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Best Albums of December 2024 Playlist
Pray For Me (Single)
SAULT
Released 20 December 2024
Forever Loving Originals
****-
Once more, the Cleo Sol / SAULT / Inflo collective delivers a timeless soul classic - this time, perfectly poised as counterpoint to schmaltzy seasonal playlists.
As usual, the devastating combination of sublime production and inspirational lyrics is irresistible, as Team SAULT's numerous influences (gospel, Afro-beats, soul, disco) inform every syllable and bar, as they combine to create a whole that is instantly recognisable and unique.
"You were my life / You were my world / Good things take time / They seem to have to burn / You were my stress / I give you my heart / Your lesson to the world / Is to never give up / Pray for me ..." sings Cleo, her impeccable vocal choices elevating loving words to near sacred levels.
Although they delivered only one performance (with a short shelf-life recording) in 2024, SAULT has given us ten albums since May 2019, all of sublime quality. If there's more to come in 2025 we will be blessed. If not, we could do worse than to return regularly to those recordings that we have already received.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Motion 1
OUTOF/INTO
Released 6 December 2024
Blue Note Records
****-
The program is consummate post-bop, shot through with elements of the avant-garde — a thrilling combination that often evokes the most arresting Blue Note LPs of the 1960s.
Out Of/Into, the all-star collective that began its life earlier this year as the Blue Note Quintet in celebration of the label’s 85th anniversary, is a profound embodiment of the label’s ethos, presenting state-of-the-art music and musicians while also honoring Blue Note’s impossibly rich legacy.
Even the group’s name speaks to this concept of moving ever forward while remaining reverent of the masters who’ve come before. “‘Out Of/Into’ reflects the evolution of the Blue Note story, and of our sound,” says drummer Kendrick Scott.
In fact, Out Of/Into—which also features pianist and musical director Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, and bassist Matt Brewer—represents the latest evolution of one of Blue Note’s most enduring traditions.
Motion I (is) an inspired set presenting seven original works by the band members that was captured in the midst of the group’s marathon tour of 2024, a momentous celebration of Blue Note’s 85th anniversary. All of these compositions are brilliant vehicles for improvisation that were thoroughly explored and developed during nearly 40 live engagements at some of the nation’s finest concert halls.
Read more ... Blue Note
FIELDNOTES: COMPLETE
EGO ELLA MAY
Released 6 December 2024
****-
Fieldnotes refer to qualitative notes recorded by scientists or researchers in the course of field research, during or after their observation of a specific organism or phenomenon they are studying.
... Fieldnotes allow the researcher to access the subject and record what they observe in an unobtrusive manner.'
"Fieldnotes: Complete is the concluding release in a series that commenced with Fieldnotes PT I, PT II and PT III, which were released in October 2021, March 20 and November 2023 respectively.
In her Bandcamp entry for the compilation, Ego Ella May writes:
PART I: These 4 songs were written in lockdown and became my findings about myself during such a weird and confusing time. I was observing what was going on, and writing about it for my own sanity and as usually these songs helped me to understand myself a lot better and cope with what was going on. This EP is the first in the series of releases coming over the following months.
PART II (the love edition!)
I wrote part 2 of this project about my observations on my cycles in love. The songs are in order of how things seem to go for me...
PART III: This is the 3rd & final part of the FIELDNOTES project that I started in lockdown (🤯) & so much has changed; so many lessons have been learnt & put into this music, but the best part is that I’ve been lucky enough to work with my friends on this project. I’ve co-produced the songs & I’m incredibly proud of that 🥰
It’s about coming back to yourself time & time again, it’s about love, it’s about growth pains, & it’s about listening to your inner voice. God speaks in whispers.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Woodland
GILIAN WELCH, DAVID RAWLINGS
Released 23 August 2024
Acoy Records
****-
And what a welcome return it is. Made in the wake of a tornado that nearly devastated their studio, its redemptive undertones are hard to miss. Musically, it is one of their densest releases, featuring an occasional rhythm section, pedal steel, fiddle, and full string arrangements on a handful of cuts.
Named after the Nashville studio they've co-owned since 2002, Woodland is the second record credited to both Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, though their ongoing partnership dates back three decades and is recognized and assumed by their fans and peers. Since debuting in the late '90s with two critically admired label releases, they have at every turn cut their own path, bucking industry norms, avoiding Americana tropes, and approaching both their music and business ethics with a staunch individualism. After three previous nominations, they were awarded a Best Folk Album Grammy for It was an extremely casual and stripped-down set -- just the two of them singing and playing guitar -- that they self-recorded and released on their Acony imprint in the early part of the COVID-19 lockdowns. It was also the first time they shared co-billing, which at this point is more or less a technicality.
Woodland has the same sense of restraint and tasteful nuance that characterizes all the music they've made together.
Welch and Rawlings are not household names, yet they are influential artists who command a great deal of respect and admiration in their field. Woodland continues their mastery of earthy country-folk songwriting that nods to tradition but is ultimately timeless and deeply human.
Read more ... AllMusic
Todos Nacen Gritando
ST. VINCENT
Released 11 October 2024
****-
"After much rewriting and re-singing every vocal track on the album, the result is Todos Nacen Gritando, equal parts labor of love and tribute to the people who inspired it.”
Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) explains that the inspiration behind Todos Nacen Gritando, a Spanish version of her wildly acclaimed All Born Screaming album:
“The origins of Todos Nacen Gritando can be traced back to some of the most memorable shows I’ve ever played, in Mexico, South America and recently Primavera Barcelona in 2023. Though separated by time and geography, and across a diverse range of settings and venues, these crowds were united in their passion — singing every word to every song in perfect English. It was truly inspiring.
“Eventually, I asked myself: If they can sing along in a second or third language, why can’t I meet them halfway?
Todos Nacen Gritando features St. Vincent’s fiery new vocal tracks atop the foundation of the satisfyingly urgent original album, as recorded with the stellar roster of Rachel Eckroth, Josh Freese, Dave Grohl, Mark Guiliana, Cate Le Bon, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Stella Mogzawa and David Ralicke — and produced by St. Vincent and mixed by Cian Riordan.
Read more ... PrestoMusic
gratitude
CASSIE KINOSHI, SEED
Released 22 March 2024
International Anthem
****-
Kinoshi wields the power of a large ensemble to convey nuanced human emotion.
In March of 2023 composer, arranger & alto saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi premiered a commissioned suite of music in front of a sold out crowd at London’s Southbank Centre. She wrote the piece – gratitude – for her flagship large ensemble seed., in a special augmented formation that also featured turntablist NikNak and the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO).
Followers of UK Jazz know Kinoshi from her previous work with seed. (including the Mercury Prize-nominated album Driftglass, released by jazz re:freshed in 2019), or as a former member of Kokoroko. But her compositional résumé also extends deeply into orchestral work for concert hall, contemporary dance, film, visual art, and theatre, with high profile collaborators including London Sinfonietta, Philharmonia Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. That depth of experience is on full display on gratitude, with the textural and dynamic flexibility of her large ensemble covering musical ground from groove-focused modal melancholia to anthemic brass and string themes. Striking upon first listen and even richer on repeat visits, gratitude scores the soul of contemporary Black London with philharmonic craftwork in the tradition of legendary jazz arrangers like Mary Lou Williams, Oliver Nelson, and Carla Bley.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Open Me,
A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit
KAHILEL ZABAR'S
ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE
Released 8 March 2024
Spiritmuse Records
****-
As a milestone anniversary celebration and a statement of future intent, Open Me effortlessly carries El’Zabar’s healing vision of Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit.
This is the new offering from Kahil El’Zabar and his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, in conjunction with the legendary group’s 50th anniversary, Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit.
Open Me is a joyous honoring of portent new directions of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; it’s a visionary journey into deep roots and future routes, channeling traditions old and new. It mixes El’Zabar’s original compositions with timeless classics by Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and Eugene McDaniels. Thus, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble continues affirming their indelible, half-century presence within the continuum of Great Black Music.
