New Release Round-up,
Jazz New Release Round-Up, 3rd March 2022
The latest jazz releases include an eclectic piano album from Bugge Wesseltoft, jazztronica-meets-Afrobeat from Blue Lab Beats, and a new ECM quartet album from trumpeter Avishai Cohen, as well as a live set from European jazz vets Jean-Luc Ponty and Wolfgang Dauner, a release marking Emile Parisien's 10th year on ACT Music, electronic-chamber fusion from Cat Hope, and the Dave Green Trio featuring Evan Parker. And finally, an eclectic tribute to John Coltrane on Barely Breaking Even from saxophonist Sean Khan.
Pianist and Jazzland Recordings boss Bugge Wesseltoft has amassed many collaboration credits - including space-jazz rockers Rymden, Bugge and Friends, and OKWorld! - but his solo catalogue is equally impressive. This latest recording is a decidedly 'free' record for Bugge, opting to not use any pre-existing 'rules' during writing (e.g. 'no electronics', 'only solo piano', etc.), culminating in an album that's meditative as it is eccentric.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Flautist, bass guitarist and noise artist Cat Hope's new recording on Ezzthetics features performances with the new music ensemble Decibel, active since 2009, combining the sounds of acoustic chamber music and electronic sounds along with experimental usage of graphic notation.
Available Format: CD
Portuguese pianist Mário Laginha's new album on Edition Records, Jangada, is shaped by his influences ranging from jazz, classical, and African music, consisting of 11 original tracks in a trio alongside bassist Bernardo Moreira and drummer Alexandre Frazão.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
London-based jazztronica production duo Blue Lab Beats new full-length has the pair working with an all-star line up of guest features, combining electronic-laden jazz with neo-soul and Afrobeat.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Two heavyweights of European jazz play a live set together on this newly issued 2011 recording - violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, compared to Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane, and the late pianist Wolfgang Dauner, active since the early days of fusion and known for his experimental fusing of classical, rock and avant-garde music. Live at the Bern Jazz Festival 2011 was recorded in celebration of Dauner's 60th birthday, but the two didn't decide to release the recordings until many years later.
Available Format: CD
Available Format: Vinyl Record
French saxophonist Emile Parisien's new sextet recording features a half-American, half-European lineup, with US-hailing musicians being trumpeter Theo Croker, drummer Nasheet Waits, and bassist Joe Martin, while Parisien's fellow French jazzers are guitarist Manu Codjia and pianist Roberto Negro. As well as marking Parisien's 10th year on ACT Music, Louise is one of the saxophonist's most well-formed releases to date.
Available Format: CD
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen follows up 2020's Big Vicious with a new acoustic quartet record, away from the funky electric sounds of his previous album. A suite in nine parts, the record retains the spontaneity of improvised music, and has Cohen working with a tight-knit set of familiar musicians.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Invited by Jazz On 3 (BBC3) presenter/producer Jez Nelson to record a project for the show, double bassist Dave Green did him one better and brought along his trio-mates, drummer Gene Calderazzo and saxophonist Iain Dixon, as well as improvisational saxophone giant Evan Parker. The resulting set tackles not only freely improvised music, but also standards by Thelonious Monk and Billy Strayhorn.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
British saxophonist Sean Khan's new album on Barely Breaking Even (BBE) is unsurprisingly a tribute to John Coltrane, through the lens of the UK music scene - combining elements of jazz, dance, broken beat and electronica.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Available Formats: Vinyl Record, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joshua Lee - Jazz Content
