Annatta Alex Merritt Quartet (F-IRE Label) Apparently “Annatta’ is a concept drawn from the Buddhist tradition, referring to 'a moment of awakening, whereby one can come to realise the illusory nature of self.’ Alex Merritt has assembled a formidable band of musical heavyweights for this release, and includes among his avowed influences such […]
Mells Bells Sam Crockatt Sam Crockatt, tenor sax; Kit Downes, piano; Oli Hayhurst, bass; James Maddren, Drums Whirlwind Recordings – WR4681 Masterly saxist Sam Crockett’s style derives its punch and clarity from his admiration for such quintessential urbanites as Dexter Gordon, Joe Lovano, and especially Joe Henderson, but this album draws […]
Paul Kimber & Phil Merriman Duos, Duets and Duels Paul Kimber (bass), Phil Merriman (piano) Jazz Records JRCD115 Available from www.jazzrecords.co.uk Despite being pioneered by no less than Duke Ellington and his prodigious sideman Jimmy Blanton, the bass and piano duet is a rarely encountered format in jazz, or anywhere else. […]
Ken Peplowski and Alan Barnes At the Watermill (www.woodvillerecords.com) When two of the great jazz musicians get together with a stellar rhythm section, you just know that you are in for a treat and so it proves to be. Both musicians at the top of their form play tunes from Horace Silver […]
Partikel String Theory (www.whirlwindrecordings.com) This music is not simply an acoustic trio recording with an added string quartet. The strings are an integral part of the band improvisation flowing in and out of the music augmenting and sometimes leading the outstanding trio. Almost all the compositions (except Body & Soul) were written […]
Album Review Bone Idol Ashley Slater (Digital album released 1st April 2015) The term ‘Renaissance Man’ is rather over-used, but given that many of that era’s leading lights were as fond of flamboyant costume as they were of artistic multi-tasking, it could certainly be applied to Ashley Slater. Not many careers manage to […]
Album Review Caught a touch of your love Jenny Green (Album available from iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon or at one of her many gigs.) Jenny started her singing career around the Brighton area but now works from Croydon. She has selected some great songs for this cd from a wide range of composers including Burt […]
Album Review Steve Thompson: Evidence Bag (STRBCD2015) Steve is of course well known locally for being part of the superb rhythm section at Smalls Jazz Club, but he has many other strings to his bow. For this CD he has gathered around him some like minded musicians: Tim Wells on B3 Hammond […]
Jonny Hepbir Quartet: Get Rich Or Die Swingin’ Beginning with an upbeat version of Undecided, this is a chance for vocalist Sara Oschlag to show her adeptness at squeezing lots of words into a very small space. She does it brilliantly, as well as doing a great job at singing in different languages and adding […]
Paul Richards Trio: Empatia This album features a number of compositions by Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell as well as ones by João Pernambuco, one of the originators of the Brazilian chorro style, popular in Brazil in the 1920s and 1930s. There are also compositions from other South American guitarists/composers such as Argentinian Jorge […]