obliquely, to Ornette Coleman and Bill Evans. The quartet plays superbly throughout, with outstanding solos from leader Seim and pianist Kristjan Randalu. Helsinki Songs was recorded in Oslo’s Rainbow Studio in January 2018 and produced by Manfred Eicher'. (album notes). 'Norwegian reed player Trygve Seim puts a new quartet together with Kristian Randalu on piano, Mats Eilertsen on bass, and Markku Ounaskari on drums. Most of the material on Helsinki Songs, his eighth album as a leader/co-leader for the ECM label, was written in the capital of Finland, conveying a lyrical sentiment that gravitates toward the contemplative. Throughout the 11 originals, autumnal and wintry tones are combined in gracious perfection .... Stimulating in its quietness and hauntingly poignant in its textures, Helsinki Songs favors slow-drag tempos and embraces a memorably dusky lyricism, exposing an attractive anti-climax nature. It’s an endearing work by Trygve Seim, who definitely deserves wider attention. (JazzTrail).

Details and Sample : Full JazzTrail Review :

Tord Gustavsen Trio - The Other Side
(ECM Records) - Released: 31st August 2018

Tord Gustavsen (piano); Sigurd Hole (acoustic bass); Jarle Vespestad (drums).

Tord Gustavsen Trio The Other Side

'For the album 'The Other Side', Norwegian Tord Gustavsen opens a new chapter in his piano trio story, with faithful drummer Jarle Vespestad, and introducing his excellent new bassist Sigurd Hole. "This is the chill-out as a state of grace, and it can go as deep as you like. Sublime," wrote the Independent on Sunday of the Gustavsen Trio's Being There, released in 2007. Over the last decade Tord has explored other ensemble forms, but on 'The Other Side' - recorded at Oslo's Rainbow Studio in January 2018 - Gustavsen is back with the format that brought him world-wide adulation when his debut album, Changing Places, was released in 2003. Hole's approach to his instrument, drawing on folk influences as well as modern jazz, is ideally suited to Gustavsen's slowly-developing, deeply melodic pieces. The recording, produced by Manfred Eicher, is made available both on CD and vinyl, and is issued on the eve of a major tour'. (album notes). 'Generating deeply moving sounds through a close interplay, the Tord Gustavsen Trio, inactive since 2007, takes us to The Other Side with staggering new originals and admirable renditions of traditional songs and classical pieces, including three by J.S. Bach. The Norwegian pianist and composer plays alongside his longtime drummer Jarle Vespestad and the new bassist Sigurd Hole, two excellent accompanists who provide him with all the rhythmic sustenance and enchanting texture he needs to make this one of the most gratifying releases of his career ... There are no extravagances but plenty of utterly beautiful moments that take you to another dimension. The record is soulful and inspired, and Gustavsen and his bandmates are all refined musical taste, originality, and perception'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Sample : Full JazzTrail Review :

Erroll Garner - Nightconcert
(Mack Avenue) - Released: 13th July 2018

Erroll Garner (piano); Eddie Calhoun (bass); Kelly Martin (drums).

Erroll Garner Nightconcert

'New release of a previously unissued 1964 live performance, recorded at The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Restored and mixed from the original master tapes, featuring 8 never-before-heard songs including a newly discovered Garner original. Deluxe double Vinyl or single CD package includes previously unseen colour photographs from the concert, and liner notes by writers Nate Chinen, Dr. Robin D. G. Kelley, and pianist Christian Sands. Following the incredible rediscovery of jazz pianist Erroll Garner through the release of 'The Complete Concert By The Sea' and 'Ready Take One', Octave Music, in partnership with Mack Avenue Records, will next issue 'Nightconcert', a newly-restored live performance from the Garner archives, recorded at the height of his 1964 sold-out European tour. 'Nightconcert' (from the Dutch Nachtconcert) is a midnight jazz performance held at The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, one of the premiere concert halls in the world. Recorded on November 7, 1964, it features Garner with his classic trio (bassist Eddie Calhoun and drummer Kelly Martin) performing to a packed house of 2,000 enraptured fans. The audience witnessed a blistering set featuring the group's unique take on classics from The Great American Songbook, as well as three originals by Garner: "Theme From A New Kind of Love (All Yours)," "No More Shadows" and a new composition titled "That Amsterdam Swing." ' Nightconcert' will continue to remind music fans of Erroll Garner's singular talents as a pianist, composer, and showman'. (album notes). ' ... a release that's great to have for Garner fans and scholars, but an occasionally painful listen for those of us to whom tuning matters'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise)

Details :

Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio - Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio (Remastered)
(State Of Art Records / Millennium Digital Remaster) - Released: 4th February 2018

Stan Getz (tenor sax); Oscar Peterson (piano); Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown (bass).

Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio

'This is full of really fine music by Stan, Oscar, Herb Ellis on guitar and Ray Brown on bass, but just be careful to avoid making the same mistake that I made. Because the cover picture is different, I didn't immediately recognise that this is essentially the same as an album - with the same title - that I already had (issued by Verve). The one difference is that this also includes a couple of tracks ("When Your Lover Had Gone" and "Candy") from another fine album recorded a couple of months earlier - "Jazz Giants '58", credited to Stan, Gerry Mulligan, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Louie Bellson and the Oscar Peterson Trio'. (Amazon commentator). ' .... this 24-bit remastered classic is well worth checking out and not just for the exemplary sound of these 1957 tracks .... there is warmth and intimacy about this encounter, the powerful duality between the unflappable saxophonist and the excitable pianist creating a minor classic'. (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Keely Smith - The Keely Smith Collection 1949 - 1961 (3 CD Box Set)
(Acrobat) - Released: 5th May 2018

Keely Smith (vocals) with various personnel.

The Keely Smith Collection

'Keely Smith was one of the most distinctive and multi-talented performers of the 1950s and 60s, combining a vocal versatility with an innate sense of comedy, which she used to good effect using her trademark deadpan style in stage and TV performances with her husband Louis Prima, with whom she also made some fine jazz, R&B and pop records, including the Grammy Award-winning That Old Black Magic in 1959, winner of Best Performances By A Vocal Group. She was a fine jazz singer, with a sense of swing and timing that placed her alongside the best of her peers, but she was equally at home performing sophisticated pop material with an orchestra, and this collection provides the opportunity to hear her in both environments. This great-value 80-track 3-CD set comprises selected recordings with Louis Primas Orchestra for the Mercury, Capitol and Dot labels from her 1949 debut with his band through to 1961, when they were divorced, and selected solo recordings for Capitol and Dot accompanied by the orchestras of Billy May, Nelson Riddle and others from 1956 through to 1962. It includes the chart hits with Louis Prima, That Old Black Magic, The Bigger The Figure, Ive Got You Under My Skin and Bei Mir Bist Du Schon. Its a fine showcase for her talent and style during what was one of the most productive and important eras of her career'. (album notes). 'Smith's death last December ought to have prompted a wave of reissues, but aside from a Louis Prima compendium, it didn't, until now, with Acrobat's exemplary 3CD box of her work, taking us beyond Prima to her great work with Riddle, May and other leading arrangers of the day'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Ralph Flanagan and his Orchestra - Flanagan's Boogie
(Sounds Of Yesteryear) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Ralph Flanagan (pianist and bandleader) with his Orchestra and various personnel

Ralph Flanagan Flanagan's Boogie

'Ralph Flanagan (born Ralph Elias Flenniken; April 7, 1914 in Lorain, Ohio - died December 30th, 1995 in Miami, Florida) was a famed big bandleader, conductor, pianist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet, and Alvino Rey. During World War II he served in the Merchant Marine from October 1942 to 1946. By 1949 he formed a very successful orchestra which is credited with re-popularizing the Glenn Miller sound, and which made many records, among them Singing Winds; Rag Mop; Hot Toddy and Flanagan s Boogie. The Ralph Flanagan band was managed by Herb Hendler, who had signed Glenn Miller to his final record contract before Miller's fatal plane crash in the English Channel during World War II. It was Hendler who had encouraged Flanagan to adopt the Miller sound that led to his sucess. Hendler also co-wrote Hot Toddy, which was recorded by many artists, including Chet Atkins, Rosemary Clooney, Red Foley and Julie London. The Flanagan orchestra's theme songs were Giannina Mia and Singing Winds, the latter title also applying to the orchestra's singing group'. (album notes). 'Top NY session players populate pianist (and erstwhile vocalist) Flanagan's 1951-56 big band, playing in the style of a slightly updated Glenn Miller orchestra, and the results are swinging and danceable versions of standards, or originals closely based on standard forms' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details : Original recording of Flanagan's Boogie tune :

Nat King Cole - Four Classic Albums
(Avid Jazz) - Released: 1st June 2018

Nat King Cole (piano and vocals) with various others

Nat King Cole Four Classic Albums

'AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Nat 'King' Cole, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details 'Sings For Two In Love'; 'Penthouse Serenade'; '10th Anniversary Album' and 'Just One Of Those Things' Although we at AVID do have a fine Easy Listening catalogue, which in fact, does carry a couple of collections by our latest inductee into the jazz hall of fame; Great Beginnings (AMSC569) and The Essential Collection (AVC953). For our latest release we have chosen to highlight the jazz side of Nat King Cole. Our four classic album selections cover all aspects of Nat's jazz output from the jazz vocal workouts with arrangers, Nelson Riddle and Billy May on 'Sings For Two In Love' and 'Just One Of Those Things' to a selection of his sides with the Nat Cole Trio on 'The 10th Anniversary Album' to the classic piano session 'Penthouse Serenade' where we can witness just how fine a jazz pianist Nat really was'. (album notes). 'This is Cole in transition from singer/leader of his trio (represented here on the Penthouse Serenade album, making the set worth having for this alone) to vocalist with Nelson Riddle, Billy May and others, and the four original LPs are liberally sprinkled with his greatest hits' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Tim Garland - Weather Walker
(Edition Records) - Released: 8th June2018

Tim Garland (saxophones, composer); Jason Rebello (piano); Pablo Held (piano);Yuri Goloubev (double bass); English Session Orchestra.

Tim Garland Weather Walker

'.... atmospheric and unfailingly melodic new orchestral album ... takes its inspiration from the Lake District in the North West Of England. Recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studio 1 with a 35 piece string section, this epic production contains some of Tim Garland's best large ensemble writing ...'. "...The Lakes, which have a melancholy beauty even throughout the cold grey months, remain magical. Given the inspiring visual setting of this music, it is naturally cinematic".' (album notes / Tim Garland).

Details and Samples : Rugged Land from Weather Walker : 'Kinda Pastroral' article by Howard Lawes:

Julian Argüelles - Tonadas
(Edition Records) - Released: 20th July 2018

Julian Argüelles (tenor and soprano saxophones); Ivo Neame (piano); Sam Lasserson (double bass); James Maddren (drums, percussion).

Julian Arguelles Tonadas

'Tonadas (simply meaning 'tunes') is the lyrical and vibrant new quartet album from saxophonist Julian Argüelles. Drawing on his Spanish roots Argüelles has produced a gem - a beautifully warm, harmonically rich and melodic album, abundant with elegant tone and absorbing colour. Tonadas has everything you'd want and expect from a contemporary Jazz album, yet it surprises on another level. With shifting turns of phrase and effortless band interplay, Argüelles growing status as a master composer, bandleader and creator are clear ....' (album notes). 'Whilst the inspiration for the album is all things Spanish, the music doesn't seek to emulate, say, Miles Davis's classic Sketches Of Spain; the tracks, all originals, mirror the composer's eclectic proclivities. More importantly, the album engages the listener at every level'. (allaboutjazz)

Details and Sample : Review 4½* : Listen to Alfama : Listen to Alalá :

Sugarwork - Sugarwork
(Harriphonic) - Released: 1st June 2018

Paul Harrison (piano); Phil Bancroft (saxophone); Graeme Stephen (guitar); Stuart Brown (drums)

Sugarwork album 'One of the UK music scene's most resourceful figures, Paul Harrison releases the debut album by his latest band, Sugarwork. Featuring four musicians whose work has been marked by a consistent thirst for enquiry, Sugarwork brings together saxophonist Phil Bancroft, guitarist Graeme Stephen and drummer Stuart Brown, with Harrison on keyboards as the main composer and producer. Harrison, Bancroft, Stephen and Brown are among the leading players in Scottish jazz circles and as a pianist Harrison alone has worked in classic jazz, with singer Carol Kidd, with Dave Liebman and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and in myriad other jazz situations including organ trios and the Brazilian-styled Trio Magico. Sugarwork draws on and continues this jazz experience in terms of improvisation, while avoiding any pat traditions, and embraces elements of atmospheric electronica, industrial looping, psychedelic exploration, and post-rock dynamics as well as the melodic style associated with European jazz. The music on the album is, at times, hauntingly melodic, at other times, thrillingly relentless and intense, and is the result of Harrison's decision to use studio production and manipulation in the style of electronica and rock producers rather than documenting how the band sounds live. 'As well as being a jazz pianist, I've long been into all kinds of music, particularly electronica,' says Harrison. 'Having experimented with this element where I could in various projects, I wanted to bring it further into the foreground in a new context. I wanted to see if I could create a band that uses jazz harmony, improvisation, and loud electronic instruments without straying into jazz fusion. It's been a gradual and exploratory process but we had fun bringing it to fruition and hope that listeners will enjoy the sounds and contrasts we've created.' The album includes a collaboration with Serbia-based artist David Stanley, whose photography is developed into extensive original artwork featured on the CD and band's website. Further collaboration is planned, including a music video for the track 'After The Forest, The Sky' later in the year'. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Video : Interview with Paul Harrison :

Chet Baker - Live In London Volume II
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 10th August 2018 (2 CDs)

Chet Baker (trumpet); John Horler (piano); Jim Richardson (bass); Tony Mann (drums).

Chet Baker Live In London II

For six evenings, from 28th March to 2nd April 1983, the John Horler Trio rhythm section supported the legendary trumpet player Chet Baker at The Canteen in London. For those who were fortunate enough to be there, these were magical shows. The rhythm section was tight and Chet was at the top of his game. The best of the six hours of music is presented here on 'Live in London Volume II' and has been restored and remastered to the highest quality. Jim Richardson, Chet's bassist, asked him if he could record the shows for his personal enjoyment. Chet was only too happy to agree, and Jim managed to capture most of the performances on a SONY TCS 300 audiocassette recorder. Over the years, Jim selectively shared this astonishing music, and those who heard it encouraged him to find a way to release it to the public. However, a combination of factors precluded this from happening for 33 years, until Martin Hummel met Jim late one evening at Ronnie Scott's. Jim's story about the music and his unwavering desire to share this with the world caught Hummel's attention. Together, they persevered and ultimately The Chet Baker Estate granted permission to release the material on the Ubuntu Music record label. These, just like the original 'Live in London' release, are exceptional performances of Baker at his best, with music that touches the head, the heart and the soul. (album notes).

Details and Sample : Tea Break article with Martin Hummel of Ubuntu Music :

Matt Anderson Quartet - Rambling
(Jellymould Jazz) - Released: 1st June 2018

Matt Anderson (tenor and alto sax); Peter Lee (piano, keyboards); Will Harris (bass); Jay Davis (drums); with guests Nick Malcolm (trumpet); Owen Dawson (trombone); Aubin Vanns (guitar).

Matt Anderson Quartet Rambling

Innovative saxophonist and composer Matt Anderson and his quartet release 'Rambling', which fuses a range of distinct musical influences, exploring the common ground between contemporary jazz and folk music. Subtle strains of blues and country can also be detected within the music, as well as echoes of Scandinavian jazz and Afro-Celtic soundscapes. Matt Anderson is the winner of the 2017 Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition and a sought after saxophonist, already well established in the UK and European jazz scenes. His 2015 debut album 'Wild Flower' (also released on Jellymould), received widespread praise from critics and audiences alike, cementing Anderson's reputation as an ingenious player performing exciting and original compositions. It features Pete Lee on piano, Will Harris on double-bass and Jay Davis on drums, as well as some tracks with special guests Nick Malcolm on trumpet, Owen Dawson on trombone and Aubin Vanns on guitar. 'Rambling' is Anderson's best work to date and signifies an evolution and development of a signature sound. This new music is a genuine representation of positive progression, both in terms of maturity of composition and effervescent performance. (album notes).

Details : Video : Website :

Onyx Brass - Onyx Noir: Jazz Works for Brass Quintet
(NMC) - Released: 18th May 2018

Niall Keatley, Alan Thomas (trumpet); Andrew Sutton (horn); Amos Miller (trombone); David Gordon-Shute (tuba)

Onyx Brass Onyx Noir

Amos Miller writes ... 'The release of this album marks the 25th anniversary of Onyx Brass. During this period, we have premiered around 200 new works, and believe that new music is utterly essential both for the development of brass chamber music and to the wider survival and success of classical music. In 1994, I was a participant in the Banff International Jazz Summer School, where one of the tutors was Kenny Wheeler. I was completely smitten by both his music and his playing, and thought that, one day, I might have the courage to approach him to write a piece for our newly formed quintet. Fast-forward to 2012, where I was fortunate enough to be playing on Gwilym Simcock's amazing album Instrumation, and this long-held idea was suddenly given life. Having persuaded Gwilym to agree to write us something, I was then chatting with the drummer Martin France at a tea break, and I mentioned my long-held dream to ask Kenny to write a brass quintet piece. Martin immediately gave me Kenny's phone number, and said call him now, and tell him I said so! Kenny was grace personified, and agreed, with the caveat that it might take him some time. Less than three weeks later, he called back with the news that hed already finished it! Having Kenny and Gwilym on board made it much easier to approach the other legends on this album, all of whom have also been astoundingly generous and enthusiastic about the project. This commissioning side of this project has been entirely self-funded by Onyx Brass, and we would like to put on record our heartfelt gratitude to the composers for their generosity, both of time and talent. There is currently a golden era in British jazz, and we felt that it was important, not just from a brass chamber music perspective, but also from a wider classical music point of view, that this wealth of talent should be tapped to create music in a jazz idiom, using each composer's unique understanding of melody, harmony and rhythm, but playable by classical musicians. The commissioning brief for each composer was simple: something around 5 minutes and do whatever you want! We are completely thrilled by the results, and hope you have as much fun listening to it as we have had playing it'. (album notes).

Details : Introductory Video : Review :

The Alan Skidmore Quartet - Naima / Live In Berlin
(ITM) - Released: 6th April 2018

Alan Skidmore (tenor sax); Steve Melling, Mike Gorman (piano); Geoff Gascoyne, Aidan O'Donnell (bass); Tony Levin, Ian Palmer (drums)

Alan Skidmore Quartet Naima

'Skidmore has never hidden his espousal of the Coltrane cause. He clearly worships the man. Open him up and he'd be lettered Coltrane all the way through. So, when does inspiration overtake replication? Well, here for a start ...This is exhilarating music. The companion set, also new to CD, dates from four years earlier (2007) and is subtitled 'Live In Berlin'. It's less turbulent, opening with an elegant reading of Gershwin's 'But Not For Me' ... Over these two sets, Skidmore shows a mastery of his chosen methodology, at one with his material and unflaggingly creative'. (Peter Vacher in JazzWise).

Details and Samples :

Binker and Moses - Alive In The East?
(Gearbox) - Released: 22nd June 2018

Binker Golding (tenor sax); Evan Parker (tenor sax, soprano sax); Byron Wallen (trumpet); Tori Handsley (harp); Yussef Dayes, Moses Boyd (drums)

Binker and Moses Alive In The East?

'The second disc of last year's Journey To The Mountain Of Forever album by jazz-rooted but generically free-thinking, young MOBO winners Binker and Moses turned their duo partnership into a sextet including free-sax giant Evan Parker, and the eclectic Yussef Dayes as a second drummer ... these live takes from Stoke Newington's Total Refreshment Centre from the same diverse line-up cranks that energy level even higher ....' (John Fordham in Jazzwise 4*). 'The music's default position is ferocity. But discordancy is not a feature - the emphasis is on solo rather than collective improvisation, so avoiding the cacophony that is a characteristic of much full-on free jazz. Jumping-off points are provided as much by Boyd's beats as Goldings's harmolodic centres. Motor rhythms are ever present, not so much grooves as urgent pulses, pushing the music forward. The result is a whirlwind. It can rip the hair clean off the back of your neck'. (Chris May in AllAboutJazz)

Details and Samples : Full Review by Chris May 5* :

Keith Jarrett - After The Fall
(ECM) - Released: 2nd March 2018

Keith Jarrett (piano); Gary Peacock (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums).

Keith Jarrett After The Fall

'In the course of its 30-year lifespan the trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette – the group colloquially known as "the Standards trio" – made many outstanding recordings. And After The Fall, overflowing with sparkling playing and dynamic interaction, must rank with the very best of them. "I was amazed to hear how well the music worked," writes Keith Jarrett in his liner note. "For me, it's not only a historical document, but a truly great concert." This performance – in Newark, New Jersey in November 1998 – marked Jarrett's return to the concert stage after a two year hiatus. Joined by improvising partners Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, he glides and soars through classics of the Great American Songbook including "The Masquerade Is Over", "Autumn Leaves", "When I Fall In Love" and "I'll See You Again". There are also breath-taking accounts of hallowed bebop tunes including Charlie Parker's "Scrapple From The Apple", Bud Powell's "Bouncin' With Bud" and Sonny Rollins's "Doxy".' (album notes). ' ...After The Fall, a double-disc album, was recorded live in a special concert that signalled the return of the pianist from a forced two-year interruption in his brilliant career due to chronic fatigue syndrome. The gig took place in 1998 at the NJPAC in Newark and the pianist himself expressed surprise when he heard how well the music worked .... With a trio that has nothing more to prove and plays totally from the heart, we can only expect wonders ..... After The Fall is a record of unhesitating steps that renew our appetite for jazz standards and other known songs'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : After The Fall article by Robin Kidson :

Jamie Saft Quartet - Blue Dream
(RareNoise) - Released: 29th June 2018

Bill McHenry (saxophone); Jamie Saft (piano); Bradley Christopher Jones (bass); Nasheet Waits (drums).

Jamie Saft Quartet Blue Dream

'Exposing valuable technical skills and a lyricism of his own, Jamie Saft is one of the sharpest pianists working today. His second release of the year, following the grandiose and haunting Solo a Genova, is entitled Blue Dream, an illuminated work where transcendence is achieved through the creation of absolutely glorious emotional soundscapes .... Impressively executed with great feeling, Blue Dream makes you plunge into aurally transparent sonic waters that open your soul, clear your mind, and more than satisfy your ears. Saft’s music touches me deeply and it feels awesome to be enveloped by his voluble and devotional reverberations'. (JazzTrail). ' .... the Upstate New York based artist presents a further facet of his seemingly boundless talent for composition, performance, invention and in this case, for acting as master of ceremonies to a group of exciting and innovative musicians ... Blue Dream showcases nine new vibrant, spiritual and energetic compositions by Jamie Saft, as well as three mesmerizing standards'. (album notes).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Jure Pukl - Doubtless
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 25th May 2018

Jure Pukl (tenor saxophone); Melissa Aldana (tenor saxophone); Joe Sanders (upright bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Jure Pukl Doubtless

'The up-and-coming New York-based tenor saxist Jure Pukl went back home, Slovenia, to record Doubtless, an open-spirited album comprising originals and covers ..... Prone to buoyancy, Doubtless showcases Pukl and his associates combining traditional and modern elements within well-defined forms and structures. Prepare yourself for an exciting expedition bolstered by the passion of true creators and their solid musicianship'. (JazzTrail). 'Spontaneity is the key. "It's very improvised - and every number sounds different at each gig," says Pukl. "Joe can change things so much, including time signatures, so we have to react in the moment ....' (album notes). '.... Given the sonic similarity of the two tenorists, an indication as to which saxophonist is heard on which channel or even which solo order would have been useful, but this doesn't detract from the high quality of the music presented here. Despite his obvious allusions to Coleman, Pukl evinces his own voice, his compositions and arrangements proving increasingly irresistible'. (allaboutjazz).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Listen to the title track :

Joshua Redman - Still Dreaming
(Nonesuch Records) - Released: 25th May 2018

Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone); Ron Miles (cornet); Scott Colley (double bass); Brian Blade (drums).

Joshua Redman Still Dreaming

'After fruitful collaborations with The Bad Plus (2015) and Brad Mehldau (2016), virtuoso saxophonist/composer Joshua Redman releases his long-awaited studio album ... Redman’s inspirations for Still Dreaming were his father and the avant-garde jazz quartet Old and New Dreams, whose members included Dewey Redman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell, all former sidemen of groundbreaking altoist Ornette Coleman. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the two covers on the album, Ornette’s “Comme Il Faut” and Haden’s untrammeled “Playing”, give us a wonderful taste of that generation ... Simple structures, complex emotions; Still Dreaming emanates passion for another musical era and Redman, besides talking from the heart in his ear-catching improvisations, strengths the repertoire with an indefatigable sense of collectivity'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Tim Berne / Matt Mitchell - Angel Dusk
(Screwgun Records) - Released: 12th April 2018

Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Matt Mitchell (piano).

Tim Berne Matt Mitchell Angel Dusk

'Last year, innovative pianist Matt Mitchell released Forage, a great solo album whose audacious material consisted exclusively of compositions by alto saxophonist Tim Berne, the man who had hired him in 2012 to play in the progressive Snakeoil band. The musical bond between the two men is so strong that a duo album was almost inevitable. Hence, Angel Dusk is now available and features eight tracks that pair Berne’s agile phrasing and resonant angularity with the perceptive, if intricate, tapestries of Mitchell. .... The constituent pieces of this collaborative work are extremely hard to separate in upbeat or downbeat. It’s much easier to associate their organic sounds with light and darkness due to the timbral coloring of the knotty textures. Berne and Mitchell sculpt and engrave with an absolute sense of anticipation and direction, making their set of explorations a stimulating listening experience'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Dwiki Dharmawan - Rumah Batu
(Moonjune Records) - Released: 27th July 2018

Dwiki Dharmawan (keyboards, compositions); Nguyên Lê (guitar); Carles Benavent (fretless bass); Sa'at Syah (flute), Yaron Stavi (upright bass); Asaf Sirkis (drums).

Dwiki Dharmawan Rumah Batu

'Riding the momentum of 2016's groundbreaking, critically heralded release, "Pasar Klewer" -- an album awarded a 5-star review by Downbeat, All About Jazz, and numerous others -- MoonJune Records is proud to present the phenomenal new album by the iconic keyboardist, composer and producer, Dwiki Dharmawan. Drawing from both his extensive jazz influences and his rich cultural heritage, the Indonesian maestro delivers yet another spellbinding masterwork! Brimming with adventurous compositions, ingenious arrangements and superlative performances, "Rumah Batu" almost defies categorization -- eclipsing both progressive jazz and world music genres. While a score of diverse ethnic flavors abound throughout, within its nucleus resides the free-spirited, unpretentious essence that epitomizes the greatest jazz. Augmented by a stellar cast of players, vastly international in scope - including: the enigmatic Parisian virtuoso, of Vietnamese descent, Nguyên Lê, on guitar; legendary flamenco fretless bassist, Spain's Carles Benavent; the extraordinary flutist, also from Indonesia, Sa'at Syah, and the proven progressive backbone of fellow Israeli-born, UK transplants, Yaron Stavi [on upright bass (yes: the album features twin basses!)] and (supreme drummer) Asaf Sirkis -- this landmark recording offers an intimate glimpse into Dwiki's unparalleled genius as player, arranger and songwriter. The album chronicles yet another magical session created and captured at the already-infamous La Casa Murada. Situated in the tranquil, picturesque setting of the Catalonian wine region of Penedès, Spain, the studio's recordings seem to take on a life of their own; and "Rumah Batu" is certainly no exception: articulating jazz's continuing evolution in the 21st century. For those who wondered what Messenger Dharmawan could possibly conjure as a follow-up to Rumah's unanimously praised predecessor, prepare to be amazed and perplexed -- and escorted on a musical sojourn unlike any the genre has ever witnessed!' (album notes).

Details : Details and Samples : Review 5* : Video Introduction by Dwiki Dharmawan in his own language :

Angles 3 - Parede
(Clean Feed) - Released: 11th May 2018

Martin Kuchen (tenor and soprano saxophones); Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (bass); Kjell Nordeson (drums)

Angles 3 Parede

Effusive saxophonist Martin Kuchen, a mainstay of the free improvised Swedish scene, spearheads the avant-jazz band Angles, whose formation keeps changing throughout the years. The nonet (Angles 9) is probably the most popular of its ensembles, but for Parede, a live recording made in the Portuguese city referred in the title, the band was narrowed to a trio. The adventurous Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten enrolls for the first time, replacing Johan Berthling, while the drums are entrusted to the regular Kjell Nordeson. ... Kuchen and his like-minded cohorts give each tune a stimulating, uncompromising execution that is as much ardent in emotion as it is agile in technique and craft. The band’s raw sound is all compressed in this record, which comes out unfailingly infectious. (JazzTrail).

