Archive for the Jazz Category
Nick Walters “Active Imagination” (22a)
Trumpeter and composer Nick Walters returns to 22a with his second album for the label – a free and spiritual journey into avant-garde jazz! ‘Active Imagination’ is the result of the bringing together of musicians for a day in the studio, with minimal rehearsal, to collectively experiment and improvise in […]
John Carter Octet “Dauwhe” (Black Saint)
Black Saint present a reissue of John Carter Octet’s Dauwhe, originally released in 1982. Dawhe is the first chapter in John Carter’s Roots and Folklore saga. A five-part epic journey through the African American heritage conceived by the great clarinetist-composer and performed by a stellar line-up featuring Carter himself, Bobby […]
Skeleton Crew “Learn To Talk” (Red Vinyl)
ReR Vinyl present a reissue of Skeleton Crew’s Learn to Talk, originally released in 1984. A true avant-rock classic. Skeleton Crew were the maverick duo of Ex-Henry Cow guitarist Fred Frith and the great late cellist Tom Cora. Formed during one of Frith’s early American residencies, Skeleton Crew was a […]
Juju “Live At The East 1973” (Now-Again)
“Now-Again Records presents limited edition deluxe reissues of the lauded black fire catalog in 2020. First up in the series, this previously unreleased live session recorded at the legendary Brooklyn venue The East in 1973. Magical, mystical, Afrocentric, progressive — words that could be used to describe any number of […]
Eddie Harris ”Plug Me In” (Get On Down)
Saxophonist Eddie Harris – a favorite sample staple of jazz-leaning hip-hop producers of the ‘90s – was a very busy man in the 1960s, releasing albums at a brisk pace since his first as a leader in 1961. By the late ‘60s he had fully hit his stride, as both […]
Joe Armon-Jones ”Turn To Clear View” (Brownswood)
The wildly-talented keys player returns with a luminous jazz-funk masterstroke. Tipping a hat to Herbie Hancock and Mad Scientist alike! Bass-heavy dub and contemporary club culture are the foundations for Joe Armon-Jones’ phenomenal second album. Turn to Clear View builds on the celebrated keys player’s singular vision, exhibiting a sound […]
Gil Scott-Heron “We’re New Again (A Re-Imagining By Makaya McCraven)” (XL)
To mark the tenth anniversary of the release of I’m New Here, the thirteenth – and last – studio album from the legendary US musician, poet and author Gil Scott-Heron, XL Recordings will release a unique reinterpretation of the album by acclaimed US jazz musician Makaya McCraven. Titled We’re New […]
Gil Scott-Heron “I’m New Here (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition)” (XL)
In February 2010, the late, legendary musician, poet and author Gil Scott-Heron released his thirteenth, and last, studio album. First con-ceptualised in 2005, and ultimately produced by XL Recordings head Richard Russell during New York recording sessions that commenced in January 2008, I’m New Here was Scott-Heron’s first album in […]
Tony Williams “Foreign Intrigue” (Blue Note)
Drummer Tony Williams had a long, fruitful relationship with Blue Note Records starting in the 1960s when he appeared on numerous post-bop classics (Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage, Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch, Andrew Hill Point of Departure) and made his first 2 albums as a leader: Life Time (1964) and Spring (1965). After Blue Note relaunched in […]
Robert Glasper “Fuck Yo Feelings” (Loma Vista)
New mixtape album from Robert Glasper featuring like Herbie Hancock, Yasiin Bey, Denzel Curry, Mick Jenkins, Rapsody, YBN Cordae, Terrace Martin, Buddy and Bilal, amongst others.
Cortex “Troupeau Bleu” (Trad Vibe)
2019 repress, blue vinyl. Troupeau Bleu is the first and most famous album recorded by French jazz-funk legends Cortex, and it has been an obscure favorite of funky collectors for years. Reissued last in 2013 by Trad Vibe, it’s now back in stock in a final limited pressing, under official […]
Oliver Patrice Weder “OPW” (SA)
‘OPW’ is the debut album and bespoke sample library from musician and composer Oliver Patrice Weder. Oliver Patrice Weder’s unique musicality has been heavily inspired and shaped by living and travelling through different places and cultures including Brazil, Africa and the USA, as well as his experiences making a home […]
Ronald Snijders “Natural Sources” (Everland)
Some albums show you right away what kind of spirit backs them. Ronald Snijders solo debut from 1977, „Natural sources“, is one of these. It begins with a free improvised, sometimes scatting flute and while the flute goes more and more crazy some scat vocals join in to make this […]
Linda Hill “Lullaby For Linda” (Pure Pleasure)
Linda Hill recorded this LP for Nimbus West in 1981 with fellow Arkestra members, including flautist Adele Sebastian. And it’s Sebastian’s vocal duet with Hill on the spiritual jazz epic “Leland’s Song” that opens this stunning LP. Hill’s ensemble also included the serious horn player Sabir Matteen, as well as […]
Gary Bias “East 101” (Pure Pleasure)
A beautiful, dreamlike expression of spiritual jazz recorded at a time when the idiom was completely out of vogue, Gary Bias’ East 101 remains little known even by cult-classic standards, but its free-flowing approach demands attention from listeners who believe this kind of LP ceased to exist somewhere around the […]
Leon Thomas “Spirits Known And Unknown” (Pure Pleasure)
Leon Thomas’ debut solo recording after his tenure with Pharoah Sanders is a fine one. Teaming with a cast of musicians that includes bassist Cecil McBee, flutist James Spaulding, Roy Haynes, Lonnie Liston Smith, Richard Davis, and Sanders (listed here as “Little Rock”), etc. Thomas’ patented yodel is in fine […]
Les Baxter “Hell’s Belles” (Sidewalk)
BACK IN PRINT! US pressing. An exact repro vinyl reissue of the score to the AIP biker movie from 1969, adding a beaty, easy listening feel to your funk. The score’s killer track is the breakbeat classic ‘Hot Wind’!
Cleveland Eaton ”Plenty Good Eaton” (Black Jazz)
Cleveland Eaton’s super funky soul-jazz groover ‘Plenty Good Eaton’, recorded in Chicago at Curtis Mayfield’s studio in the mid-’70s, is now reissued on vinyl with reproduced artwork and labels.
Sadik Hakim “Sadik Hakim” (Return To Analogue)
Reissue of this great funky modal jazz album, originally released by Radio Canada International in 1973.
Yusef Lateef ”Other Sounds” (New Jazz)
Yusef Lateef’s 1959 hard bop masterpiece, reissued on vinyl with reproduced artwork and labels.
Thelonious Monk ”The Golden Monk” (Prestige)
This 1965 bop LP by Thelonious Monk is now back on wax as a splendid exact repro vinyl reissue.
Pete La Roca “Basra” (Blue Note)
By the time drummer Pete La Roca recorded his debut album Basra in 1965 he had already appeared on 9 Blue Note sessions as a sideman and spent time in bands led by Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. But it was another tenor titan, Joe Henderson, that La Roca brought […]
Krokofant “Q” (Rune Grammofon)
Includes CD. As David Fricke points out in his liner notes, this is not just another novelty guest-project, the Krokofant on Q is like a brand-new band. In fact, all the involved are so happy with this album that there’s more to come with a bunch of new material already […]
Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet “Voodoo” (Black Saint)
Black Saint present a reissue of Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet’s Voodoo, originally released in 1986. Voodoo shows the Sonny Clarke soulful hard bop conception as seen through the oblique perspective of a NY Downtown all-star quartet featuring John Zorn (alto sax), Wayne Horvitz (piano), Bobby Previte (drums), and legendary bassman […]