For Open Me, El’Zabar has chosen to push the sound of the EHE in a new direction by adding string instruments — cello, played by Ishmael Ali, and violin/viola played by James Sanders. The addition of strings opens new textural resonances and timbral dimensions in the Ensemble’s sound, linking the work to the tradition of improvising violin and cello from Ray Nance to Billy Bang, Leroy Jenkins, and Abdul Wadud.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Hamstrings & Hurricanes
JOE WEBB
Released 25 October 2024
****-
The Joe Webb Trio’s ability to amalgamate the old and the new has garnered them a deserved reputation for pushing the boundaries of jazz while respecting its rich heritage.
Following the release of the acclaimed EPs Collblanc and SET during early 2024, Joe Webb releases his much-anticipated full-length album Hamstrings & Hurricanes, featuring the formidable talents of Will Sach on bass and Sam Jesson on drums.
This album more than confirms the trio’s early promise and elevates them to a unique location in the modern jazz landscape.
Joe Webb is an extraordinarily gifted pianist and improviser who, taking inspiration from the flavour of 90’s Brit-pop and adding references to his Welsh cultural roots, seamlessly blends traditional jazz with contemporary flair. His innovative approach breathes new life into classic jazz idioms, creating a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly original.
Hamstrings & Hurricanes, released on Edition Records, continues this bold exploration. The album is a continuous soundscape, weaving together live elements, absorbing trio improvisations, and spontaneous moments of creativity. With super fans such as Jools Holland, Jamie Cullum, and Gilles Peterson, Joe Webb is perfectly positioned to burst onto the international scene as one of the most respected musicians of his generation.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Cereal Music
WILLIAM PARKER, ELLEN CHRISTI
Released 28 June 2024
AUM Fidelity
****-
A heartfelt beautiful effort, bassist William Parker and vocalist and composer Ellen Christi’s Cereal Music will warm your soul.
Parker, an acknowledged bass virtuoso and an accomplished performer on bamboo flutes, shakuhachi, flute, and double reeds, combines these instruments with Christi’s compositions and vocals to create an evocative and fascinating backdrop for his poetry. And what sublime poetry it is!
Behind the text, the music often evokes urban environments, the subconscious, and spirituals. Parker’s bass lines are prominent in many of the numbers, with bowing and string plucking in a graceful, poignant manner. And Parker’s gliding butterfly flute work greets the listener on the opening of “Sonny” – maybe the most sonically complex work on the album.
Christi’s strong yet graceful vocals add just the right touch of soulful earnestness to the tunes, and her production throughout the album provides sweet dissonance – trombones, trumpets, orchestration, percussion, saxophones, bird tweets, all wander in and out of the music and sometimes take over (check out the syncopation Christi offers up on “Touring” and “Batala”).
Cereal Music emphasizes the maxim that music can add beauty to even the bleakest landscape or moment in space time. Perhaps that is the message that wraps around this album like a sky-blue hopeful ribbon. Perhaps that is what is meant by “inside the rainbow.”
Read more ... The Free Jazz Collective
dessus oben alto up
ANDREA BELFI, JULES REIDY
Released 8 November 2024
Marionette
****-
The pair (with Marco Anulli manning the desk) have conjured up four expansive pieces where the beautifully recorded percussive clarity of Belfi’s drums threads through a sparkling haze of guitars and electronics.
Dessus oben alto up is the first collaborative recording by Andrea Belfi and Jules Reidy. Hailing from different ends of the globe (Australia and Italy) but both longtime residents of Berlin, Reidy and Belfi’s approaches have much in common, bringing together compositional precision and electroacoustic rigour with improvisation freedom, the immediate gratifications of rhythmic pulse, and an overtly lyrical sensibility.
Working together during a residency at the sound studio of Berlin’s Callie’s, an arts institution housed in a 19th century machine factory,
Read more ... Bandcamp
Omar Sosa's
88 Well-Tuned Drums
ONAR SOSA
Released 1 November 2024
****-
Presented on white vinyl, these newly-remastered tracks highlight Sosa's spectacular range, from soloist to big band leader and everything in between.
Composer, pianist, and bandleader Omar Sosa’s musical trajectory traces the Diaspora from Africa to Cuba and Brazil; from Central America to Ecuador’s African-descent communities; from San Francisco and New York to his current home base in Barcelona. True to his Afro-Cuban origins, Sosa fashions a spirited vision of uncompromising artistic generosity that embraces humanity at large.
Omar Sosa's 88 Well-Tuned Drums , the soundtrack to the documentary film of the same name, is the first vinyl LP release for multiple-GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer Omar Sosa.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Modo Avião
(Airplane Mode)
CAIXA CUBO
Released 15 November 2024
****-
A sublime expedition from Brazil to the sky, “Modo Avião” (Airplane Mode) sees São Paulo based trio Caixa Cubo jet further forth from the lineage of Brazilian instrumental music.
Following in the footsteps of heroes like Azymuth, Antonio Adolfo, Cesar Mariano and Marcos Resende, with the tried and tested trifecta of synthesizers, bass and drums, Caixa Cubo have carved out their own idiosyncratic ideal of golden-era Brazilian jazz-funk and samba-jazz.
Presenting a contemporary reimagining of Brazilian grooves from the 1970s, Modo Avião marks an evolution for Caixa Cubo’s music which delves deeper into the tradition of Brazilian instrumental music, while continuing to develop its rhythmic and harmonic possibilities. Utilising an extensive understanding of Brazilian music history and Brazilian rhythm in particular, the group explore the seemingly endless possibilities of fusing carnaval marches, frevo and Baião, with jazz, MPB and funk.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Be-sides and Rarities
SO.Crates
Released 29 November 2024
SO.Crates
****-
As a milestone anniversary celebration and a statement of future intent, Open Me effortlessly carries El’Zabar’s healing vision of Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit.
This is the new offering from Kahil El’Zabar and his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, in conjunction with the legendary group’s 50th anniversary, Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit.
Open Me is a joyous honoring of portent new directions of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; it’s a visionary journey into deep roots and future routes, channeling traditions old and new. It mixes El’Zabar’s original compositions with timeless classics by Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and Eugene McDaniels. Thus, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble continues affirming their indelible, half-century presence within the continuum of Great Black Music.
For Open Me, El’Zabar has chosen to push the sound of the EHE in a new direction by adding string instruments — cello, played by Ishmael Ali, and violin/viola played by James Sanders. The addition of strings opens new textural resonances and timbral dimensions in the Ensemble’s sound, linking the work to the tradition of improvising violin and cello from Ray Nance to Billy Bang, Leroy Jenkins, and Abdul Wadud.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Ripple On The Wing
ELLA THOMPSON
Released 15 November 2024
****-
Ripple on the Wing is a warm, immediate & honest record, a group of friends recording live in a room together.
Ella Thompson’s new record Ripple on the Wing is a soaring 10 song collection - a sweet and spooky modern take on classic soul music. With echoes of 1960’s lowrider love songs and haunting cinematic arrangements; Ella sings songs of personal empowerment & self-realisation alongside classic themes of love & longing.
Backed by an impeccable band featuring members of Surprise Chef with other Melbourne soul luminaries; Ripple on the Wing’s production palette is an intoxicating blend of the acoustic & amplified - with harpsichord, piano & flute melding with classic funky drums, organ, guitar along with those sweet vocal harmony singalong ‘oohs & ahhhs’ that make everything alright.
Inspired by icons like Australian soul pioneer Renee Geyer & groups like The Shangri-La’s (as well as contemporary soul artists like Thee Sacred Souls and Baby Rose), Ella’s songwriting draws on poetry, philosophy and personal experience to inform her lyrics.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Synchronicities
INKSWELL
Released 29 November 2024
Compost Records
****-
This album is a dazzling fusion of broken beat, house, modern soul, and hip-hop - each track a brushstroke on a canvas where past, present, and future collide.