Details and Sample : Full JazzTrail Review :

Alam Khan - Immersion
(AMMP) - Released: 1st June 2018

Alam Khan (sarod); Indranil Mallick (tabla); Benjamin Araki (tanpura)

Alam Khan Immersion

Sarod, the 25-stringed North Indian classical instrument rich in resonances, plays well with others, but is best savored solo. Master player Alam Khan knows this, having studied at his father Ustad Ali Akbar Khan's knee and taking up his style and lineage. On Immersion, he unfurls the instrument's stirring beauty via several ragas, a tribute to his family's accumulated knowledge and his own carefully honed artistic sense. Khan is a respected teacher and collaborator, a torchbearer of the Maihar gharana (musical family or clan) which was created by his grandfather Acharya Baba Allauddin Khan. Khan absorbed these facets by training since childhood with his father, who brought the instrument and greater awareness of Indian classical music in general to American audiences in the '60s. ''My father was a legend and his style was unique. What he passed on to me was a deep sense of that style, the feeling, touch, tone, all those kinds of things. Once I learned to emulate what he wanted me to play, I learned the reasons behind why I'm playing that. My father has passed on, but I want to continue his aesthetic and approach.'' Part of that approach adheres to the essence of the raga and its connection to a particular time of day and mood. ''Every raga was created for a certain time of day. When you play or listen to the ragas at the correct time, the full potential and wonder comes out,'' he notes. ''The traditional system of ragas and time is very important to my family and me.'' Khan recorded Immersion as he would have performed live. He is accompanied by the traditional combination of Tabla (Indranil Mallick) and Tanpura (Khan's student Benjamin Araki). (album notes). 'Immersion's packaging is Spartan or, if that's the way your tastes tend, minimalist. Its music though oozes sumptuousness - its unbelievably well-performed and blissfully nocturnal. Alam Khan is the son of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan ... I crossed continents to see his father. I would cross continents to see Alam Khan. Immersion reveals his deftness of touch and mind better than anything I've heard from him. (Ken Hunt in Jazzwise 4*).

Details and Samples :

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Gone With The Wind
(Elemental Music / Jazz Images) - Released: 1st April 2018

Dave Brubeck (piano); Paul Desmond (alto sax); Eugene Wright (bass); Joe Morello (drums).

Dave Brubeck Quartet Gone With The Wind

'Two albums for the price of one here, with the title session from 1959 combined with the highly regarded Time Further Out made two years later ... The touch throughout is light and loose, Brubeck less bombastic than of yore, Wright's pitter-pat bass and Morello's spare accompaniment just perfect for Desmond's flurry of ideas ... However much Brubeck you may already have, this double dose remains an essential purchase' (Peter Vacher in Jazzwise). Gone With The Wind was originally released in 1959 on Columbia CL 1347 (monophonic) and CS 8156 (Stereo), the album came out of the Quartet's desire to create an album of original music using unusual meters they discovered abroad such as in traditional Turkish folk music, which eventually became Time Out. However, the label executives insisted that the band first create a more conventional album to cover the risk of their preferred concept.

Details :

Frank Sinatra - In The Wee Small Hours
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 25th April 2018

Frank Sinatra (vocals) with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra featuring Harry Edison (trumpet)

Frank Sinatra In The Wee Small Hours

'It is widely believed that Sinatra's ability to fully express the forlorn lyrics of the great ballads began on In the Wee Small Hours, which was made during one of the darker moments of The Voice's stormy marriage to Ava Gardner. His separation caused him tremendous grief, which led to greater emotional depth as an artist. In addition to the complete aforementioned album, this CD also contains eight bonus tracks consisting of some of Sinatra's finest ballads of the period'. (album notes) 'The highlight of the Sinatra/Riddle collaboration, cut for Capitol in 1954-55, this is the epitome of the ballad-singing Frank, no tempo moving above a leisurely stroll with Riddle's consistently inventive counter melodies and orchestral voicings complementing the songs, as does Sweets Edison's trumpet. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise)

Details :

The Mike Westbrook Concert Band - Last Night At The Old Place
(Cadillac Music) - Released: 25th May 2018

Mike Westbrook (piano); Dave Holdsworth (trumpet); Malcolm Griffiths, Paul Rutherford (trombone); Mike Osborne, Bernie Living, George Kahn, John Surman (saxes); Harry Miller (bass); Alan Jackson (drums)

Mike Westbrook Concert Band Last Night At The Old Place

'It may seem amazing that such an important document of British jazz history, the last night at Ronnie Scott's 'Old Place' - the basement aof 39 Gerrard Street ... featuring the Mike Westbrook Concert Band has taken this long to be released .... It may well have been the poor sound quality that stood in the way of the album's release, but with passage of time, this unique slice of British jazz history has grown in such importance and such considerations have diminished ... This is a historic document, and a valuable one at that, and must be seen in this context, and while the sound may be the issue for some, for others it will be a slice of history made real'. (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Review 4* :

Dexter Gordon Quartet - Tokyo 1975
(Elemental Music) - Released: 29th June 2018

Dexter Gordon (tenor sax, violin); Kenny Drew (piano); Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass); Albert 'Tootie' Heat (drums), + one track with Ronnie Mathews (piano); Stafford James (bass); Louis Hayes, Espen Rud (drums)

Dexter Gordon Quartet Tokyo 1975

Elemental Music presents a complete previously unissued quartet performance by the great Dexter Gordon. This astonishing concert marked Gordon's first appearance ever in Japan, backed by an all-star rhythm sections consisting of Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. The album includes a 16-page booklet containing special essays by famed jazz producer Michael Cuscuna & by Dexter's widow, Maxine Gordon and is presented simultaneously on vinyl and CD (the CD version contains 2 bonus tracks, also previously unreleased). (album notes). 'This is a potent reminder of Gordon's musical strength during the decade and a half when he was based in Europe, with a closing bonus track from the subsequent homecoming that generated a touring American rhythm-section ... The recording is serviceable, with a hint of flutter at times ... But, with music this compelling, sound quality is hardly the most important consideration'. (Brian Priestley in Jazzwise).

Details :

Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson - Masters Of Jazz Piano
(Sounds of Yesteryear) - Released: 23rd February 2018

Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson (piano) with other personnel including Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums)

Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson Masters of Jazz Piano

This CD features two of the twentieth centuries greatest jazz pianists. Firstly, Art Tatum who is featured at two venues at different dates in 1952. His first performance, where he performs four numbers, is solo from the Embers restaurant. The second performance of a further four tracks is with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart. performing at Cafe Society. The second master of jazz piano to feature on this CD is the great Oscar Peterson. Making up his trio are bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, together performing at The Newport Jazz Festival on Rhode Island in July of 1959. Collectors will find it interesting to compare the styles of these two keyboard giants albeit that Art Tatum takes the lion's share of the recordings. (album notes). 'This is nearly a good compilation of two club sets ... but poor sound (and rather lumpy soloing) lets down the Tatum, however the 24 minutes of Peterson on geat form redeems it'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Nick Costley-White - Detour Ahead
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 13th July 2018

Nick Costley-White (guitar); Matt Robinson (piano); Conor Chaplin (double bass); Dave Hamblett (drums); plus Sam Rapley (bass clarinet)

Nick Costley-White Detour Ahead

'Leading British guitarist Nick Costley-White releases his debut album, Detour Ahead, this summer .... The album portrays the quartet's musical journey, beginning with performances that draw from the American Songbook tradition and travel through to a more modern aesthetic, inspired by the surroundings of London's exciting jazz scene. "The diversity of people playing and writing at such a high standard in London is very inspiring to me and I feel really lucky to have three such musicians in my band," explains Costley-White. "What's crucial for me in this group is that the musicians play in a contemporary style that is routed in the fundamentals of playing traditional jazz harmony and rhythm. The melding of these two aspects is what I try to balance when writing music specifically for these players. Through this process I hope to express my own voice .....' (release information).

Details and Sample : Thinky Pain track in Jazz As Art Article : Introductory Video : Nick Costley-White's Website with September to November 2018 tour dates :

Pete Lee - The Velvet Rage
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 29th June 2018

Pete Lee (piano); Josh Arcoleo (saxophone); Alex Monk (guitar); Huw Foster (bass); Ali Thynne (drums) with The Amika Strings - Laura Senior (violin); Rich Jones (violin and jazz violin); Lucy Nolan (viola); Peggy Nolan (cello); plus Simmy Singh violin on Stavanger.

Pete Lee The Velvet Rage

'Pete Lee graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2012 ... In 2017 he toured Japan and the UK with artists Gabrielle Aplin and Tom Walker and he has toured UK jazz festivals with Alice Zawadzki .... In July 2017 (Pete's band) was commissioned by the Manchester Jazz Festival to celebrate the 'decriminalisation of sexual offences law which pardoned LGBTQ individuals of historical criminal offences. The Velvet Rage is (his) debut album ....Lee is recognised for imaginative, virtuosic piano playing that draws effortlessly on his love of jazz, classical and folk music. From the pop grooves of the opening track Writer's Block to the rich beauty of The Velvet Rage and Stavanger .... The Velvet Rage reveals that he is an equally gifted composer'. (release information).

Details and Samples : Video of The Velvet Rage played live : Pete Lee's website (where 'X' opens rather than closes the page).

Slowly Rolling Camera - Juniper
(Edition Records) - Released: 6th July 2018

Dave Stapleton (keyboards); Deri Roberts (electronics); Elliot Bennett (drums) with Stuart McCallum (guitar); Neil Yates (trumpet); Nicolas Kummert (saxophones); Mark Lockheart (saxophones); Aidan Thorne (double bass); Tom Barford (tenor and soprano saxophone); James Copus (trumpet); Sam Glaser (alto saxophone).

Slowly Rolling Camera Juniper

'Juniper is the emphatic and uplifting third album from Cardiff based Slowly Rolling Camera and their strongest and most impactful statement yet. Masterminded by Edition label boss, Dave Stapleton, producer Deri Roberts and drummer Elliot Bennett, Juniper fuses expansive jazz grooves with rich cinematic soundscapes ... With a history of working together since they met at music college in Cardiff 15 years ago, the trio share a vision but bring together a diverse and unique set of influences .... Juniper anchors new instrumental roots whilst bringing together a dynamic instrumental team of ex-Cinematic Orchestra guitarist Stuart McCallum, bassist Aiden Thorne and Belgian saxophonist Nicolas Kummert .... The new music sustains their lush aural trajectory, evoking comparisons with the Cinematic Orchestra, blending strong melodies, big grooves and surprising turns of phrase ....' (release information).

Details and Samples : Introductory Video :

Roller Trio - New Devices
(Edition Records) - Released: 22nd June 2018

James Mainwaring (saxophones, programming); Chris Sharkey (guitar, electric bass, synths and programming); Luke Reddin-Williams (drums, synths).

Roller Trio New Devices

'New Devices is the 3rd album from Leeds-based trio and Mercury Prize nominees Roller Trio .... their sound is modern and gritty, pushing sonic boundaries to their limits. Switching the feel of a tune in a heartbeat from edgy improv to anthemic power riffs to reverb-swamped note storms....The music is dark, gritty and urban - menacing bass lines underpinned by squalling improvising from guitar and sax ulimately uplifting fulfilment'. (release notes). 'Comparisons are useless when faced with such an innovative and iconoclastic band, but there are clearly some detectable influences. "Decline Of Northern Civilisation," for example, in its opening bars exhibits shades of Terry Riley's "Poppy Nogood And The Phantom Band" and also compares with the ostinato / tape loop section of Mike Ratledge's "Out-Bloody-Rageous" from Soft Machine'sThird. But the sheer energy of that track and others throughout the album also recalls the instrumental elements of King Crimson. Yet, the overall sound is a thousand miles from these prototypes .... . this third Roller album demonstrates moments of captivating dynamism and haunting beauty'. (allaboutjazz).

Details and Samples : Listen to Decline Of Northern Civilisation : Review :

Karen Lane - Passarim
(33 Jazz) - Released: 15th June 2018

Karen Lane (vocals); with various personnel including Gareth Lockrane (flute); Rob Luft (guitar); Graham Harvey (piano, keyboards); Steve Watts (bass); Andrea Trillo (drums).

Karen Lane Passarim

'On 'Passarim' vocalist Karen Lane focuses on her love of Brazilian music visiting Brazilian standards, and some slightly more obscure repertoire, singing in both Portuguese and English. Lane's band features some of London's finest musicians, including flutist Gareth Lockrane and guitarist Rob Luft. She adds some real authenticity by inviting two London based native Brazilian's into the line-up: Rio born bass player Ricardo Dos Santos (Tania Maria, Leny Andrade, Edison Machade, João Donato) and completes the line-up, with internationally acclaimed percussionist from Bahia, Anselmo Netto. Originally from Perth Australia, Lane has been resident in London for the last 18 years and released five albums to critical acclaim. Arriving in London in 1999, she focused her energies on jazz and established herself as a respected recording artist. Her debut album 'Once in a Lifetime' (33 Jazz, 2002) garnered the positive reviews and radio play in the UK, Japan, USA and Canada'. (release notes). 'There's saudade, subtelty and feeling aplenty in this fine sixth album from the London-based Australian vocalist Karen Lane .....' (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise 3*)

Details and Samples : Listen to Passarim : Introductory Video :

Fervour - Taking Flight
(Self Release) - Released: 5th April 2018

Sean Gibbs (trumpet); Ben Lee (guitar); Andy Bunting (piano); Nick Jurd (bass); Euan Palmer (drums)

Fervour Taking Flight

'Taking Flight is the debut album from Fervour. The band is led by esteemed trumpeter Sean Gibbs (known for his work with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Young Pilgrims, Calum Gourlay Big Band, Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and many more), and features some of the UK's most exciting musicians. They play original music which draws on influences from across the jazz tradition alongside the earthy grooves of blues, rock and more. The album is presented in a stunning 4 panel digipak, designed by David Stanley. Herald Scotland - 'Gibbs' music has bags of personality and his soloing is full of ideas, now cool and reflective, now fast and assertive, now downright mischievous. His band go with him all the way and add their own thoughts and commentaries...' (release notes). '.... Typical of much contemporary jazz coming out of Scotland, the playing is of a high standard and has an unfashionably optimistic vibe, with Gibbs' rounded tone and articulate, extroverted solos suggesting he's a fan of Wynton ...Though it's a long way from the jazz cutting-edge, Gibbs' young fogeys make a joyful noise all the same'. (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise 3*)

Details : Samples :

JD Allen - Love Stone
(Savant Records) - Released: 29th June 2018.

JD Allen (tenor sax); Liberty Ellman (electric guitar); Gregg August (acoustic bass); Rudy Royston (drums).

JD Allen Love Stone

'Boasting a magnificent sound as well as a beautiful, fluid language, tenor saxophonist JD Allen embraces jazz ballads from the past in his new Savant release, Love Stone, the excellent follow up to last year’s Radio Flyer. If there is something about Charles Lloyd in the way he declares “Stranger in Paradise”, a song popularized by Jimmy Smith, then he shows off an effective pitch control in the pure classic tradition of Sonny Rollins on “Until the Real Thing Comes Along”. All those marvelously deep notes are imprinted on our minds, uttered with warm tones and infallible precision. They uplift the spirit. ...... In a quietly revolutionary mode, JD deftly reimagines familiar tunes with a sharp, affective, and pragmatic vision. The pristine glow of his saxophone brings us back the joy of listening to these sweet old songs. Tradition has its place in the modern jazz and this impressive album is probably what your ears have been aching for'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Matt Penman - Good Question
(Sunnyside Records) - Released: 29th June 2018

Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Will Vinson (soprano saxophone); Aaron Parks (piano, rhodes); Nir Felder (guitar); Matt Penman (acoustic bass); Obed Calvaire (drums).

Matt penman Good Question

'Matt Penman was born in New Zealand but his hearty bass pizzicato and triumphant groove have been enriching the New York jazz panorama since 1995. Besides being an attentive bandleader, Penman contributes to prestigious bands such as SF Jazz Collective and James Farm, and collaborated with respected artists like Joshua Redman, Chris Cheek, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Aaron Goldberg. For each tune on Good Question, Penman asked a musical question to his bandmates and their responses were transformative and conversational. For instance, “Copeland” describes an aural safe haven from the traumas of modern life with an effective combination of jazz elegance and lullaby-ish folk melody. .... With the dominant thrust coming from the pliant rhythm section, the scenario becomes auspiciously enticing for the soloists, whose improvisational creativity is poured out with eager determination and a fertile imagination. Moreover, great compositions deserve wonderful musicians and Good Question is a good example of that'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Yelena Eckemoff - Desert
(L&H Productions) - Released: 4th May 2018

Yelena Eckemoff (piano); Paul McCandless (oboe, English horn, soprano sax, bass clarinet); Arild Andersen (bass); Peter Erskine (drums, percussion).

Yelena Eckemoff Desert

'It is amazing how the desert can be so intensely vivid and musically inspiring. Anouar Brahem, Zakir Hussain, and Rabih Abou-Khalil often invoked it in their respective world-fusion styles. Now is the Russian-born, North Carolina-based pianist Yelena Eckemoff, who musically describes those vast landscapes of yellow sand, starry blue skies, and orange sunsets. For that purpose, she convened three world-class musicians - multi-reedist Paul McCandless, bassist Arild Andersen, and drummer Peter Erskine - and invites us to take a trip with them into the exuberant world of the Arabian sultans. .... The cumulative wisdom of the musicians simmers well throughout this enticing conceptual album, serving to translate complex compositions into traveler songs of sheer beauty and apparent facility. ... Never too smooth, never too aggressive, the album offers the possibility and the pleasure of discovering new places. The classy compositions presented here conjure up the great mystic of the desert. The music feels like finding a precious oasis.' (JazzTrail).

Details : Full JazzTrail Review :

Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow - Music In My Mind
(OA2 Records) - Released: 18th May 2018

Shawn Maxwell (alto saxophone, clarinet, flute); Dee Alexander (vocals); Victor Garcia (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chad McCullough (trumpet, flugelhorn); Corey Wilkes (trumpet); Matt Nelson (piano, rhodes); Patrick Mulcahy (electric bass); Junius Paul (acoustic and electric bass); Tim Seisser (electric bass); Phil Beale (drums); Stephen Lynerd (vibraphone); Kalyan Pathak (percussion).

Shawn Maxwells New Tomorrow Music In My Mind

'Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow returns two years after the release of their eponymous album on OA2 Records. The new CD, Music in My Mind, features ten electric originals performed by the original septet ... plus a few new additions that envision diversification through their personal approach to sound. ... Maxwell and his associates dabble in a colorful urban jazz that stews with heat. Adopting a feel-good posture that rejects any kind of pessimism, the band provides the listener with ear-pleasing melody, lively interactions, and catchy orchestrations'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Ivo Perelman / Matthew Shipp - Oneness
(Leo Records) - Released: 20th April 2018 (3 CDs)

Ivo Perelman (tenor saxophone); Matthew Shipp (piano).

Ivo Perelman Matthew Shipp Oneness

'The telepathic articulation between tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, two free spirits in the art of music-making, is quite obvious and grows stronger on Oneness, a triple album with 33 improvised tracks, which all together, offer more than two hours of searching music. In this sonic adventure, the interactions never feel a debate, but rather a well-reasoned conversation. The nature of the pieces often become visual, stimulating our imagination for mysterious interplanetary routes or energizing earthy expressions defined by an organic blend of avant-garde jazz, art-folk elements, and contemporary classical incursions. The duo always finds new ways to surprise, reinventing lines and textures through spontaneous ideas. .... The extemporizations sometimes hinge on an initial idea or just flow briskly with refractory intervallic leaps and opportune chromaticism. No hesitation. No redundancy. No preconception. Pure exploration and inspiration. The album reflects what these longtime collaborators and wonderful musicians can do. One saxophone, one piano, and oneness of mind and purpose are everything they need'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Logan Richardson - Blues People
(Ropedope) - Released: 12th April 2018

Logan Richardson (alto saxophone); Justus West (electric guitar); Igor Osypov (acoustic and electric guitars); DeAndre Manning (electric bass); Ryan Lee (drums).

Logan Richardson Blues People

'The American saxophonist Logan Richardson, based in Paris since 2011, released interesting albums in the past to make us curious about his next steps. Shift, his Blue Note debut, was recorded with the illustrious Pat Metheny, Jason Moran, Harish Raghavan, and Nasheet Waits, while the new album, Blues People, released on Ropeadope, features a new band whose exploration of sound allows a sensible coexistence between post-bop, blues, hard rock, hip-hop, and electronica. Throughout the 14-song repertoire, he fuses all these genres, gaining a unique perspective through the involving musicality of the guitarists Justus West and Igor Osypov, electric bassist DeAndre Manning, and drummer Ryan Lee. Together, they reflect on the past and present of black people's lives ..... Conceptual and diversified, Blues People has Richardson finding new paths while transcending genres. His fourth album may not be a career peak, but it's great to see him probing new directions in search of originality'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Pablo Held Trio - Investigations
(Edition Records) - Released: 13th April 2018

Pablo Held (piano); Robert Landfermann (double bass); Jonas Burgwinkel (drums).

Pablo held Trio Investigations

'Crafted with an alluring blend of elegance, lyricism and sophostication, Investigations is an album that perfectly fuses tradition with modernity, familiarity with exploration and poised nuance with passion and energy ..... Regarded as one of the most talented and adventurous pianists and improvisors in Europe, Pablo Held releases his .. 10th album .. his first for British imprint Edition Records'. (release information). 'The complex title perfectly characterises Pablo Held's compositional approach. Here he utilises light and shade to mix swathes of tranquillity with petulant stabbing phrases accompanied by equally sharp drum retorts. However, and this is crucial, the piece flows together seamlessly ...... The trio gel together as well as any jazz unit could hope to aspire and even exude something of the near-supernatural compatibility of the legendary Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette line-up ....' (allaboutjazz).

Details and Samples : Review : Video of Investigations Played Live :

Johannes Berauer's - Hourglass
(Basho Records) - Released: 20th July 2018

Thomas Gould (violin); Gwilym Simcock (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Martin Berauer (bass); Bernhard Schimpelsberger (drums, percussion and Konnakol).

Johannes Berauer Hourglass

'Johannes Berauer is one of the most productive and diverse young composers in Austria. He navigates effortlessly through musical styles such as classical avant-garde, jazz and world music. He was recently orchestral arranger and musical director for Oud master Anouar Brahem on his last ECM release “Souvenance”. With Indian Sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta he co-composed the music for the silent movie project “King of Ghosts” originally for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, then the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. An album of this music performed by the City of London Sinfonia has just been released by Shakespeare’s Globe. “Johannes manages to connect 21st Century innovation with Jazz music to great success. I see a long and productive musical life for him — very, very gifted.” (Bob Brookmeyer). Gwilym Simcock, member of Pat Metheny’s current quartet, and Mike Walker who played with virtually everyone from Kenny Wheeler to Dave Holland are two of the finest musicians of the jazz scene. Violinist Thomas Gould has been described as “one of the most talented and charismatic British violinists of the younger generation” excelling in both classical and contemporary repertoire as well as Jazz. He is director of the Britten Sinfonia. Likewise, Martin Berauer and Bernhard Schimpelsberger are two of the leading young musicians of Austria. Martin, living in Paris, is especially known for his expertise in the field of world music, and Bernhard, based in London, has built a reputation as a master of Indian Rhythms, which lead him to collaborations with artists like Akram Khan or Anoushka Shankar'. (release notes).

Details and Samples : Article by Robin Kidson for Sandy Brown Jazz :

Peggy Lee - Four Classic Albums
(Avid) - Released: 6th April 2018 (2 CDs)

Peggy Lee with various personnel from the albums 'Dream Street'; 'The Man I Love'; 'Jump For Joy' and 'Blues Cross Country'.

Peggy Lee Four Classic Albums

'Re-mastered 2 CD release from Peggy Lee, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details .... 'we wanted to select the best albums that truly captured Miss Lee's huge vocal talents. Peggy Lee spent most of her recording career at Capitol Records which she joined in 1947. She had a short break between 1952-56 where she recorded for Decca, and ironically made one of her greatest albums 'Black Coffee' (AVC876). We feature three albums for her Capitol years, a couple of classics arranged by the legendary Nelson Riddle, 'Jump For Joy' and 'The Man I Love' which also features conducting duties by that other rather famous Capitol Records artist, Mr Frank Sinatra! These two are joined by another classic 'concept' album 'Blues Cross Country' arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones. To round off our selections we feature the extraordinarily intimate 'Dream Street' recorded by Peggy for Decca in 1956. And if you need any further proof of the regard Peggy Lee was held in by the jazz fraternity, take a look at some of the names that appear on our selections. Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Pete Condoli, Mel Lewis, Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Bill Perkins, Lou Levy, Max Bennett, Benny Carter and Buddy Collette. Oh and did we mention Nelson Riddle, Frank Sinatra and Quincy Jones?!' (release notes).

Details :

Oscar Peterson and Fred Astaire - The Astaire Story
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released 25th April 2018 (2 CDs)

Fred Astaire (vocals) with Oscar Peterson (piano) group including Charlie Shavers and Flip Phillips.

Oscar Peterson and Fred Astaire The Astaire Story

'The complete classic set The Astaire Story (Mercury MGC 1001/4). Originally a four-LP deluxe box set, it was conceived by producer Norman Granz to showcase the singing talents of the great Fred Astaire in a jazz context, backed by an all-star small group conducted by pianist Oscar Peterson. The project spanned Astaire's then 20-year long movie career presenting a selection of songs by composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter, which he had premiered in his various films in the 1930s and 1940s. The set was conceived in the typical Granz jam session style, with plenty of instrumental solos, and on some tracks, Astaire was recorded tap dancing on a big wooden block'. (release notes).

Details, Samples and Customer Reviews :

Lee Wiley - Nights In Manhattan + Sings Vincent Youman and Irving Berlin
(Jackpot) - Released - 23rd February 2018 (Limited Edition, Original recording remastered)

Lee Wiley (vocals) with Bobby Hackett, Joe Bushkin, Stan Freeman, Cy Walter plus assorted strings.

Lee Wiley Nights In Manhattan

'Celebrated singer Lee Wiley (1908-1975) was extremely popular from the 1930s to the 1950s, during which time she recorded with some of the most important jazz names from the period. Presented in their entireties on this set are Wiley's splendid LPs Night in Manhattan (Columbia CL-656) and Sings Vincent Youmans & Irving Berlin (Columbia CL-6215/16) ... which were first issued individually with eight tracks each (on the latter two Wiley is backed by the piano duet of Stan Freeman and Cy Walter) ... This edition also includes two rare bonus tracks originally issued on the 1956 Columbia LP The Wide, Wide World of Jazz (RCA Victor LPM-1325), which was an anthology featuring various artists'. (release notes). 'What comes across is her flawless delivery and pitch, producing a very personal interpretation of some great standards'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Cannonball Adderley - Them Dirty Blues
(Elemental Music / Jazz Images) - Released: 1st April 2018 (Limited Edition, Original recording remastered)

Cannonball Adderley (alto sax); Nat Adderley (cornet); Bobby Timmons, Barry Harris (piano); Sam Jones (bass); Louis Hayes (drums).

Cannonball Adderley Them Dirty Blues

'.... he knew exactly how to present himself to the listening public. Though a prolific recording artist, it's Cannonball's association with the New York-based Riverside label and producer Orrin Keepnews that many see as his most productive and this, his new Quintet's second album, is one of his finest representations from this period ...' (Roy Carr in Jazzwise 4*).

