Jazz Reviews
-
Trio of Doom
24th Sep 2020by Joshua Lee
Jaco Pastorius, Tony Williams and John McLaughlin's incredibly short-lived collaboration, Trio of Doom, was almost too good to be true. The sole commercial recording of this trio of amazing musicians makes for both a great listen and an intriguing snapshot of a week in each player's lives.
-
Rymden - Space Sailors
18th Sep 2020by Joshua Lee
A trio of Scandinavian jazz heavyweights set a course for the stars on Space Sailors, embracing the sounds of psychedelia and krautrock along the way.
-
Chick Corea - Plays
11th Sep 2020by Matt Groom
Chick Corea brings a lifetime of musical influences, and elements of game playing, to these brilliant live recordings, with the audience very much part of the act.
-
Jan Garbarek-Bobo Stenson Quartet - Witchi-Tai-To
11th Sep 2020by Joshua Lee
With a varied repertoire and unmatched chemistry, Witchi-Tai-To is one of the landmark releases of both the ECM sound and 'Nordic tone', as well as one of Garbarek's favourites of his catalogue.
-
Nubya Garcia - Source
4th Sep 2020by Joshua Lee
The term ‘rising star’ gets thrown around a lot in modern jazz music, but Nubya Garcia's long-awaited debut album is a testament to the praise she's garnered on her rise to prominence on the UK circuit.
-
Lester Young and the Kansas City Six
4th Sep 2020by Matt Groom
Nat Hentoff said the Kansas City Six sessions would be the record he'd rescue if his building was on fire... 80 years on they're still worth the risk.
-
Gregory Porter - All Rise
28th Aug 2020by Joshua Lee
Gregory Porter's latest studio album is his most celebratory yet. Returning listeners will no doubt appreciate the allusions to past successes like Take Me to the Alley and Liquid Spirit, while this lush new studio orchestra and powerful songs will delight new and old fans alike.
-
Bill Frisell - Valentine
21st Aug 2020by Joshua Lee
Bill Frisell's new record gives us the most succinct version of the veteran guitarist's recent sound to date, in a stripped-down trio format. However, there's still plenty to enjoy with this familiar sound.
-
Immanuel Wilkins - Omega
14th Aug 2020by Joshua Lee
Omega is both a bold and personal statement for the young saxophonist, backed by a trio of accomplished up-and-coming players on his debut record.
-
John Abercrombie - Timeless
11th Aug 2020by Matt Groom
John Abercrombie's debut put the guitarist in the company of Jan Hammer and Jack DeJohnette for a sequence of contrasting mood pieces, from the fiery to the ethereal, and helped cement the ECM sound.
-
Hedvig Mollestad - Ekhidna
7th Aug 2020by Joshua Lee
Hedvig Mollestad’s latest studio offering is jazz-rock fusion, with an emphasis on the rock. With a selection of dynamic pieces and fierce energy, there’s both awesome riffs and deep complexity to be found in Mollestad’s music.
-
Paul Motian Trio - It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago
7th Aug 2020by Joshua Lee
Paul Motian’s seminal trio record with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano showcased the key components of Motian’s classic quintet with some forward-thinking twilit jazz, proving to be one of the most important releases of all the trio’s careers.
-
Per Oddvar Johansen - The Quiet Cormorant
31st Jul 2020by Joshua Lee
Norwegian drummer Per Oddvar Johansen’s latest record sees his trio exploring vastness and introspection with a minimal palette.
-
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book
27th Jul 2020by Joshua Lee
Ella Fitzgerald’s take on classic Cole Porter tunes served not only as the beginning of the now-legendary Verve Records, but a springboard for the singer that reinvigorated her mid-career.
-
Bab L' Bluz - Nayda!
23rd Jul 2020by Matt Groom
One of the most thrilling releases to pass across our desks in recent months, in any genre, Bab L' Bluz's Nayda! is the sound of Morocco's youth reclaiming their heritage, powered by a love of the blues.
-
TRIO IVOIRE XX - Enchanted Forest
16th Jul 2020by Joshua Lee
Trio Ivoire's twentieth anniversary record is a celebration of their well-honed fusion of West African music and European jazz, with new guest collaborators and intriguing arrangements to boot.
-
Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
9th Jul 2020by Joshua Lee
Herbie Hancock's nautical concept album remains some of the eminent pianist and composer's most enduring work from his early period, a culmination of his time spent with Miles Davis and honing his sound on the prestigious Blue Note label.
-
Sunwatchers - Oh Yeah?
6th Jul 2020by Matt Groom
On their fourth album New York’s Sunwatchers deliver an exhilarating blend of jazz and psychedelia, infused with the rough-and-ready spirit of a hootenanny, through a deceptively tight set of paeans to freedom.
-
Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown
29th Jun 2020by Joshua Lee
Josh appreciates the brilliant chemistry between vocalist Sarah Vaughan and trumpeter Clifford Brown on the singer’s eponymous record.
-
Connie Han - Iron Starlet
24th Jun 2020by Joshua Lee
Steinway artist Connie Han's sophomore album, Iron Starlet, sees her confidently harkening back to the heyday of bebop piano.