Like a kaleidoscope of urban rhythms and soulful tones, "Synchronicities" is an electrifying conversation between the deeply rooted grooves of Inkswel and the heartfelt vocal mastery of Andre Espeut.
Andre Espeut’s voice is a powerhouse of narrative and emotion, channeling the lineage of legends like Leroy Burgess and Ron Trent while carving a space uniquely his own. His storytelling on tracks like "Street Soul" and "Yesterdays Gone" is at once raw and poetic, blending vulnerability with undeniable swagger. Meanwhile, Inkswel’s production is a symphony of textures - crunchy drum machines, warm basslines, and shimmering synths weave an intricate tapestry that blurs the boundaries between the club and the cosmos.
Released by Compost Records, a label known for championing boundary-pushing sounds, "Synchronicities" is both a celebration and a challenge. It dares listeners to find their groove in its labyrinth of beats and melodies, to embrace its joyous complexities and bittersweet truths.
For fans of Andrew Ashong, Fat Freddy’s Drop, and Bugz In The Attic, this album will feel like a homecoming.
For everyone else, it’s an invitation to discover a world where soul, rhythm, and storytelling collide in perfect synchronicity. A modern masterpiece with an old-school heart!
Read more ... CHAIN D.L.K.
This is how I remember it
BECKAH AMANI
Released 29 November 2024
Beckah Amani
****-
There’s a sense of effortless connection in her lyrics, as Beckah explores the unspoken dynamics of a relationship where emotions speak louder than words.
Burundian-Australian singer-songwriter Beckah Amani releases her highly-anticipated debut album, This is how I remember it.
Produced by M-Phazes (Ruel, Eminem, Khalid), This is how I remember it. centres on the emotional journey between two former lovers. Through heartfelt lyrics and vivid storytelling, Beckah explores how our inner world — shaped by past experiences, personal doubts and global events — affects our ability to give and receive affection. Blending Afro-soul, R&B and pop, the album’s lush production amplifies Beckah’s raw, vulnerable songwriting, crafting a sound that feels like a conversation between the heart and the world.
“High On Loving You” carries an understated yet powerful groove that allows Beckah’s soulful vocals to take centre stage. Driven by lush harmonies, a gentle kick drum and delicate piano, the songwriter’s hook, “We don’t have to talk, I analyse you,” encapsulates the track’s quiet intensity, offering a glimpse into the vulnerability and complexity of love.
Read more ... AMRAP Australian Music Radio Airplay Project
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MUKI (EP)
WAARI
Released 1 November 2024
****-
“People want to hear our story - it's not an easy one. No one can tell it except us.”
WARRI presents MUKI (GIMUY) 2024
WAARI is a descendant of the Waanyi and Kalkadoon people from the Gulf of Carpentaria Country and the Mount Isa region south of the Gulf, and of the Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Manu, Te Ātiawa iwis from the regions of Taranaki in Aotearoa.
Bringing two worlds, WAARI offers a deep understanding of being Blak in places wrought by colonial continuance.
MUKI is WAARI’s debut EP, an exploration of Blak LIFE, LAND, LOVE and FUTURITY. Following the cycles of life – birth, coming of age, death and rebirth ~ as they connect to cycles of family across generations and land across seasons.
Read more ... warri.world
Dancing Untethered
MAGGIE TRA
Released 19 July 2024
SYS Sister Sounds
****-
Unapologetic, authentic, and full of emotion are the three words that come to mind when hitting play on this gripping dance album.
Maggie Tra's third album ‘Dancing Untethered’ sets out to shine a light on immigration, displacement and crossing borders. This heart-warming 13-track electronic dance album showcases Tra’s journey as an Australian born Khmer/Vietnamese artist. It’s about finding her place in so-called-Australia, how she built her own community and lane in order to be seen and heard through music.
Tra uses Techno, House, Electronic dance music to spread awareness of how strong music is through-out cultures. Within every rhythm and beat no matter the genre, carries the journey of her younger self, to the artist she has become now bringing forth Cambodian and Vietnamese music culture into electronic dance music.
Emphasising her disadvantages that society has deemed as ‘setbacks,’ only made Tra’s journey into the music industry a story worth telling. From having immigrant parents, to choosing a life with music, although her own journey is unique, Tra recognises she is not alone.
SYS Sister Sounds is a label and community built to empower and push women and non-binary people in the creative and music industry. The core aim of the organisation is to encourage and uplift women in the music industry through radio shows, workshops and interviews with women and non-binary people globally.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Nobody Love You More
KIM DEAL
Released 22 November 2024
4AD
****-
It may have taken her nearly 40 years to go solo, but it was well worth the wait: Nobody Loves You More is some of her finest music yet, and while any of these songs would've been a standout with one of her other projects, it's all the sweeter that they're hers alone.
Listeners may feel like they know where Kim Deal is coming from based on her work with the Breeders, Pixies, and Amps, and the outsized influence she's had on indie and pop music since the late '80s, but Nobody Loves You More reveals she can still surprise. Deal wrote and recorded her debut solo album over the course of a pivotal decade during which she departed from Pixies, reunited with the Breeders, and cared for -- and then grieved -- her parents.
Not long after the album was finished, her dear friend and collaborator Steve Albini also died.
Deal responds to all these changes by getting more overtly personal than ever before.
Like most of Deal's music, Nobody Loves You More is delightfully hard to pin down. That the album doesn't settle into just one emotional or musical groove is the perfect tribute to her legacy of always finding new ways to express herself -- and to her inimitable charm, which holds together every twist and turn.
Read more ... AllMusic
How Did This Happen and What Does It Now Mean
JOAN ARMATRADING
Released 22 November 2024
****-
There are the usual Armatrading hallmarks, vocal multi-tracking and echo, all of it propelled by guitar and drums.
How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean is her 21st studio album, and it’s written, produced, programmed and engineered by Armatrading who, from her very earliest days in the studio, has always played an array of instruments.
The sound, and the style of her singing and the timbre of the voice, are unmistakably Armatrading, the links to those Seventies classics easily discernible, but I also hear faint, passing echoes of Peter Gabriel and the Beach Boys. It’s a very full-on sound, and I always prefer a little more light and air, but there’s no denying the skill and the panache with which she pulls it all off. One or two numbers feel a little too repetitive, and “Irresistible” suffers from bloat and an overly insistent drum."
There are two instrumentals, “Back and Forth” and “Now What”, which showcase Armatrading’s prowess as a guitarist. We talk about “axemen” and it’s true there aren’t too many women who can compete – the incomparable Bonnie Raitt obviously, but also the criminally under-acknowledged Janis Ian, who is one of the truly great songwriters of the last half-century or so. There’s a sense in which Armatrading is her British equivalent.
It’s a disco-inflected feel-good album that seems set to bring in new fans without alienating older ones.
Read more ... The Arts Desk
Lights On A Satellite
SUN RA ARKESTRA
Released 29 November 2024
IN+OUT Records
****-
All together, the 24 talented musicians on Lights On A Satellite effectively shine starlight on Sun Ra's massive musical and spiritual legacy and celebrate the achievement of Allen, his loyal lieutenant, as he guides the Arkestra into his second century. Joy delight, indeed.
As befits a being whose life encompassed much of the Solar System, from his origins on Saturn to his long earthly sojourn that ended in 1993, Sun Ra composed, played and recorded an astronomical panoply of musical styles across six decades.
Lights On A Satellite, a new double album released by Germany's In+Out Records, presents a varied program that serves as a dual tribute to both Ra and Marshall Allen, the recent centenarian who has directed the Sun Ra Arkestra since its founder's passing. Just weeks after he turned 100, Allen took the 24-piece band into New York's Power Station to lay down 11 tracks, which encompass Sun Ra's career from 1930's and 1940's big band tunes ("Big John's Special," "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," "Holiday for Strings") to songs found on Ra's classic Saturn LPs ("Images," "Dorothy's Dance," "Tapestry From An Asteroid," the title track) to latter-day Arkestra live material ("Joy Delight," "Baby Won't You Please Be Mine").