Details :

Miles Davis - In Person At The Blackhawk, San Francisco
(Poll Winners) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Miles Davis (trumpet); Hank Mobley (tenor sax); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

Miles Davis In Person at the Blackhawk

'As a Hank Mobley completist, this ranks at the top of my Miles' sessions. It's a revelation to hear Mobley's natural, un-enhanced sound as captured by the Columbia engineers. Even more noticeable to me as a pianist, is the sound of Wynton Kelly's Steinway (also featured on "Freddie Freeloader" from "Kind of Blue"). The RVG piano is a sound that many listeners have grown up with--on Blue Note, Prestige, Impulse, etc. But to this pianist, it's become dull and uninspiring--lacking in frequencies, overtones and natural resonance. The sound of a Steinway or Bosendorfer--or for that matter, the personal touch of the player--should not be effaced by the choices of the engineer. Hank Mobley's absolutely stellar solo on "Bye Bye Blackbird"--on which he follows Miles' 2 choruses with 4 of the most beautifully constructed, soulful and emotive choruses ever heard from a Selmer Mark VI--is reason enough to own this collection ("Bye Bye Blackbird" is called by Miles only on Friday Night)'. (customer review). 'It's hard to realise now, but this was the first ever live album that Miles released ...In addition to its historical valye, it has some dynamite playing from an extrovert Miles ... If you don't know this material already, don't hesitate now'. (Brian Priestley in Jazzwise).

Details :

Duke Ellington - The Complete Ellington Indigos
(Pollwinners Records /Intermusic) - Released: 27th April 2018

Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker (trumpet); Ray Nance (trumpet, violin, vocals); Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Britt Woodman (trombone); Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Rock henderson, Paul Gonsalves, Harry carney (reeds); Duke Ellington (piano); Jimmy Woode (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums); Jimmy Grisson, Ozzie Bailey (vocals).

Duke Ellington The Complete Indogos

'Recorded in 1957, several months after the band's triumph at Newport, this is Ellington and his gorgeous soloists in all their splendor. It comes as no surprise at all that the original LP album is constantly sold at steep prices. You may already own the Columbia Masterworks edition - the one with the altered cover and consisting entirely of alternate versions. That one was quite a farrago, and not really convincingly sounding. It also omitted Ellington's unknown "The Sky Fell Down", a song with some striking similarity with "Solitude". Written 20 years earlier, it would presumably have become a standard. Not just because of this is this disc a real bargain buy. It offers alternate takes of six songs, two other Ellington compositions - "Commercial Time" and "Love", former only available on a French sample LP. (customer review). '..... Gonsalves fans will treasure a breathy 'Where Or When'. Six alternate takes give an insight into how this compilation of Duke at his most laidback came about, and overall it is a welcome opportunity to reassess an album that tends to be overlooked, just because almost everything else the band touched at this period was so uniformly excellent'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise 4*)

Details :

Mark Kavuma - Kavuma
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 15th June 2018

Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Mussinghi Brian Edwards (saxophone); Ruben Fox (saxophone); Artie Zaitz (guitar); Reuben James (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Kyle Poole (drums) plus Michela Marino Lerman (taps on Church).

Mark Kavuma album

' .... the debut album of virtuostic trumpeter Mark Kavuma, brings together some of the leading jazz musicians on the UK jazz scene today ...' "They resemble the finest amalgam of classic '50s Blue Note and Prestige line ups. Perhaps what attracted them to jazz in the first place was the energy, vibe, blues, rhythm, gospel and emotions found on these influential sides" (engineer and musician Jake Zaitz). 'Kavuma's music is original contemporary jazz with historical roots planted deep in American post-bop, blues and African rhythms ... ' (release information).

Details : Listen to Modibo from the album : Listen to Church : Mark Kavuma's website :

Sloth Racket - A Glorious Monster
(Luminous Label) - Released: 4th June 2018

Cath Roberts (baritone saxophone); Sam Adreae (alto saxophone); Anton Hunter (guitar); Seth Bennett (bass); Johnny Hunter (drums).

Sloth Racket A Glorious Monster

'Sloth Racket formed in 2015 when Jazz North east invited Cath Roberts to present a new project at Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Since then, Sloth Racket have released two studio albums, a live album, and another studio album with an extended lineup, Favourite Animals.

A Glorious Monster was recorded in November 2017 when the band was in the middle of a mini-tour. Cath had spent a few months trying to write an upbeat and optimistic album, ending up with a batch of music that was mostly pretty dark, heavy and/or downtempo. The one-day session was a process of orientation, deconstruction and communal improvised negotiation ... the resulting album is a staement of continued intent from a group who are deeply into the rabbit hole of a collective musical experiment.

The band is on tour during the summer when 'the music will almost certainly transform itself again as repeated performances turn the compositions inside out'.

Details and listen to Animal Uprising, the first of the four tracks on the album : Sloth Racket website and videos :

Trialogue - First Flight
(Spark! label) - Released: 29th April 2018

Chris McMurran (piano); Arvin Vaghela (bass); Alexander Blackwell (drums).

Trialogue First Flight '

Debut album from three Cambridge scientists: neurologist and Dankworth Prize-winning pianist Chris McMurran; physicist Arvin Vaghela (bass) and biologist Alexander Blackwell (drums). The compositions are by each member of the band who draw on their scientific backgrounds for inspiration, for example, Bhaskara's Wheel describes the fruitless quest to develop a perpetual motion machine, whilst blues Mother Tongue is a transcription from our own genome: the gene FOXP2. 'Musically, we have exchanged influences throughout the trio tradition,' say the band, 'from Oscar Peterson to Brad Mehldau and Avishai Cohen, but the tracks on the album draw widely from Beethoven, Alfred Schnittke and Jimi Hendrix'. The fact that the inspiration for the compositions comes from scientific backgrounds does not make the music cold and formulaic, as you can see from the introductory video. There is some nice work from McMurran and Vaghela, and Blackwell makes plenty of use of his cymbals on some tracks'. (release information).

Details and Samples : Introductory Video :

Alina Bzhezhinska - Inspiration
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 15th June 2018

Alina Bzhezhinska (harp); Tony Kofi (soprano and tenor saxophones); Larry Bartley (double bass); Joel Prime (drums, percussion).

Alina Bzhezhinska Inspiration

Originally from Ukraine/Poland and now based in London, Alina Bzhezhinska is an internationally renowned harpist. She has performed with leading classical and jazz musicians such as Django Bates, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and the Glasgow String Quartet. Her duo, with award-winning jazz vocalist Niki King, supported Gregory Porter at the 2017 Edinburgh Jazz Festival. Alina's critically acclaimed Quartet led the 80th Birthday celebrations for Alice Coltrane around the UK in 2017. Their appearance at the EFG London Jazz Festival in a special bill featuring Pharoah Sanders - 'A Concert for Alice and John' - has been nominated for Best Live Experience of the Year at the 2018 Jazz FM Awards. Her new album, Inspiration, will be released in June 2018 through Ubuntu Music. "I set myself on a mission to tell Alice and John Coltrane's story in my own words, through my own interpretation of their music and my compositions," explains Alina. Her music fits under the banner of contemporary jazz with its virtuosic playing and improvisation. However the appeal of Inspiration will reach well beyond a jazz audience because of its unique combination of genres. (Website).

Details : Introductory Video : Taster of Blue Nile : Live video of Alina playing Alice Coltrane's Wisdom's Eye :

The Dissolute Society - Soldiering On
(Babel Label) - Released: 11th May 2018

Fini Bearman (voice); Naomi Burrell (violin); Zosia Jagodzinska (cello); Gustav Clarkson (viola); Laura Jurd (trumpet); Raph Clarkson (trombone, vocals); Phil Merriman (keys, synth bass); Simon Roth (drums). Special guests: Huw Warren (piano); Mia Marlen Berg (vocals,fx); Joshua Idehen (rap vocals); Mike Soper (trumpet).

The Dissolute Society Soldiering On

'Absorbing, multi-faceted debut album by this new 8-piece ensemble, led by the inspired, ever-active, London-born trombonist-composer, Raph Clarkson. ... The album is dedicated to the late John Taylor (two of whose compositions are featured) and Micaela Comberti, Raph's late mother – violinist and leading figure in the British Early Music revival. ... It is a highly personal, poignant, often dark album - interweaving a wide range of genres, styles and influences, including: avant-garde improvised music, traditional & modern jazz, contemporary classical music, folk, funk, poetry and spoken word. Ralph's musical palette covers all these areas and more - and he has developed a compositional and improvisational interest in the intersection between trombone and voice - an area he explores with The Dissolute Society, for which he provides most of the compositions and writes the words. In fact, he especially likes to employ the power of words in music to give a narrative arc, which also acts as a 'glue' for the many genre styles within this project. The 15-track album is full of remarkable performances: Fini Bearman's breathtaking part-spoken vocals; Huw Warren's mesmerising piano; Laura Jurd's fleet-footed trumpet; Mia Marlen Berg's elastic voice; and not least, Raph Clarkson's trombone virtuosity - from soft, mournful refrain to unrestrained vigour, and all shades in between. But, genuinely, all the participating musicians bring phenomenal feeling and interpretation to this complex, opaque recording - that also has such immediacy and inner energy. ...' (release information). 'On the whole though, Soldiering On is a challenging listen, dominated by bracing free improvisation and unflinching poetry ...an album that requires several plays to get your head around'. (Thomas Rees in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Video :

Howard Riley - Listen To Hear
(SLAM) - Released: 20th April 2018

Howard Riley (piano).

Howard Riley Listen To Hear

'Pianist Howard Riley performing solo works, recorded 12 September 2017 at Porcupine Studios, London. Howard has been a regular and productive recording artist on SLAM since the very early days of 1990. In fact his discography includes 16 SLAM CDs. In his solo recordings he has always shown a preference for the short tracks, which he has on occasion referred to as his 'Short Stories'. This studio session, is very much of that character, with 17 tracks of around 3 and 4 minutes - plus, as is not uncommon, the inclusion of a jazz standard, in this case a couple of takes on "April in Paris". "Listening to the music on this CD is to hear, in an almost Dickensian flow of characterisation, much of the history not just of jazz but of 20th century music, plus some Romanticism, plus some Baroque, flowing past. Riley in his pomp is also a music historian...Precious moments" - Brian Morton (release information). 'The veteran English pianist's playful charm and deceptively naive craft are in evidence ....'(Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

McClenty Hunter Jr. - The Groove Hunter
(Strikezone Records) - Released 4th May 2018

Stacy Dillard (tenor saxophone); Eric Reed (piano); Corcoran Holt ( bass); McClenty Hunter (drums) + guests Eddie Henderson (trumpet); Donald Harrison (alto saxophone); Dave Stryker (guitar); Christian Sands (piano, Rhodes); Eric Wheeler (bass).

McClenty Hunter Jr The Groove Hunter

'The drumming qualities of McClenty Hunter could be fully enjoyed throughout the years while performing with Kenny Garrett, Eric Reed, Jim Snidero and Dave Stryker. His faultless rhythmic drives have a special meaning now since he gathered some of the most revered heavyweights on the scene to play with him on The Groove Hunter, his debut full-length album. The guest appearances include emblematic musicians like trumpeter Eddie Henderson, altoist Donald Harrison, and guitarist Dave Stryker, but also emergent talents such as pianist Christian Sands and bassist Eric Wheeler on three tunes each. They expanded the possibilities of a tight core quartet composed of Stacy Dillard on tenor sax, Eric Reed on piano, Corcoran Holt on bass, and McClenty in the drummer’s chair'.

'The album, pure post-bop thrill, comprises four gentle originals and a selection of five exciting covers .... The Groove Hunter is a notable jazz ride whose tightness and dynamism defines the rhythmic pathos of a gifted drummer who will certainly conquer much more in the future'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Jon Irabagon Quartet featuring Tim Hagans - Dr Quixotic's Traveling Exotics
(Irabbagast Records) - Released: 15th May 2018

Jon Irabagon (tenor saxophone); Tim Hagans (trumpet); Luis Perdomo (piano); Yasushi Nakamura (double bass); Rudy Royston (drums).

Jon Irabagon Dr Quixotics Traveling Exotics

'Searchers and enthusiasts of contemporary jazz will probably agree with me about the works of saxophonist Jon Irabagon being a must-listen. Let me add that his explosive new album of originals, Dr. Quixotic’s Traveling Exotics, is one of his very best ....'

'Nothing in this music is pointless or forced, in the same way that everything is tangible, honest and risk-taking. Irabagon shows off brilliant compositional skills and a personal tenor conception that elevates him to a superior level'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples (when available) : Full JazzTrail review : Video of The Demon Barber of Fleet Week played live :

Mike McGinnis - Singular Awakening
(Sunnyside) - Released: 27th April 2018

Mike McGinnis (saxophone, clarinet); Art Lande (piano); Steve Swallow (electric bass).

Mike McGinnis Singular Awakening

'Rising-star clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Mike McGinnis couldn’t have had better associates to develop his musicality than pianist Art Lande and electric bassist Steve Swallow, whose experience and distinct styles provide an elegant carpet for his strides. Singular Awakening is the natural follow-up to last year’s Recurring Dream. The album comprises twelve tracks, eight of them being improvised numbers, while the bassist and the pianist contribute with two compositions each ...'

'Swallow’s groovy jazz compositions occupy the extremities, starting and closing the album with bliss ... Both the established compositions and the collective improvisations enrich a session in which three multi-generational voices crisscross with imagination and clarity of purpose' (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video Introduction :

Meg Okura and the Pan-Asian Chamber Ensemble - Ima Ima
(Self-Release) - Released: 13th May 2018

Meg Okura (violin, vocals, erhu); Tom Harrell (trumpet); Sam Newsome (soprano sax); Sam Sadigursky (bass clarinet, clarinet); Anne Drummond (flutes); Riza Printup (harp); Rez Abbasi (guitar); Brian Marsella (piano, electric piano); Pablo Aslan (bass); Jared Schonig (drums).

Meg Okura Im Ima

'Japanese violinist Meg Okura records for the fourth time with her Pan-Asian Chamber Ensemble, this time having first-rate improvisers Rez Abbasi and Tom Harrell in the roster, guitarist and trumpeter, respectively. Containing seven original compositions, the album Ima Ima put on view her lucid musical vision as she explores material across the world-fusion spectrum. Thus, it’s more than common to hear timeless Eastern melodies running over contemporary jazz arrangements .... Elements of Japanese folk merge with jazz harmonies, shaping a gracious chamber jazz that lands on an uplifting Latinized vamp dominated by Harrell’s soloing aptitude. Ms. Okura was able to create magical crossover soundscapes with intimacy and subtlety, resorting to a pure lyricism and fascinating collective passages that never put the homogeneity of the whole into question'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of A Night Insomnia played live :

Henry Threadgill 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg - Dirt... And More Dirt
(Pi Recordings) - Released: 8th June 2018

Henry Threadgill (alto sax, flutes); Liberty Ellman (guitar); Chris Hoffman (cello); Jose Davila (tuba); Ben Gerstein (trombone); Jacob Garchik (trombone); Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet); Stephanie Richards (trumpet); Curtis Macdonald (alto sax); Roman Filiú (alto sax, flute); David Virelles (piano); David Bryant (piano); Thomas Morgan (bass); Elliott Humberto Kavee (drums, percussion); Craig Weinrib (drums, percussion).

Henry Threadgill Dirt And More Dirt

'Saxophonist Henry Threadgill, holder of a sui-generis jazz style, debuts his 14 or 15 Ekstra: Agg, another singular project that includes guitar - adroitly handled by longtime collaborator Liberty Ellman, who also produces the record - cello, tuba, two trombones, two trumpets, two or three saxophones (depending on if Threadgill conducts or plays), two pianos, one bass, and two drums. The album, Dirt… and More Dirt, presents ten compositions that pretty much represent the gravitating sound of the multi-awarded altoist, whose unmistakable signature, built on power, finesse, and mystery, constantly undermines the listeners’ expectations .... As a top-tier experimentalist, Threadgill continues to innovate through a spontaneity and reflex that navigate the abstract and the emotional. For the ones experiencing the saxophonist’s forms and textures for the first time, this can be a real challenge. Yet, it's just a matter of time before concluding that his airy (de)constructions never lack drama or elegance'. (Jazztrail).

Details and samples when album released : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of Henry Threadgill in conversation in 2014 :

Francesco Chiapperini Extemporary Vision Ensemble - The Big Earth
(Rudi Records) - Released: 12th March 2018

Francesco Chiapperini (arrangements and compositions, clarinet, bass clarinet); Andrea Jimmy Catagnoli (alto sax); Gianluca Elia (tenor sax); Eloisa Manera (violin); Vito Emanuele Galante (trumpet); Marco Galetta (trumpet); Andrea Baronchelli (trombone and tuba); Simone Quatrana (piano); Luca Pissavini (cello); Andrea Grossi (double bass); Filippo Sala (drums); Filippo Monico (drums and percussions).

Francesco Chiapperini The Big Earth

This 12 piece big band, led by Chiapperini on clarinet, sets out as a tribute to the "great land" of Puglia and its deep cultural and musical tradition. A universe steeped in rituals originating from the ancient peasant and maritime civilization.

What you get is a mixture of religious imagery, raucous street music, folk melodies, and contemporary modern jazz, often playfully interpreted. And there's some fine soloing in what is an unmistakeably European, if not Italian sound.

One of the most interesting big bands I've come across for a while, from the always innovative Rudi Records.

Peter Slavid ((Peter Slavid hosts a monthly, 2 hour radio show at www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz and says: 'The programme has a very specific purpose. The show is entirely European and entirely modern'. Peter shares his 'album of the month' with us)

Details and Samples : Introductory Video :

Solveig Slettahjell - Live At Victoria

(Jazzland) - Released: 1st January 2018

Solveig Slettahjell (piano, vocals); Pål Hausken (vocals) and guests.

Solveig Slettahjell Live At Victoria

A singer, alone, at a piano is not an unusual sight. But when that singer is Solveig Slettahjell, the rarity of the moment becomes vivid, and the expectation of what this moment could deliver is amplified. And, on a September night in 2017, at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Victoria, Oslo, Solveig gave such a performance. "Magical moments guaranteed" ran the tagline, and - for once - it was not advertising hyperbole. Guests joined for some songs: Pål Hausken provided percussive accompaniment on some tracks, while the choir Safari appeared to provide a whole new ambience to proceedings. However, their sparing use adds colour and drama at just the right moments, never resorting to mere chorus build-up and repetition. Featuring a set made of standards, original material, and settings of poems by Emily Dickinson, Solveig's performance is a masterful blend of emotional honesty and technical brilliance. Her delivery of classics by the likes of Gershwin, or more recent creations by Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen is bold and forthright, and her interpretations retain the spirits of the originals while marking them clearly with her own stylistic thumbprint. Her Emily Dickinson interpretations are much more than mere exercises - they are charged with the energy of the original poetry, and often viewed through unexpected lenses ...'. (release information). 'Any new recording by the Norwegian vocalist, pianist and composer ... is a huge cause for celebration ...in an age of downloading and streaming, Live At Victoria is an album that deserves to be heard at one sitting...' (Peter Quinn in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Esbjörn Svensson Trio - e.s.t. Live In London
(ACT) - Released: 25th May 2018

Esbjörn Svennson (piano); Dan Berglund (bass); Magnus Öström (drums).

est Live In London

'The release of this album marks a poignant moment: the tenth anniversary of the tragic and premature death of Esbjörn Svensson on 14 June 2008. During the last ten years after the end of e.s.t. there have been constant reminders of the indelible mark which the band has left on the international jazz scene. Indeed it is hard to imagine a whole generation of currently highly successful young bands all over the world, often attracting an audience of same age, without the deep and lasting influence of the sound and the aesthetic of e.s.t. It might sound like a cliché but it is evident that through his music, Esbjörn Svensson will stay with us forever.The trio really was a phenomenon. Its scale, recognition and impact grew progressively and internationally during the seventeen years of its existence' (release information). 'It is now 10 years since the tragic and untimely death of Esbjörn Svensson .... So this excellent album is a timely reminder of the emotional and aesthetic appeal of a group whose music crossed barriers of age, ethnicity and genre to reach beyond jazz, not just in Europe, but the US itself ...' (Stuart Nicholson in Jazzwise). 'In no sense am I an expert in jazz or for that part, but this is a lovely album. It contains a stellar performance of a band at their peak. The vinyl version is what I have and the pressing is dead quiet, crisp and clear. A joy listening to!' (Customer review).

Details and Samples :

Jimmy Dorsey - The Hits Collection: 1935-1957 (Box Set - 5 CDs)
(Acrobat) - Released: 8th March 2018

Jimmy Dorsey (clarinet) with various personnel.

Jimmy Dorsey Hits Collection

'Clarinetist and saxophonist Jimmy Dorsey and his brother Tommy led two of the most popular and successful big bands through the swing era of the late 30s and through the war years into the post-war decade until popular music changed in the new socio-economic climate. Jimmy took over leadership of The Dorsey Brothers orchestra in 1935 when Tommy left to form his own band, and over the next two decades maintained a remarkably consistent presence in the pop charts, capturing the zeitgeist of the times with instrumental hits that provided the favoured style of dance music and vocal hits which encapsulated the sentimental, optimistic and escapist themes which kept people going through the difficult times of the war or reflected the upbeat mood of later years. When he died from cancer in 1957, aged just 53, his final hit was still in the charts. This great-value 105-track 5-CD set comprises his entries in Billboard, Cash Box and the other US charts which existed before the Billboard record sales charts began in 1940 ....It’s a thorough and entertaining overview of the music that made his orchestra such a fixture in the pop music landscape of the time'. (release information). ' .... for a whistle stop tour through his own work as a leader, and the big hits he had, then this exemplary 5 CD set is essential, with surprises including his brilliant 'Dorseyland' trad band'. (Alyn Shipton, Jazzwise).

Details :

Ben Webster - Ben Webster & Associates
(Poll Winners Records) - 23rd March 2018

Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Budd Johnson (tenor sax); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Jimmy Jones (piano); Les Spann (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Jo Jones (drums).

Ben Webster and Associates

'... Leonard Feather ... wrote on the original liner notes to this album that: 'here you will find the type of music that will never depend on fashion, or technical display or a caustic rejection of society - here is experience, here is wisdom, here is beauty, here at its purist and truest is jazz', he had a point .... The time is made up with a couple of JATP jams featuring Ben, but the original album on its own is such a thing of beauty it really needs no further adornment'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Buddy Rich - The Lost Tapes
(Lightyear/Lobitos Creek) - Released: 2nd February 2018

Paul Phillips, Eric Mayashiro, Michael Lewis, Joe Kaminsk (trumpet); Scott Bliege, Mike Davis, James Martin (trombone); Steve Marcus, Mark Pinto,Bob Bowlby, BrianSjoerdinga, Jay Craig (reeds); Bill Cunliffe (piano); Dave Cropener (bass); Buddy Rich (drums).

Buddy Rich The Lost Tapes

'Buddy Rich The Lost Tapes is an historic preservation and restoration project. The producers recovered the masters from a fire in 1990 and went about restoring the original surround soundtrack of this 1985 show, the last concert Buddy Rich filmed and recorded before he passed away in 1987. This release follows the Emmy Award winning Channel One Suite (both concerts were recorded the same night)'. (release information). '... this 15 minute version (of West Side Story Suite) is one of his most dazzling and heroic solos ...In the past I might have directed someone seeking the best of Buddy Rich to the 1960s Pacific albums like Mercy Mercy or Big Swing Face, but having heard this, I think this is the one ...' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
(Poll Winners Records / Intermusic) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Ray Nance (cornet, violin); Lawrence Brown (trombone); Johnny Hodges (alto sax); Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax); Harry Carney (bass sax); Duke Ellington (piano); Aaron Bell (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums).

Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins

'Two pure voices - heartfelt and soulful! It is studio quality mastering, as if we were in the same room when it was recorded'. (Customer Review). 'This is one of the great Ellington small group sessions for Impulse!... Impulse themselves reissued it with the John Coltrane/Duke Ellington session in 2011, which represents rather better value than this. However, here the bonus tracks provide more cuts by Hawk, playing Ellington material with his own bands'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Maynard Ferguson - Memories Of Maynard: The Best Of The Columbia Years
(Sleepy Night Records) - Released: 16th February 2018

Maynard Ferguson (trumpet) with various personnel.

Maynard Ferguson Memories of Maynard

'Remastered original tracks from Sony Music. Maynard Ferguson, passed on 10 years ago, regarded as a one off, there will never be another musician like him with his power and incredible high note technique on the trumpet. This is his Greatest Hits from his time with Columbia, Big Band Pop/Jazz/Disco ... some are rare mixes never available on CD before. (Including from 1977), a top-40 (#22) pop single, Gonna Fly Now (from the movie Rocky), a rare accomplishment for a jazz musician in the 1970s. Film and television themes figured prominently in the surging popularity of MF. On this CD the Theme from Star Trek, and Main Title from Star Wars, Bernstein's Maria from West Side Story, Scheherazade from the classical music realm, Dorothy's Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz. For the first time anywhere, on any format, we bring you the previously unreleased, Shanti Mantra' (release information). ' This is the Maynard of the lavish studio years ... yet there's a driving energy about everything here from Chameleon to Hollywood (with Stanley Clarke in the driving seat) ..' (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Dave Manington's Riff Raff - Challenger Deep
(Loop Records) - Released: 11th May 2018

Brigitte Beraha (vocals); Tomas Challenger (tenor saxophone); Ivo Neame (Fender Rhodes, Mellotron, Hammond organ); Rob Updegraff (guitar); Dave Manington (double bass); Tim Giles (drums, percussion).

Dave Maningtons Riff Raff Challenger Deep

Long awaited follow-up to Riff Raff's 2013 album Hullabaloo although Dave Manington has been playing on many releases with other people's albums. Dave says of the title track: 'Challenger Deep is the deepest ocean trench in the world, nearly 11km down at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. This is more of a mood piece, with the low bass riff and slow otherworldly melody trying to capture the strange beauty and calm of the deep ocean. Imagine all the weird fish and creatures unknown to science swimming past in the darkness. Tom was very pleased I wanted to name the tune and album after him, but it has nothing to do with his deep saxophone playing or the fact that he’s deeply challenging – although perhaps the HMS Challenger was named after one of his ancestors?!' The starting point for the music is collective improvisation but compositionally (and all the compositions are by Dave Manington) it draws on as wide a range of styles as possible - folk, electronic music and contemporary classical influences are added to the mix with complex jazz harmonies and rhythms.

Details and Samples : Video of Dr Octopus live : Video of Challenger Deep live : Website and details of May and June tour dates

Dinosaur - Wonder Trail
(Edition Records) - Released: 4th May - 2018

Laura Jurd (trumpet); Elliot Galvin (synths); Conor Chaplin (electric bass); Corrie Dick (drums)

Dinosaur Wonder Trail

After their highly praised 2016 release Together As One (given 5 stars in The Guardian's review), their second album 'plunders synth-pop of the 1980s for a new sound. But this is not gratuitous borrowing, or any kind of hipsterish, retro post-modernism. For one, these are very current sounds (Broen's an indie band with similar reference points that comes up in conversation. And for two, Jurd and Galvin use the poptastic-ness of the keyboard sound as a sort of tin opener to get into all kinds of serious musical areas - improvisation, vocodered strangeness, strutting rockishness, bucolic folkiness. But, as with any proper stylistic amalgam, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.' (Edition). This is an engaging and outstandingly produced album that deserves to be heard.

Details and Samples : Video for Quiet Thunder : Website and details of May, June and July tour dates.

Alyn Cosker - KPF
(NYLA Recordings) - Released: 7th March 2018

Alyn Cosker (drums, piano, percussion) and on various tracks - Steve Hamilton (keys and piano); Marcio Doctor (percussion); Davie Dunsmuir (electric guitar); Colin Cunningham (electric bass); Fraser Anderson (vocals); Adam Bulley (mandolin); Jim Cosker (piano); Laurence Cottle (electric bass); Fiona Hamilton (fiddle); Kirsty Johnson (accordion); Rachel Lightbody (vocals); Joe Locke (vibes); Tommy Smith (tenor saxophone); Paul Towndrow (alto saxophone); Chas Mackenzie (acoustic guitar); Eddi Reader (vocals).

Alyn Cosker KPF

Born in Ayr, Scottish drummer Alyn Cosker is the resident drummer with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. 'KPF is the follow up to Alyn's critically acclaimed album Lyn's Une. It features the drummer's core band of Steve Hamilton on keys, Davie Dunsmuir on guitar and Colin Cunningham on bass alongside a host of world renowned musicians/artists such as Tommy Smith, Joe Locke, Laurence Cottle and Eddi Reader and many more. Alyn's compositions reflect his love for artists such as Sting, Peter Gabriel, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Michael McGoldrick in a groove based album with challenging yet accessible time signatures. (Release information). Alyn explains that the track and album title KPF is named after his fiancee, Kirsty: 'Her grandad played a special part in her life (along with the rest of the family). When they were kids he had a car that contained KPF in the registration plate. He would always state it stood for 'Kirsty's Pretty Face'. Couldn't agree more'.

