Rosie Turton Rosie’s 5ive (Jazz Re:freshed) Rosie Turton is firmly embedded in the South London scene that’s burst into prominence in the last 18 months; her regular gig as a member of Nérija placed her alongside the movement’s star players Nubya Garcia and Cassie Kinoshi, and this release marks another in the second wave of […]
Woody Shaw Tokyo ‘81 (Elemental CD 5990 429) Live in Bremen 1983 (Elemental CD 5990 430) Two beautifully presented albums from Elemental celebrating the remarkable talent of trumpeter Woody Shaw, who died far too young, and the pianist Mulgrew Miller, who never quite fulfilled the career expectations which his first recordings promised. Both are superbly […]
Thelonious Monk Mønk (Gearbox CD 1841) Live recordings are a precious part of any Jazz collection. If the recording quality is good and the performance outstanding you have a gem to treasure. This session in Copenhagen in 1963 certainly deserves that description. I heard this quartet at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester in […]
Dexter Gordon Quartet Tokyo 1975 (Elemental 5990428) Espace Cardin 1977 (Elemental 5990431) Two beautifully packaged CDs from Elemental these are in fact ‘discoveries’ – concert recordings not previously issued. Unfortunately there are many examples of Dexter available, so do they have any special interest? During his 15 years in Copenhagen Dexter acquired an A-list […]
Gabrielle Ducomble Across the Bridge (MPG Records – mpgcd020) Ducomble studied jazz at Guildhall; previous releases featuring the likes of Gilad Atzmon and Chris Garrick have established her on the UK jazz circuit, and she’s appeared alongside Jacqui Dankworth and Tina May as part of the Jazz Diva series, and as part of Georgia […]
Elliot Deutsch Make Big Band Great Again (self-release) Although in some quarters, jazz has been regarded as a subversive form of music, big band music has not been considered as a vehicle for protest. Until now. When he started to write this album, Elliot’s original plan was to pay tribute to his hometown, […]
Lorraine Baker’s Eden Spark! (Spark006) Here’s something new – a young drummer leading a tribute to veteran New Orleans sticksman Ed Blackwell, with a band that features streetwise new-thing iconoclast Binker Golding alongside long-established, critically acclaimed pianist and mentor Liam Noble, with feisty newcomer Paul Michael providing tough, imagnative basslines and credited with key […]
Hexagonal McCoy & Mseleku (Hexagonal Records – HRCD101) John Donaldson’s piano style – dynamic, exciting, heavy with dense left hand chording and furious pentatonic runs – has drawn comparisons with that of McCoy Tyner, and he worked extensively with maverick South African pianist/composer Mseleku before the latter’s untimely death. Ensconced in his Hastings stronghold, […]
Camilla George The People Could Fly (Ubuntu UBU0015) Saxophonist Camilla George, who released her acclaimed debut album Isang early last year, often surrounds herself with musicians of a similar high calibre; pianist Sarah Tandy and bassist Daniel Casimir are regulars in her quartet. Likewise, for her new album the opening track, Tappin the Land […]
Joel Lyssarides Dreamer (Naxos PCD178) Peering out from the corner of the rich musical tapestry of Scandinavia, we encounter Swedish-born pianist and composer Joel Lyssarides and the release of his debut album The Dreamer, an interesting work with unique influences making themselves present on this album. While we do get an occasional glimpse […]