New Release Round-up,
Jazz New Release Round-Up - 14th April 2023
This week's new releases include some fiery abstactions for big band from Fire! Orchestra, the percussion section of Bayerisches Staatsorchester explore Latin American rhythms, and there's generous two-fer of Quincy Jones's band live in 1961. There is also a terrific mix of R&B, trip-hop and jazz on the debut album from Sharky on Tru Thoughts, and Dom Flemons mixes blues, Americana, bluegrass and folk music on his new album Traveling Wildfire on Smithsonian Folkways.
Imagine David Axelrod’s Songs of Innocence fronted by Albert Ayler, and you’re halfway to having an idea as to what to expect from this new Fire! Orchestra album. Full of imaginative twists and turns, this is an invigorating set for those after cutting-edge big band sounds, featuring outstanding turns from Mats Gustafsson, Mariam Wallentin, David Sandström, Joe McPhee, Anna Lindal, My Hellsten, Amalie Stalheim, and Josefin Runsteen.
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Celebrating its 500th birthday in 2023, the Bayerisches Staatsorchester is launching a series of albums that spotlight just how diverse their members are, starting with the percussion section’s side group, OPERcussion. Here they focus on the rhythms of Latin America, with tunes by Chick Corea, Astor Piazzólla, and a riotous rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s ‘A Night in Tunisia’. Prepared to be well and truly tangoed!
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
People Are Strange is the debut album from Sharky, an artist who animates a world of colourful surrealism with her ambiguous lyrics and distinctive vocal styling, drawing on aspects of soul and jazz, touching on trip-hop, with indie and art-rock touches as well. Moments remind me of Sneaker Pimps, albeit shot through with a live band feel.
Available Format: CD
This compilation features two Live LPs this band recorded in 1961, "The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones Live!" and "At Newport '61", plus an outtake of the latter album as a bonus track. Named by Time magazine as one of the most influential Jazz musicians of the 20th century in 1960/61 he was able to realise his greatest ambition, of keeping a large, 19-piece Big Band together for extensive tours of Europe and the United States. Among the key soloists are trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dixon and Budd Johnson on tenors, altoist Woods, trumpeter Benny Baileyand trombonist Curtis Fuller.
Available Format: CD
Having recently introduced the important Smithsonian Folkways labels to our download and streaming catalogue, it seems an opportune time to spotlight some of the new releases coming from the label. Dom Flemons has built a reputation on presenting 100 years of American roots music, but now, with Traveling Wildfire, his own songwriting prowess comes into the spotlight. Carefully selected from his personal repertoire, these original songs reveal his love of country, western, blues, Americana, bluegrass and folk music as they tell of true love, family legacy, survival, time travel, and the juxtaposition between light and dark.
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC
Matt Groom - Head of Jazz