Details and Samples : Video from live album launch :

Jean Toussaint Allstar 6tet - Brother Raymond
(Lyte Records) - Released: 18th May 2018

Jean Toussaint (saxophone, composer); Byron Wallen (trumpet); Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Dennis Rollins (trombone); Tom Dunnett (trombone); Tom Harrison (saxophone); Jason Rebello (piano); Andrew McCormack (piano); Ashley Henry (piano); Daniel Casimir (bass); Alec Dankworth (bass); Shane Forbes (drums); Troy Miller (drums); Mark Mondesir (drums); Williams Cumberbatch Perez (percussion).

Jean Toussaint Brother Raymond

'Brother Raymond, Jean Toussaint's eleventh album as leader, is made up of eleven original compositions. The Grammy award-winning saxophonist, composer and jazz educator recorded the music following extensive touring in 2015 and 2016 with his All-Star Roots & Herbs project that commemorated 25 years of the passing of his mentor, Art Blakey .... Like Blakey, Toussaint is renowned for nurturing new talent and the album features the Young Lions line up of his band as well as his All-Star Sextet. ... The title track, written for Toussaint's eldest brother who passed away in 2015, draws upon the influences of Toussaint's favourite composers, 'Duke' Ellington and Wayne Shorter ...' (Release information).

Details : Video of Brother Raymond from Roots & Herbs live gig :

Enemy - Enemy
(Edition Records) - Released: 25th May 2018

Peter Eldh (bass); Kit Downes (piano); James Maddren (drums)

'ENEMY is the vital new piano trio featuring bassist Frans Petter Eldh, pianist Kit Downes and drummer James Maddren. Described as ‘fiercely intense’ and ‘beautifully intricate’, ENEMY spotlights three brilliant and creative musical minds committed to the exploration of new worlds of performance and music: total music, with each musician contributing equally in an authentic aesthetic display. Each member of ENEMY has achieved personal recognition in the jazz and wider music world (including a Mercury Music Award Nomination, ECHO Jazz nomination, multiple Downbeat Critics Poll nominations and a BBC Jazz Award). “We want this music to be fierce, vital and to have and give energy – and to do so whilst never sacrificing its intricacy and its integrity.” (ENEMY). ''ENEMY's music fills me with a mix of wonder and fear. The compositions on this, their debut release as a trio, are fiendishly complex, but they're also exhilarating and infectious ... This is a formidable release from three musicians at the top of their game.' (Thomas Rees in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Brief introductory taste : Video of Prospect of K live :

Ivo Neame - Moksha
(Edition Records) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Ivo Neame (piano, Fender Rhodes, mellotron, Hammond, nord lead); George Crowley (tenor saxophone); Tom Farmer (bass); James Maddren (drums).

Ivo Neame Moksha

'An innately gifted pianist, composer and bandleader, Ivo Neame has demonstrated over the last decade that he is a musician of world-class quality with a powerful spirit of adventure and exploration. He is by any measure an original and a risk-taker. With Moksha, he returns to Edition Records with an album that will define a new era for him in his already illustrious career. With a new band, a greater use of electronic keyboards and an edgier rhythmical groove and band interplay, Neame has produced his most remarkable and boldest musical statement to date'. (Edition Records). 'Here there's a shift in direction that's not so much about style as a relaxation of the kind of tricky, airtight grooves at the core of Neame's compositions on previous CDs ...As ith Neame's recordings so far, it's a grower, but this one gets you hooked sooner rather than later. It's arguably his strongest and certainly his most directly lyric music so far'. (Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Video : Video of Vegetarians : Brief video of live performance of Laika : Review ****

Martin Speake - Intention
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 20th April 2018

Martin Speake (alto saxophone); Ethan Iverson (piano); Fred Thomas (bass); James Maddren (drums).

Martin Speake Intention

'In 1990 alto saxophonist Martin Speake and Ethan Iverson met at Banff Centre for The Arts in Canada where they studied for a month with Steve Coleman, Rufus Reid, Kevin Eubanks, Stanley Cowell, Kenny Wheeler and many others. This began their musical relationship and they kept in touch for a while as Ethan moved to New York and eventually became the musical director/pianist with Mark Morris Dance Company. Since then he has toured with world with the critically acclaimed trio The Bad Plus and recently has recorded with Ron Carter and Lee Konitz amongst others. They eventually lost touch after Banff and both pursued their separate paths in music. Martin decided to contact Ethan after a ten year gap and they began playing together again and in 2002 performed as a duo in the UK and Scotland and released the cd My Ideal (Basho Records), a ballad album of standards. Now 15 years later they have recorded a quartet album of Martin's compositions for release on the Ubuntu Music record label in 2018. This band also features bassist Fred Thomas and drummer James Maddren'. (Release information).

Details and Samples : Article / Review by Robin Kidson Celebrating Martin Speake : Video of band playing Intention :

Trio HLK - Standard Time
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 11th May 2018

Rich Harrold (piano, keyboards); Ant Law (eight-string guitar); Richard Kass (drums); Dame Evelyn Glennie (percussion); Steve Lehman (alto saxophone).

Trio HLK Standard Time

'The debut album for Trio HLK is driven by a single artistic concept- to deconstruct classics tunes and drastically rework them using contemporary classical compositional techniques. The album's two special guests emphasise the drawing together of these two languages- Alto Saxophonist Steve Lehman, one of the most important artists in contemporary Jazz, and Evelyn Glennie, the world's leading classical percussionist. This conceptual vision permeates every aspect of the album, right down to the artwork. The cover depicts a deconstructed clock whose components reference elements of each track. The result is a fully realised stand-alone artwork'. (Release information). 'Standard Time is coded language. The sources for five of the eight pieces on the British ensemble's Ubuntu records debut are well known standards, but they are comprehensively dissected and extrapolated in order to lead the listener into 'distant territory by a familiar thread.....'. (Kevin Le Gendre in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Video : Further Details :

Peter Erskine And The Dr. Um Band - On Call
(Fuzzy Music) - Released: 6th April 2018

Bob Sheppard (saxophone); John Beasley (keyboards); Benjamin Shepherd (electric bass); Peter Erskine (drums).

Peter Erskine and the Dr Um Band On Call

'Consummate drummer Peter Erskine, a former Weather Report member, has always shown an inclination for electric jazz fusion. Commanding The Dr. Um Band with metrical depth and angular vision, he releases On Call, a new double album on his own music label ... disc one includes brand new material recorded in the studio whereas disc two encapsulates previously recorded tunes performed live in Occhiobello, Italy. All the members of the quartet ... penned compositions for the studio session ... The live session, filled with enthusiasm and excitement, opens with a couple of tunes by Erskine: the cerebral, blues-based “Hipnotherapy” and the funk-inflected “Hawaii Bathing Suit”. The former thrives with woody bass grooves decorated with wha-wha effects and concordant drumming, while the latter is a playful avant fusion that captivates through gorgeous unisons, apt improvisations, and an effusive drumming with strong Latin accents. After the soaringly atmospheric first section, Henry Mancini’s “Dreamville” combines bossa nova rhythms with balladic tones, whose silky textures result from mixing light funk, smooth jazz, and malleable R&B elements ... With the live recording surpassing the studio session, On Call sparks with tremendous rhythmic engagement as it shows Erskine’s productive modus operandi'.

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Patrick Zimmerli Quartet - Clockworks
(Songlines Recordings) - Released: 6th April 2018

Patrick Zimmerli (tenor saxophone); Ethan Iverson (piano); Chris Tordini (bass); John Hollenbeck (drums).

Patrick Zimmerli Quartet Clockworks

'Saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli penned an hour-length suite of new music to be played by the members of his quartet: former Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson, vigorous bassist Chris Tordini, and spectacular drummer John Hollenbeck. The album, Clockworks, is a breathtaking foray into metrics, temporal expressions and variations, cadenced movements, percolating polyrhythms, and mind-boggling patterns that make Zimmerli’s music highly contemporary, memorable, and unique ... This quartet of modernists allows us to discover new ways of looking at jazz through oblique angles and groundbreaking perspectives. The inviolable authenticity of the group is remarkable, and Clockworks is a preciousness that simply shines with a levitational synergy'.

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Bill Frisell - Music Is
(Okeh) - Released: 16th March 2018

Bill Frisell (electric and acoustic guitars, loops, ukulele, bass, music boxes).

Bill Frisell Music Is

'This is guitar master Bill Frisell’s first solo album since Ghost Town was released on Nonesuch 20 years ago. “Playing ‘solo’ is always a challenge,” Frisell says. “For me, music has all along been so much about playing with other people. Having a conversation. Call and response. Playing all by myself is a trip. I really have to change the way I think. In preparation for this recording I played for a week at The Stone in New York. Each night I attempted new music that I'd never played before. I was purposely trying to keep myself a little off balance. Uncomfortable. Unsure. I didn't want to fall back on things that I knew were safe. My hope was to continue this process right on into the studio. I didn't want to have things be all planned out beforehand.” All the compositions on Music IS were composed by Frisell, some are brand-new - Change in the Air, Thankful, What Do You Want, Miss You and Go Happy Lucky - others are solo adaptions of now classic original compositions Frisell has previously recorded - In Line, Rambler, Ron Carter, Pretty Stars, Monica Jane, and The Pioneers. The focus of Music IS is on the telling of musical stories from Frisell’s original and inimitable perspective. The end result is Frisell at his most distilled and fully realised'. (Release information). 'Frisell is an inveterate drifter whose musicality leans toward introspection rather than spectacle. He knows how to sculpt a candid melody and make it the pounding heart of a song. Very personal, this is a novelty act of pure Frisellian atmospheres'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTraill Review : Video of Bill Frisell playing Rambler from the album.

The Nels Cline 4 - Currents, Constellations
(Blue Note) - Released: 13th April 2018

Nels Cline (guitar); Julian Lage (guitar); Scott Colley (bass); Tom Rainey (drums).

Nels Cline 4 Currents constellations

'Following the release of Nels Cline's expansive Blue Note debut Lovers which found him fronting a 23-piece ensemble arranged by Michael Leonhart, the Wilco guitarist pares it down to The Nels Cline 4 for his latest project Currents, Constellations. The album features Cline alongside fellow guitarist and frequent collaborator Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Tom Rainey on a set of seven Cline originals plus one piece by composer Carla Bley. It's a showcase of Cline's versatility that veers from rollicking rock energy to avant-garde explorations to ballads of serene beauty'. (Release information). 'Whether digging into glam pop songs, avant-jazz routines with punk attitude, or sophisticated garage-rock episodes, impetuous guitarist Nels Cline, a creative powerhouse in small group settings, always sounds unique and fetching ... There’s a deep sense of understanding among the musicians and that reflects positively in their nimble moves and sounds. The levels of abstraction in Currents, Constellations makes it more indisputably alluring than any recent project led by Cline, who has here one of his best albums since the masterpiece New Monastery'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of Imperfect 10 : Video of Temporarily :

Dafnis Prieto Big Band - Back To The Sunset
(Dafnison Music) - Released: 5th April 2018

Mike Rodriguez, Nathan Eklund, Alex Sipiagin, Josh Deutsch (trumpet/flugelhorn); Roman Filiu, Michael Thomas, Peter Apfelbaum, Joel Fraham, Chris Cheek (reeds); Tim Albright, Alan Ferber, Jacob Garchik (trombone); Jeff Nelson (bass trombone); Manuel Valera (piano); Ricky Rodriguez (bass); Roberto Quintero (percussion); Dafnis Prieto (drums) + Guests – Brian Lynch (trumpet); Henry Threadgill (alto sax); Steve Coleman (alto sax).

Dafnis Prieto Big Band Back To The Sunset

'Although I’m not a staunch fan of Latin jazz, there are a few records that stand out, whether due to its bold arrangements, vivid harmonic colors, or distinctive contagious rhythms and energy. This is the case of Back To The Sunset, a kaleidoscopic big band record by Cuban-born drummer Dafnis Prieto, who employs a roster of reed titans and rhythm experts to shape up nine original compositions, each of them dedicated to influential mentors/musicians ..... The most grandiose moment of the record comes with the title track, coinciding with the second guest appearance. Acclaimed alto saxophonist Henry Threadgill kills it with a sensitive, sharp solo, beautifully developed outside the standard patterns while driving this ballad into his own musical realms. The tune was dedicated to him and genial pianist Andrew Hill .... Encompassing the worlds of Latin and jazz music, this 75-minute fusion tour is full-blooded and predominantly spirited'. (JazzTraill).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTraill Review : Video :

Kristjan Randalu - Absence
(ECM) - Released: 6th April 2018

Kristjan Randalu (piano); Ben Monder (guitar); Markku Ounaskari (drums).

Kristjan Randalu - Absence

'With a knack for texture and improvisation, as well as a huge capacity to understand form and structure, Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu, a former student of John Taylor and Django Bates, establishes his own depth-charged dramatic stance on his ECM debut record, Absence. The work comprises nine rigorously structured originals for trio, combining jazz, avant-garde, classical, and modern composition with a carefully cultivated touch. Filling out the band are American guitarist Ben Monder, a mainstay in the New York scene, and Finnish drummer Markku Ounaskari, whose temperate chops qualify in perfection to tone up the bottom layer ... This trio, whose members are no imitators but builders of their own language, embraces discipline and finds coherence in the assemblage of their musical aesthetics'.

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Joshua Trinidad - In November
(RareNoise) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Joshua Trinidad (trumpet); Jacob Young (guitars); Stale Liavik Solberg (drums).

Joshua Trinidad In November

'Joshua Trinidad, a virtuosic trumpeter based in Denver, joins forces with a distinctive Norwegian rhythm section composed of guitarist Jacob Young and drummer Stale Liavik Solberg. Boasting an entrancing sound, this bass-less trio gave the best treatment to Trinidad’s compositions ... Modest and reverent, the bandleader shapes the title track as a dim-lighted ballad suffused with aching pensiveness. He and his trio partners envelop us in the type of harmonious atmosphere that dominates the record, and the sensation is that we are hearing Enrico Rava exchanging points of view with John Abercrombie or Robert Fripp ... Brimming with endless enchantment, these are keen compositions we can easily relate to. Furthermore, the artists involved in this project have a special chemistry, delivering from the heart every time they are called to intervene'.

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review :

Chet Baker - Three Classic Albums Plus (2 CDs)
(Avid) - Released: 3rd November 2017

Chet Baker (trumpet); Herbie Mann (fulgelhorn); Marchello Boschi (alto sax); Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax, flute); Johnny Griffin (tenor sax); Pepper Adams, Gino Marinacci (baritone sax); Al Haig, Bill Evans, Amadeo Tommasi, Piero Umillani (piano); Franco Chiari (vibes); Kenny Burrell, Rene Thomas, Enzo Grillani (guitar); Paul Chambers, Benoit Quersin, Berto Pisano (bass); Connie Kay, Philly Joe Jones, Daniel Humair, Ralf Ferraro (drums) plus strings.

Chet Baker Three Classic Albums Plus

'Recorded between 1958 and 1962, AVID Jazz continues with its Three Classic albums plus series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Chet Baker, complete with original artwork and liner notes. 'In New York'; 'Chet'; 'Chet Is Back' plus three tracks from 'I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)' (featuring the music of Piero Umiliani) Late 50s early 60s Chet at his best with three classic selections which find the trumpeter in the company of a cavalcade of jazz big hitters. And they don't come much bigger than tenor sax supremo Johnny Griffin who blows hard alongside Chet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Al Haig on piano on our first album 'In New York'. For 'Chet' our hero is joined by.. get this line up... Herbie Mann, Pepper Adams, Bill Evans, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Philly Jo Jones and Connie Kay.... Over to Italy for our last two sessions, 'Chet Is Back' finds our man with superb Belgian sax and flute man Bobby Jaspar alongside some of the finest Italian jazz players of the era. Our last three tracks feature the film soundtrack music of Piero Umiliani where Chet is joined by the great composer himself for selections from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)'. (Release information). ' ... an essential and timeless document of one of the finest trumpeters in jazz'. (Aly Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

So Much, So Quickley - British Modern Jazz Pianists 1948 - 1962
(Acrobat) - Released: 3rd March 2018

Various musicians including George Shearing, Dill Jones, Stan Tracey, Harry South, Dudley Morre and Bill Le Sage.

So Much So Quickly album

'To those British jazzmen coming to terms with the Bebop revolution of the Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk during the late 1940s, there was one, hugely imposing barrier; harmony. The new, supersonic melodies and off-kilter rhythms were one thing but underpinning these and forming the very bedrock of the music was a very novel, very definite methodology, a new system of chordal building blocks that challenged the understanding of all but the most patient. Inevitably, it fell to the pianists those with a map of keyboard harmony laid out before them to try and discover just what were these new, at times mind-bogglingly complex routes towards the cutting edge. So Much, So Quickly charts the rise and development of British modern jazz piano during the 1940s, 50s and early 60s, charting a journey which moves from the hip stylings of the young George Shearing and Ralph Sharon through the classic Hard Bop of Terry Shannon, the wilful, unpredictable originality of Stan Tracey and onto the post-Bill Evans brilliance of Gordon Beck. Over 24 tracks, the music moves from bop to cool, from soul-jazz to free-improv and beyond, taking in the work of well-known names Dudley Moore, Victor Feldman and Harry South, together with rarities from such overlooked contributors as Damian Robinson, Stan Jones and Norman Stenfalt. Featuring a host of other famous British modern jazz icons Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott, Phil Seamen et al this release also includes an extensive booklet essay by award-winning saxophonist Simon Spillett, period photographs and three previously unissued tracks'. (Release information).

Details and Samples :

The Tubby Hayes Quartet - A Little Workout - Live At The Little Theatre
(Acrobat) - Released: 2nd February 2018

Tubby Hayes (tenor sax, flute); Mike Pyne (piano); Ron Mathewson (bass); Tony Levin (drums).

Tubby Hayes A Little Workout

'When the Tubby Hayes and his new quartet alighted on the Little Theatre in Rochester, Kent for two evenings' worth of performances during the winter/spring of 1966/67 both the leader and the bands music were in a period of transition. Drawing equal inspiration from both the recent innovations of Miles Davis and John Coltrane and the energy of his new, young and adventurous sidemen, Hayes was to turn these to-all-intents-and-purposes typical provincial club nights into definitive manifesto statements of his contemporary musical ambitions. Luckily, excerpts from both these performances were captured on tape. Occasionally bootlegged, the recordings made on these two gigs half a century ago illustrate everything the saxophonist had learned, experienced and pioneered up to that moment; from the blistering paint-off-the-walls bebop of Walkin, a solo to rank alongside any of John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins extended forays from the Sixties, through to the astonishing emotional denouement of a seventeen-minute deconstruction of Dear Johnny B. - this isn't Hayes merely on form; this is him on fire! This new Acrobat CD is the first ever release of these recordings and comes packaged with rare, hitherto unpublished photographs and a fascinating booklet note by award-winning saxophonist Simon Spillett author of The Long Shadow of The Little Giant: The Life, Work and Legacy of Tubby Hayes'. (Release information). 'Despite a few technical reservations surrounding these private recordings ... the collective performance by all concerned is nothing less than staggering ...' (Roy Carr in Jazzwise).

Details and Samples :

Nina Simone - The Colpix Singles (2 CDs)
(Stateside) - Released: 23rd February 2018

Nina Simone (vocals, piano) plus various personnel.

Nina Simone The Colpix Singles

'A child virtuoso whose piano recitals were local events, Nina Simone started her musical career as a classically trained pianist, strongly rooted in the works of Bach, and became a singer almost by accident. The rest is history. Her recordings, over the next five decades, earned her cult status, critical acclaim and reached the top of the charts on many occasions. Between 1959 and 1964, she was signed to Colpix, who relinquished all creative control to her, including the choice of material. Her voice at her finest, she worked her way through jazz and blues standards like ‘The Work Song’ and ‘I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)’, folk tunes like ‘Little Liza Jane’ and ‘Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair’, her very own ‘Blackbird’ and ‘I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl’. This compilation gathers all the singles released by Colpix with their original edits, in mono*. *7 of these edits available for the first time since first released in the 1960s. (Release information). 'Traversing jazz, blues, folk, classical and more, this is an unmissable collection by one of the 20th century's most influential artists'. (Peter Quinn In Jazzwise).

Details and Samples : Details and Background Information :

Coleman Hawkins - The Middle Years : Essential Cuts 1939 - 1949 (4 CD box set)
(JSP) - Released: 6th April 2018

Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone) with various personnel.

Coleman Hawkins The Middle Years

'In 1939, after 5 years in Europe, the Hawk returned to the US, not as a faded star, but as a soaring monarch. This was a classic period for the tenor legend Coleman Hawkins. After he returned form Europe in 1939 he embarked on a stunningly creative and successful recording career both under his own name and with other bandleaders. The recording of Body & Soul was a particular milestone as well-a true gold plated jazz classic which is of course included here. This collection charts his progress through the decade, when he dazzled audiences and fellow musicians alike'. (Release information).

Details :

Tom Ridout - No Excuses
(33 Jazz Records) - Released: 1st November 2017

Tom Ridout (saxophones, alto and bass recorders); Rob Luft (guitar); Billy Marrows (guitar); Will Barry (piano, keyboards); Flo Moore (bass); Phelan Burgoyne (drums); Alexandra Ridout (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ann Drysdale (french horn); Elliot Pooley (trombone); Anastasia Stahlmann, Didier Osindero (violin); Anita Kurowska (viola); Cecilia Bignall (cello).

Tom Ridout No Excuses

Debut release from the award winning young saxophonist, Tom Ridout, featuring his sister, Young Musician of The Year Alexandra Ridout, guitarists Rob Luft and Billy Marrows, with Will Barry on piano, Flo Moore on bass and drummer Phelan Burgoyne. The Group is joined on some tracks by Anna Drysdale, french horn, Elliot Pooley on trombone and a string section - Anastasia Stahlmann, 1st violin, Didier Osindero, 2nd violin, Anita Kurowska, viola and cellist Cecilia Bignall. 'Sometimes young musicians, striving for their own sound, lose touch with the beauty of jazz. No Excuses avoids this trap. The album is an assembly of talented musicians taking us through an array of moods with the energy and unboundedness of youth. Tom Ridout's technical accomplishment is clear, but he doesn't need to prove it so often. If he can further mature the narrative abilities he so evidently possesses, Ridout the elder will be very exciting indeed' (All About Jazz).

Details and Samples : Review **** : Video of Tom Ridout performing his original, 'No Excuses', in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2016.

Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet - Uproot
(Intakt Records ) - Released: 17th November 2017

Alexander Hawkins (piano); Elaine Mitchener (vocals); Neil Charles (bass); Stephen Davis (drums).

Alexander Hawkins Elaine Mitchener Quartet Uproot

Brian Morton writes in the liner notes: 'This is music that speaks directly to our condition, our uprootedness and our strange fixities of purpose alike. It is clever and emotional. It comes out of jazz, and a whole lot else besides. Mathematicians have mostly done their great work by the age of 30. Musicians often continue to mature for decades. Here is a group, populated by some of our most singular and precious talents, whose greatest talent is to communicate, and whose music already bears the signs of maturity and longevity'.

Details and Samples : Review **** :

Andy Sheppard Quartet - Romaria
(ECM) - Released: 16th February 2018

Andy Sheppard (tenor and soprano saxophones); Eivind Aarset (guitar); Michel Benita (double bass); Sebastian Rochford (drums).

Andy Sheppard Quartet Romaria

'With a penchant for the intimacy and the subtlety, British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, earned international reputation while playing with Gil Evans, George Russell, and Carla Bley. His new ECM album, Romaria, features experienced bandmates from early recordings: Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset, Algerian-born French bassist Michel Benita, and Scottish drummer Sebastian Rochford ..... Sheppard’s compositions and leadership reflect his experience as a musician. The pure, full-bodied timbre of his sax, diffusing favourable energy in an effortless way, fortifies the luxury of his impeccably layered compositions'. (Filipe Freitas, JazzTrail)

ECM Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail review : Purchase Details and Samples

Cloudmakers Five - Traveling Pulse
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 23rd February 2018

Jim Hart (vibraphone); Michael Janisch (double bass); Dave Smith (drums); Antonin-Tri Hoang (alto saxophone, clarinet); Hannes Riepler (guitar).

Cloudmakers Five Traveling Pulse

‘Under the leadership of vibraphonist Jim Hart, Cloudmakers Five is the new band grown from his long-standing Cloudmakers Trio with Michael Janisch and David Smith, now augmented with Austrian-born guitarist Hannes Riepler and French-based alto saxophonist Antonin Tri Hoang .... With their uncompromising approach, Cloudmakers Trio has been known to effortlessly marry the complex with accessibility, the improvised with composed, and showcase original music that lies somewhere between New York’s downtown sound and the modern European tradition – their music defies easy category yet draws influence from a diverse range of traditions, featuring the under-exploited format of the vibraphone trio’. (Whirlwind Recordings). 'Once I knew who I was writing for, the music came very quickly, and it was so freeing to have all these ‘colors’ available. I found I could now share the responsibility of covering the harmonic and melodic elements, while affording each player room to express themselves'. (Jim Hart). The album was recorded live at the Vortex Jazz Club in London.

Details and Samples : Listen to The Exchange from the album : video of a live performance of The Exchange : video of a live performance of Golden.

Zoe Francis - Remembering Blossom Dearie
(Zoe Francis Records) - Released: February 2018

Zoe Francis (vocals); Jim Mullen (guitar); Barry Green (piano); Mick Hutton (bass).

Zoe Francis Remembering Blossom Dearie

'Remembering Blossom Dearie' is a selection of songs Blossom made famous, including songs by Cy Coleman, prolific duo writing team Comden and Green, and Dave Frishberg, who wrote I’m Hip and Peel Me A Grape. London born Zoe Francis began singing at the Barry Harris workshops in New York, performing her first gigs in Manhattan with musicians including, Jo Cohn, Harry Allen and Howard Alden, and also sitting in with Frank Wess, Warren Vache and Ken Peplowski. Returning to the UK, Zoe performed and recorded her first album Looking For A Boy with award-winning pianist Dave Newton. Her second album The Very Thought of You was with an all-star group including, saxophonist Stan Sulzmann and pianist Gareth Williams, recorded live at London’s 606 club.

Article on this website by Howard Lawes :

Jeff Williams - Lifelike
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 20th April 2018

Jeff Williams (drums); John O'Gallagher (alto saxophone); Josh Arcoleo (tenor saxophone); Kit Downes (piano); Sam Lasserson (bass); guest Gonçalo Marquez (trumpet).

Jeff Williams Lifelike

Dividing his time between Brooklyn and London, veteran drummer Jeff Williams is in the midst of an exceptional run on the Whirlwind Recordings label. Outlier, in 2016, showcased his working UK quintet in a set hailed by All About Jazz for its “imaginative compositions and excellent musicianship.” Lifelike, the follow-up, finds Williams and the group live on the bandstand, with a tweak in personnel and an expansion to sextet with the addition of guest trumpeter Gonçalo Marquez. “Lifelike is another way of saying ‘live,’” he muses about the album title. “The word is usually ascribed to inanimate objects and I always found it humorous. Basically, I felt that this recording has ‘life’ in it, the kind of life embodied in a live performance .... “My own compositions come from different periods,” Williams says. “‘Borderline’ and ‘Lament’ are from the ’90s, others quite recent. All are conceived at the piano: sometimes I just write down the notes as they present themselves, or sometimes I’ll play one for an extended period while learning to improvise on the form and tweaking the harmony, as was the case with ‘The Interloper'. I’m looking for balance between songs with structure and open forms so that the players have freedom to express their own conception.” (Whirlwind Recordings).

Details and UK Tour dates April - June : Video of Dream Visitor live : Article on this site by Robin Kidson : Purchase Details :

Alycona Mick and Tori Freestone - Criss Cross
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 23rd March 2018

Tori Freestone (tenor and soprano saxophone, flute); Alcyona Mick (piano); Brigitte Beraha (voice tracks 1 and 8)

Alcyone Mick Tori Freestone Criss Cross

'Known for diverse roles in jazz, folk and world music, Freestone and Mick have been friends for years, performing together in different ensembles, including the London Jazz Orchestra. But it was casual duo explorations in music from their combined eclectic influences, taking in the output of Thelonious Monk, which led to an enthusiastic invitation from Manchester Jazz Festival's artistic director, Steve Mead, to develop the project for live performance in 2015 ... "this project especially engders warmth, enjoyment and openness amongst the intensity and complexity. It's both fun and heavy - a developing journey through the material and styles we love ...." (Whirlwind Recordings and Tori Freestone)'.

