Jazz Reviews
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Bill Frisell - Valentine
21st Aug 2020
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.
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Immanuel Wilkins - Omega
14th Aug 2020
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.
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Omega
Immanuel Wilkins
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John Abercrombie - Timeless
11th Aug 2020
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.
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Hedvig Mollestad - Ekhidna
7th Aug 2020
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.
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Ekhidna
Hedvig Mollestad (guitar)
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Paul Motian Trio - It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago
7th Aug 2020
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.
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Per Oddvar Johansen - The Quiet Cormorant
31st Jul 2020
Norwegian drummer Per Oddvar Johansen’s latest record sees his trio exploring vastness and introspection with a minimal palette.
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Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book
27th Jul 2020
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.
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Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
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Bab L' Bluz - Nayda!
23rd Jul 2020
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.
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TRIO IVOIRE XX - Enchanted Forest
16th Jul 2020
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.
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Enchanted Forest
Hans Lüdemann TRIO IVOIRE XX
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Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
9th Jul 2020
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.
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Sunwatchers - Oh Yeah?
6th Jul 2020
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.
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Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown
29th Jun 2020
Josh appreciates the brilliant chemistry between vocalist Sarah Vaughan and trumpeter Clifford Brown on the singer’s eponymous record.
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Connie Han - Iron Starlet
24th Jun 2020
Steinway artist Connie Han's sophomore album, Iron Starlet, sees her confidently harkening back to the heyday of bebop piano.
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Iron Starlet
Connie Han (piano)
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The Amazing Bud Powell Volumes 1 & 2
19th Jun 2020
Matt revisits timeless recordings from the genius who defined bebop piano, Bud Powell.
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GoGo Penguin
12th Jun 2020
Josh enjoys GoGo Penguin's latest, eponymous album, marvelling at how the small details make for such a rewarding listening experience.
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The Piccolo: Tender Plays Tubby
3rd Jun 2020
Josh enjoys the latest offering from prolific London multi-instrumentalist Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne, this time a tribute to English saxophonist Tubby Hayes.
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Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
29th May 2020
Josh revisits Miles Davis's pivotal recording In a Silent Way, quieter little brother to the following year's Bitches Brew.
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Stefanie Kunckler Ymonos - Amateur
13th May 2020
Josh enjoys the heady mix of accordion, piano, and bass clarinet on Stefanie Kunkler Ymonos's Amateur, composer and double bassist Kunklers's eminently listenable second album for Unit Records.
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Amateur
Stefanie Kunckler Ymonos
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Herbie Nichols
7th May 2020
Between 1955 and 1957 pianist and composer Herbie Nichols recorded four classic albums before passing away in obscurity in 1964, leaving it to later generations to discover his true genius. Matt argues the case for placing Nichols alongside Monk in the pantheon of jazz pianists.
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Tony Kofi - Another Kind of Soul
30th Apr 2020
Matt enjoys Tony Kofi's jazz salute to the music and influence of Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley.
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Another Kind of Soul - Vinyl Edition
Tony Kofi (saxophone)