The result is a fun swinging tour through nearly a century of idiosyncratic jazz and cosmic music, featuring lush arrangements and excellent sound quality.
Read more ... All About Jazz
The Night
SAINT ETIENNE
Released 13 December 2024
Saint Etienne / [PIAS]
****-
“Rain noise runs right through it. It was designed to gently wash away the stuff in your head that keeps you awake at 2am.
You could think of it as one continuous, single track. It's definitely a headphone album."
Beloved British trio Saint Etienne returns with their twelfth studio album, “The Night”, a follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2021 album, “I’ve Been Trying To Tell You”,
The band describes “The Night” as "deliver(ing) an ambient escape from the chaos of daily life, capturing the essence of the after-hours ... (and) takes listeners through layered tranquility, offering calm to restless minds and a gentle respite from modern life's relentless pace".
“The Night” album continues Saint Etienne's tradition of immersive storytelling through sound.
The album’s sleeve notes are penned by award-winning author Benjamin Myers who says:
“Saint Etienne take us gently by the hand, to sink deep down through the layers of the after-hours and pull tired minds back from the brink of despair. With The Night all anxieties abate, the wickedness of a quickening mind is slowed to a soft-focus smear, and everything takes on a lofty and agreeable appeal of utter tranquility.
The Night belongs to a long tradition that begins in the pre-times with one man finding solace in the sound of the wind in the grass or water running over rock, then strolls on through centuries of softening sounds, passing through collage and the music of the new age.
It takes in contemporary somnambulist masterpieces such as Virginia Astley’s From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, the KLF’s Chill Out and Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden. Its architecture is ambient, its lighting low, its surfaces gleaming with infinite possibility. All nocturnal life is to be found here, but though in the basement of the night the dimensions are different. Words take on new meaning, shadows lean ever longer and a lone fox pauses beneath a solitary streetlight on a nameless street, something snatched and held between its beautiful, bladed teeth. Out here anything is possible.
Hectic times breed hectic minds but here there is no such thing as a lonely hour, just the many laminated layers of The Night and all the soothing secrets that lie within.
So easy does it. Slip on in. And breathe.”
Read more ... Bandcamp
Mosaic
FINNESZ
Released 6 December 2024
****-
Fennesz uses guitar and computer to create shimmering, swirling electronic sound of enormous range and complex musicality. His lush and luminant compositions are anything but sterile computer experiments. They resemble sensitive, telescopic recordings of rainforest insect life or natural atmospheric occurrences, an inherent naturalism permeating each piece.
This is Fennesz’s most reflective album to date. Composed and recorded at the end of 2023 and completed in the summer of 2024. Fennesz set up a new studio space, the third one in four years. He had no immediate concept, this time starting from scratch, with a strict working routine. He got up early in the morning, worked until midday then had a break and worked again until evening. At first, just collecting ideas, experimenting, improvising. Then composing, mixing and correcting. Yet the title came early, ‘Mosaic’, which mirrored this process of putting an element into place one at a time to build the full picture, an ancient technique of making an image, before pixels did it in a flash.
This '9 to 5' working routine had already been developed on ‘Agora’ [Touch 2019]. All the other albums before were done differently; a few weeks work, then months in between and another few days or weeks of work. ‘Mosaic’ was done from beginning to end without a break.
Packaged in the now familiar DVD-style case with artwork and photography by Jon Wozencroft, there is an echo to ‘Venice’ but 20 years later the division between the land, the horizon and the deep blue sea is more extreme.
Fennesz experiments with unusual time signatures. It's not obvious, but ‘Love and the Framed Insects’ is in 7/4. ‘Personare’ is somehow influenced by West African pop music from the 1980s. ‘Goniorizon’ originally consisted of six hard rock guitar riffs mixed on top of one another. Then it became this ‘thing' that somehow opened possibilities for new things to come… all this adds up to a filmic, highly involving and beautiful score of diverse influences and multiple possibilities to be explored by the listener.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Rome
THE NATIONAL
Released 13 December 2024
4AD
****-
"I am pleased to report that ROME is a live album that I’ll be returning to with frequency. If you haven’t seen The National live, ROME is the next best thing. An exhilarating concert recording".
ROME is a recording taken from The National's show on June 3, 2024 in the Italian capital. Press surrounding the album stressed that it was completely live, with no additional overdubs. The set list was 26 songs in total, however we are presented with an abbreviated 21 song live album; presumably so that the album could be issued as a standard release across 2lps.
On first listen, it is immediately clear that ROME is by far the most grand and cinematic sounding live document available so far.
Drums and lead vocal is front and centre, the Dessner brothers are panned to either side, layers of texture and accompanying instruments tastefully distributed across the soundstage. There is a high level of detail and smooth definition in every instrument that is pleasing to the ear. The band is further elevated by the sound of an enthusiastic audience, who bring the volume in the high moments and witness the show with near silence and full attention in the numbers that call for it.
Mixing credit for ROME is given to Peter Katis. He was also behind the desk for all the band’s most acclaimed studio albums. The formula is a success, and finally, The National have released a live album that lives up to the actual concert.
Read more ... The 13fh Floor
Magnum Opus
MARK KAVUMA, THE BANGER FACTORY
Released 8 November 2024
Banger Factory Records
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Magnum Opus is a celebration of unity, love, community and faith in the transformative powers of music that invites the listener to be part of an extraordinary journey.
Magnum Opus is the new recording by The Banger Factory, led by the charismatic and visionary trumpet player and composer Mark Kavuma.
Founded in 2015, in the vibrant heart of Brixton, The Banger Factory has transformed from a quintet into a thriving ensemble that features more than twenty of the most gifted artists on the London Jazz scene.
Kavuma is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of jazz whilst inspiring the next generation; showcasing the immense talent of London's jazz community, championing diversity across genres, genders and borders, and ultimately shaping the future of jazz music.
Magnum Opus presents original compositions, arrangements and performances by veterans of the British jazz scene such as tenor saxophonist Mussinghi Brian Edwards and vocalist Marcina Arnold, alongside the new generation of artists: vocalist Sahra Gure, saxophonists Theo Erskine and Ruben Fox, guitarist Artie Zaitz, pianist Noah Stoneman as well as Mark Kavuma himself.
Also featured are the incredible talents and work of Reuben James, Deschanel Gordon, David Mrakpor, Misha Fox, Jack Thomas, William Cleasby, Wilf Diamond, Jake Zaitz, Christ-Stephan Boizi, Marcus Praestgaard and Jack Garside.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Fiesta de Corazon
LA DESCARGA
Released 30 November 2024
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Born in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, as a tribute to the Folkloric rhythms of the coasts of Colombia and as a preserver of its cultural heritage, it has evolved For over a decade through diverse musical and cultural collaborations, into a Forerunner of Latin-Aussie-tropical music.
Fiesta de Corazon is a musical party for your heart. It is named to evoke the celebratory and heartfelt spirit that's so inherent in Latin American and Caribbean cultures. Made in Australia and in Colombia, this collection of 10 original tracks encapsulates over a decade of musical evolution. Drawing from the Afro-Colombian traditions of Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the album infuses these rich cultural roots with contemporary urban sounds like funk, dub, and electronica.
The album features over 30 artists from 4 continents, including Jorge Leiva (La Descarga, Miss Colombia), Kathleen Gonzalez (Tunjos y Cantaros Ethnologic Dance Company), Lauren Mullarvey (The Coch.ls Channel, Chet Faker), and Mat Robb (Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Darwin Music Festival) and features collaborations with musicians including with icon of Australian Sudanese music, Ajak Kwai, Melbourne-based South Sudanese hip-hop artist Malesh P, and William Martinez from Bejuco.