Details : Introductory Video : Listen to Hermetica :

Paula Rae-Gibson and Sam Leak - Permission
(33 Extreme) - Released: 30th March 2017

Paula Rae-Gibson (vocals, lyrics, photography, filmography), Sam Leak (piano)

Paula Rae Gibson Sam Leak Permission

'Permission is a melodic, free-jazz exploration based upon lyrics and poetry by Rae-Gibson. The two musicians have developed a synergetic approach to real-time composition, with the combined goal of expressing an unapologetically raw and intimate underlying emotion. Embracing the unknown, they let the music guide them as it happens, resulting in a very immediate honesty and integrity. Sometimes dark, sometimes joyful, prepared piano interplays with confessional vocals as the pair examine their own experiences of the ups and the downs of love and relationships' (press information).

Details : Samples : listen to Rather Make Believe Than Make Do :

Eyebrow - Strata
(Bandcamp / eyebrowmusic.com) - Released October 2017

Pete Judge (trumpet, electronics); Paul Wigens (drums, percussion, violin, bowed guitar).

Eyebrow Strat

Eyebrow is a trumpet and drums duo based in Bristol UK. Its music evolves out of improvisations which are reassembled into structured pieces with an unexpectedly cinematic sweep, like journeys through slowly-changing landscapes. "Music of quiet imagination and intimate beauty" (Richard Williams). Pete Judge and Paul Wigens both work with the award winning band Get The Blessing as well as many other ensembles.

Details, Samples and listen to Gravity Waves : Video : The Eyebrow website.

Adam Nussbaum – The Leadbelly Project
(Sunnyside Records) – Released: 23rd February 2018

Ohad Talmor (tenor saxophone); Steve Cardenas (guitar); Nate Radley (guitar); Adam Nussbaum (drums).

Adam Nussbaum The Leadbelly Project

'On The Leadbelly Project, (Adam Nussbaum’s) first work as a sole leader, he draws from the American roots, focusing on treasured repertoire by the influential blues and folk singer/songwriter Lead Belly, but still adding a couple of kindred compositions of his own. Besides being a powerful singer, Leadbelly was a dedicated 12-string guitar strummer. Hence, the choice of two guitars to revive the rawness of his bluesy tones through an entirely up-to-date perspective doesn’t feel particularly surprising. Playing in tandem yet resorting to sweet-tempered counterpoint, guitarists Steve Cardenas and Nate Radley join the drummer in a bass-less quartet rounded out by saxophonist Ohad Talmor. .... Nussbaum’s drumming has that kind of shining quality that rewards the collective and enhances the tunefulness of the music. Throbbing with marvellous interplay and filled with compelling tonal colours, this project provides us with an optimum revitalization of the folk and blues genres, here seamlessly merged with the exciting language of jazz'.

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of live performance of Black Betty

Martin Wind – Light Blue
(Laika Records) – Released: 2nd March 2018

Martin Wind (upright bass, acoustic bass guitar); Ingrid Jensen (trumpet); Scott Robinson (saxophones, clarinet, taragota); Anat Cohen (clarinet); Gary Versace (organ, piano); Bill Cunliffe (piano); Maucha Adnet (vocals); Matt Wilson (drums); Duduka Da Fonseca (drums).

Martin Wind Light Blue

'German-born, New-York based bassist Martin Wind, is a respected bandleader whose first work was released 25 years ago. His new album, Light Blue, is divided into two different parts/recordings ..... For the first five compositions, he leads a more robust quintet .... The remaining five tunes are held by a new group with strong Brazilian accent called De Norte a Sul ... Mostly sailing in straight-ahead waters, ... he composes and hears harmony and rhythm, making Light Blue a satisfying stop for fans of easy-listening jazz and amicable tropical rhythms'.

Details and Sample : Full JazzTrail Review : Video Introduction

Mary Halvorson - Code Girl
(Firehouse 12 Records) - Released: 30th March 2018

Mary Halvorson (guitar); Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet); Amirtha Kidambi (vocals); Michael Formanek (acoustic bass); Tomas Fujiwara (drums).

Mary Halvorson Code Girl

'Guitarist Mary Halvorson is known for her ability to create wayward yet rich soundscapes. She has been spreading sonic charms in fruitful collaborations, usually in duo and trio formats. However, it was leading her nonet that she definitely caught the jazz world’s attention, in a rapturous record from 2016 entitled Away With Me. Now she’s back with a brand new experience permeated with genre-bending ideas, having penned lyrics and music of the 14 appealing tracks that compose Code Girl, a vocalized album envisioned for the quintet of the same name. ... The longest piece on the record and also one of the most beautiful, “The Unexpected Natural Phenomenon” is a dramatic avant-garde excursion with lugubrious arco bass work, impeccable vocal technique, expressive guitar phrases constantly falling ‘outside’ the expected, and poised drumming ... With an enviable openness and a propensity to explore the unknown, the unrivaled Halvorson crafts a fantastic album that I urge you to enjoy out loud'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of solo by Mary Halvorson :

Anat Cohen / Fred Hersch - Live In Healdsburg
(Anzic Records) - Released: 8th March 2018

Anat Cohen (clarinet); Fred Hersch (piano)

Anat Cohen Fred Hersch Live In Healdsburg

'On their debut duo record, world-class instrumentalists Anat Cohen and Fred Hersch, clarinetist and pianist, respectively, included originals and carefully selected repertoire, whose variety enriches sonic possibilities as it supplements their creative vein. This intimate recording session was part of the 2016 Healdsburg Jazz Festival's lineup and comes in the sequence of very personal works recently put out by the two artists ... After Fats Waller’s emblematic “Jitterbug Waltz”, here re-invented with a playful intro from piano, expressive musical smiles, and loose-limbed interplay with some rhythmic wallops, the recording comes to an end with the amicable serenity of Ellington’s classic “Mood Indigo” ... Inspiring each other and divinely ingratiated by their natural talent and musical sophistication, Cohen and Hersch make effortless music. This cute live recording, warmly temperate and melodic, makes for a pleasant listen'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of Child's Song performed live :

Julian Lage - Modern Law
(Mack Avenue) - Released: 2nd February 2018

Julian Lage (guitar); Scott Colley (double bass); Kenny Wollesen (drums); Tyler Chester (keyboards); Jesse Harris (maracas, casio, acoustic guitar).

Julian Lage Modern Law

'Guitarist Julian Lage recorded his new album, Modern Lore, with a quality lineup of musicians ... Fusing country, rockabilly, and jazz, “The Ramble” takes you to a spine-tingling rollercoaster, erupting in a stunning guitar solo whose point of entrance is impactful enough to make you alert. ... With techniques, styles, and lucid tones being constantly cross-wired and recombined, we can appreciate the easy listening pop/rock of “Splendor Riot”, the bluesy rodeo style of the hard-swinging “Look Book”, the Roy Orbison-esque lament of “Whatever You Say, Henry”, and the free state of mind of “Earth Science”, where the musicians endorse exploration. Far more reflective is the closing tune, “Pantheon”, abandoning the tradition in favor of a modern harmonization and shifting tempos. Regardless if this is your style or not, it’s undeniable the superb instrumental outfits created by an ambitious rising-star who, without wasting time, is carving out his own space. He's making his way with a sui generis sound and a sure sense of direction, just like Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny did'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Video of Roger The Dodger played live :

Kairos Sextet - Transition
(Dafnisonmusic) - Released: 15th December 2017

Sam Neufeld (trumpet); Tom Kelly (alto and soprano saxophones); Sean Johnson (tenor saxophone); Nick Lamb (piano); Jon Dadurka (upright and electric bass); Johnathan Hulett (drums).

Kairos Sextet Transition

'Every single member of this band penned at least one tune for this work, which also contains an interesting reinvention of the standard "I Remember You". The arrangement by Kelly is fabulous, altering the traditional chord progression, favoring post-bop modulations, and still sticking to the most common swinging drive that normally characterizes the song. ... The sextet proves to have that desirable rapport that allows them to scintillate with creativity. Each individual statement feels hand-in-glove with the written material and Prieto has all the reasons to be flattered and proud of this band'. (JazzTrail).

Details and Samples : Full JazzTrail Review : Videos

Henri Texier Twiga Quintet - Sand Woman
(Bleu) - Released: 2nd February 2018.

Sébastien Texier (Alto Sax, Clarinet); Manu Codjia (Guitar); Vincent Le Quang (Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax); Gautier Garrigue (Drums)

Henri Texier Sand Woman

My choice this month comes from one of the true giants of European jazz. Now in his 70s, Henri Texier came to prominence in France in the 1960s as an early follower of Ornette Coleman. He worked extensively with Martial Solal, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Gordon Beck and also with Don Cherry. In the 1970s he formed a popular trio with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano. Since then he has constantly formed and re-formed a series of bands, encouraging many young musicians – these days usually including his talented son Sebastien. His compositions have also developed, pursuing his interests in African and Native American sounds. This latest group comprises: Sébastien Texier (Alto Sax, Clarinet); Manu Codjia (Guitar); Vincent Le Quang (Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax) and Gautier Garrigue (Drums). In many ways the music is quite conventional. It swings, and it follows a standard theme and improvisation structure. Texier's bass playing is characterised by a big booming distinctive sound. The improvisation style is probably best described as post-bop. What is outstanding, apart from each of the individual musicians, is the interactions between them which makes the whole thing sound like one of those groups that has been playing together for years. All the tracks on this CD are 10-12 minutes long and that means that they all have time to develop melodically and to allow extended soloing – it's rare to find that these days. Highly recommended. (Peter Slavid)

Details and Samples : Video :

Peter Slavid (Peter Slavid hosts a monthly, 2 hour radio show at www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz and says: 'The programme has a very specific purpose. The show is entirely European and entirely modern'. Peter shares his 'album of the month' with us).

Bobo Stenson Trio - Contra La Indecisión
(ECM) - Released: 19th January 2018

Bobo Stenson (piano); Anders Jormin (double bass); Jon Fält (drums).

Bob Stenson Trio Contra La Indecision

The Swedish pianist, Bobo Stenson has always been a serious contender. One massive indicator is his early championing of the mercurial Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry partnership. Paul Bley excepted, there was a time when pianists retreated from the implications of Ornette’s harmolodics. To be fair, initially Ornette Coleman kept his distance from keyboards. Bobo Stenson and the great German piano player, Joachim Kühn, both got underneath Mr Coleman’s open lyrical line, refreshing the music in a way that confirmed Don Cherry’s move to Scandinavia. Stenson/Jormin’s presence on the overlooked late Cherry masterpiece, Donna Nostra (track What Reason Could I Give here), also on ECM, is proof positive of their commitment to following ‘the line’.

‘The line’ is at the crux of this new album. As the title indicates – the flow of ‘song’ throughout this session is in the complete opposite direction to indecision. The spontaneity of the note narrative is fabulous. Bassist, Anders Jormin composed almost half of these eleven tracks. His pluck and arco throughout is like a springboard for the pianist. They act like one. Whether it be Erik Satie’s Elégie, or Mr Jormin’s Doubt Thou The Stars or his robust, Stilla, the emphasis is always decisively on how far the trio can stretch the line of collective interaction within the inherent lyricism. For my money, Bobo Stenson is still not given the accolades he deserves: A true giant of contemporary jazz piano. Don’t be indecisive, I urge you to listen.

Steve Day www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Details and Samples : Purchase Details : Video of Bobo Stenson Trio playing live in 2017

Eyolf Dale - Return To Mind
(Edition Records) - Released: 2nd March 2018

Eyolf Dale (piano); Hayden Powell (trumpet, flugelhorn); André Roligheten (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Adrian Løseth Waade (violin); Kristoffer Kompen (trombone, euphonium); Rob Waring (vibraphone); Per Zanussi (bass); Gard Nilssen (drums)

Eyolf Dale Return To Mind

'Return to Mind is the new album from Norwegian pianist Eyolf Dale. Since releasing his Edition debut in June 2016, the poetic and expressive Wolf Valley, Eyolf Dale has expanded and developed his already elegant and warm sound into a powerfully emotive force. Radiating elegance and poise, Return To Mind confirms Eyolf Dale’s promise and reputation as a strong band leader, creative composer and an expressive soloist with a taste for melodies and interplay that summons powerful musical images' (Edition Records). 'Music for me is a personal statement, a musical representation of my imagination. I often start with images, sometimes abstract, sometimes stemming more from reality ...' (Eyolf Dale).

Details and Samples : Video Introduction : Review **** :

Verneri Pohjola and Mika Kallio - Animal Image
(Edition Records) - Released: 23rd February 2018

Verneri Pohjola (trumpet, electronics); Mika Kallio (drums and gongs)

'Animal Image is a soundtrack album to a poetic documentary about the infinite relationship between man and animal. Edited to an improvised score by Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and percussionist Mika Kallio, the film illustrates the emotional bond between man and animal beyond the boundaries of written language or fictional storylines. The movie depicts nature-photographer and writer Heikki Willamo’s journey to the landscape of the post ice-age northern wilderness to explore man’s ancient relationship to his prey and Willamo’s personal encounters with the inhabitants of the northern woods. Man, bear, sky and fire: the Finnish forest is a place like nowhere else, a place of dreams and the imagination, an ancient place where its denizens live in the shadows'. (Edition Records). 'When I saw the breathtakingly expressive footage for the first time, I immediately recognized this as something too inspiring to retract myself from. And as the project developed I realized, that probably no other project or person has ever treated my music with such a respect and vision'. (Verneri Pohjola).

Details and Sample : Video : Review ****

Hank Jones - In Copenhagen
(Storyville Records) - Released: 2018

Hank Jones (piano); Mads Vinding (bass); Shelly Manne (drums)

Hank Jones In Copenhagen

This well recorded live performance is a set of previously unreleased music from June 6, 1983. ‘In the 1970s and 1980s, Jazzhus Slukefter in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, was the site for a large number of live recordings release by Storyville. Hank Jones brought Danish bassist Mads Vinding with him, a bassist with a large sound, the ability to take very original solos, and a love for straight ahead jazz. The third name on the stage was drummer Shelly Manne .... This 1983 concert consists of nine jazz standards. Jones takes the lion’s share of the solo spots, changing his style between that of a classical bebop pianist and other times swinging elegantly like Teddy Wilson. The masterful trio comes up with creative variations and give all the songs on the release rewardingly fresh treatments’. (Storyville Records)..

Details and Samples : Listen to the album on Soundcloud :

Zoot Money's Big Roll Band - Big Time Operator
(Repertoire Records) - Released: 26th January 2018 [4 CD Box Set]

Zoot Money (vocals, organ,piano); Nick Newell, Clive Burrows (saxophones and flute); Andy Summers (guitar); Paul Williams (bass, vocals); Colin Allen (drums)

Zoot Money Big Time Operator

'Zoot Money's Big Roll Band was one of the most popular and entertaining groups of the British R&B boom era. A charismatic personality, soulful singer and cool Hammond organist, Zoot was much loved by the Mods who flocked to his shows at London's 'in' clubs like The Flamingo. The Beatles and Rolling Stones were among his greatest fans. The Big Roll Band boasted an array of top class musicians, including guitarist Andy Summers, later to find fame with The Police, saxophonists Johnny Almond and Nick Newall, singer/bass player Paul Williams and drummer Colin Allen. This essential 4 CD box set collection captures the band playing soul, jazz and R&B hits on stage and in the studio with energy,drive and humour. ... Detailed liner notes, complete with new interviews with Zoot Money and a brilliantly written foreword by Andy Summers, reminiscing about the unique atmosphere of the Flamingo Club, help make this eagerly awaited Box Set an essential release for all lovers of Big Rollin R&B at its best' (publicity notes).

Details : Video :

Edmond Hall with the Ralph Sutton Quartette - Live At Club Hangover [2 CDs]
(Sounds Of Yesteryear) - Released: 13th October 2017

Edmond Hall (clarinet); Ralph Sutton (piano) Clyde Hurley (trumpet), Walter Page (bass), Charlie Lodice (drums).

Edmond Hall Ralph Sutton album

Edmond Hall worked as a farm-hand, but by 1919 he had become tired of the hard work, and despite his parents’ worries of finding a decent job as a musician, he left for New Orleans. The first New Orleans band he played with was that of Bud Rousell and he was to go on to grace the bands of many of the most famous names in Jazz. On this double CD he is featured with the Ralph Sutton Quartet. Ralph Sutton was a stride pianist born in Missouri whose style was in the tradition of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller.

Details : Listen to Black and Blue :

Art Pepper - Smack Up
(Poll Winners) - Released: 9th February 2018

Art Pepper (alto saxophone); Jack Sheldon (trumpet); Pete Jolly (piano); Jimmy Bond (bass); Frank Butler (drums) plus Jack Sheldon Nonet: Jack Sheldon, Chet Baker (trumpet); Art Pepper, Herb Geller (alto soxophone); Harold Land (tenor saxophone); Paul Moer (piano); Buddy Clark (bass); Mel Lewis (drums).

Art Pepper Smack Up

'This release contains Art Pepper’s complete original album "Smack Up" (Contemporary S7602). Recorded in a quintet format with trumpeter Jack Sheldon, "Smack Up" marks Pepper’s second to last album as a leader before entering prison to serve the longest of his drug-related sentences (after a short session as a sideman in January 1961 he entered San Quentin and wouldn’t record again until May 1964, or lead a studio date until 1973). The only tune from the soundtrack to the film 'The Subterraneans' by a quintet co-led by Pepper and Sheldon, as well as a complete 1959 nonet session, featuring both musicians in the esteemed company of Chet Baker, Harold Land and Mel Lewis, have been added as a bonus'. (Publicity notes). 'If Pepper was under pressure due to his imminent incarceration it didn't have any negative effect on his playing. As feisty as ever, his readily identifiable signature sounds resonate through this magnificent album ...' (Roy Carr, Jazzwise)

Purchase and Details : Review and Samples from earlier release of Smack Up :

Jack Hylton and his Orchestra - Just Humming Along
(Halcyon) - Released: 15th December 2017

Jack Hylton and his Orchestra featuring Pat O'Malley (vocals)

Jack Hylton Just Humming Along

'Featuring vocalist Pat O'Malley, this collection draws attention to what was Britain's top-selling dance orchestra of the early 1930s, playing passable jazz and demonstrating fine musicianship and ensemble cohesion'. (Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise).

Details :

Helen Humes - The Helen Humes Collection 1927 - 1962
(Acrobat) - Released: 8th August 2017 [2 CDs]

Helen Humes (vocals) with various personnel.

The Helen Humes Collection

'Helen Humes was a blues and jazz singer who defied categorisation, working successfully as a big band vocalist with Harry James and then replacing Billie Holiday in Count Basie's orchestra, as a classic blues performer and R&B/jump blues hitmaker during the 1940s, a noted jazz stylist in the 50s and, during her later career, a sophisticated interpreter of ballads and popular songs. This great-value 49-track 2-CD comprises recordings from across more than three decades of her career, from her studio debut as a 14-year-old in 1927 through to the early 60s. As well as including some of her titles with James and Basie, it encompasses recordings with some of top blues, R&B and names of the 40s, including Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Milton, Buck Clayton, Pete Brown, Leonard Feather, Bill Doggett and Dexter Gordon, plus noted recordings with Red Norvo in the 50s, and live recordings done in London in the early 60s with T-Bone Walker, Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon. It naturally features her two big Top 10 R&B chart hits of the 40s, Be-Baba-Leba and Million Dollar Secret. Its a varied and highly entertaining showcase for her very special talent'. (Album notes).

Details and Samples : Video of a live performance of Million Dollar Secret from 1979.

Alan Benzie Trio - Little Mysteries
(CD Baby) - Released: February 2018

Alan Benzie (piano and composition); Andrew Robb (bass), Marton Juhasz (drums).

Alan Benzie Trio Little Mysteries

Second album from the young Scottish pianist who won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician at only 17 (his 2015 debut album was Traveller's Tales). Now 27, he has won a string of high profile awards in the last few years, including the prestigious Billboard Award at Berklee College of Music. Journalist Rob Adams has said: 'Benzie has an orchestrator’s ear for detail in his compositions… His spontaneous creativity impressed even more as improvisations were developed with a clear sense of direction and sustained with inspired phrase'. The Trio has recently been touring the Continent and the UK promoting the album. CD Baby describes it: 'From sensitive, magical textures to virtuosic explosions of energy, the trio are both sophisticated and accessible, with the warmth and empathy that can only be achieved through great friendship and years of making music together'.

Details and Sample Album : Video of The Warrior Who Became A Tiger : CDs are available through Alan's website :

Snowpoet - Thought You Knew
(Edition Records) - Released: February 2018

Lauren Kinsella (vocals); Chris Hyson (multi instrumentalist); Josh Arcoleo (saxophone); Matt Robinson (keyboards); Nick Costley-White (guitar); Dave Hamblett (drums).

Snowpoet Thought You Knew

Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year (2016) Lauren Kinsella and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hyson explores the common ground between poetry, electronica, modern folk, and jazz. Blending sweet hook-laden vocal lines with warm and lush arrangements, the music is infectious, delicate and tasteful. The sound is clear and beautifully produced, while the lyrical content exhibits a deep and raw emotion.

See Robin Kidson's article Jazz And Poetry : The Work Of Snowpoet

Details and Samples : Video Introduction : Video for Love Again : Review ****

John Surman - Invisible Threads
(ECM) - Released: 19th January 2018

John Surman (soprano & baritone saxophones, bass clarinet); Nelson Ayres (piano); Rob Waring (vibraphone, marimba)

John Surman’s Invisible Threads is near on his 20th album with ECM under his own name. He’s used electronics, had other ‘invisibilities’; witness Invisible Nature, the 2002 John Surman/Jack DeJohnette session. Today I’m declaring Invisible Threads top of the Surman ECM stack. High praise because Stranger Than Fiction and Brewster’s Rooster are stunning sets, however the explorations of Invisible Threads are gripped by a beautiful intensity. Tracks like the short, compressed, At First Sight, the extended Pitanga Pitomba and Concentric Circles deliver a strong narrative. The vibes into piano, piano into vibes, lace the contours of these compositions. On The Admiral,Surman’s bass clarinet cuts between the two like a wave through a spontaneous sea.

Why I’m so taken up with Invisible Threads is that the Brazilian pianist Nelson Ayres and American-now-living-in-Norway, Rob Waring, (vibes/marimba), provide a pairing that gets underneath the Surman sound. They own it for themselves. Since I first heard John Surman playing with Barre Phillips and Stu Martin in 1970 I’ve realised he is special. The baritone and soprano on Invisible Threads doesn’t ‘sound’ anything like the reeds that roared with the Martin/Phillips bass ‘n drums. Take the trail through the past, and it is possible to hear how one great musician went on a mission. Together the three compatriots of Invisible Threads are ‘The Trio’, 2018. Here there is also no need for electronics. The sleeve has a studio photograph showing a never heard guitar propped up in the corner. Now, what’s that doing there?

Steve Day (Steve Day is a writer and poet and leads the band Blazing Flame. www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk )

Details and Samples : Samples on Soundcloud : Further Details on ECM Records page

Kit Downes - Obsidian
(ECM) - Released: 19th January 2018

Kit Downes (organ) with guest Tom Challenger (tenor saxophone)

Kit Downes Obsidian

Some of Kit's earliest musical experiences were as a church organist and in recent years he has been revisiting the instrument, exploring its sonic possibilities and idiosyncrasies, in improvisations both melodic and textural. In November 2016 producer Sun Chung followed Downes to three English churches - the Snape Church of John the Baptist and Bromeswell St Edmund Church - both in Suffolk - and Union Chapel Church in Islington, London. These are very different acoustic spaces housing organs of very different characters which Downes investigates creatively.

Details and Samples : Introductory Video : Review ****+

Go Go Penguin - A Humdrum Star
(Blue Note Records : Decca UMO) - Released: 9th February 2018

Chris Illingworth (piano); Nick Blacka (bass); Rob Turner (drums).

The Manchester-based trio conjure richly atmospheric music that draws from their shared love of electronica, their grounding in classical conservatoires and jazz ensembles alongside indie bands, and a merging of acoustic and electronic techniques ... “I think we felt even more liberated on this album—and I think there’s more of each of us on it,” says bassist Nick Blacka. Their latest material reveals both native turf and far-flung influences. ... As with previous albums, these tracks stemmed from a love of electronic music ... That electro-acoustic tension pulses throughout the new album. (Blue Note website).

Introductory Video : Purchase Details and Sample :

Martin Archer + Engine Room Favourites - Safety Signal From A Target Town
(Discus Music) - Released: 1st January 2018

Martin Archer (saxophones); Mick Beck (tenor saxophone, bassoon); Seth Bennett (bass); Graham Clark (violin); Laura Cole (piano); Steve Dinsdale (percussion); Peter Fairclough (drums); Johnny Hunter (drums); Kim Macari (trumpet); George Murray (trombone); Corey Mwamba (vibraphone); Walt Shaw (percussion); Riley Stone-Lonergan (tenor saxophone, clarinet).

Martin Archer Safety Signal From A Target Town

'This suite is the third and most ambitious release by my AACM influenced big band. Across three releases, the band has developed from the original idea of saxophone + percussion quartet + studio based orchestration ... to the current release which features a larger group and more complex scores. I’m not usually one for programmatic music, but these pieces were conceived written very quickly in the final 2 months of 2016. The titles enable the listener to imagine their own story of a world moving in exactly the opposite direction to the version most people would wish to live in'. (Martin Archer).

Details and Listen to the Album : Video of a test recording of The Playground In The Desert : Martin Archer's website : Martin's 'Tea Break' on this site in July 2017.

The Matthew Read Trio - ANECDOTES II
(Self Release) - Released: 9th February 2018

Matthew Read (double bass); Benedict Wood (guitar); Arthur Newell (drums).

Matthew Read Trio Anecdotes II

Drawing influence from a multitude of styles including jazz, folk, country, hip hop, dance music, spirituals and both European and American church music, the trio creates a soundscape of melody driven music. The album features eleven original compositions based on Read's experiences including K, an imagining of the music that might be played if Kendrick Lamar and Kurt Rosenwinkel were to play together: Burke and Hare, a melody with a contrasting, darker undercurrent that reflects its subject matter including 19th Century serial killers; and Revolutions, a piece that laments the loss of interest in physical media formats.

Details and Samples : Live video of Burke and Hare : Review ****

Martin Pyne / Stephen Grew Duo - Winter Landscape
(Tall Guy Records) - Released: 22nd January 2018

Martin Pyne (percussion, vibraphone), Stephen Grew (piano, keyboards).

Martin Pyne Stephen Grew Winter Landscape

The album consists of a sequence of improvisations for vibraphone and piano recorded on a bitterly cold day in Lancaster in the north west of England.

See Howard Lawes' article 'Free Improvastion and the Music of Martin Pyne and Stephen Grew'

Details and Listen to the Album :

Lenore Raphael, Wayne Wilkinson and Chris Hodgkins - At Pizza Express Live
(Bell CDs) - Released: 17th November 2017.

Lenore Raphael (piano); Wayne Wilkinson (guitar); Chris Hodgkins (trumpet)

Raphael Wilkinson Hodgkins album

Recorded at a live session at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, Dean Street, in 2016, this album was released last November. The event had originally been planned as a duo performance by American pianist Lenore Raphael and UK trumpeter, Chris Hodgkins, but Lenore's regular guitarist, Wayne Wilkinson joined them to make the Trio. With interpretations of 12 Standards and one original track by the three musicians, the album features enjoyable solo tracks, duets and ensemble performances.

Details and Samples : Listen to September In The Rain : Listen to Georgia On My Mind : Visit our Jazz As Art article :

Nicolas Masson - Travelers
(ECM) - Released: 16th February 2018

Nicolas Masson (tenor and soprano saxophone); Collin Vallon (piano); Patrice Moret (double bass); Lionel Friedli (drums).

Nicolas Masson Travelers

'The real strength of the recording resides in the musicians’ convergence, reciprocity, and team spirit. They denote a clear understanding of one another’s moves. More reserved than effusive, Masson’s music dawns slowly, subverting unnecessary stunts while describing through lightly smoky soundscapes the magical realism of a hermetic, personal world. Regardless if their storytelling is deep or shallow, the quartet engages in the commitment of wringing every emotion from a song'.

Details : Introductory Video : JazzTrail Review :

Leslie Pintchik - You Eat My Food, You Drink My Wine, You Steal My Girl
(Pitch Hard Records) - Released: 15th February 2018

Leslie Pintchik (piano); Scott Hardy (acoustic bass, guitar); Michael Sarin (drums); Satoshi Takeishi (percussion) with Steve Wilson (alto saxophone); Ron Horton (trumpet, flugelhorn); Shoko Nagai (accordion).

