Brazilian fusion from Denmark – a really wonderful set from this cool Scandinavian combo! The record feels a fair bit like some of the Brazilian jazz coming out of the west coast of the US during the 70s – soaring, soulful, and put together with a breezy brilliance that almost takes off into hipper new directions than work coming out from Brazil at the time. And like most of that other work, this album's a hip mix of acoustic and electric jazz elements – great keyboards folded in alongside tenor sax, bass, and percussion – and topped with vocals on a few cuts too! There's a nicely free sense to the rhythms – but one that's never too open-ended – and for comparison's sake, the material also feels a bit like some of the best grooves on the early volumes of the Glucklich series on Compost. Titles include "Black Wing", "The Girl With Three Faces", "Would You", "When I Close My Eyes", "7:47 To Rio", and "From Dusk Towards Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful small combo set from this unusual team – put together in ways that are somewhere between the Bob Brookmeyer/Stan Getz pairings of the early 50s, and some of Zoot Sims' work for the Dawn label! Zoot's horn is maybe a bit sharper, and bolder than on his Dawn sides, though – that quality that really made him a favorite with hip listeners of the 50s, and which maybe even beats some of the Stan Getz work of the period – matched by Brookmeyer's impeccable work on valve trombone, which is more straightforward and swinging here than usual! The group also features Hank Jones on piano, Bill Crow on bass, and Jo Jones on drums – and titles include "The King", "Whoo-eeee", "Morning Fun", "Box Cars", and "Snake Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Obscure work from Kenny Burrell – material originally issued by Muse Records, most of it with a very laidback feel – as you'd guess from the title! The original sides were produced by Helen Keane, who'd done some of Bill Evans' greatest sets – and who had a real ear for the mellower side of the jazz spectrum. And for the record, she's got Kenny playing in a trio format that's very spacious – with only gentle accompaniment on bass and drums, and most of the sound on the set coming from the strings of Kenny's guitar. Following in the gentle spirit of the set, Kenny even plays an acoustic guitar on some numbers – making for a very different sound than usual. Some tracks are quite long, really letting Kenny open up on his solos – and titles include "So Little Time", "All Blues", "In A Mellow Tone", "In The Still Of The Night", "Tenderly", "Listen To The Dawn", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". Mora 2 is a set recorded in Detroit, but one that's got a globe's worth of elements in the mix – originally recorded in the mid 80s, but not released until a brief CD issue in the early part of the 21st Century! Despite that history, the album's a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Francisco Mora Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Por Que Paro", and "Afra-Jum (parts 2 & 3)". CD

The classic quartet of John Coltrane, certainly the classic quartet of the 60s jazz scene and perhaps the classic jazz quartet of all time, compiled in one box set with all of their studio recordings! John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones set so many benchmarks for jazz with their envelope pushing style, recording and performances that it's impossible to overstate their importance in the modern musical oeuvre. This set features all of the LPs Coltrane, Ballads, Impressions, Live At Birdland, Crescent, A Love Supreme, The John Coltrane Quartet Plays, Kulu Se Mama, Transition, Sunship, Infinity and First Meditations, plus a number of tracks issued on compilations. 66 tracks in all, spread out over 8 CDs, in a beautiful bookbound package with a metal slipcase and extensive liner notes. The titles are too numerous to list here, but the set includes "Big Nick", "Soul Eyes", "Miles' Mode", "Tunji", "After The rain", "Lonnie's Lament", "The Drum Thing", "Wise One", "Crescent", "A Love Supreme", "Nature Boy", "Brasilia", "Song Of Praise", "Dear Lord", "The Last Blues", "Living Space", "Dusk Dawn", "Dearly Beloved", "Attaining", "Ascent", "Amen", "Love", "Compassion", "Joy", "Consequences", and "Serenity". CD