The album was mixed by acclaimed Colombian producer Diego Gomez (Llorona Records, Discos Pacifico), known For his extensive work with Afro-Colombian artists from the Caribbean and the Pacific, and collaborations with international artists Adrian Sherwood, Mad Professor, and Channel One Sound System. The album's stunning cover art, has been crafted by Colombian artist Dora Moreno Zuniga, reflecting the Festive colours and traditions of Cartagena.
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Juyungo: Afro-Indigenous Music From The North-Western Andes
JUYUNGO (VARIOUS ARTISTS)
Released 4 October 2024
Honest Jon's Records
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The music is transfixing, magical; not like anything else. From start to finish, this album is continuously, profoundly immersive; a kind of journeying, trippy meditation about slavery and cultural resistance, identity and mix, places and spaces, futures and pasts
‘Since the 16th century, the Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas has been home to a unique Afro-Indigenous culture originating in the integration of the Indigenous Chachi and Nigua peoples with African Maroon communities. Juyungo documents significant Esmeraldan artists and bands playing the Afro-Ecuadorian folklore of the province, as well as including some older field recordings. Based mostly on the marimba, whose origins lie partly in the African balafon, partly in Indigenous percussion instruments, the music is laced with call and response chants, ambient insect and bird noise, the filigree finger-styles of the Andean guitar tradition and the panpipes of the mountains. This is resonant insider roots music at its headiest — the mystic revelation of Esmeraldas, gully deep and lustral.’ Francis Gooding, The Wire.
The fifth in our series of LPs compiling classic music from Ecuador. Customary Honest Jons runnings: a beautiful gatefold sleeve; superior pressing, with vivid, intimate sound; full-size, sixteen-page booklet, in colour throughout, with detailed, fascinating, bi-lingual notes, and stunning photographs.
It’s inscrutable to net-surfing, algorithms, Shuffle. But for a taste try the insurgent marimba roller Agua Largo, jet-propelled by Rosa Huila’s rapturous blend of African spiritualist and Christian chant. ‘Healing music,’ Zakia called it on Gilles Peterson’s BBC show recently. And the ravishing pasillo Kasilla Shungulla — ‘calm your heart’ in the Quichua language — a duet between the Peruvian master-guitarist Raúl García Zárate and viola da gamba by Juan Luis Restrepo from Medellin, recorded in a baroque church in Buzbanza, Colombia.
Read more ... Honest Jon's Records
جوف الليل - Dead of Night
MAALEM HOUSSAM GUINIA
Released 15 November 2024
Hive Mind Records
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Raw, deep and spiritual Gnawa music from Morocco to carry you through the night...
Houssam is the youngest son of the late Maalem Mahmoud Gania. Although still in his twenties, Houssam has performed in London, the Netherlands and in Azerbaijan. He has collaborated with synth maestro James Holden, played the London Barbican and is a regular and well loved feature of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival in Essaouira.
جوف الليل - Dead of Night was recorded live using a Tascam field recorder and 2 microphones on the night of 3rd January 2022, in a relaxed session in a house in Casablanca, that lasted into the early hours of the next morning.
The album captures Houssam at his most natural, singing and playing the Gnawa songs that have been with him since his birth, completely solo and free without percussion or backing vocals.
Houssam described the album as containing the songs he knows best as these were the pieces his father would play and sing late into the night in their home when he was an infant.
Dead of Night is raw, deep Gnawa music in its purest form played by a young Maalem who has been immersed in the culture his whole life and is a master of his craft.
The whole performance has been beautifully and sympathetically captured by bassist and producer Karl-Erik Enkelman.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Speak In The Dark
TARA LILY
Released 27 September 2024
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Transgressing jazz, electronica, trip-hop, and alternative R&B with Indian soundscape ‘Speak In The Dark’ is an artistic representation of Tara’s emotional highs and lows with ADHD.
South London, British-Bengali musician Tara Lily describes her debut album, 'Speak In The Dark', as a record about “speaking your truth - things that go unsaid—secrets and desires”.
“I was diagnosed with ADHD at 15 when I was expelled from school. I often feel like every day is an emotional rollercoaster. This album is a representation of that. It’s a journey of high-energy, intense songs and deep, slow, mournful ballads”, Tara explains.
The album, produced by Dom Valentino, includes collaborations with American jazz trumpeter Theo Croker and UK-Bengali lyricist Surya Sen. It also features a stellar lineup of guest musicians, including saxophonist Jazz Lee, Indian classical virtuoso Akash Parekah, Mei Kirby, and additional instrumentation from Archy Marshall.
‘Speak In The Dark’ is a true body of work, meandering through sonic landscapes and deep visceral storytelling.
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Idrache (Traces of the Past)
TINARIWEN
Released 15 November 2024
Wedge
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Rough hewn, but intimate and beautiful recordings by Tinariwen, the world’s most famous Tuareg band.
Here are a dozen hidden gems from the Sahara. Some are demos that were later released in more produced versions on subsequent albums and four of them have never been released before. This is music to transport you, music that makes you feel you are in the Sahara with these extraordinary musicians for whom it is their home and their inspiration. These are raw desert treasures, recorded live with no overdubs, that are only emerging into the sunlight with this album of rarities, Idrache, Traces of the Past. With their long desert robes and Tuareg turbans or shesh, Tinariwen are the originators of what’s become known as ‘desert blues’, a style of music they themselves call ‘assuf’ which also means ‘longing’ or ‘homesickness’ in the Tamasheq language. Exchanging Kalashnikovs for guitars after participating in the 1990 Tuareg rebellion, Tinariwian really are rock ’n’ roll rebels, drawing people into their growling vocals, spacey guitar lines and clapping rhythms. The songs on this album were recorded in 2002, 2006 and 2008, the first about a decade after the band started to become known internationally.
Read more ... Tinariwen
Sorrow (EP)
Ceasefire (EP)
Wrong Side Of Town (EP)
JOE ARMON-JONES
"Sorrow" released 6 December 2024
"Ceasefire" released 16 July 2024
"Wrong Side" released 29 March 2024
Aquari Records
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Joe Armon-Jones, keyboardist, composer and producer, is pushing the boundaries of his sound, blurring the lines between bass- heavy dub, contemporary club culture and his background as a pioneering force in the modern jazz scene.
"Sorrow", "Ceasefire" and "Wrong Side of Town" are EP's in the ‘Aquarii In Dub’ series from musician and producer Joe Armon-Jones, written and produced by Joe in his own studio and released on his own label Aquarii Records.
As well as Liam Bailey and James Mollison, Sorrow features Morgan Simpson on drums, bassist Luke Wynter, and Mark Mollison on guitar
Ceasefire is an uncompromising call for peace at a time of heightened global conflict. Joe Armon-Jones says “This shit never ends, we wrote this song back in 2020 and the fighting never stops, encouraged by people who make money off the blood of innocent people. Ranking Joe here is calling for a Ceasefire, not just for the Israeli occupiers but for all those around the globe who would kill another human being, as such an act is despicable and never tolerated.”
Away from his solo project, he’s a member of Ezra Collective, regularly plays with Nubya Garcia, and has toured with Ata Kak and Pharoahe Monch.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Slo Mo
FAT FREDDY'S DROP
Released 8 November 2024
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Their latest release, SLO MO, lives up to its name - a smooth, soulful ride packed with laid-back jamming energy
Over a six-album career, Aotearoa | New Zealand's Fat Freddy’s Drop claim to have "navigated their way from an incubator of sunshine reggae thru a colour-saturated field of soul psychedelia before swerving onto a desolate Detroit superhighway at night", considering it "a potent mixture of jazz virtuosity and diaphragm-wrecking digital sonics". Freddy’s beatmaker, Fitchie describes their new album as a heady mix as “Afro rhythmic soul music, an exploration of Black music from Polynesia”.