Leslie Pintchik You Eat My Food

'Equipped with originals, jazz standards, and a supportive combo of talents, pianist Leslie Pintchik commits to a smooth and groovy jazz on her latest album ... Even lacking the factor surprise, the album has enough diversity and flexibility to conquer audiences looking for unwrinkled post-bop'. 'Pintchik found the album title in one of those "only in New York" moments. While crossing Canal Street at West Broadway in the SoHo section of Manhattan, she heard a voice behind her yell, "You eat my food, you drink my wine, you steal my girl!" It was a perfect fit for the sharp-elbows vibe of her new tune, with its samba-funk groove, understated humor and fender-bender of an ending. So with one gruff shout, serendipity handed her a bold, spunky for a bold, spunky tune'. '...the wide range of grooves (samba-funk with a touch of partido alto, swing, bolero, traditional samba, straight-eighths, and ballads-all played with exceptional skill and pizzazz by Pintchik and her top-notch band members) is a great added pleasure'.

Details and Samples : Audio Introduction : JazzTrail Review

Bobby Previte - Rhapsody
(RareNoise) - Released: 23rd February 2018

Bobby Previte (drums, percussion, autoharp, guitar, harmonica); Fabian Rucker (alto saxophone); Nels Cline (acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, slide guitar); Zeena Perkins (harp); John Medeski (piano); Jen Shyu (vocals).

Bobby Previte Rhapsody

'Taking into account the outstanding rhythmic skills of American drummer Bobby Previte, it came to no surprise that his new album, Rhapsody, reveals a tour-de-force storytelling that takes us into an uninterrupted journey of musical discovery while addressing pertinent subjects such as transit and migration in the current days ... Boasting a stupendous sound and concept, as well as an unconventional repertoire of converging influences and metaphors, this is a masterwork by a fearless musician who never ceases to innovate'.

Details : JazzTrail Review : Video : Audio Edit : Information

James Hall - Lattice
(Outside In Music) - Released: 9th February 2018

James Hall (trombone); Jamie Baum (flute); Deanna Witkowski (piano, Fender Rhodes); Tom DiCarlo (bass); Allan Mednard (drums) + guest Sharel Cassity (alto sax)

James Hall Lattice

'The effortless genre-bending approach that characterizes him is well patented on Lattice, his sophomore album inspired by his own love story and Herbie Hancock’s Speak Like a Child ... The tunes we hear on Lattice are easy to connect and assimilate. They not only show a high level of musicianship but also authenticate Hall as a talented voice in today’s jazz'.

Video : JazzTrail Review : Purchase Details

Kevin Sun - Trio
(Endectomorph Music) - Released: 2nd February 2018

Kevin Sun: (tenor and C-melody saxophones); Walter Stinson: (acoustic bass); Matt Honor (drums).

Kevin Sun Trio

'The album Trio, released on the saxophonist’s label Endectomorph Music, allows him to explore textures and dynamics with freedom while merging the contemporary and the tradition in a tasteful way ... I have no doubt that Sun’s musical integrity will bring him wide recognition. Trio proves him a high flyer whose presence is voluminous and a gifted saxophonist who feels comfortable in a variety of musical contexts'.

Video : JazzTrail Review : Purchase Details and Samples

Walter Smith III - TWIO
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 9th February 2108

Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone); Harish Raghavan (bass); Eric Harland (drums); with guests Christian McBride (bass); Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone)

Walter Smith III TWIO

Working and touring for the last fifteen years, playing multi-layered compositions in different configurations with artists such as Terence Blanchard, Roy Haynes, Sean Jones, Ambrose Akinmusire and with his own bands, Smith also began to revisit classic jazz songs. He elaborates: “I would try and alter tunes quite radically by rearranging, reharmonizing and altering meters to a point where I was barely playing the original song; but realized that I was confusing the point of playing the songs, so I began to interpret them more directly, as they were first meant to be played ... This project represents something that everyone of all levels can relate to because it presents familiar and accessible songs that we've all grown up playing. The plan is that when we tour, I’ll use that opportunity to invite the community to come sit in, have fun, and share ideas, which I imagined this music was all about in the first place.”

Details and Samples : Video Introduction : Listen to Ask Me Now :

Katie Thiroux – Off Beat
(Capri Records) - Released: 18th August 2017

Katie Thiroux (bass and vocals); Ken Peplowski (tenor saxophone and clarinet); Roger Neumann (tenor and soprano saxophones); Justin Kauflin (piano); Matt Witek (drums).

Katie Thiroux Off Beat Released in 2017, Off Beat, with its interesting mix of vocals and instruments, follows Katie’s inaugural album, Introducing Katie Thiroux, released in 2015. The title comes from the mix of lesser known songs featured. There are 10 tracks on Off Beat, but only one, Slow Dance With Me, which has a blues feel and is an instrumental with a solo on the bass, is composed by Thiroux. Katie has a degree from Berklee College of Music and a Masters from California State University and has an impressive musical background. She has worked with numerous musicians such as Geri Allen, Branford Marsalis, and Ken Peplowski who plays reeds on 5 of these tracks. Roger Neumann arranged the title track, Off Beat, which uses both clarinet and soprano sax to good effect with good clear vocal and bass from Katie. This is followed by When The Lights are Low, a Benny Carter composition that features sultry vocals ably accompanied with a delightful piano solo by Kauflin. Katie scat sings on Ray’s Idea, a Ray Brown composition including some smooth clarinet from Peplowski. Duke Ellington’s Happy Reunion, has both Peplowski and Neumann’s tenor saxophones to the fore with backing from Thiroux’s bass and drums from Witek. Willow Weep for Me, shows Katie’s talent off by a solo effort with just vocals and the bass.

This album shows off Katie Thiroux’s vocal skills and bass playing backed by great musicianship from the other band members. There is a mix of tempos through swing to blues, clear vocals ranging through sultry to tender and dazzling arrangements from multiple band members which means that there is a hugely varied range covered in the short time available. This is an unusual selection of tracks but there is something for everyone here and most jazz fans would favour at least one number. I am sure I will be listening to this album again.

Tim Rolfe

Details and Samples : Interview with Katie : Katie's Website

Trio Galactus - Trio Galactus
(Improvvisatore Involontario) - Released: 8th January 2018

Giorgio Casadei (electric guitar, guitar-bass double handle); Alessio Alberghini (baritone sax, alto saxophone, flute); Simone Pederzoli (trombone)

Trio Galactus album

What you see below is the contents of the box that contains this really interesting Italian CD. It starts with a most unusual line-up of double-handled guitar, baritone sax and trombone. Then the subject matter is entirely devoted to compositions (by Casadei) inspired by superheros. And the box contents shown here include 13 postcards, each one a painting by a different artist, of the 13 superhero tracks. And then there's the music. Quirky and sparkling. Some odd and broken time signatures, some very odd sounds from that combination of instruments, but overall I found the whole thing terrific fun.

As far as I can establish the complete box set is only available from jazzos.com under Giorgio Casadei's name (click here), but the music can be downloaded from all the normal sources.

Details and samples : Listen to Spider Jessica :

Peter Slavid (Peter Slavid hosts a monthly, 2 hour radio show at www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz and says: 'The programme has a very specific purpose. The show is entirely European and entirely modern').

Trio Galactus album cards

Rose / Kellers / Roder: New World
(FMR Records) - Released: January 2018

Simon Rose (baritone & alto saxophone); Will Kellers (drums); Jan Roder (double bass)

Rose Kellers Roder New World In October 2017 I reviewed an album called Edith’s Problem. It was a wonderful stark clean study of jazz minimalism by Berlin based British reeds player Simon Rose and Swiss pianist, Deniz Peters. Mr Rose’s new album, with percussionist Will Kellers and bass player Jan Roder, takes the opposite approach. New World is a dense soundscape built on drones and multiple rhythms. Twenty years previously Kellers recorded Twilight Etchings with Keith and Julie Tippett. New World and Etchings share similarities, the link, not surprisingly, drums. Will Kellers is a constantly inventive percussionist. Technically jaw dropping, he holds your ears to the beats as if he’s Caesar.

What starts with Human Head, Mr Roses’ droned saxophone turning into deep soloing, moves into Cargo, a high pitch of mouthpiece, gong and split bass falling into richly fractured baritone against trip-tuned percussion. At the album’s centre is No Joseph (maybe “No Joseph for your manager”, maybe some other Joseph), either way it’s a vital three-way improvisation with Rose bringing the reeds into forensic clarity against multi-active drums and Jan Roder’s spatial double bass. The longest track is the final, River Witness. It feels like a story but is played out as if the trio are turning a river into a lake; a liquid edifice where saxophones are air, the drums heavy rain, and the bass, the bottom of the ocean. New World is revitalised European saxophone, bass ‘n’ drums. Anyone interested in the genre will want to hear this fascinating album.

Steve Day (Steve Day is a writer and poet and leads the band Blazing Flame. www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk )

Purchase Details : Simon Rose's website

Simon Nabatov String Trio - Situations
(Leo Records) - Released: February 2018

Simon Nabatov (piano); Gareth Lubbe (viola); Ben Davis (cello).

Simon Nabatov String Trio Situations

'Nabatov's chamber music calls for a kind of string player only recently arrived, who is equally comfortable with complex scores and the challenges of improvising ....violist Gareth Lubbe (Principal Violist in the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig) and cellist Ben Davis (Basquiat Strings) ... participate ... in Nabatov's compound vision - the dialectics of possibilities, the brace of the new in the embrace of the known. In a single piece, the trio moves from manic-chaotic through spiky school-of-Vienna pointillism to roller-coaster improvisation that thins out to something that might play blissfully in the background of an impossibly high-end Brazilian beach bar ...'

Details : As the album is only just out as we go to print, samples are likely to become available on the Leo Records site or on Simon Nabatov's site - click here.

Zhenya Strigalev - Blues For Maggie
(Whirlwind) - Released: 9th March 2018

Zhenya Strigalev (saxophone, composer); Frederico Dannemann (guitar); Linley Marthe (bass); Eric Harland (drums).

Zhenya Strigalev Blues For Maggie

Live recording from two venues in Vienna and the Netherlands featuring seven original compositions by Zhenya. Maggie Black was a well known figure in London who loved jazz and supported its musicians. She has since become a close friend of Strigalev, inspiring and supporting his work. The recording's mood is 'ebullient'; Strigalev says: 'The goal was to capture our 'breath', along with our mistakes (you won't notice them, I bet), out friendship and joy, our spontaneous musical decisions and interactional mastery, as well as a serious approach to music. All ways we like to express ourselves - responsible fun ... and with a happy ending!'

Details : Video of Pinky live : Listen to Not Upset : UK purchase details

Steve Lane - Steve Lane Plays Vintage Jazz Music
(Lake Records - Limited Edition) - Released: 1st December 2017

Steve Lane (cornet, bandleader) with the Famous Southern Stompers; Red Hot Peppers and VJM Washboard Band and various personnel including: Bob Dwyer (trombone); Bob Beardsworth (trombone); George Dawson (clarinet); John Wurr (clarinet); Geoff Over (banjo); Martin Litton (piano).

Steve Lane Plays Vintage Jazz Music

Another valuable archive of historic UK jazz from Lake Records. 'From the late 1940s up until the 2000s Steve Lane’s various bands recreated the sounds of the Classic Jazz era of King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke and a whole host of others. Steve also ran the Vintage Jazz Music record label, VJM. Never content to simply carbon copy the originals Steve Lane would put his own stamp on the tunes whilst remaining true to the genre. Steve never turned professional, but a whole host of musicians who would make music their living served an apprenticeship in Steve’s bands'.

Samples and Details : Profile of Steve Lane

Billie Holiday - The Complete Billie Holiday Songbook (2 CDs)
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 13th October 2017

Billie Holiday (vocals) and other vocalists with various personnel.

Billie Holiday The Complete Songbook

Remastered original recordings with various takes and a wide variety of personnel, the CDs cover work from the Decca, Columbia and Commodore labels as well as a couple of short Basie film soundtracks. 'The idea is to draw together all the songs that Billie Holiday wrote or co-composed, firstly in her own performances and secondly in interpretatuions by other singers ... the real interest here is in Billie's own records, and some of them in particular are lesser-known gems ...' Writes Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise giving the album 4*.

Details :

Oscar Brown Jr - Between Heaven And Hell / Sin And Soul
(Soul Jam Records) - Released:

Oscar Brown Jr (vocals) with various personnel including Floyd Morris (piano); George Duvivier (bass) and David 'Panama' Francis (drums).

Oscar Brown Jr album

Recorded between 1960 and 1962 'This CD includes two of Brown’s finest studio albums from his most inspired years at Columbia Records: the excellent and underrated Between Heaven and Hell (1962), featuring a couple of arrangements by the fascinating Quincy Jones, and Brown’s critically-acclaimed debut LP Sin & Soul (1960). Both masterpieces are widely regarded as landmark recordings of the early ‘60s. This remastered collector’s edition also includes 3 bonus tracks from the same period'. 16 page booklet with rare photos, memorabilia and detailed liner notes.

Purchase Details : Review : Listen to Work Song from the original Sin And Soul album :

Sidney Bechet - Five Classic Albums Plus
(Avid) - Released: 3rd November 2017

Sidney Bechet (clarinet and soprano saxophone) with various personnel.

Sidney Bechet Five Classic Albums plus

2 CDs with remastered original recordings of the albums On Parade; Ambience; Deux Heures Du Matin Au Vieux-Colombier; Rendez-Vous and Bechet Revient complete with original artwork and liner notes plus Airs Du Film Serie Noire EP; Un Ange Comme Ca EP and L'Inspecteur Connait La Musique EP. 'Bechet's own compositional skills are to the fore on a number of the sides on this two CD set, including Petite Fleur, a big hit for Bechet and a few years later a million seller for Chris Barber - as well as the suitably moody Temperamental and the beautiful Jacqueline which Bechet composed in honour of his mistress'. 'Alyn Shipton in Jazzwise gives it 4* and says: ' ... an excellent follow up to Avid's earlier set of Bechet in France'.

Details :

Mark Murphy - Midnight Mood
(MPS Records) - Released: 17th November 2017

Mark Murphy (vocals); Jimmy Deuchar (trumpet); Äke Persson (trombone); Derek Humble (alto saxophone); Ronnie Scott (tenor saxophone); Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone and flute); Francy Boland (piano); Jimmy Woods (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Mark Murphy Midnight Mood

'Mark Murphy exhibited an inventive stylistic range that covered blues to bebop on through to modern jazz. His 1967 MPS recording lands in the middle of his European decade, and it is one of the most beautiful, striking documents of his skills. Midnight Mood is characterized by the sophisticated dialogue between voice and eight musicians from the Kenny Clarke Francy Boland Big band ...'

Details, Sample and Album Description : Listen to Alone Together : Listen to My Ship :

Andrew Bain - Embodied Hope
(Whirlwind Recordings) - Released: 10th November 2017

Andrew Bain (drums, percussion); Jon Irabagon (saxophone); George Colligan (piano); Michael Janisch (double bass).

When I first became interested in jazz as an adolescent in the 1960s, British jazz seemed to suffer from a pronounced inferiority complex. The assumption was that, for the truly authentic product, one had to look to America. All began to change when Miles Davis recruited not just one British jazz musician but two – Dave Holland and John McLaughlin – for his band in the late sixties. Since then, British jazz has developed its own self-confident and distinctive voice, well able to compete - and collaborate on equal terms - with the best in America and beyond.

Andrew Bain’s new album, Embodied Hope, shows just how thoroughly British jazz has shaken off any inferiority complex, particularly in relation to American jazz. The album sees Bain, a Scottish born, Birmingham based percussionist leading three Americans in a recording made in the English Cotswolds for a British record company. And not just any Americans: Jon Irabagon on tenor saxophone is a rising star of American jazz. George Colligan on piano has a long established international reputation, winner of the 2015 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll for keyboards amongst other accolades. Michael Janisch on double bass is one of a number of American musicians who have chosen to pursue their careers in the UK. He is also the owner of Whirlwind Recordings which is producing some of the best contemporary music around at the minute on both sides of the Atlantic. Andrew Bain himself has lived and worked in America with distinction.

Embodied Hope is a suite of eight pieces all composed by Bain around the theme of positive change in the fields of human rights, community and social transformation. Actually, Bain considers himself more as a writer of music for improvisers rather than “composer” – “like all good music written with improvisation in mind”, he says, “Embodied Hope starts with an idea and a vibe, as well as melodies, chord sequences, solo sections and as many boundaries as I want to provide. But apart from that, it’s all in flux and very much up to the band, even in terms of suite order, solo order, etc.”. To a listener unaware of the underlining theories, however, Embodied Hope is just high quality, straight ahead contemporary jazz with a strong, rhythmic pulse as one might expect from a band led by a drummer. And for all Bain’s emphasis on improvisation, there are some surprisingly good tunes to be found.

The album opens with Accompaniment, which Bain says was originally intended as a ballad, “but as we rehearsed, it became this classic Coltrane rumble-and-tumble, elevating it with some kind of higher energy”. Both Irabagon and Colligan take solos against a gentle wash provided by Bain and Janisch, sounding slightly ominous on bowed bass. Irabagon’s sax is often attractively lyrical but with some striking patches of Coltrane intensity and strained notes. Colligan has a distinctive style and plays marvellously liquid runs of notes. The whole does have a Coltrane feel about it – think the Psalm section of A Love Supreme.

The second track, Hope, is an upbeat, rhythmic piece with a memorable melody. Irabagon builds his improvisations in a logical and compelling way with snatches of half familiar tunes. Colligan’s solo is all note filled virtuosity with a classical feel at times. Bain and Janisch provide a solid, sometimes rock, beat throughout which is guaranteed to set feet tapping.

Practice is another upbeat piece but with sudden changes in the beat from fast to very fast. Both Irabagon and Colligan get to stretch themselves in the faster sections, and Janisch provides some nimble bass. The next track, Responsibility has an intricate but attractive tune full of nice hooks and riffs with a touch of Dave Brubeck about it. Janisch gets to shine in an impressive solo; and Bain and Irabagon engage in some neat call and response. Surprise is notable for its sudden and abrupt (and therefore surprising?) changes in rhythm. Its stop-start feel is (again, surprisingly) very effective and keeps the listener’s attention throughout. Bain takes two solos, beautifully judged both in their textures and length.

The first part of Listening is back to the vibe of the first track, Accompaniment, with Janisch on bowed bass again. The improvisations are freer than some of the other tracks with a jagged feel and little bombs of discordance. It is almost as if the instruments were having a drunken conversation with the sax being whimsical and the piano, assertive and truculent. Then the beat picks up with something of a latin flavour, and both Irabagon and Colligan take dazzling solos. Towards the end, there is some engaging call and response between sax, piano and drums – back to a conversation although perhaps a little more sober and certainly more animated. Trust is another upbeat piece with a good tune. It segues into a reprise of Accompaniment and ends in a satisfying mélange of cacophonous sound. The final track is a brief reprise of Hope which fades in as if one has gradually opened a door to a joyous party. Then the party quietens down and peacefully finishes. It’s an effective, life-enhancing end to a life-enhancing and, yes, hopeful, hope-filled album.

Robin Kidson

Andrew Bain is touring with his Embodied Hope Quartet from 2nd to 15th April 2018. Details of dates are on his website.

Details and Samples : Video of Hope

Julian Costello Quartet - Transitions
(33 Jazz Records) - Released: 15th September 2017

Julian Costello (tenor and soprano saxophones); Maciek Pysz (electric and classical guitars); Yuri Goloubev (double bass); Adam Teixeira (drums and percussion).

In the album's sleeve notes saxophonist Iain Ballamy says: 'What I hear is a set of music with a strong identity - with a thread running through it created by a group that has clearly played the music enough to be able to wield it in a playful way. The music is expressive (there is no module for expression to be seen on an undergraduate music course!) it ebbs and flows, accelerates and slows naturally in the only way a real band can'.

A good description by Ballamy. The music is appealing, warm, enjoyable, eloquent and varied from an international band now all based in the UK. The musicians co-ordinate comfortably within the arrangements leaving plenty of room for solos from Costello and Pysz. Recommended.

Ian Maund

Details and Samples : Video of Walking Through The Jungle : Listen to Earworm and Panettone : allaboutjazz review ****

David Series - Meerkat Parade
(Bandcamp) - Released: 12th December 2017

David Series (guitar and compositions); Huw Rees (keyboards); James Lindasy (double bass); Max Popp (drums).

David Series Meerkat Parade

David Series is an Edinburgh based guitarist whose debut album consists of 6 tracks composed by David. Although it may look a shorter album, 3 of the 6 tracks are over seven minutes long and another six and a half minutes in duration with only two less than four minutes. David states that the compositions are modern jazz influenced by amongst others, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Julin Argüelles and Derek Trucks. He has also created the colourful and quirky artwork that features on the album. There are no CD notes about the basis for the tracks, but they sure do have some quirky titles, like Oink, Hermwei and Mr. Frisbee.

The first track is called Herzog, with the intro featuring a melodic double bass which then provides the pulse with guitar and drums joining later. There is also an interesting keyboard solo. Mr. Frisbee has Popp on drums keeping everything going with some melodic interplay between keyboards and guitar and an inspired keyboard solo around the middle. The changes in rhythm are interesting and well managed and this seems to be a theme on most of the tracks. Oink, is possibly the track which shows Series' wonderful guitar playing at its best. Gentle instrumental beginning with the guitar lead through the melodies building to a crescendo, and there is lots of interplay between superb keyboards and the aforementioned guitar. Hermwei is the longest track at 8 minutes 11 seconds where the entire band starts together but each breaks out and has a solo section. Quieter, light guitar sections interspersed with a memorable keyboard solo feature on this track. On Where’s Waltzy, the bass solo was of note. The last track is Scoobie Snack, which has a soulful guitar start with bass before the pace picks up as everyone piles in, and again each of the band members produce some great solos.

This is a mostly a well-balanced and melodic album with lots of interaction between the musicians whoever is providing the lead or base rhythm and I did look forward to Series' guitar sections when listening to the album.

Tim Rolfe

Details and listen to Album :

Anton Hunter - Article X1
(Efpi Records) - Released: 9th February 2018

Sam Andreae, Simon Prince, Mette Rasmussen, Cath Roberts (saxophones); Graham South, Nick Walters (trumpets); Seth Bennett, Richard Foote (trombones); Anton Hunter (guitar); Eero Tikkanen (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums)

This album is two ends of a spectrum. After just a couple of weeks percolating my ears, I have become caught up in its dropped curve – Article X1 is another superb ‘on-a-roll’ project from those busy Luminous people. A very smart live sound from Alex Bonney and Dill Katz, straight from The Vortex in London, along with two tracks caught at the Manchester Jazz Festival. Initially I couldn’t help feel slightly disappointed that Anton Hunter’s own asymmetrical guitar isn’t more centre stage in these performances. (Mr Hunter is not some flashy stadium guitar-slinger. Given the right context, his telecaster can merge a whole intake of crackle ‘n pop into a probing ascetic. It’s not just the sound that is unique to him, but the deceptively casual way he cuts into an ensemble.) On this Article X1 debut the Guitar-Hunter takes on the role of composition catalyst; an under-the-scene scope-shaper hovering beneath the action like a current off a cliff. Article X1 deserves a lot of attention. This is the Sloth Racket/Favourite Animals team (check out previous reviews), plus others, on yet another important encounter. Okay, it leaves me waiting for Anton Hunter’s ‘guitar’ album but I’m a man of patience, right now I’m listening to something else. It’s multiple stars, let’s get on with it!

Retaken captures a glorious opening from the eleven musicians. Brass chords played like laying out a carpet. It’s an unveiling of a harmonised melody which feels rich with very little; a morning tune played at night with sparse reeds and held notes. It falls into a Nick Walters’ trumpet solo. I don’t know why, but it initially reminded me of raga structure. What I really like about Retaken is the fix it gets on that melody. After eleven minutes (the number must be coincidental) it ends, compositionally well taken. There’s form, there’s beauty, Nick Walters has spoken with something to say about the ‘sound’ of trumpet. There’s a glimpse of guitar at the back of it just tipping off the structure. Anton’s brother Johnny’s drums breaking up the beat, fetching and carrying it so things don’t come out straight. And it ends the right way up, a glorious opening begets a glorious ending, and I know whatever else this is music not taken lightly.

Innards Of Atoms is the one track where the guitar kindles the flame, or to paraphrase the title, becomes the ‘innard’ within the atom. The piece begins piping a repeat between brass and reeds. After about three minutes, the ears ‘getit’, the Hunter brothers then enter just like I’ve heard them do on other sessions; they have an uncanny instinctive way of rolling in a dual direction. It’s their almost blues-but-isn’t way of stringing the sound out. See, it’s not so much soloing as listening to an explanation from the guitar, while all the time there’s percussion offering up some kind of agreement. Yeah sure, try this, right....! tell me more, ok, ok, let me assist you a little, ah, I’m with u. And then perhaps, finally - let’s nail it. Innards Of Atoms ends with all eleven players intact and playing a concentrated credo which takes on the form of an aural scientific study. It’s artful, evolutionary and one of those performances you’re damn glad that the likes of Alex Bonney and Dill Katz were on hand to capture the Atoms.

There’s inventive title-ling of this material; how about I Dreamed I Spat Out A Bee? A description of an alto sax turning inside on itself. (Sure, Mette Rasmussen’s alto mouthpiece accuracy can b major when she’s not b-ing minor.) Or there’s C# Makes The World A Better Place, a nice sentiment. This sharp ‘sea’ is an ocean free of plastic, as well as a drone tonic which opens up into a melody so transforming it truly does give off a feeling of positivity. And the ‘litter’ of clicks and smearings, rattles and beats on a prepared snare only go to emphasise the inherent poignancy of the piece. Then there’s the simple two word title, Peaceful Assembly, alluding to Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Both in content and context it has a close connection to Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra – the stellar trumpet solo could almost come from the horn of the great Michael Mantler when he’s having a good day.

The thing that really encourages me about Anton Hunter’s Article X1 recording is the cordial rapprochement inherent in the final track, Not The Kind Of Jazz You Like. It seems to me it signals something special. Anton Hunter is a different ‘kind’ of guitarist/composer playing The Kind Of Jazz that, by his own admission, is possibly not ‘immediate’ to majority taste. Not only are such considerations beside the point, he makes no apology, why should he? Sure, he’s aware of his situation, but because the whole LUME scene is The Kind Of Jazz that leads to true exploration he is going to do it anyway. The band move from squashed, crushed experimentation into the Drummer-Hunter driving the band forward in a welter of 4/4 for a short distance only to break the whole thing up in a dead-end of improv. From here the ensemble reappear out of the debris, with the Fender telecaster setting up a final trombone song for either Seth Bennett or Richard Foote (I wasn’t there so I’m not sure who is responsible and yes – Mr Bennett is usually playing double bass!). The Guitar-Hunter hits a play-out riff and it’s all over; until next time.

I hope that Anton Hunter is able to find the necessary mental fix to stay at the task he has set himself. His presence on Martin Archer’s crucial 2016 album Storytellers was, for me, the green light. Here, Article X1 is further dramatic evidence of his abilities. Personally, I’m also keen to hear a recording from his trio. I believe that could reveal even more than we’ve heard so far. That was certainly the case with the American avant-garde guitarist Mary Halvorson, with whom Mr Hunter shares similar terrain. May we all find some place for Peaceful Assembly; I’d urge anyone who really has an interest in any ‘kind of jazz’, to spend at least one evening taking in Anton Hunter’s direction. None of us can stand still, not unless we want to get run over.

Steve Day

Details and Samples : Video of I Dreamed I Spat Out A Bee ; Anton Hunter's website

Steve Day is a writer and poet and leads the band Blazing Flame. www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Mark Cherrie Quartet - Joining The Dots
(Trio Records) - Released: 2nd February 2018

Mark Cherrie (steel pan); John Donaldson (piano); Mick Hutton (double bass); Eric Ford (drums) with guests: Dominic Grant (acoustic guitar); Dave O'Higgins (tenor saxophone); Nigel Price (electric guitar); Sumudu (vocals).

Mark Cherrie Quartet Joining The Dots

Mark Cherrie is one of the foremost steel pan players in the UK but it is unusual to hear the instrument in a jazz context. Perhaps the best known use of the steel pan as a jazz instrument is on the 1979 album Morning Dance by Spiro Gyra where it was played by David Samuels who went on to co-found the Caribbean Jazz Project, although in this band the steel pan was played by an Andy Narell. Both these musicians were born in the USA whereas Trinidad is the ancestral home of the instrument invented by Anthony Williams who along with other members of the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra showcased the instrument at the 1951 Festival of Britain. Another member of the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra was Sterling Bettancourt who made his home in England and as well as being a pioneering musician went on to be a leading light of the Notting Hill Carnival where the steel pan has become so popular with large ensembles and marching bands. Mark Cherrie's father Ralph played steel pan with Sterling Bettancourt and now Mark continues the family involvement with the instrument and has done for many years.