A record that really helped push guitarist Ronny Jordan over the top – a set that took that sharp, clean sound that made him the 90s heir to the funky Grant Green sound – and updated it nicely with some help from DJ Krush! The record is one of the most successful blends of jazz and hip hop from the time – one of the few that really gets things right, and which knows when to lean into soul as well – and is maybe a key part of an early legacy that would later flourish in Blue Note projects from artists like Madlib and Robert Glasper! Titles include the killer "The Jackal (the illest mix)", which has Dana Bryant delivering a very hip spoken part – plus "S**t Goes Down (but I phunked up mix)", "Love I Never Had It So Good", "Season For Change (dawn of the season mix)", "Bad Brother (how ya like my wheel mix)", and a great remake of "So What (tuff n smooth mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite records ever from the great Sven Libaek – an artist who's possibly best known for his underwater soundtrack work of the 70s, but who shines equally well here on a 60s album that has him hitting the top of the waves! The music was written for a surf film in 1966, but has a vibe that's much richer than that – some vibes-heavy tracks that showcase Sven's background in jazz, and which tie nicely to some of the Bruce Brown jazz/surf soundtracks of the early 60s LA scene – mixed with other numbers that have more of an Aussie vibe, in that light wrapping of rhythmic currents and lyrical instrumentation! The vibes alone are worth the price of admission – and titles include "Bikini Girls", "The Lost City", "In The Wave", "To Ride A White Horse", "Turistas Turistas", "Bush Fire", "Break Of Dawn", and "Fun & Games". (Soundtracks, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking early album from guitarist John McLaughlin – a set that's a bit different than his more famous work of the mid 70s – with maybe a more avant approach, and a lot more bite as well! The set's really an equal collaboration, rather than just a McLaughlin session – although it's become known as such, since the guitarist is the most famous musician – amongst a fantastic lineup that includes John Surman on reeds, Karl Berger on vibes, Dave Holland on bass, and Stu Martin on drums – all working in a freewheeling mode that's a lot like some of Surman's Trio records on the Dawn label from the same time! Surman is especially great here – adding in soulful currents at some spots, freer lines at others – and it's great to hear the tones of McLaughlin's guitar balanced against Berger's vibes. Titles include "Glancing Backwards", "Earth Bound Hearts", and "Where Fortune Smiles". LP, Vinyl record album

An early gem from keyboardist Carlos Franzetti – a mid 70s session done with a really ambitious sound, and easily one of Franzetti's most righteous recordings ever! At the time of the set, Carlos was fresh on the New York scene from years in his native Argentina – but he's working here with a host of American players to craft a record of boundless soul and imagination – in a style that mixes free solo work on keyboards and saxes with added strings on many tracks, and a few choice vocals that really expand the set. There's a sound here that almost reminds us of the mix of modes used by another Argentinian, Gato Barbieri, in some of his best work of the period – but Franzetti's approach is much more in a spiritual soul jazz mode than Gato's, yet it shares a similar optimism and ability to freely combine styles. Players on the session include Omar Clay on drums, Marvin Blackman on soprano and tenor sax, Kenny Rogers on flute, and Ray Mantilla on congas – and voices are by Mel Dancy and Gayle Dixon Clay. Titles include "Southamelodic", "In The Dawn Of Time", "Prime Element", "Lola", "Aldebaran", "Norma Jean", "Shave & Haircut", and "Alborada". Originally only out on the Argentinian Trova label – beautifully presented here! CD

Landmark work from Sun Ra – a rare 1964 performance that features some very early work from Pharoah Sanders, a good deal of which is appearing here for the first time ever! The material was recorded at Judson Hall – and marks a great large venue performance by the Arkestra on the New York scene. Ra and the group recorded the set on New Year's Eve, 1964 – at a time when John Gilmore had left the Arkestra to work with Art Blakey – leaving Pharoah Sanders to come and take his place on tenor. Also noteworthy is the presence of Black Harold (Harold Murray) on flute – blowing with a dark edge alongside other group members who include Al Evans on trumpet, Teddy Nance on trombone, Marshal Allen on alto sax, Pat Patrick on baritone sax, and both Alan Silva and Ronnie Boykins on bass. The performance starts with a relatively fierce sound, but then moves into some beautifully lyrical moments – and titles include "Gods On A Safari", "The World Shadow", "Rocket Number Nine", "The Voice Of Pan", "Dawn Over Israel", and "Space Mates". LP, Vinyl record album

A different record for Sam Rivers – especially when you compare it to the rest of his early 70s output! Rivers' own playing is still very similar to other records – in that he's blowing his head off on tenor, soprano, and flute – but the backing's by a pretty fierce rhythm combo that keeps on going in these modal lines, not really straight, but comping and vamping a lot in contrast to Rivers' freewheeling solos – a great balance that really sets this one apart. Players include Ted Dunbar, Dave Holland, and Barry Altschul – and titles include "Dawn", "Flare", "Flame", and "Scud". LP, Vinyl record album

Archie Shepp returns to some of the hippest, most righteous modes of his early 70s album for Impulse Records – especially those post-Paris sessions that often brought in singers and an expanded instrumental lineup! The performance here is a live one, and features beautiful vocals from Amina Claudine Myers, Marion Rampal, and Cecile McLorin Salvant – who sometimes work in a righteous chorus mode, sometimes sing solo, to bring out this depth in the compositions that we really love. Shep's on tenor and soprano sax, and sings a bit too – and there's a larger ensemble that features Famadou Don Moye on drums and percussion, plus guitar, trumpets, trombones, and even some added strings. Jimmy Owens conducts, and titles include a very cool reworking of the classic "Blues For Brother G Jackson" – plus "Quiet Dawn", "Cry Of My People", "Arms", "Attica Blues", "Mama Too Tight", and "Goodbye Sweet Pops". CD

