Ambient Jazz Fusion 11.2023 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If the name Palle Mikkelborg sounds familiar to you it’s probably because of his work on Aura which turned out to be Miles Davis’ final album during his lifetime. The jazz octogenerian is still at it and this is the proof. Very much in the tradition of In a SilentContinue reading “Strands Live at the Danish Radio Concert Hall by Palle Mikkelborg / Jakob Bro / Marilyn Mazur”
Category Archives: Jazz
Earthbound Monochrome by Stian Westerhus – Teun Verbruggen
https://teunverbruggen.bandcamp.com/album/earthbound-monochrome Experimental Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ released May 5, 2023 The end of 23 is approaching and there are at least dozens of records I intended on reviewing this year that I’m just not going to be able to get around to. About two months ago I simply grew weary of writing reviews and let the blogContinue reading “Earthbound Monochrome by Stian Westerhus – Teun Verbruggen”
CIRCUMSTELLAR by Álvaro Domene & Álvaro Pérez
https://ilusorecords.bandcamp.com/album/circumstellar Jazz Fusion ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ released July 7, 2023 This is great music. Without a doubt one of the best releases so far this year. CIRCUMSTELLAR blends prog jazz and ambient and successfully pushes the boundaries of all of it. I’ll admit that when I go through the prog archives recommendations sometimesContinue reading “CIRCUMSTELLAR by Álvaro Domene & Álvaro Pérez”
Elixir | Mula Vol.3 by Pep Mula
https://underpool.bandcamp.com/album/elixir-mula-vol-3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Pep Mula’s Elixir | Mula Vol.3 enters the contemporary jazz scene with a blend of familiarity and predictability. While the album showcases Mula’s technical skills and commitment to the genre, it struggles to break free from the boundaries of generic jazz stylings. While pleasant to the ear, it lacks the creativeContinue reading “Elixir | Mula Vol.3 by Pep Mula”
Brötzmann – Bekkas – Drake Catching Ghosts
https://actrecords.bandcamp.com/album/catching-ghosts-1 Jazz Rating: World Treasure released April 28, 2023 It’s with a heavy heart that I’m writing this so soon after Brötzmann’s passing at 82 years old. He’s obviously one of the great voices and in some cases one of the most brutal in jazz. If you don’t know about him and his music theContinue reading “Brötzmann – Bekkas – Drake Catching Ghosts”
Pre-Exist /Joe Morris/Raf Vertessen/Joe Morris
https://glacialerratic.bandcamp.com/album/pre-exist-joe-morris-raf-vertessen-joe-morris ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Free Jazz released June 7, 2023 Morris decides to play bass instead of guitar on the third recording he appears on so far in 2023. I copy and paste the names of the recordings from the bandcamp page but I figure it’s actually supposed to be Pre-Exist /Joe Morris/Raf Vertessen/Will GreeneContinue reading “Pre-Exist /Joe Morris/Raf Vertessen/Joe Morris”
SPHERE – Bobo Stenson Trio
Jazz ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Release date: 17.03.2023 Very mellow. Very ECMism. Stenson actually has no writing credits on any of the nine tracks one of which is credited to Jean Sibelius. The trio take an extremely laid back approach in terms of tempo and atmosphere but the music itself delves into the atonality ofContinue reading “SPHERE – Bobo Stenson Trio”
Prism by Powers / Pulice / Rolin
https://cachedmedia.bandcamp.com/album/prism Americana Jazz Fusion ⭐️ ⭐️ released March 3, 2023 The selection of instruments is great: hammered dulcimer, guitar, and sax. There is so much potential here a the droning foundation provided by the other two musicians is certainly fertile ground to work with but Cole Pulice doesn’t do their part. The saxophone sounds likeContinue reading “Prism by Powers / Pulice / Rolin”
Zula by Jaak Sooäär, Ara Yaralyan & Markku Ounaskari
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Jazz 2023 Estonian guitarist, Jaak Sooäär, takes it easy breezy on this one. If you need a ballpark comparison he’s kind of like Chet Atkins but more cool and less country. Everything he does is ultra smooth in a very good way. He finds excellent melodic grooves to slide in andContinue reading “Zula by Jaak Sooäär, Ara Yaralyan & Markku Ounaskari”
Gift from the Trees by Mammal Hands
https://mammalhands.bandcamp.com/album/gift-from-the-trees Jazz Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ released March 31, 2023 Listening to this I wanted to place this somewhere on the musical spectrum and immediately I thought Windham Hill. Then I wanted to think what could I cross that with and I figured something on ECM would probably do but as I persused the ECMContinue reading “Gift from the Trees by Mammal Hands”
Live at Jazz Cava by Oriol Roca Trio & Lynn Cassiers
https://underpool.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-jazz-cava Genre: Avant-Garde Jazz Rating: Very Highly Recommended released February 11, 2023 Belgian jazz vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and master of electronics, Lynn Cassiers, makes avant garde singing emotionally relatable on this exceptional album. At times, there’s a scented candle lava lamp vibe which might sound like I’m implying there’s a touch of the cliche in theContinue reading “Live at Jazz Cava by Oriol Roca Trio & Lynn Cassiers”
Out Of Nowhereby John Edwards / Andrew Lisle / Dirk Serries / Colin Webster
https://rawtonkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-nowhere Genre: Improvised Music Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 Stars Dirk Serries is my favorite musician on this record and I wish he was the only one. I respect what the musicians are doing but at some point when there’s a 1000 records of a 1000 other people doing it as well or better it’s time forContinue reading “Out Of Nowhereby John Edwards / Andrew Lisle / Dirk Serries / Colin Webster”
The Infinite by nat birchall
