Jazz Reviews
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Kit Downes, Petter Eldh & James Maddren, 'Vermillion'
11th Feb 2022
Pianist Kit Downes teams up with some familiar collaborators to explore the fertile ground of jazz piano trio music, with some eccentric twists along the way.
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Vermillion
Kit Downes, Petter Eldh & James Maddren
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Sonny Rollins, 'Saxophone Colossus'
8th Feb 2022
The highlight of Sonny Rollins' mid-50s sessions deservingly remains one of his most long-enduring recordings, as well as an essential listen of the hard bop era.
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Saxophone Colossus
Sonny Rollins
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Immanuel Wilkins, 'The 7th Hand'
4th Feb 2022
Immanuel Wilkins follows up his celebrated debut Omega with an equally ambitious project, exploring spiritual and free jazz sounds in pursuit of what the saxophonist calls 'vesselhood'.
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Mark Lockheart, 'Dreamers'
28th Jan 2022
Mark Lockheart and friends take us on a surreal trip with Dreamers, an early standout jazz album for 2022.
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Dreamers
Mark Lockheart
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Koichi Matsukaze Trio, 'At the Room 427'
21st Jan 2022
The latest in Barely Breaking Even's 'J Jazz Masterclass' series is an intimate trio set recorded in a university classroom, featuring some of the Japanese jazz scene's early free jazz experiments.
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The Bad Plus, 'These Are the Vistas'
18th Jan 2022
With contemporary rock covers and a similarly punkish attitude, These Are the Vistas was the record that put jazz trio The Bad Plus on the map.
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These Are The Vistas
The Bad Plus
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Andrea Motis, 'Colors & Shadows'
14th Jan 2022
The young trumpeter-vocalist championed by Quincy Jones joins forces with the WDR Big Band Cologne for an excellent Latin jazz-infused release.
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Nadav Berkovits, 'Waking the Heart'
7th Jan 2022
The young Jerusalem-based pianist makes his bold debut on Ubuntu Music, with a sextet of equally bright up-and-comers and solid original tunes.
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Pharoah Sanders, 'Karma'
27th Dec 2021
The saxophonist's 1969 album distilled much of the knowledge gained from his time playing with John Coltrane, furthering the sounds of avant-garde jazz to spiritual new territories.
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Karma
Pharoah Sanders
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Johnathan Blake, 'Homeward Bound'
17th Dec 2021
The American drummer debuts his new 'Pentad' quintet, featuring young rising stars Joel Ross and Immanuel Wilkins, on a set of inspired originals.
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Homeward Bound
Johnathan Blake
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Bill Charlap Trio, 'Street of Dreams'
10th Dec 2021
Bill Charlap and his long-standing trio swing their way through a selection of American Songbook tunes, including charts from Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, and Kenny Burrell. Unmissable for fans of straight-ahead piano trio jazz.
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Makaya McCraven, 'Deciphering the Message'
3rd Dec 2021
Drummer and bandleader Makaya McCraven creatively samples recordings from Blue Note's vast catalogue, combining recordings by Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter and more with contributions from contemporary artists.
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Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory, 'Arashi No Ato (After the Storm)'
26th Nov 2021
The London-based trumpeter's Banger Factory imprint bridges the gap between the generations in the city's jazz scene, flagging both the band and Kavuma himself as ones to watch. Essential listening for lovers of classic bebop-styled jazz.
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Arashi No Ato (After the Storm)
Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory
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Petter Eldh, 'Projekt Drums Vol. 1'
19th Nov 2021
The Swedish-born, Berlin-residing bass player indulges in his love of hip-hop, funk, and beats on a drums-focussed project featuring an all-star cast of percussionists.
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Projekt Drums Vol. 1
Petter Eldh
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Kate McGarry, 'What to Wear in the Dark'
12th Nov 2021
Kate McGarry presents a moving selection of twilight songs, drawing generously from the rock and pop canon of the 70s. With an all-star backing band led by guitarist Keith Ganz, What to Wear in the Dark is a timely reminder of how sensitive, yet adventurous, an interpreter McGarry has become.
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Tenderlonious, 'Still Flute'
5th Nov 2021
Multi-instrumentalist and music producer Ed Cawthorne returns to the sounds of 2016's On Flute, with the well-suited combo of improvised flute and moody electronic beats.
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Eivind Aarset 4tet, 'Phantasmagoria, or A Different Kind of Journey'
29th Oct 2021
On his ninth full-length record, Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset combines influences from ambient music, Nordic jazz and hard rock to spellbinding effect.
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Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucía - Friday Night in San Francisco
26th Oct 2021
Matt wishes he could be transported back to The Warfield Theatre, 5 December, 1980, as he looks back on one of his favourite records, Friday Night in San Francisco, featuring three of the great guitar maestros on top of their game, making for a breath-taking live record.
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Esperanza Spalding - Songwrights Apothecary Lab
22nd Oct 2021
The renowned bassist-vocalist flexes her songwriting chops with twelve diverse pieces, realised with a laboratory of interchanging collaborators.
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Songwrights Apothecary Lab
Esperanza Spalding
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BADBADNOTGOOD, 'Talk Memory'
15th Oct 2021
The Canadian trio's latest album sees them embracing their jazz roots through improvisation. With a handful of guest appearances and bold, dynamic compositions, Talk Memory is one of the most exciting BADBADNOTGOOD releases to date.