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". CD

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". LP, Vinyl record album

A fierce, full-on session from British pianist Pat Smythe – a player you might know from more conventional settings, but who really lets loose here in this unreleased live set from the early 70s! Pat plays plenty of Fender Rhodes in addition to piano – and the set's got an especially strong electric component in the presence of Allan Holdsworth on guitar – who's at his searing best here, and really seems to push Smythe to new levels of energy! The group also features Daryl Runswick on bass and John Marshall on drums – and the set features material from two live French performances in 1973, with titles that include "Casa Forte", "Village Greene", "Floppy Hat", "Rank's Vibe", "Golden Lakes", "British Rail", and "Waiting For The Walrus". CD

2 CD set that brings together 2 of the early jazz/rock crossover albums by British alto genius John Surman. The first album features Surman playing with John McLaughlin, Stu Martin, and other British players on a set that's pretty out, with a groovy progressive approach. Titles on this one include "Glancing Backwards", "Earth Bound Hearts", and "Where Fortune Smiles". The second disc in the set features the album Live At Woodstock Town Hall, which is a set of duets between Surman and Stu Martin. Martin play some pretty wild drums, and Surman solos over the top in a fairly free format. We defintely like the Woodstock album as the better of the two – but at this price, you can afford to get both! CD

An early jazzy soundtrack from the great Piero Umiliani – made even better by some key work from Chet Baker on trumpet and Helen Merrill on vocals! The set was done at a time when both artists were spending some time in Italy – shaping the scene with their presence, and really standing out on a handful of rare recordings like this one – quite different than their American material of a few years before! Baker is especially striking – with lead solos that have a great sense of compression, and a depth of soul that really move beyond the Pacific Jazz recordings. And Merrill is wonderful, too – with that special flavor she only ever seemed to open up when she went overseas – and got to move into more unusual settings. But the real star is Umiliani throughout – balancing modern impulses with late night jazz in a way that really points the way towards his later scores in the 60s – but which is already nearly perfect here! Titles include "Smog" (done in instrumental and vocal versions by Baker and Merrill), plus "Dawn", "Tensione", "Tops", "California In The Summer", "Hollywood Tonight", "Bowling", and "Twilight At Los Angeles". (Soundtracks, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

If there's anyone we trust with a fusion groove, it's the great Grover Washington – as Washington's 70s albums for Kudu are still the blueprint for mixing saxophone solos with electric jazzy backing – a rich legacy he continued strongly into later years! This early 80s set has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first true moments of brilliance from pianist Randy Weston – an early effort for a larger group – of the sort that allowed him to work out even more complicated patterns and rhythms in his music! The jagged Weston approach to a piano line is very firmly in place, even at this early point in his career – and Randy's deeper modern ideals are carried off perfectly by the album's sextet lineup – which features Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, Cecil Payne on baritone, and Ray Copeland on trumpet. Some of the tracks are in trio formation, but still quite striking themselves – and the set features a few great early Weston compositions – like "Loose Wig", "Theme For Teddy", and "J&K Blues" – plus nice takes on "In A Spanish Town", "Well You Needn't", and "How High The Moon". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most striking albums ever recorded by the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band – a suite of tracks composed by leader Francy Boland, swinging with a style that stands with the best MPS work of the time! Boland's clearly taking his cue from the sophisticated later work by Duke Ellington – but he's also inspired by the groovier soundtrack styles bubbling in Europe during the 60s, as well as the other incredible genre-blurring work on MPS at the time. The tracks are all nice and long, and swing with an exotic groove that keeps very much with the Fellini title – offering plenty of space for a range of great soloists that include Tony Coe, Sahib Shihab, Benny Bailey, and Idrees Sulieman. Brilliant throughout – an under-discovered jazz classic – with a suite of 3 movements that include "Rosati At Popolo Square", "Tween Dusk & Dawn In Via Urbana", and "Villa Radieuse". CD