For his quartet Mark Cherrie has selected musicians with biographies that include involvement with many of the best jazz bands around, suffice to say that with John Donaldson on piano, Mick Hutton on double bass and Eric Ford on drums there is a wealth of expertise and experience but on top of that there are also special guests in the form of Dominic Grant on acoustic guitar, Dave O'Higgins on tenor saxophone, Nigel Price on electric guitar and Sumudu with vocals. In the album notes Mark Cherrie mentions that the band had never played together before entering the recording studio but this is not normally a problem for good jazz musicians and so it transpired. Cherrie comments on each track in the album notes and it would seem that this album is to some extent a Desert Island Disc compilation of tunes that have been important in his jazz journey. Of the thirteen tracks plus one reprise featured on Joining The Dots, only four are composed by Cherrie despite the fact that he has been a prolific composer of music for film and television over many years; other compositions are by some of the great names in jazz and also jazz versions of rock and folk music. All in all an eclectic mix of personal favourites from a genuine musician.

Cherrie's compositions begin with a tune called Morse Code, and of course the steel pan lends itself to providing the staccato notes of early telecommunication. Cherrie describes the track as the 'opening salvo' but it is not aggressive, just energetic with some nice saxophone from Dave O'Higgins. The other Cherrie compositions are much more romantic, celebrating the birth of his son with October's Child, accompanying the vocals of Sumudu on Just Like Lovers Do and playing a lovely, latin style duet with Dominic Grant on acoustic guitar in Lost Summer. The folk song is Scarborough Fair in which the steel pan sounds suitably plaintive for a song about a lost lover while for Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing the piano introduction is followed by Cherrie playing a strikingly evocative version of a song about love and dreams. The jazz standards include Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage with plenty of cymbal from Eric Ford making it sound like a very rough crossing; Pat Metheny's When We Were Free in which John Donaldson's piano more than does justice to a piece which was one of the composer's favourites and the all too short Sippin' At Bells by Miles Davis and featuring Nigel Price on electric guitar in a duet with Cherrie. Also included is the tune which really turned Cherrie on to jazz music, the title being due to Dylan Thomas's immortal phrase Starless and Bible Black and which became part of the jazz canon via Stan Tracey's version of Under Milk Wood. One of the best tunes on the album is the Nirvana rock anthem, Smells Like Teen Spirit, the band are really grooving with some great drumming from Eric Ford and Cherrie's arrangement is excellent.

This is a really enjoyable album featuring the steel pan which is rarely heard in jazz but which easily holds its own in the company of the more usual instruments. This eclectic collection of tunes lasting well over an hour is great to listen to and all the more interesting because it includes tunes that were written specifically for the steel pan as well as others of different genres that were not - a rare gem not to be missed.

Howard Lawes

Introductory Video (Morse Code) : Sample The Tracks : Website : Purchase

Elliot Galvin - The Influencing Machine
(Edition Records) - Released: 26th January 2018

Elliot Galvin (piano, keyboards, toys); Tom McCredie (double bass, guitar); Corrie Dick (drums, percussion).

Elliot Galvin The Influencing Machine

Terrific! Immediately my ears caught the trail and before I was finished with the first track, I knew I’d be there for the duration. It’s a lesson, music is a connection. Unless you can make it, even ‘good’ musicians just become a damn fly buzzing in your box. It could be said the title of this recording, The Influencing Machine, makes a play for that idea. It’s the third album Elliot Galvin has released under his own name and it’s already received a lot of interest. Mr Galvin is also the keyboard player with Laura Jurd’s band Dinosaur; I’m going to attempt putting aside what I’ve already taken in. Punch, the previous Galvin album was a really neat thing, but The Influencing Machine runs it very close.

I’m going to cover the context because there is no way anyone can listen to what is going on here without realising there is something being said. This session is threaded through with samples – sounds, spoken word and musical clippings. If you are someone who is only here (hear) for the piano trio you might as well go find yourself a Bill Evans album and enjoy it; don’t bother with The Influencing Machine. However, not bothering would be a mistake in my view.

The thread that runs through this brilliant conception is the life and times of James Tilly-Matthews whose story takes us back to the latter half of the 1700’s.... yet also plunges us straight back into our own world dilemmas. It’s the kind of facts-based story you could read in a Robert Harris novel. Tilly-Matthews was involved in British and French spy networks. A political activist, merchant .... and paranoid schizophrenic who believed he was being influenced by a ‘machine’ in order to undertake acts of espionage. Okay, so the internet is currently responsible for hatching terrorism; well, Tilly-Matthews in the 18th century got there first. There’s no space here to debate this stuff, all that I can tell you is that Elliot Galvin makes an utterly convincing fist (and fingers) job of bringing all this together through music and samples. And if you’re still with me, in amongst all that, there is a ‘piano trio’ buried within. It’s just that they play beyond piano, bass and drums. This, my friends takes us a hell of a lot further forward than the latest American Songbook regurgitation. What does not get lost in all the studio edits is Elliot Galvin - one imaginative pianist and keyboard player.

The Influencing Machine consists of ten tracks. I am going to pick out three which I find fundamental to what is going on here. This approach should not distract from the other seven pieces which all offer surprises. Even in the pathos of the very short final ‘goodbye’, Fountainhead, there is a beguiling moment. It is in fact a compression of the starter track – New Model Army. The NMA was Oliver Cromwell’s much vaunted professional fighting force of the English Civil War. They literally revolutionised the way combat troops were organised. Here’s another link, when Charlie Haden in 1983 recorded his Liberation Music Orchestra for the first time on the ECM label (Ballad of The Fallen) one of the pieces quoted on the title track was The People United Will Never Be Defeated, originally based on the Chilean song by Sergio Ortega. As I sat down to my first listen-through of The Influencing Machine there, right at the beginning, before anything else had happened, was that evocative melody making its presence felt as if it were a forgotten eulogy. Played bitter/sweet by the piano through an oscillating bell, if you knew the connections it did what I guess it was meant to do; I felt strangely moved, at the same time apprehensive, yet completely focused. If a musician is going to bring such strands together and use them as his starting position, what on earth is going to follow? Answer: the name ‘James Tilly-Matthews’ is writ large, and it becomes an album of intrigue.

Take for instance the third track, Red and Yellow. It begins with a funky piano riff given additional motivation by Tom McCredie’s defined double bass (he’s a strong protagonist throughout the whole session) squeezing his runs into tight corners. Dinosaur’s drummer, Corrie Dick, completes the angular path feeding in odd fills, smart rolls and whole-drum-kit comment. It could be weird Chic. At heart Red and Yellow is a five minute theme with a clear form, yet it is spiked with ‘ghost’ samples of electronic speech that cross like interruptions from a past life, confabulated by stride and honky-tonk piano. I guess my reason for picking it out is that this track is actually a dub ‘mix’, a technique which defines this session. Red and Yellow has no extensions; it has a beginning, a middle and an end. On this occasion the frame serves a purpose. Every track on The Influencing Machine has its own retinue of sounds. Mr Galvin keeps control of them. What could become a mere musical toy box is used with care. This is an audio story with a narrative maintained throughout.

The central track is probably Bees, Dogs and Flies. It is the longest cut and passes through a continual haze of torn harmony. Pieces of prepared piano, a hint of Hammond organ, hymnal quotes accompanied by percussion detritus, fragments of folk song, echoes of distant drumming; it cements itself into the consciousness like heat when baked into gravel. This would be my download choice, though it hurts to hear it, like listening to Britten’s War Requiem or Billie Holiday’s March 1959 recording with Ray Ellis of All The Way.

On the strength of Elliot Galvin’s recommendation I went to my local library and got out the book, The Air Loom Gang: The Strange and True Story of James Tilly-Matthews and His Visionary Madness by Mike Jay. I pass on the recommendation to anyone who has got this far in this review. Here is an extraordinary album, bigger than it initially appears. Certainly not easy, neither is schizophrenia. It is dark territory made positive; music made anew. This is how it is. Thanks.

Steve Day

Details and listen to the album : Video Trailer (there are flickering images at the start) : Elliot Galvin's website

Steve Day is a writer and poet and leads the band Blazing Flame. www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Mark Wade Trio - Moving Day
(Edition 46 Records) - Released: 19th January 2018

Tim Harrison (piano); Mark Wade (acoustic bass); Scott Neumann (drums).

Mark Wade Trio Moving Day

Mark Wade is a proficient double bassist and composer who has been playing in NYC for two decades, showing off his fluid, athletic sound. The follow-up to his widely recognized debut album, Event Horizon, is entitled Moving Day and like before, features a classic trio with Tim Harrison and Scott Neumann on piano and drums, respectively. Together, they achieve an impressive triangular tightness that can be heard without delay on the first track, the 6/4 post-bop wonder that gave the album its title. It kicks off with the pianist delivering an ostinato, which, minutes later, is reutilized by the bassist to install the groove. The bandleader, embarking on an effusive back-and-forth solo, discharges melody and rhythm with aplomb, and the energy doesn't faint when Neumann unleashes his clear-sighted chops over a rock-inflected vamp.

These soloists are furiously active again on “Wide Open”, a pretty straightforward tune with a catchy piano riff and a gorgeous rhythm that brings a scent of R&B and soul to the jazz-rock stamina that sustains its core. I thought of it as a crossing between Stevie Wonder and Chick Corea. Borrowing melody from Debussy’s “La Mer”, “The Bells” is an imaginative waltz encompassing glorious suspensions and a chamber-esque sparseness created by the bowed bass. On top of this musing, Harrison’s left-hand onrushes are perceptible on the lower register, bringing McCoy's technique to the mind. The coolness of the piano solo sparks nice melodies while the brushwork of the drummer is noticeable throughout the bass solo. Wade devised new shiny outfits for a couple of jazz standards, with “Another Night in Tunisia” being shuffled in tempo while maintaining the strong latin affinity present in Dizzy’s original, and “Autumn Leaves” being subjected to a successful reorganization to include Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage”.

Virtuosity and creativity also reign on “Midnight in the Cathedral” in which the band plunges into a dense modal spirituality. Although honoring medieval music, I sensed it more like a mantra-based chant within a style that reminisces Alice Coltrane. With disparate natures, “Something of a Romance” and “The Quarter” are a medium-tense ballad and an elated march, respectively. The latter has a decompressing effect, displaying occasional bluesy flourishes and a more traditional flow that feels as humorous as the compositions of drummer Matt Wilson. With an impressive command of his instrument, Wade takes his tightly-knit acoustic trio beyond stereotyped formulas or just simplistic reinterpretations of known songs. Moving Day is a dazzling testament to his evolving artistry, where inventiveness is on full display.

Filipe Freitas - JazzTrail.

Introductory Video : Performance Video: JazzTrail Review

Filipe Freitas runs JazzTrail in New York City with photographer Clara Pereira. They feature album and concert coverage, press releases and press kits, album covers and biographies. They are valued contacts for Sandy Brown Jazz in the United States. You can read more about Filipe and Clara in their 'Tea Break' item with us if you click here.

Wes Montgomery - In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording
(Resonance Records) - Released: 26th January 2018

Wes Montgomery (guitar); Harold Mabern (piano); Arthur Harper (bass); Jimmy Lovelace (drums) + guest Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone).

Wes Montgomery In Paris

'Released as a deluxe 2CD-set and digital edition, In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording signals the memorable Paris concert by the super jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. The event took place at the Theatre des Champs-Elysées during his 1965 European tour ... It is bebop at its best, revealing that the guitarist’s sound is just as brilliant live as it is in the studio'.

Details and samples : JazzTrail Review : Video introduction

Wayne Escoffery - Vortex
(Alliance Import) - Released: 2nd March 2018

Wayne Escoffery (tenor and soprano saxophone); Dave Kikosk (piano); Ugonna Okegwo (bass); Ralph Peterson (drums).

Wayne Escoffery Vortex

'... shaped in an urgent, socio-political way that aims to (highlight) racism, bigotry, and hate in the US, (the album) is a tour de force and the title track exemplifies this better than any other track. It’s an attractive post-bop discharge whose kicking-and-screaming locomotion is absolutely stunning. The bandleader shows his magnificent soloing capabilities, showing an affinity to explore deeply and widely with irrepressible inventiveness and bristling provocation. Kikoski and Peterson don’t squander their chances to be noticed when called to intervene'.

Details : JazzTrail Review : Video - Wayne at Ronnie Scott's in 2016.

Marta Sánchez Quintet - Danza Imposible
(Fresh Sound New Talent) - Released: 1st October 2017

Roman Filiu (alto saxophone); Jerome Sabbagh (tenor saxophone); Marta Sanchez (piano); Rick Rosato (bass); Daniel Dor (drums).

Marta Sanchez Quintet Danza Imposible

'Madrid-born pianist Marta Sanchez has been an influential voice on the New York jazz scene since she moved to the Big Apple seven years ago. Danza Imposible, couldn’t have been a better follow-up to Partenika (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2014), exceeding all the expectations by presenting music that challenges, intrigues, and bewilders.... Conquering her space with a triumphant confidence, Marta Sanchez, proves she is a top 21st-century composer. This seminal work takes us to unexpected places, radiating energy in its most varied forms and passages. This outstanding Danza is not Impossible at all!'

Details and Sample : JazzTrail Review : 'Nebulosa' from the album : Video

AKA Moon – Now
(Instinct) - Released: 19th January 2018

Fabrizio Cassol (saxophone); Michel Hatzigeorgiou (bass); Stéphane Galland (drums)

My CD of the month comes from across the channel in Belgium from a trio that almost never makes it over here and is probably a new name to most readers, despite having being one of the best known European improvising bands since an encounter with the AKA Pygmies some 25 years ago. This new album is typical of their style, and quite unlike most British jazz. There are certainly influences from Steve Coleman's M-Base movement, and some of the early music from F-IRE and Loop collectives did have a similar approach.

The music is built on simple riffs and phrases, but is rhythmically complex and full of inventive and often ferocious improvisation. The collective interplay has patterns and rhythms constantly shifting between the different instruments. To celebrate their 25 years together the band has also released a 20 CD Box set. That may be a bit tough for newcomers but it does feature their collaborations with Indian, African, Balkan and other musicians, as well as other trio albums.

Peter Slavid

Listen to Persevering : Details : Purchase :

Peter Slavid hosts a monthly, 2 hour radio show at www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz and says: 'The programme has a very specific purpose. The show is entirely European and entirely modern'.

Thomas Strønen's Time Is A Blind Guide - Lucus
(ECM) - Released: 19th January 2018

Thomas Strønen (drums); Ayumi Tanaka (piano); Hakon Aase (violin); Lucy Railton (cello); Ole Morten Vagan (bass).

Norwegian drummer/composer Thomas Strønen, a member of the experimental jazz band Food, returns with a quintet variation of his Time Is A Blind Guide project. Entitled Lucus, the 11-track album features the collective’s core members: violinist Hakon Aase, cellist Lucy Railton, and bassist Ole Morten Vagan, plus a valuable new addition with the up-and-coming Japanese pianist Ayumi Tanaka sitting in for Kit Downs.

An ethereal chamber setting is immediately assimilated on the first track, “La Bella”, a reiterative meditation of great beauty that, suspended and static in nature, varies in intensity. All the compositions belong to Strønen, except this one ... it was with the idiosyncratic arrangement of “Wednesday” that the band captivated me the most, showcasing classical piano spells and beautiful folk melodies instilled by Aase ... Strønen gives his counterparts the freedom they need to totally connect with his spacious sense of composition, and Lucus lives from the harmony of their constant exchanges.

Filipe Freitas - JazzTrail

Video Introduction : Details and Samples : JazzTrail Review

The Oscar Peterson Trio and Singers Unlimited - In Tune (Remastered Anniversary Edition)
(MPS) - Released: 17th November 2017)

Oscar Peterson (piano); George Mraz (bass); drummer Louis Hayes (drums) and Singers Unlimited.

Oscar Peterson Trio In Tune

'Peterson himself instigated the first contact between the Schwarzwald studio and The Singers Unlimited (TSU). That contact developed into a fruitful decade-long relationship; the Villingen studio's superb technology perfectly suited the sophisticated requirements of vocal artist and leader Gene Puerling. Recorded in 1971, In Tune was TSU's first album on MPS. It feeds off the languages of the two musical poles, whether it's in the swinging give and take of the opener, Sesame Street, or in the switch from the reverential orchestrally-layered choir intro to Peterson's sparkling play on It Never Entered My Mind'.

Details : Samples : Listen to Catherine; Sesame Street ; Here's That Rainy Day

Dinah Washington & Quincy Jones - The Complete Sessions (3 CD Box Set, Remastered original recordings)
(Essential Jazz Classics) - Released: 13th October 2017

Dinah Washington (vocals); Quincy Jones (director, arranger, conductor) and various personnel including Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Charlie Shavers (trumpets); Urbie Green, Quentin Jackson, Billy Byers (trombones); Lucky Thompson, Paul Quinichette, Budd Johnson, Jerome Richardson (reeds); Wynton Kelly (piano), Barry Galbraith (guitar), Milt Hinton (bass); Jimmy Cobb, Osie Johnson (drums).

Dinah Washington Quincy Jones The Complete Sessions

'This 3-CD, 73-track set presents, for the first time ever on a single edition, all existing sessions featuring the singing of Dinah Washington with bands conducted by Quincy Jones, who was also responsible for most of the arrangements on these dates. Ranging from 1955 to 1961, the sessions include the complete contents of the classic albums For Those in Love (Emarcy MG-36011), I Wanna Be Loved (Mercury SR-60729), and The Swingin’ Miss “D” (EmArcy MG-36104), along with various other tunes issued on singles. Contained here are her unforgettable renditions of “Mad About the Boy”, “Blue Gardenia” and “I’ll Close My Eyes” (the latter two were selected by Clint Eastwood for the soundtrack to his movie The Bridges of Madison County)'.

Details : 4* Jazzwise review of Feb 2018 'This 3CD set is an extremely efficient way to acquire all the Jones/Washington collaborations'.

Brian Blade And The Fellowship Band - Body And Shadow

Album Released: 17th November 2017 - Label: Decca (UMO) - Reviewed: January 2018

Brian Blade Body And Shadow

Brian Blade (drums); Myron Walden (alto saxophone, bass clarinet); Melvin Butler (tenor saxophone); Dave Devine (guitar); Jon Cowherd (piano, keyboards); Chris Thomas (bass).

American drummer Brian Blade has conquered many jazz fans with his sophisticated technique, open nature, and instinctual rhythm. His unique touch, never too loud and never too soft, has played a crucial role in projects of likes such as Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, David Binney, and Wayne Shorter. He also built an amazing reputation as a leader of the Fellowship Band, a 20-year endeavour that normally comprises two saxophones, one or two guitars, piano/keyboards, and bass.

Body and Shadow is Blade’s fifth album with this band, whose regular members include saxists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, pianist/keyboardist Jon Cowherd, and bassist Chris Thomas. The novelty here is guitarist Dave Devine, a sure-footed Denver-based rock guru, who makes his debut in the group after Daniel Lanois, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Marvin Sewell and Jeff Parker have occupied the position in the past.

Click here to listen to Duality from the album.

Embracing identical methodologies as in the previous albums, yet cutting a bit in the improvisations in detriment of a more crafted textural work, the band opens with “Within Everything”, a melodious, unfussy piece that carries the lightness of a pop song entwined with the warm melancholy of Americana. I’m quite sure that both Joni Mitchell and Oasis would approve its atmosphere.

The title track was divided into three parts according to the parts of the day. “Body and Shadow (Night)” upholds a flowing chamber jazz quality, enhanced by bass clarinet melodies (expertly handled by Walden), low-toned key vibes, and bowed bass. The guitar, whether translucent or distorted, fingerpicked or strummed, fits perfectly within the uncongested musical scenario. Conversely, the ‘Morning’ part increases the electrified sounds, getting a tangy indie rock bite, while the ‘Noon’ part is a stagnant electro-acoustic episode with emphasis on Devine’s guitar.

Obeying a 7/4 time signature, “Traveling Mercies” is arranged with compassionate melodies and harmonies that bring some sadness attached. It rekindles the flame during the chorus, in a successful combination of genteel jazz and untroubled folk-rock, as if Joshua Redman has fused with Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The resplendent Christian hymn “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” is subjected to two opposite treatments. The first is ‘sung’ exclusively by Cowherd's harmonium, and the second devotionally orchestrated according to Blade’s categorical arrangement.

The syncopated rhythms that initiate “Duality” are also velvety. They are an integral part of a magical soundscape, which, even shifting along the way, maintains both the consistency and stability. The improvisations are further extended here, beginning with Cowherd, who pulls out interesting melodic lines over exuberant chord changes. Giving the best sequence to a short bridge, packed with horn unisons and counterpoint, it’s Walden who, taking advantage of the recently appeared balladic tones, makes his alto saxophone cry and beseech intensely within an outstanding, repeatedly motivic post-bop language. Holding an absolute control of tempo, “Broken Leg Days” closes the session, flowing elegantly while Blade's drumming brings together simple rudiments and dynamic rhythmic accentuations.

Click here to listen to Broken Leg Days.

Brian Blade, as stylish and generous as ever, continues to persuade, and Body and Shadow is another great personal achievement that also serves to commemorate two decades of a tight musical bond.

My Favourite Tracks: Traveling Mercies, Duality and Broken Leg Days.

Click here for details.

Filipe Freitas JazzTrail

Larry Ochs Sax And Drumming Core - Wild Red Yellow

Album Released: 7th July 2017 - Label: Rogue Art - Reviewed: January 2018

Larry Ochs Wild Red Yellow

Larry Ochs (tenor & sopranino saxophones); Natsuki Tamura (trumpet); Satoko Fujii (piano, synthesizer); Scott Amendola (drums, percussion, electronics); Matthias Bossi (thunder drums; Chinese gongs, shaky flotsam, percussion); William Winant (timpani, roto-toms, percussion).

The Drum is the most basic and yet at the same time, one of the most sophisticated of instruments. What do you do with it? You hit it! Sound. Hit it! Tap it. Stroke it. One way or an other it carries the rhythm of the heartbeat. It holds loops; on beat, off beat, rolls, fills, a single shot. There are flicks and brushes on skin, heavy hands to touch-light. The beat can be eternal, the beat can be a moment struck in emphasis. Duke Ellington called one of his short epicsThe Drum Is A Woman (click here). It became a controversial title because, for sure The Duke was using the phrase to carry the humanity of rhythm, but women (and men, adult and children) should not be beaten to obtain their sound. I would suggest, the drum is an instrument that carries what we ourselves cannot hold, and therein lies its importance and fascination.

When Larry Ochs originally formed his Sax And Drumming Core, the band was a trio including current kit drummer, Scott Amendola. The focus was on the trade off between the leader’s horns and Mr Amendola’s percussion. Scott Amendola still has a central role within the Core but for Ochs the drum became so compulsive that he needed more beats than one person could produce - enter Matthias Bossi and William Winant on gongs, timpani, plus a massive collection of additional percussion. Running in parallel with all this is the fact that Larry Ochs is also one of the original members of the Rova Saxophone Quartet, formed in 1977, who could be said to have their roots in John Coltrane’s later works like Ascension and Meditations. In other words, the period when Coltrane was piling on beats through the use of double drummers and percussionists. Rashid Ali, his regular drummer, was being asked to multiply time and rhythm. The music could not stop still; it was eventually played to the backdrop of a thickening of beats. Of course the ‘twist’ is that Rova Saxophone Quartet, the band that ‘made’ Larry Ochs name, actually contains no percussion at all.

The essential premise of Wild Red Yellow is to connect drumming into the core of things. If necessary, to run so many beats in different times and combinations that it becomes possible to trade off the ‘frontline’ of Larry Ochs’ tenor and sopranino saxophones / Natsuki Tamura’s trumpet / Satoko Fujii’s keyboards into multiple directions. At any split second in the process, the direction of travel can be shredded into a number of routes at exactly the same time.

The album only has three tracks, Omenicity, A Sorcerer’s Fate and Wild Red Yellow. Of the three, Sorcerer’s is the shortest at just over nine minutes, bookended by the big beast Omenicity and the title track, both weighing in at over twenty minutes each. Already this description doesn’t need a conjurer to work out that the content of this Wild Red Yellow session is not for the faint hearted. It demands acute concentration on the part of the musicians and, if you’re going to commit to the course of events, a lot from the listener too. Can I recommend it to you? You bet you I can. Wild Red Yellow is like going on an intense fitness course at the gym. Damn hard work, not to be taken lightly, but once completed the result is a feeling of exhilaration. It’s a whole body experience – what comes through your ears is ingested and then poured through your inner system of nerve endings, muscle and mind. Jeepers! Drums are the thunder of the soul. Or at least, something like that.

Sandy Brown Jazz featured Fujii and Tamura in my November review of Satoko Fujii’s celebratory album Aspiration along with trumpet icon, Wadada Leo Smith. Here on the Ochs album Fujii plants both her synth and piano into the mix of Omenicity early. She spins the frontline for about thirty seconds before either Larry Ochs or Natsuki Tamura can bring their horns to the mouth. The three percussionists are already spreading a blanket of sound and fury. Even listening blind to vision it’s obvious there are at least three languages in action. As for Satoko Fujii, rather like the omnipresent ‘ghost in the machine’, she unleashes her own withering whine of keyboards across the soundscape as if the ears have entered Hades-Under-Heaven. Rarely does Omenicity ease the pace, just when it seems they may be applying the breaks, the whole ‘Core’ move into a new phase. About fifteen minutes in there is a massive sheet metal sound which brings down an arpeggio of piano. For a short while this internal shudder ushers in a massive dance between the innards of a grand piano and the drummers. It could be fertility; it could be death; it could be some kind of ceremonial descent into crisis. I don’t know what it is. The Sax And Drumming Core have pulled down the lights and entered into a storm of their own making. Larry Ochs dedicates this huge work to June Taymor (who directed The Lion King). Omenicity would scare Broadway Theatre. A friend of mine who knows these things, tells me June Taymor is a brave producer. Good. Omenicity is bravery personified.

Back in 2009 at the Sigüenza Jazz Festival in Spain a member of the audience called the police to investigate the fact that the Larry Ochs Sax And Drumming Core were not playing jazz. Once the law enforcement arrived, they too were mystified as to whether what was coming off the stage constituted the j-word. Sandy Brown Jazz readers will be pleased to know that the final judgement was that Larry Ochs was found to be innocent of the crime of not playing jazz. So, it’s a matter of factual accuracy that A Sorcerer’s Fate, the ‘short’ nine minute track, has official clearance to be reviewed on a ‘jazz’ website. For sure I find it a golden nugget.

In my view, Mr Ochs could present Sorcerer’s Fate to the Spanish authorities as a prima facia fact that he, and indeed the whole band, are jazz musicians. Sorcerer’s starts with a tight pulse coming off the kit drum (I think it’s Amendola), with Bossi and Winant (or maybe some other combination) whipping and whooping additional percussion on the ‘on’. Mr Ochs eases in his tenor horn, Fujii and Tamura sound like they’ve just turned up at Ronnie Scott’s and got away with it, and then Fate deals to the damned; it is obvious, the Sax And Drumming Core playing ‘jazz’ in disguise. Nonetheless the track maintains something close to the evidence required. I’d swear on its authenticity (sic).

The title track, Wild Red Yellow is another country. Essential listening. It is twenty minutes long. It takes its time. What begins as a platform so spare of clutter, utterly divorced of the big gesture yet full to the brim with creative detail, ends like it has traversed a mountain range. This is dissection of sound. The bloom of a bell ringing. The hint of synth-electricity curling on trumpet breath. Even when Ochs’ reeds come in advocating action he is somehow contained, given space, but contained nonetheless. Produce a wasted note at your peril; Wild Red but not wilful. Yellow with colour not green with envy. It is an improvisation of manners. The final result is, in its own way, a beautiful story without words and narrative. I don’t believe in perfection, but music like Wild Red Yellow makes me want to.