Rolling Stone (Au/NZ) said "...Fat Freddy’s Drop still know how to keep the grooves flowing. Their latest release, SLO MO, lives up to its name - a smooth, soulful ride packed with laid-back jamming energy. Most tracks stretch past the six or seven minute mark, with extended outros that allow you to fully sink into the sound. The title track, featuring Louis Baker, is a funky delight, while “Next Stop” serves as a breezy escape from the daily grind, with the line “sunup to sundown, we never get tired of this” giving a nod to the band’s enduring appeal. It’s in the latter half of the album where the ‘slo mo’ vibe truly shines. Dallas Tamaira’s vocals pull back, letting blissed-out, dub-infused arrangements take over, making you feel like you’re right there at one of their live shows".
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Six Songs (EP)
TOM MISCH
Released 20 December 2024
Beyond The Groove, AWAL Recordings
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Misch entertains with a set consisting of four songs recorded and released earlier this year and two new ones for good measure.
London musician and producer Tom Misch began releasing music on SoundCloud in 2012 and has released three studio albums - Geography (2018), What Kinda Music (2020, in collaboration with English jazz drummer Yussef Dayes) and Happy Music (2023) and Quarantine Sessions (2021), an album of self-recorded covers.
"Six Songs" brings together four single released earlier this year - "Insecure", "Cinnamon Curls", "Better Days" and "Colourblind" - and adds two new songs "Invincible" and "Falling For You".
These songs find Misch staying close to a mild, "Michael Franks / Jack Johnson-like" jazz-blues lanes of his repertoire, revealing little of the more more expansive, funk and hip-hop influences of his output with Yussef Dayes.
Read more ... Tom Misch
Made sum beats on tour in a Hamburg airbnb (EP)
JAZZBOIS
Released 29 November 2024
Blunt Shelter Records
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Still Blunted
JAZZBOIS
Released 6 September 2024
Jazzbois
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They’ve ripped up their playbook of producing records in a matter of days and took their time to approach the record through reworking their favourite tracks recorded over the past year.
With followers in some of the worlds most progressive markets (Berlin, London, Melbourne, Paris), Budapest based jazz fusion trio Spotify profile proclaims that. having established themselves as one of the leading live bands in Europe grooving in improvised jazz motifs and hip-hop beats, Jazzbois return with their fourth LP Still Blunted (and follow up EP) that sees them touch base with their beat-tape roots.
With Still Blunted, the trio - consisting of Bencze Molnár (Rhodes/synth), Viktor Sági (bass) and Tamás Czirják (drums) - offers a snapshot into the jams, sessions, and shows they have played over the past year.
The album comes after performing at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival this summer, followed by a European tour.
Inspired by contemporaries Domi and JD Beck, Kiefer, Nala Sinephro, and the sounds of Radio Juicy, Jazzbois have been more critical of their track selection for the sequel to their Goes Blunt albums.
Read more ... Spotify
Scientific Dub Special
HEPCAT, SCIENTIST
Released 6 December 2024
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California ska veterans Hepcat sadly lost co-vocalist Greg Lee at age 53 after he suffered a brain aneurysm earlier this year, but they’ve been keeping the band alive in his honor.
They went ahead with performing their set at the No Values festival in tribute to him, and now they’ve teamed up with dub veteran Scientist for a dub version of their sophomore album Scientific, which was released in 1996 on BYO Records.
“Greg Lee believed it would be cool if Scientist would dub Scientific,” the band says. “He liked the play on names and the historic implications. Like a true fan, Greg sought out information from various sources and finally was introduced to Scientist by Brian Wallace aka: Dub Robot at the legendary Dub Club in Los Angeles. Greg worked his magic and Scientist agreed to create dub’s of Scientific. The rest is now history.”
The final mixes of Scientist Meets Hepcat: Scientific Dub Special were approved by Greg in January, two months before his unexpected passing.
Read more ... Brooklyn Vegan
Ain the heart of sumedang - field recordings from west java
VARIOUS ATISTS
Released 8 November 2024
Jazzhole Records
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The original release on cassette was a limited edition of 100 copies with 50 of them going to Honest Jon's for distribution. The album is available for streaming or download exclusively through Bandcamp.
These gorgeous field recordings are from the Sumedang Province of West Java and, over their 50 minutes, present two distinct sides of Sundanese musical and devotional culture.
Although West Java is a Muslim country, these recordings highlight currents of pre-Islamic animist beliefs and practices that continue to flourish in the small towns and villages of the highlands of West Java. The recordings showcase two forms of trance music that are essential to the spiritual life of the Sundanese people in the highland regions.
Tarawangsa trance music is a traditional ceremonial genre known for its deep spiritual and hypnotic qualities. This music is made using only two instruments, the tarawangsa, a two-stringed fiddle, accompanied by the jentreng, a seven-stringed zither, creating a unique blend of resonant, droning sounds. Historically, tarawangsa music has been performed as part of sacred rituals and agricultural celebrations to honor local deities and ancestors, particularly associated with the Sunda culture. The minimalist, repetitive melodies gradually build, guiding participants and listeners into a meditative, trance-like state, during which dancers can be possessed by the spirits of ancestors or deities from the spirit realm, the music serving as a link between the two worlds.
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Asiko Tito
JAZZHOLE, VARIOUS ATISTS
Released 8 November 2024
Jazzhole Records
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Nestled in the heart of Lagos, Jazzhole stands as a revered cultural institution with over 30 years of history. Led by Olakunle Tejuoso and his son Olakunle Junior, Jazzhole has evolved far beyond its origins as a record store, becoming a cornerstone of Lagos’ vibrant art scene.
Asiko Tito was an ambitious project Jazzhole Records embarked on in the late 90s to capture and promote the rich tapestry of local talent from across Lagos. This 10-track compilation showcases an eclectic mix of sounds ranging from afrobeat and Yoruba-funk to afrofunk, highlife and spiritual jazz. Each track is a testament to the vibrant music scene blending traditional rhythms with contemporary influences to create a unique listening experience that resonates with both nostalgia and modernity. The album features renowned producers and musicians who have made significant contributions to these music genres
Read more ... Worldwide FM
Eroya
FAAJI AGBA, VARIOUS ARTISTS
Released 8 November 2024
Jazzhole Records
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Specialising in black music that spans African and Afro-diasporic genres, Jazzhole is deeply committed to celebrating and promoting local talent and Nigerian music.
Eroya is a collective of elder and young musicians based in the heart of Lagos which takes you on a journey dating back from the late 1940s to contemporary Naija grooves - from palm-wine, agidigbo grooves, juju/owambe styles, highlife melodies to afro-funk and afrobeats.
Key members includes Sina Ayinde Bakare, son of the legendary maestro Ayinde Bakare the originator of Juju music, Multi-instrumentalist juju singer Fatai Rolling Dollar, Afro-funk tenor saxophonist Prince Eju Oyewole and afrobeat pianist Duro Ikujenyo, a member of Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80 band.
Read more ... Worldwide FM
Africanism
THE LAST POETS
TONY ALLEN featuring EGYPT 80
Released 29 November 2024
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“The Last Poets’ mission was to pull the people out of the rubble o f their lives,” wrote their biographer Kim Green. “They knew, deep down that poetry could save the people – that if black people could see and hear themselves and their struggles through the spoken word, they would be moved to change.”
In 2018 the two remaining Last Poets, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan, embarked on another memorable return with an album – Understand What Black Is – that earned favourable comparison with their seminal works of the past, whilst showcasing their undimmed passion and lyrical brilliance in an entirely new setting – that of reggae music.
Several years later and the follow-up is now with us. The project started when Tony Allen (20 July 1940 – 30 April 2020), the Nigerian master drummer whose unique polyrhythms had driven much of Fela Kuti’s best work, dropped by Prince Fatty’s Brighton studio and laid down a selection of drum patterns to die for.
