New Release Round-up,
Jazz Hi-Res Round-Up - 17th December 2020
For this week’s round-up, we’ll be taking a look at some recent releases to our hi-res downloads. A true solo album - in every sense of the word - from saxophonist Chris Potter kicks off our list with some funky originals soundtracking the turmoil of the United States in mid-2020. Nels Cline’s improvisation band releases their third Blue Note album of free jams, and Norwegian singer-songwriter Rebekka Bakken’s Winter Nights is a cosy yet chilling album for the holiday season. Karin Nakagawa leads a koto-led jazz trio, blending Japanese folk tradition with modern jazz. London jazz trio GoGo Penguin release their live set from Abbey Road’s Studio 2, and our final album is a record of folk-tinged free improvisation from Norwegian label Hubro.
Chris Potter’s latest studio album is a solo project in every sense of the word; the eminent saxophonist plays every instrument on the album - drums, guitars, woodwinds, as well as his usual horn, of course. His process began back in May of this year, only taking a little over a month to complete the album with all the spare time he’d been awarded. Besides the impressive array of performances on the album, the tunes themselves have plenty of groove to them, while also being well arranged. While the pre-written, solo-recorded tunes obviously don’t have the same improvisational energy to them, it stands as a testament to Potter’s songwriting chops that he’s managed to pull together a handful of compelling tunes himself. A reflection of the chaotic times his native United States found themselves in during the middle of this year, one of Potter’s quickest turnaround times on an album has yielded some of his best work.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Share the Wealth is Nels Cline’s third recording on Blue Note with his Nels Cline “Singers”, what originally began as a trio is now an ensemble consisting of Cline himself on guitar, saxophonist Eric Walton, bassist Trevor Dunn, drummer Scott Amendola and percussionist Cyro Baptista. The recordings themselves are the fruits of some jamming sessions Cline and the band held before they’d even played a live show together. The result is some equally unpredictable and melodic music that continues to bring some edge to the modern Blue Note catalogue. Besides hi-res download, this record is also available as a CD.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Here’s something for the holiday season. Norwegian singer-songwriter Rebekka Bakken’s new record on CD and hi-res download, Winter Nights is as the title suggests a collection of interpretations of Christmas songs and carols. A solemn, crooning take on ‘Last Christmas’ marks the first cover song of the album, and much of the rest of the tunes on the album take these warm Christmas songs and grants them a chilling, tender touch.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
This album is primarily a project of koto player and vocalist Karin Nakagawa, alongside German saxophonist Hans Tutzer and Italian bass player Paolino Dalla Porta. While the album itself is labelled ‘contemporary jazz’, the sound of the koto itself lends it a more distinctive quality, instantly colouring it with the unique sound of the Japanese stringed instrument. The album opens with ‘Kokiriko Bushi’, a folk song described as one of the oldest in Japan, with the rest of the album mostly authored by Nakagawa, her two accompanists also contributing a couple of tunes. With Nakagawa also performing traditional Japanese vocals on tracks like ‘Utsuroi’, the resulting record is an eclectic mix of folk-infused jazz.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Playing tracks from this year’s self-titled album and a handful of past records, London jazz trio GoGo Penguin’s latest recording is a recent live performance from Abbey Road’s own Studio 2, the very same room graced by The Beatles. The intimacy and precision of the minimalist piano trio setup makes for some great listening in such a well-treated space, though the trio’s signature electronic experimentalism also makes for some welcome change, too.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Guitarist Jo David Meyer Lysne and bassist Mats Eilertsen’s collaborative album on Hubro is both chilling improvisation and relaxing ambient. The blurb for this record namedrops Brian Eno and Terry Riley as key inspirations, and it’s definitely apparent in the record’s atmospheric characteristics. Otherworldly sounds rub up against grounded textures of acoustic guitar and bass, and despite the two’s virtuosity with their instruments, you'll hardly hear a ‘traditional’ sound coming from either musician, save for Lysne’s calming folk guitar.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joshua Lee - Jazz Content