https://natbirchallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-infinite Genre: Spiritual Jazz Rating: 🎷 🎷 🎷 🎷 🎷 5/5 stars ✨ Released on Jan 27 2023 Nat Birchall wears his Coltrane on his sleeve and to mix the metaphor he carries the torch with grace and eloquence. The Infinite is the fourth record of his where he ensures the immaculate quality of everyContinue reading “The Infinite by nat birchall”
Thandi Ntuli Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë
https://on.soundcloud.com/9M8Gx6nSJqEmbkhx6 Genre: Sophisti-pop Rating: 4/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Release Date 7 July 2022 Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë is smooth crossover South African pop jazz fusion that sounds to me as if it’s heavily influenced by both Stevie Wonder and Sade. The music constantly has a lot going on from this sevenContinue reading “Thandi Ntuli Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë”
Nduduzo Makhathini: In the Spirit of Ntu (Blue Note Africa)
Genre: Contemporary Jazz Rating: 3/5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Released May 2022 Nduduzo Makhathini is a South African jazz musician. I searched through the musicians on this release using discogs and didn’t discover much. The music is kind of in a spiritual jazz style popularized in the 1960’s. I don’t know if it’s the flavorContinue reading “Nduduzo Makhathini: In the Spirit of Ntu (Blue Note Africa)”
In Tense by Harish Raghavan
https://harishraghavan-whirlwind.bandcamp.com/album/in-tense Genre: Nu Jazz Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ released July 29, 2022 Raghaven, who has been touring and playing bass for the fantastic octogenarian jazz great Charles Lloyd (I really love the album Waves) has given us a fun and perfectly executed and very crisply produced jazz record. It reminds me ofContinue reading “In Tense by Harish Raghavan”
Micah Thomas – Piano Solo
Genre: Jazz Rating: 3/5 stars Released: September 2022 If you like solo piano and are looking for some pretty straightforward jazz this is a good record to check out. And I’m not saying this is the type of jazz that lacks an adventurous spirit. It’s not that at all. Thomas very competently navigates his wayContinue reading “Micah Thomas – Piano Solo”
Two Centuries by Qasim Naqvi / Wadada Leo Smith / Andrew Cyrille
https://redhookrecords.bandcamp.com/album/two-centuries Genre: Ambient Jazz Rating: 5/5 Stars Highest Rating released August 17, 2022 (Bandcamp) This deserves the same type of love Space 1.8 and Promises received but honest recognition is hard to come by even among jazz fans. Wadada Leo Smith is in the discussion as the greatest jazz musician still on the planet. TheContinue reading “Two Centuries by Qasim Naqvi / Wadada Leo Smith / Andrew Cyrille”
I Am the Spirit of the Earth by Igor Lumpert’s Innertextures
https://cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-spirit-of-the-earth genre: contemporary jazz released November 18, 2022 rating: highly recommended Clean Feed has clearly become the leader at regularly and reliably releasing very high quality jazz records. They’re also generous on BandCamp and keep excellent curated playlists available on Spotify. Everyone who plays on this record is intensely talented and they all have fantasticContinue reading “I Am the Spirit of the Earth by Igor Lumpert’s Innertextures”
A Muted Reality by Angles
https://cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-muted-reality Genre: Free Jazz Rating: Highly Recommended Released June 2022 This band’s 2008 release Every Woman Is A Tree is a big favorite of mine. It’s been in rotation since it came out and might be the first record to make me realize how fantastic Clean Feed is. There’s nothing better than Liberation Music OrchestraContinue reading “A Muted Reality by Angles”
No. 1 by 100-nka Gralak
Genre: Free Jazz Rating: Very Highly Recommended released July 30, 2022 Everyone and everything about this record is powerful and effective. My heart is warmed by this continuation of the greatest musical tradition ever. Honestly, I just want to say thank you for being so fucking awesome. The tracks range from mournful and spiritual toContinue reading “No. 1 by 100-nka Gralak”
Mists Of The Past by Maciej Czajkowski Trio
https://multikultiproject.bandcamp.com/album/mists-of-the-past Genre: Contemporary Jazz Rating: 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹 released on bandcamp October 24, 2022 Multikulti Project presents eight piano driven compositions by Maciej Czajkowski. Over all the feel is moody but not aggressively pushing boundaries. There’s also a very coherent feel to the record and with only a casual listen one may not realize how diverse Czajkowski’sContinue reading “Mists Of The Past by Maciej Czajkowski Trio”
Transient Signalling At A Distance by Tom Ward
https://rawtonkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/transient-signalling-at-a-distance Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 🎷 🎷 🎷 🎷 🎷 When and Where: Track 1 recorded by Tom Ward at Two Ships, The Nest, Hastings on 16th July 2022 Tracks 2,4,5 recorded by Tom Ward at SET Lewisham on 1st August 2022 Tracks 3,6 recorded by Tom Ward at SET Lewisham on 20th June 2022Continue reading “Transient Signalling At A Distance by Tom Ward”
Shabaka: Afrikan Culture
Genre: World Jazz Fusion Rating: 🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍 Released: May 2022 This masterpiece. This treasure. This thing of beauty. This is Shabaka Hutchings leaving the fraudulent world of image before substance jazz and entering the highest tier of jazz royalty. By far his best work. Makes his previous stuff sound like a joke honestly. This man whoContinue reading “Shabaka: Afrikan Culture”
Eurythmia by Eve Risser Red Desert Orchestra
https://cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/eurythmia Genre: Jazz Fusion Rating: 🌍 🇲🇱 🇵🇹 🇫🇷 🎷 released on bandcamp September 30, 2022 This is an exciting record on the fabulous Clean Feed label that features an ensemble of twelve musicians from Europe and Mali performing original compositions by French pianist, Eve Risser. Of course, Mali has a great musical tradition andContinue reading “Eurythmia by Eve Risser Red Desert Orchestra”
Warmth Highest 