That was back in 2019, but then the pandemic struck. Once it had passed, the label booked a studio in Brooklyn, where the two Poets voiced four tracks apiece and breathed fresh energy, fire and outrage into some of the most enduring landmarks of their career.
Abiodun, who was one of the original Last Poets who’d gathered in East Harlem’s Mount Morris Park to celebrate Malcolm X’s birthday in May 1968, chose four poems that first appeared on the group’s 1970 debut album, called simply The Last Poets.
He’d written When The Revolution Comes aged twenty, whilst living in Jamaica, Queens. “We were getting ready for a revolution,” he told Green. “There wasn’t any question about whether there was going to be one or not. The truth was many of us still saw ourselves as “niggers” and slaves. This was a mindset that had to change if there was ever to be Black Power.”
Read more ... Bandcamp
Awakening
ÀBÁSE
Released 5 July 2024
Oshu Records / Bridge The Gap
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Recorded in four days at Berlin's Brewery Studios with an ensemble of close collaborators, the album coalesces Àbáse’s varied musical influences and reference points (classic Lagos Afrobeat, traditional Hungarian folk, Yoruba rhythms, house, hip-hop et al) with the exquisite modal improvisation spurred by Szabi’s introspection.
Àbáse is the imagination of Hungarian producer and keyboardist Szabolcs Bognár, creating an exquisite blend of jazz, West African, Brazilian, hip-hop and electronic music.
Created following a move to Berlin, marriage, new parenthood, and the inevitable interrogation of mortality that takes place when a loved one has transitioned, "Awakening" demonstrates a deep understanding of music’s ability to cross time and geographic boundaries, conveying a message of unity, dialogue and self-reflection.
His work as an artist has drawn widespread critical acclaim. Debut album "Laroyê", recorded entirely during a five month trip to Brazil, found global praise from the likes of The Guardian, BBC Radio 6, Soulection, KEXP and Complex. As a keyboard player, Szabi has collaborated with the likes of Wayne Snow, Dele Sosimi, Pat Thomas and Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange.
Read more ... Bandcamp
People of the Fast Flowing River
WORK MONEY DEATH
Released 29 November 2024
ATA Records
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"Created in the spirit of Impulse! and Strata-East's late 60s/early 70s output, these Leeds-based torch-bearers for spiritual jazz waste no time hitting their groove on album three. Masters of hypnotic slow builds, On The Fast Flowing River's galvanising pulse and We Are The People's jaunty piano refrain give tenor saxophonist Tony Burkill ample space to reprove his way with a lingering hook." - Andy Cowan (MOJO)
Pianist Richard Ormrod, bassist Neil Innes, and drummer Sam Hobbs provide a trio backing for tenor saxophonist Tony Burkill on this heartfelt and charged excursion into the further realms of spiritual jazz: the four extended-play tracks range in influence from India to Central Africa to the Baptist church, and from the meditative blues sound of Alice Coltrane [The River Becomes The Stream] to the soulful swagger of Galt MacDermot [We Are The People].
Throughout, the quartet is supported by the horns of Ormrod, Johnny Enright (tbn, tuba), and Olivia Cuthill & Tom Sharp (tpts), the percussion of Danny Templeman.
Whether it's the harmonium on Headwaters Of The Soul, the congas and driving shekere on The Fast Flowing River, the trilling flute behind the sax on We Are The People & The River Becomes The Stream, or Burkill's impassioned and perfectly-paced tenor explorations throughout the whole, this album is full of nuanced details that speak of a love of the genre, and a deep commitment to the Work Money Death philosophy of making high-quality improvised recordings that tap into the roots of spiritual jazz.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Ganzfeld
GAF & THE LOVE SUPREME ARKESTRA
Released 21 June 2024
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Another standalone work from a band that rejects banality, constant in their pursuit of experimentation (in Tenerife) at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Drive on!
After the resounding success of their last album Garden Island, released in 2021, the octet hailing from Tenerife is back with a new album titled Ganzfeld. While Garden Island drew inspiration from the philosophy of César Manrique and his groundbreaking ecological work on the island of Lanzarote, for this new album, Gaf & The Love Supreme Arkestra turn their creative gaze to the lowland areas of northern Tenerife aka Isla Baja (the low island). Here, they envision a retro-futuristic soundtrack for a misty coastal drive, filled with humid atmospherics and expansive jams featuring their trademark blend of avant-jazz, psychedelia, and freestyle rock. Evoking a natural synergy to the proceedings, this new work presents the octet in a more ethereal tip than its predecessor. Saxophones, trumpet, bass, guitar, synths and marimba come together with added winds (Herreño and Vietnamese flutes) to create a wide spectrum of auditory escapism that, were it not for the band's aforementioned natural instincts could result into a nightmarish vision. Instead, they create a holistic esoteric sound where sea and earth come together in ecstatic ways conjuring images of peace and menace whilst never letting their raw, explosive energy go unchecked.
Read more ... Forced Exposure
Dalston Tape Vol. 1
NEUE GRAFIK
Released 6 December 2024
Rhythm Section International
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The “ Volume 1” suffix reassures us more is to come, and the “tapes” suggests that whilst these may be brief sketches , there’s nothing throw away about them ...
The only question which remains is whether he is intentionally teasing us with these bite size nuggets or inadvertently elevating the art-form to new heights. That, is for you to decide...
Releasing now for well over a decade - Neue Grafik: known to friends as Fred, has successfully transplanted from Parisian rookie to one- man London Institution. Beginning as a solo producer and DJ, Fred spread his wings upon relocating to South London - at first with his Neue Grafik Ensemble and later with his now iconic twice-weekly Orii Jam - the latter of which has given agency to an entire new generation of musicians; spawning an aesthetic, nurturing a unique sound and becoming a launchpad for countless artists.
Dalston Tape Volume 1 is Fred’s attempt to fall back in love with beatmaking - taking it back to the roots of where the project began. I say “attempt” because he’s simply learnt too much and made too many friends along the way to make a mere DIY beat tape.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Abbreviations
QWALIA
Released 5 July 2024
Albert's Favourites
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Their musicianship draws from a wide range of musical aesthetics culminating psychedelic-folk, sophisticated funk, ambient and avant- pop into an engrossing, experimental sound.
Qwalia is the experimental, improvisational home for a quartet of some of London’s most prolific and inspiring musicians, associated with the work of many major and influential artists including Frank Ocean, Sampha, Jordan Rakei, Nubiyan Twist, David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Cat Stevens etc.
Led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed (Joy Crookes, Unknown to Known), much of the band’s music to date surfaced in a single two-day session at the Fish Factory in Willesden, West London.
Although improvisational at its core, the band’s fluency and innate musicality makes it hard at times to believe these pieces weren’t written and developed over weeks, rather than conjured in the moment, with no prior rehearsal. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.
Featuring Ben Reed on bass (Frank Ocean, David Byrne, Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded), Tal Janes on Guitar (Jordan Rakei, Cherise, Waaju) and Joseph Costi on keys and synths (Cat Stevens, Tom Herbert, Heidi Vogel).
The band’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’, released by Alberts Favourites in March 2023 is also worthy of attention.
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Read more ... Bandcamp
The Messthetics
and James Brandon Lewis
THE MESSTHETICS, JAMES BRANDON LEWIS
Released 15 March 2024
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The album demonstrates that there is less separating jazz and rock than is often supposed, but that the remaining divide between the two kinds of music is still river deep, mountain high. Vive la difference.