Finally, let’s give a mention to the sleeve notes written by master-craftsman jazz writer, Brian Morton. They are worth the cost the album. Over eight paragraphs Mr Morton sets out a hypothesis on the nature of “where does Asia” begin? A profound short speculation on the socio interrelationship between the European, the American and the ‘Asiatic’. I have not the space to devote a second ‘review’ to Morton’s concept. I’ll therefore finish by quoting a small section which conveys a morsel of what’s on offer:

“If one quality of Asian cultures sets them apart from the European/American then it is a curiosity of language. European tongues lack what might be called the ostensive case, the ability to put down “Dog” or “Tree” or “Stone”, and not imply a narrative: whose dog? in what landscape? is the dog peeing on the tree? A quality of Asian art that troubles the Western eye is that the subject floats in the picture space without context. It presents but doesn’t explain. Larry Ochs’s music is often like that, and it is like that here.”

There you have it, Wild Red Yellow floats. If I’ve provided a little context for this floating, may this not detract from Brian Morton’s fascinating premise, or an album worthy of purchase.

Click here for details.

Click here for a video of Larry Ochs Sax And Drumming Core live at The White House 2009.

Steve Day www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Peter Horsfall - Nighthawks

Album Released: 24th November 2017 - Label: APP Records - Reviewed: January 2018

Peter Horsfall Nighthawks

This CD from Peter Horsfall is the first album under his own name, a horn player with the swinging Kansas Smittys collective; he puts down his trumpet to sing lead vocals on this 10 track album. Of these, 3 are short instrumentals, two are covers and the rest are original compositions. As with other musicians, the inspiration for the project was Edward Hopper’s painting “Nighthawks”. As Horsfall states “Edward Hopper’s painting of the same name has always chimed with me. The lonely figures of the night time scene; the waiter working until the early hours, the man sat lonesome at the counter. Perhaps it is musicians who are the definitive nighthawks.”

The rest of the band comes from Horsfall’s fellow musicians in the Kansas Smittys House Band based in a bar of the same name located in Hackney, East London. They are saxophonist Giacomo Smith, pianist Joe Webb, Ferg Ireland on double bass and Pedro Segundo on drums. On track 8, Couldn’t Stop Loving You, David Archer plays guitar, and backing vocals are provided by Cherise Coryna Adams-Burnett and Renato Paris.

Click here for a video of Couldn't Stop Loving You.

The lyrics to the songs are reproduced in a booklet that accompanies the album and that has original artwork of three water colours by Cecile McLorin Salvant.

The opening title track is a fitting introduction to the ‘Nighthawks’ theme and features “breathy” vocals from Horsfall whilst the backing musicians echo the lyrics with especially good accompaniment from Smith on alto sax and Segundo on drums. The two covers are, Barry Harris’ Paradise and Duke Ellington’s Sunset & The Mockingbird which has a new lyric.

The compositions by Horsfall are: Then I Saw You, Secretly, Couldn’t Stop Loving You and This Is Goodbye. The 3 instrumental sections are entitled Interludes 1-3 and as they are interludes, they are very short, but I would have liked a touch more of these atmospheric and melancholy pieces. The closing track This Is Goodbye is also appropriately titled and the drums and double bass lend a gravitas to the finale.

Edward Hopper Nighthawks

This is not a CD that gets your foot tapping, nor is it the most uplifting, but it is different. There is a strong nightclub set feel with some of the lyrics and vocals taking you straight back to the 1930s or '50s (eg. Paradise).

Edward Hopper - Nighthawks

Horsfall’s voice is hard to categorise, some comment it is “bittersweet”, “plaintive” or gritty”, perhaps it is just unique. However, although the structure with its mix of vocals and instrumental interludes is dated in itself, there is a sense of modernising in the contemplation within the lyrics. The album title is well echoed in the desolation from the sound of the voice and lyrics which enhance the late night vibe.

Click here for details and to sample the album.

Tim Rolfe

Favourite Animals - Favourite Animals

Album Released: 4th December 2017 - Label: Luminous Label - Reviewed: January 2018

Favourite Animals album

Cath Roberts (baritone saxophone); Sam Andreae (tenor saxophone); Anton Hunter (guitar); Seth Bennett (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums); Dee Byrne (alto saxophone); Julie Kjaer (bass clarinet, flute); Tom Ward (bass clarinet, flute); Graham South (trumpet); Tullis Rennie (trombone).

When do ten Favourite Animals add up to five? Roberts, Andreae, Bennett & 2 x Hunter’s are members of Sloth Racket (see our review archive). The Racket is an improvising quintet led by baritone sax player Cath Roberts. Over the last eighteen months they have begun to re-energise the process of spontaneous jazz composition/performance in the UK. This new larger version of Sloth Racket is an exciting development. For sure if you’ve picked up on the quintet’s two previous albums Triptych and Shapeshifters you’re gonna dig this new Favourite Animals session. But even if you found those first two precious gems a little demanding I’m suggesting you may well wish to consider this latest Cath Roberts project as a new start.

Here comes the statement: Favourite Animals is a brilliantly conceived big band construct, played by musicians who tip their tones to the Brotherhead of Breath, Keith Tippett’s The Ark, with a trace of the London Jazz Composers Orchestra somewhere down in the deep end. There’s maybe even a smidgin of the great Loose Tubes in the mix. For all that lineage, it is the FA’s who are now producing a radical contemporary music which is absolutely on the money. The album was paid for by crowd funding; join the masses. Favourite Animals comes very early in the year, but it makes January 2018 worth getting into; it’s a stunner!

Track one, Confirm Or Deny is undeniably ‘big’. It steps out with a riff as huge as a dinosaur (no, this one is not extinct) and then creates space for flute/wind, reed smears to give us a whole rainforest of smaller Favourite invertebrates. And I’m glad Cath Roberts gets in early with her baritone saxophone. (Come ON, when do you get to hear a good bari exercising some discretion over proceedings?). Anton Hunter’s guitar is bleeping his own spacey descriptions alongside the reeds and brass. Plus, there’s that dinosaur riff building and fading providing a kind of compass point to the direction of travel. The Drummer-Hunter forcefully batters his kit. For a few bars it’s as if he’s joined the old Brecker Brothers. Michael and Randy would have been scrambling for the open country if they’d ever been asked to get this close to a tight corner. It’s the first track, eight minutes of creative mayhem, invention, and sheer joyous orchestrations and improv. Already I’m congratulating the good people of the LUME collective for releasing these Favourite Animals from captivity.

Click here to listen to Confirm Or Deny.

The next fabulous track is called Unspeakable – I won’t let the title get in my way, because music like this gets to the core of what improvisation in contemporary orchestras is all about (and what it isn’t). This is my interpretation, I don’t ‘speak’ for Cath Roberts or her crew. The quality of Unspeakable comes direct from the interaction of the musicians, the ‘compositional’ element is in the form not the lines. It begins with Anton Hunter’s guitar, a simple chord shaping and theme setting the scenery, his brother Johnny logging the slow, slow pace of the piece with poised percussion positioning. Everything else that is unveiled over the next eight-plus minutes grows out of these initial delicate conversational cadences. Unspeakable doesn’t stay still, it isn’t soft focus ambient ‘Eno’, neither cathartic workout; every ‘Favourite Animal’ is on message. Reeds and brass almost shudder within their detailed front-line/backdrop of orchestration. Seth Bennett’s double bass ripples underneath the other nine like he’s had private information of the direction home. A slightly extended version cries out for contemporary choreography. When it dies away, using crushed electricity coming off the Guitar-Hunter, I have to agree the performance has become Unspeakable. The word ‘Magic’, simply will not do.

Click here to listen to Unspeakable.

What follows are three contrasting tracks. Boiling Point is introduced by reeds, brass and an investigative double bass. Byrne, Roberts and Andreae’s reeds achieve every angle other than playing a straight line. They know the score (that there is no score), and the flute/bass clarinet partnership of Kjaer and Ward begin a circle dance of their own. South and Rennie’s brass come to the boil just as the reeds gradually begin to pull out some long lines of form. The Hunter brothers have also imperceptibly established contact. The Boiling Point is cooking. By the time the tentet reach thirteen minutes there is an arrival. The end is a lovely thing for sure but it’s how they got there that is the real fascination. Off-World is a different pitch and only half the length of Boiling. It is built on ‘small’ sourced sounds. The Art Ensemble of Chicago came to something close to Off-World two or three decades ago. How any improvising ensemble harbour the tiny detail in their capabilities is surely an important facet of their art. The AEoC were/are true pioneers of the longevity of maintaining a stable line-up over years, over decades, across continents, through marriages and death, in politics and out of politics, via reeds, brass, drum&bass and literally another hundred other instruments collected on the journey. May it be that twenty years from now there will be a Favourite Animals continuum that tracks their journey too. I’d suggest, it’s that important, this music. The longevity. And as such the discovery of the ‘smaller’ sounds – the scrapes and rattles, the overblows, the percussion of sax pads, the bringing together of the brittle wire in electricity, and the choices made in bringing them together give a sense of ‘fit’ to musicians and thus the music they make. It’s an Off-World. The real world.

The final track is called Shreds and there-in lies the clue. Shreds is literally conceived out of Shreds of everything that has gone before. So it begins with that Confirm Or Deny riff from track one and goes on to reference aspects of Unspeakable, Boiling Point and Off-World. By ‘shredding’ the music there is an element of re-cycling, in so doing the content has become a different thing. To my mind Shreds could be said to be a long coda seeking to reframe the ‘bandbook’ without calling any of it into question. I like the way it just ends. It just stops. No returning to the Confirm Or Deny riff, in fact not confirming or denying anything. In doing so Cath Roberts gives validity to the whole five track performance. And I like that too.

Over the last couple of years the Cath Roberts/Dee Byrne Lume Collective (as well as the Martin Archer Discus Label in Sheffield) have really made their own ‘Giant Steps’ on the UK jazz scene. The fact that none of these people figured in the ‘British Jazz Awards 2017’ should not be considered a problem unless you want to find one. Often, okay very often, that’s just how it is. It doesn’t take away from all those excellent musicians who did figure in the Awards listings. But this I know, Favourite Animals are making a ‘mindset’ change not just a musical one. In doing so they represent an immensely positive start to 2018. Stay on board for the Luminous long game. Brilliant.

Click here for details and to listen to the album.

Steve Day www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Freddy Randall And His Band - My Tiny Band Is Chosen (The Parlophone Years 1952 - 1957)

Album Released: 1st December 2017 - Label: Lake Records - Reviewed: January 2018

Freddy Randall My Tiny Band Is Chosen

Lake Records continue their retrospective collections by British jazz musicians with this compilation of tracks from trumpeter Freddy Randall and his Band. From the correspondence I receive, I know many readers have fond memories of the Freddy Randall band playing at venues such as Wood Green Jazz Club or Cooks Ferry Inn or from those who played with him such as Dave Keir and Gerry Salisbury, both who feature on this album.

As usual with Lake releases, Paul Adams has included informative liner notes, in this case looking back at the record labels that existed as the Trad boom grew in the 1940s and 1950s and how they responded to jazz. 'Parlophone on the other hand was the one label to embrace it from the word go' ..... 'Lyttelton and Randall produced two of the finest bands of the era. Freddy Randall did not achieve the fame and following Humph did, but given the number of records which were issued, they must have sold well enough to justify continuing with releases. In those days Freddy stuck doggedly to his Chicago / Condon / Spanier style: he was not frightened to use a guitar instead of a banjo and, like Humph, was prepared to use a saxophone'.

Freddy Randall was born in 1921 in Clapton, East London. At eighteen he was playing trumpet with the St Louis Four and with other bands as a sideman. After the War he led his own groups that would feature many top British jazz musicians such as Bruce Turner, Danny Moss and Brian Lemon, but he sadly gave up playing between 1958 and 1963 suffering from lung problems. He returned to the recording studio in the mid 1960s playing with Dave Shepherd and recorded for Black Lion Records in the early '70s. He passed away in 1999. at the age of 78. Click here for a full obituary for Freddy in The Independent.

In his liner notes, Paul Adams quotes Digby Fairweather as saying that Freddy played: 'in a style which varied at will from the direct punch of Muggsy Spanier to the more florid creations of Harry James and Charlie Teagarden ... his records of the 1950s period - for Parlophone's Super Rhythm Style - are great Jazz in any language'.

So here we have 24 tracks in all. 21 are from Parlophone and three 'from a very rare somewhat battered acetate and have never been issued before. In fact 'The recordings on the CD came from a variety of sources: original master tapes, 78 rpm discs, LP, EP and acetates ... the rarest sides are tracks 8, 9, and 10 (Smokey Mokes; The Sheik Of Araby and At The Jazz Band Ball) and they required the most work'. As you might guess, Paul Adams has produced the reproduction with care.

The first eleven tracks are from 1952 starting with a happy version of I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jelly Roll and Freddy takes the vocal in a line up that includes Norman Cave, Bruce Turner, Lennie Felix, Lew Green, Ted Palmer and Lennie Hastings. Dark Night Blues is an interesting track with the effects introduced in the arrangement. Opening with Lew Green's guitar the use of muted brass make this a little different to the norm. Clarinet Marmalade romps away, as you might expect, punctuated by Norman Cave's trombone and with Bruce Turner interrupting before Norman takes his solo and Ted Palmer's bass duets with Art Straddon on piano. The Original Dixieland One-Step gets your feet tapping and has a nice, extended solo from Bruce Turner. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) has a sensitive clarinet introduction with Freddy then taking the vocal and following it with a straight trumpet solo before Norman Cave's trombone enters. (I now realise that I have not given due notice in the past to Norman's playing).

Billy Banks takes the vocals on Tishomingo Blues with a line up where David Fraser on piano, Bob Coram on guitar and Ron Stone, bass, replace Art Straddon, Lew Green and Ted Palmer. Banks has a distinctive vocal style and here again Norman Cave makes himself heard. The same line up play Walking The Dog, a dance step described by Banks in his vocal. Bruce Turner's clarinet is a joy 'walking that dog, boy'! 'Do that slow drag round the hall ... drop just like a dog'. Smokey Mokes, one of the rare tracks here, has call and response with the rhythm section solidly driving the band through a great track that exudes 'happy'. The Sheik Of Araby ripples in with David Fraser's piano leading into a clear Freddy Randall trumpet solo before trombone and clarinet come out the play, and then At The Jazz Band Ball is taken fast; played this fast even the teens of the time would have had a job dancing to it! The same band line up slows down somewhat for Sunday with nice ensemble interaction and a solo from Bruce Turner before Freddy cuts in. Norman's trombone and David's piano each take us back to the ensemble. Let me mention again the solid rhythm section that ties things together well.

The next three tracks introduce a different line up from 1955. Trumpeter Dave Keir plays trombone here; Al Gay (a charming, highly respected musician I only met once and sadly never heard play live) has the clarinet; Betty Smith is on tenor sax, Harry Smith on piano and bass, and Stan Bourke has the drums. They take the title track, a derivative My Tiny Band Is Chosen, with a storming solo from Freddy Randall and a short swinging burst from Betty Smith. They follow it with Hindustan with a weaving clarinet from Al Gay before Betty solos again. Al Gay has his solo turn as does Harry Smith on piano before the ensemble drives to the finish. W.C. Handy's Memphis Blues makes use of the front line in unison and Al Gay, Freddy Randall and Harry Smith take the solos. Another band change has Pete Hodge coming in on trombone, Syd Boatman at the piano and Jack Peberdy on bass for November Blues with Freddy on muted trumpet for a call and reponse beginning. Al Gay, Pete Hodge, Betty Smith and the muted Freddy take solos on this smooth version. Ja Da has Orme Stuart on trombone and Harry Smith is back at the piano. No mute to Freddy's cutting trumpet here and Al Gay's clarinet dances lightly before trombone, bass, piano and drums solo.

Another change for the next three tracks sees Eddie Thompson on piano for a welcome version of Sugar reminding us how good these musicians were. That Da Da Strain and Ain't Misbehavin' bring more good solos to old favourites. Esox and Jealousy bring an interesting change as trumpeter Gerry Salisbury takes over on bass! Gerry told me that Freddy Randall’s one-time piano player, Mike Bryan, phoned Gerry to say that he was starting up a band to play at the United States Air Force bases throughout France. Lennie Hastings, Tony Coe, and others had signed up but Mike needed a bass player – was Gerry interested? Gerry had just two weeks to learn. Mike offered Gerry an old string bass that was at Mike’s house, and two weeks later, Gerry went to France and stayed for six months playing with the band. Esox has some good solos at differing tempos.

Which brings us to the three 'bonus' tracks. These have much the same line up as the Billy Banks tracks from 1952 but without the vocalist and with Dave Fraser on piano. Avalon, Mood Indigo and New Orleans Masquerade are from battered acetates, not from Parlophone and are previously unissued. Lake Records have done an excellent job with the reproduction and with Bruce Turner's clarinet and Bob Coram's guitar on Avalon; Freddy's trumpet and Norman Cave's trombone on Mood Indigo and the Masquerade jauntily taking us out, these are welcome 'finds'.

If you remember Freddy Randall's band, this is a compilation worth having. If you don't remember Freddy Randall, this is not only a fine introdution to the bandleader but a great reminder of some early nuggets from British musicians who should not be forgotten.

Click here for details and to sample the album.

Ian Maund

Fraser And The Alibis - Fraser & The Alibis

Album Released: 1st October 2017 - Label: Self Released - Reviewed: January 2018

Fraser and the Alibis

This eponymous debut album from Fraser & The Alibis is the result of someone's Dad suggesting the band do a recording. The group of erstwhile music students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama met at college and have been playing together for around 10 years. The band features Fraser Smith on tenor saxophone, Joe Webb on Hammond organ, Harry Sankey on guitar and Gethin Jones on drums. The album has seven tracks and lasts twenty five minutes in total.

Major influences for the band include tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, guitarist Wes Montgomery and organist Jack McDuff; all musicians who were active around the 1960s during the hard bop and soul jazz era. This style of music came into being in reaction to both the cool jazz of the 1950s and rock and roll which was rapidly gaining popularity with young audiences at the time. Hard bop is dynamic and vigorous music with roots in gospel and blues and Fraser Smith & The Alibis happily embrace this genre with gusto, Joe Webb's Hammond organ in particular evoking giants of the style such as Jimmy Smith. All of the tunes are compositions by Fraser Smith.

Fraser Smith describes the music the band play as straight ahead jazz, in other words a melody (or head) establishing a chord progression that is typically repeated each time a band member plays a solo. This approach is commonly adopted in jam sessions and at jazz clubs and pubs where perhaps a visiting soloist plays with the house rhythm section and it is enjoyed by many jazz fans, particularly when the soloists are really good. Luckily this band does have some really good musicians with a combination of instruments that provide excellent opportunities for some exciting music.

The first two tracks are classics of the straight ahead genre, entitled Dream and French Toast respectively. Both melodies have Smith's distinctive, burly saxophone providing the introduction and lively solos from saxophone, organ and guitar. The next track is a blues, called B's Blues, and is the longest track on the album; the title could indicate a link to BB King and the guitar does get the first solo. Track 4, On The Green reverts back to the original format with another strong saxophone melody and some really good solo improvisations.

Click here for a video of Fraser and the Alibis playing On The Green at Sofar, London on March 31st, 2017.

Track 5, Breakout, raises the tempo considerably with a bebop style piece, energetic drumming and solos that really demonstrate the bands skill and versatility. Tracks 6 and 7, Boogaloo Stew and The Woods return to the straight ahead style which Fraser Smith and the band are passionate about.

The straight ahead style of jazz and hard bop played by Fraser Smith & The Alibis was probably most popular in the 1960s and again from 1980s but is still enjoyed today by many and it is they who will most appreciate this album. The album transfers your local jazz club into your living room and this may be an attractive option if winter tightens its icy grip and no one fancies venturing out of the house. The band is made up of some talented, energetic musicians who are making their way in the music world playing different styles of jazz in various bands, which is confirmed on the band website where it states that the band has an unrivalled repertoire of American songbook and classic popular tunes and that they have played at over 500 private and corporate events. In view of this it is a little disappointing that the album is rather short and could perhaps have been improved with some extra tracks, maybe a ballad or two and some variations of tempo and rhythm.

Click here to listen to the complete debut album from Fraser and the Alibis.

Click here for Fraser and the Alibis' website.

Click here for our 'Tea Break' with Fraser.

Howard Lawes

Josephine Davies - Satori

Album Released: 24th February 2017 - Label: Whirlwind Recordings - Reviewed: January 2018

Josephine Davies Satori

Josephine Davies (tenor & soprano saxophones); Dave Whitford (double bass); Paul Clarvis (drums).

The inventive percussionist Paul Clarvis hasn’t crossed my path for a few years. It’s probably a matter of where I’ve been, not him. (His world’s bigger than mine.) No matter, it’s great to rattle my ears again with his take on time. Paul Clarvis smacks drumhead, rim and metal in a way that edges a band forward; like dodging dodgems. There’s something Southend-On-Sea about him. Here Mr Clarvis is in partnership with bassist Dave Whitford. A man who is so damn linear he runs a continuous line straight through this session. He could lead you into tomorrow without you realising midnight had passed the witching hour. Why, what’s on their agenda? Josephine Davies. A reeds player who is new to me. Her soprano is both strong and smooth, her tenor a feed off all those names you already know, yet she definitely has her own way of doing stuff. Dances the sound of her two horns into some very fine music. Already the Satori session could be said to have raised the game, at least in the UK.

The fact that Ms Davies has taken (what still seems like) a bold step and dispensed with ‘comping chords’ is to her credit. No piano or guitar. The Clarvis/Whitford team afford her all the clarity she needs. Satori has got to rate as a debut classic, full of fine artistry and unfettered melodic investigations, brimming over with pleasure. She name-checks Sibelius on the cover. Okay, I wouldn’t know about that. I’d checkmate Ornette and call it a day.

The opener, Insomnia is all melodic soprano, a nice taster. Then you hit this short thing called Something Small played on a new voice tenor and it seems as if the leader has just opened the windows. She might as well be reading poetry. The saxophone is singing unaccompanied for the first verse then Mr Whitford’s bass begins following her note for note, and that man Clarvis is shaking his drum kit around the pair of them as if the party’s over and they’re making their way home through deserted streets where they’ve got the whole width of the road. Josephine Davies is faintly awesome, dying a note the way Charles Lloyd used to. She lets this Something Small bleed into the third track The Tempest Prognosticator (a 19th Century leech barometer – no, I don’t know either). To my ears it begins before the other has ended. It doesn’t matter, that’s why Something Small is recorded, just play the track over and over again until you’ve convinced yourself it’s the tonic you’ve been searching for since the coming of the winter solstice. Then you can allow entry to The Prognosticator and wake up to the realisation that here is another whole composition turned into an experiment as powerful as medication. A tight bass and drum duet leads into the tenor getting turned on until it swings and races through the non-existent ‘changes’ like Jarrett or someone similar had got hold of an invisible score and was playing them in silence. I tell ya, she’s the real thing. And this trio is exactly where she should be right now. Ms Davies has been in the reeds ranks of both the Pete Hurt Orchestra and the London Jazz Orchestra. Fine, but having some space around her is definitely what’s needed.

Click here to listen to The Tempest Prognosticator.

It’s not always true that the longest cut is the deepest. But I’m going to try and make that case for Snakes. It’s not that Snakes is way ahead of the pack. This album is consistently good from the git-go. Snakes is singled out because it begins languid and loose, almost a casual slow blues pulled from the pocket; there’s Clarvis worrying the cymbals, Whitford pulling off a bass line like he borrowed it and can’t give it back, and the tenor unthreatening and late-night. But as the saxophone talks, it begins to speak of midnight’s demons and gradually unfolds into something close to Coltrane when he was still recording for Atlantic. It’s possible to position the saxophone with such a description. But it really will not do. Let’s start a new paragraph.

Click here to listen to Snakes.

This Satori album contains two takes of a composition called Paradoxy which are a straight nod to Sonny Rollins both in the title and recital, but Snakes has much bolder ambitions. Josephine manages to squeeze through the gap in mere ‘homage’. Her Snakes contain venom. It is one of four tracks on the album recorded live at the Jazz Nursery at Southwark. Listen carefully and you can hear the audience respond to this ‘snake’ (a term Evan Parker used to use for his horn). There’s a couple of other smart performances, Crisp Otter (say it fast and think of a famous America tenor player). There’s an odd time signal, a theme which spreads out and then closes in on itself. I like the fact that a dedication can both invoke another player without paraphrasing them.

The other key track is a spare twisting, circling thing called The Yips. It runs the Davies soprano very close to the territory of Jane Ira Bloom. Ms Davis allows the straight horn to sing through its full length. The sound simply takes off. And it’s here that the Clarvis/Whitford partnership becomes embedded. There’s space given to a truly creative tangled percussion/single noted duet - all brushed snare smacks and flip flicks, double bass picking a line free of borders. Yippee!

Click here to listen to Something Small.

I’m totally convinced. Josephine Davies needs to hang onto this trio. I hope to hear them again, live and on disk. Someone put the word out – DAVIES, CLARVIS, WHITFORD.

Click here for details and to sample the album.

Steve Day www.stevedaywordsandmusic.co.uk

Alan Barnes and David Newton - Ask Me Now

Album Released: January / February 2018 - Label: Woodville Records - Reviewed: January 2018

Alan Barnes and David Newton Ask Me Now

Alan Barnes and David Newton, two stalwarts of the British jazz scene, have been collaborating on various projects for 40 years. Ask Me Now is their latest joint outing and features Barnes on clarinet, and alto, soprano and baritone saxophones; and Newton on piano. Together, they elegantly work their way through eleven pieces ranging from old standards to some less familiar tunes.

The sleeve notes nonchalantly tell us that the album was “recorded ‘round Ronnie Smith’s house, Watford on 12th and 13th July 2017” and, indeed, photos of the recording session on the sleeve show microphones, musicians and instruments within the cosy domestic setting of stairs, halls and sitting rooms. This lends an appealingly intimate tone to the album, as if the musicians were performing in your own sitting room. You can almost hear them breathing – and what sounds like humming on occasion. It has to be said, though, that there is nothing home-made about the recording quality which is superb.

There is a freshness to the album which may also be partly a consequence of the recording context. Familiar tunes, like the Jerome Kern opening track, I Won’t Dance, are played as if they’d never been played before. The quality of the improvising is a factor here – both Barnes and Newton are skilled and imaginative improvisers who never allow themselves to settle into a complacent groove.

Another factor contributing to the fresh feel is the emotion which both musicians invest in their playing. Listening to Barnes’s lilting and passionate alto on I Won’t Dance, for example, is enough to convince you that, no, he won’t dance. Ever. But it is on clarinet, of which he is surely one of the modern masters, that Barnes can be at his most feeling and lyrical. On the Luiz Bonfa tune, The Gentle Rain, for example, his warm clarinet leaps and soars.

Even on baritone, which sometimes I find can be a cumbersome, rather cold instrument, Barnes hits the mood time after time – pleasantly melancholic on Billy Strayhorn’s Ballad For Very Sad And Very Tired Lotus Eaters; wistful but intense on the old standard, Little Man, You’ve Had A Busy Day; humorous and agile on the title track, Thelonious Monk’s Ask Me Now.

But this is not the Alan Barnes Show with Newton providing the accompaniment. This is a genuine collaboration with both musicians interacting beautifully, their contributions knitting together to create constantly satisfying performances. On The Gentle Rain, for example, Newton’s arpeggios mimic the sound of said rain perfectly. On Ask Me Now, Newton is just as agile and imaginative as Barnes, and both capture the Monk-like mood of the piece. The Harry Warren composition, You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me, sounds like the two musicians are having a far-reaching conversation with each other in the pub.

Barnes contributes one of his own compositions to the album: The Sun, The Sea, The Stars, And Me, originally composed for lyrics by Alan Plater. As a tune, it easily holds its own with the rest of the album, with an attractive bossa nova rhythm rendered superbly by Newton. Not to be outdone, Newton brings his own composition, Looking At You – coincidentally, another gentle bossa nova (and another memorable tune) – to the table.

The highlight of the whole album is a version of Duke Ellington’s The Mooche. Barnes plays some marvellously passionate and brooding clarinet, engaging with all the different moods and registers of the piece. Newton’s bluesy piano has touches of Ellington and Monk, but is mainly Newton. Both players manage to sound like a much bigger ensemble than a duo, locking together in a compelling performance which would surely have even impressed the Duke himself.

This album will be available on Woodville Records during January 2018 and more widely from February.

Click here for a video of Alan Barnes and David Newton playing The Song Is You in 2017 with Eryl Roberts (drums) and Ed Harrison (bass) - [Not on the album].

Click here for Alan Barnes' website. Click here for David Newton's website.

Robin Kidson

These reviews are the personal impressions/opinions of each reviewer. Where we can, we provide links to samples of the albums so that readers can make up their own minds.

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