There are few examples of ranking jazz saxophonists collaborating with rock bands, and even fewer that are as successful as this one featuring tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and the instrumental trio The Messthetics. James Brandon Lewis' double CD For Mahalia, With Love (Tao), made with his Red Lily Quartet, was one of the deepest jazz albums of 2023, with Lewis referencing his early childhood experiences listening to Mahalia Jackson records with his grandmother. He brings a similarly devotional intensity to his work with The Messthetics, albeit in a secular context. The Messthetics themselves—guitarist Anthony Pirog, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty—are at heart a hardcore rock outfit but one capable of subtlety and nuance. "
Read more ... All About Jazz
The Light Of The Mind
MURIEL GROSSMANN
Released 1 December 2024
Muriel Grossmann
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"..you will find with this album that you have come to a place where contemporary spiritual jazz meets happiness. Serious happiness."
Those who know know. Muriel Grossmann's reputation as a leading practitioner of spiritual jazz that grooves, deeply grooves, has grown steadily with every new recording. From early albums such as 'Quartet' in 2008 to 'Birth of the Mystery' in 2010 to her breakout album 'Golden Rule' in 2018 and her recent 'Devotion' in 2023, Grossmann's music has won accolades from critics and adoration from listeners around the globe. From her recording studio and her own label Dreamlandrecords on the island of Ibiza, Grossmann's music has won devoted fans the world over. .
Listening to the music on 'The Light of the Mind', Grossmann's 16th album as leader, one feels that happiness is the core of this recording. It is happiness achieved through reciprocity, interconnection, devotion, reverence and practice. Grossmann has explained to reviewers of her previous albums the importance of Buddhism in her daily life and the role of meditation and post-meditation practice. The titles of her recent albums and compositions reflect this. Glance through the titles on 'The Light of the Mind' and you will begin to appreciate the connection between Buddhist thought and Grossmann's creation of spiritual jazz.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Taking Turns
JAKOB BOR, LEE KONITZ, BILL FRISELL
JASON MORGAN, THOMAS MORGAN, ANDREW CYRILLE
Released 29 November 2024
ECM
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"From Day One, Lee was quite freely interpreting my music, playing around the melodies, hinting at them, not necessarily playing them as written. And it made me think in a new way about how much music I should bring in, how much direction I should give, for the group sound to find its own natural balance and flow. That’s something I’ve been exploring ever since.”
Recorded ten years ago in New York, and released now for the first time, Taking Turns is a snapshot of Jakob Bro’s music in a period of transition.
A major figure in jazz history from The Birth of the Cool onwards, Konitz came into Jakob Bro’s musical life in 2008, on the recommendation of Paul Motian, and contributed to a trilogy of albums – Balladeering, Time and December Song – issued on Bro’s own label. The association, Jakob says, changed his priorities. “I felt I had found a direction that worked for me when Lee started playing my pieces. That might seem obvious, taking the greatness of Konitz as an improviser into consideration, but for me it was a revelation.
On Taking Turns, Konitz, 86 years old at the time of the session, immediately brings his own sensibility to bear on “Black Is All Colors At Once”, with a searching alto solo rising above the interleaved arpeggios of Bro and Bill Frisell. There is a rare sighting of Lee on soprano sax on the rhythmically-pulsating “Haiti”, given momentum by another veteran with a distinguished past, Andrew Cyrille.
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Ou Phrontis
JOHN ZORN, BRIAN MARSELLA, JORGE ROEDER, CHES SMITH
Released 9 December 2024
****-
The telepathic interplay and virtuosity of these remarkable musical masters is on full display here—a stunning collection of music that makes you think as much as it makes you feel.
Nothing in Clouds Hill is to be a care upon the world. While I have it there shall be nothing exquisite or unique in it. Nothing to anchor me. —T.E. Lawrence
Ou Phrontis means "Who Cares" in Greek. Inscribed on the lintel above the door of T.E. Lawrence’s cottage at Clouds Hill it symbolized a place where Lawrence felt at home, free from the cares of the world.
This fourth CD from the dynamic piano trio of Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith (Suite for Piano, The Fourth Way, Ballades), presents eight challenging Zorn compositions inspired by stoic philosophy and science.
Personnel:
Brian Marsella: Piano
Jorge Roeder: Bass
Ches Smith: Drums
Read more ... Tzadik
Beautiful People
WOJTEK MAZOLEWSKI QUINTET
Released 11 October 2024
NoPaper Records
****-
Beautiful People is a soulful album heading into the realm of contemporary spiritual jazz while maintaining WMQ's identity and Slavic tradition.
Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet returns with a new, refreshed lineup and a new full-length album, Beautiful People. The album was recorded in December '23 at Polish Radio's S4 studio after a series of a dozen WMQ concerts in 2023. Buoyed by the wonderful reception in many cities and hungry for new sensations and sounds, the Quintet recorded this album while absolutely in full throttle. The fresh material presents quality new energy, sound and composition of the band. Wojtek Mazolewski is a prominent Polish jazz artist known for his pioneering work in contemporary jazz. A virtuoso bassist and composer, Mazolewski blends traditional jazz with contemporary elements, delivering a mesmerizing and emotionally charged musical experience that has earned him enthusiastic reviews from All About Jazz, DownBeat Magazine, Kind of Jazz, and other publications. With a career spanning decades, he has become an icon in the Polish jazz scene, enchanting audiences worldwide with his fusion of classic and modern jazz styles. His live performances are renowned for their energy and captivating stage presence, providing a memorable and genre-defying jazz experience that has made him a celebrated figure in the global jazz community.
Read more ... Forced Exposure
River of Eden
YOSEF GUTMAN, PETER BRODERICK
Released 8 November 2024
Soul Song Records
****-
A bassist rooted in the world of jazz and improvisation, Levitt approached Broderick with the idea of a collaboration in tune with the Soul Song label’s mission: “The goal is to create music, and to create a label that stimulates others to do the same—to make their soul song. To create music that’s intimate, improvisational, with a profound honesty, stripping away anything that’s not needed. What’s important is that the music is inspired by something higher. I want to work with artists who are interested in getting to that place.”
Yosef Gutman’s modest, soulful playing radiates a thoughtful beauty, a bright colored land of sound. A sound that’s drawn by the quill of the soul, tradition and world music influences, something completely unique and ever changing. A music that is rooted in Jerusalem but draws on global inspirations.Following up his searching and memorable collaborations with guitar masters Lionel Loueke (Soul Song), Gilad Hekselman (Why Ten?) and Itay Sher (Unity), Jerusalem-based Yosef Gutman Levitt and Soul Song Records share River of Eden, a luminous collection of songs featuring the unclassifiable singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick.
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SPIN
NIK BÄRTSCH'S RONIN
Released 29 November 2024
Ronin Rhythm Records
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There is no single release of a track of the album because SPIN emphasizes the good old idea of a full album as a dramaturgy and program, which is based on the experience of performing together over years. The different tracks show several aspects of RONIN's philosophy and way of working and bandleader Nik Bärtsch's concept and composing for the band.
SPIN is the 9th release of the Swiss working band RONIN, since its foundation in 2001 and the first with the new bass player Jeremias Keller, who joined the band in 2020. The band still consists of the founding members Nik Bärtsch and drummer Kaspar Rast and reeds player Sha who is part of the group since 2004.
A unique characteristic of Bärtsch is that al his compositions are identified numerically - a convention more commonly encountered in classical composition. He almost always uses the term "Modul" to identify individual pieces (eg. "Modul 66") and may adopt a hyphenated version (eg."Module 70_51") where mussic of two pieces is combined.
Since their last release Awase (ECM 2018) the band has continuously developed the repertoire in weekly concerts on Monday - even during the Corona time - at the own club "Exil", in Zurich.
The new album shows not only the newest developments like Modul 63 and Modul 66 but also a combination of new and old material in Modul 70_51 (51 recorded on the ECM album “Llyría”, 2010) and the two classics Modul 14 and Modul 23 in completely new arrangements and interpretations.
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SunNeverSetsOnMusic | Sun Never Sets On Music | www.sunneversetsonmusic.com
A monthly digest of innovative new music from around the world
especially Jazz, Contemporary, International, Folk, Avant-garde, Soul, R&B and Soundtracks
including album artwork, album reviews
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