One of the first great non-Japanese recordings by trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a smoking little live set from Germany, done at a time when Hino was working at the height of his youthful powers! The mode here is stretched out and open – never too outside, but very exploratory – in the direction that Hino took quite strongly on his Japanese albums as the 70s approached, but performed here in a style that's even more organic than those records. The group is all Japanese – with Motohiko Hino on drums and Mikio Masuda on piano – and added conga at the bottom of the backings almost gives the record an early 70s Impulse Records sort of feel – nice and spiritual, and plenty soulful! Titles include "Alone Alone & Alone", "Taro's Mood", "Black Daffodil", and "Predawn". CD also features a bonus CD of unreleased material – the tracks "Stella By Starlight", "Cycle Circle", and "Lullaby". CD

One of the first great non-Japanese recordings by trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a smoking little live set from Germany, done at a time when Hino was working at the height of his youthful powers! The mode here is stretched out and open – never too outside, but very exploratory – in the direction that Hino took quite strongly on his Japanese albums as the 70s approached, but performed here in a style that's even more organic than those records. The group is all Japanese – with Motohiko Hino on drums and Mikio Masuda on piano – and added conga at the bottom of the backings almost gives the record an early 70s Impulse Records sort of feel – nice and spiritual, and plenty soulful! Titles include "Alone Alone & Alone", "Taro's Mood", "Black Daffodil", and "Predawn". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records we've ever heard from Japanese drummer Akira Ishikawa – even wilder than some of his famous funk sessions of the time! The set definitely lives up to its African Rock promise – as it features lots of sparely percussive tracks that build beautifully – clearly drawing from African inspiration, in the same way that other albums by Akira drew from American funk – then also adding in some cool production and hip effects that help further some of the "rock" side of the agenda! At points, the record almost feels like a solo percussion jam – but at others, the guitars really get heavy, with a jamming intensity that's simply mindblowing. There's lots of psychedelic overtones when the guitars come in – and they make for a wicked contrast with some of the more organic, percussion-oriented moments. All tunes are nice and long, and titles include the extended break cut "Pigmy", plus "Vita", "Na Tu Penda Sana", and "Wanyamana Mapambazuko". CD

One of the coolest records we've ever heard from Japanese drummer Akira Ishikawa – even wilder than some of his famous funk sessions of the time! The set definitely lives up to its African Rock promise – as it features lots of sparely percussive tracks that build beautifully – clearly drawing from African inspiration, in the same way that other albums by Akira drew from American funk – then also adding in some cool production and hip effects that help further some of the "rock" side of the agenda! At points, the record almost feels like a solo percussion jam – but at others, the guitars really get heavy, with a jamming intensity that's simply mindblowing. There's lots of psychedelic overtones when the guitars come in – and they make for a wicked contrast with some of the more organic, percussion-oriented moments. All tunes are nice and long, and titles include the extended break cut "Pigmy", plus "Vita", "Na Tu Penda Sana", and "Wanyamana Mapambazuko". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records we've ever heard from Japanese drummer Akira Ishikawa – even wilder than some of his famous funk sessions of the time! The set definitely lives up to its African Rock promise – as it features lots of sparely percussive tracks that build beautifully – clearly drawing from African inspiration, in the same way that other albums by Akira drew from American funk – then also adding in some cool production and hip effects that help further some of the "rock" side of the agenda! At points, the record almost feels like a solo percussion jam – but at others, the guitars really get heavy, with a jamming intensity that's simply mindblowing. There's lots of psychedelic overtones when the guitars come in – and they make for a wicked contrast with some of the more organic, percussion-oriented moments. All tunes are nice and long, and titles include the extended break cut "Pigmy", plus "Vita", "Na Tu Penda Sana", and "Wanyamana Mapambazuko". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Walter Lang brings all his own compositions to this beautiful trio set – a record of understated genius that's handled with a really beautiful approach to recording! Lang's tunes are complex, but never in a way that's cold – and although he clearly can really work his way around the keyboard, he also does so in ways that aren't showy or overdone – really just these light painterly strokes in sound at times, given gentle groove through the work of Thomas Markusson on bass and Sebastian Merk on drums. Titles include "Still Gone", "Dawn Song", "Precious Love", "I Wonder", "Translucent Red", and "Afterglow". LP, Vinyl record album

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

One of THE classic Zoot Sims small group recordings of the 50s – recorded with a quintet lineup that includes some great valve trombone work from Bob Brookmeyer! The overall sound isn't nearly as modern as you'd expect from the title (and in fact the cover, which has Zoot sitting in front of an abstract statue, kind of grimacing, might even be taken to imply that the "modern" in the name is a bit of a joke!) But given that Brookmeyer's phrasing is fresh and inventive, and that Sims could easily be moved into some challenging territory with the right players, the set's certainly got a quality that ranks it up there with the best of its contemporaries – no matter how you define the term "modern"! Other players include John Williams, Milt Hinton, and Gus Johnson – and titles include "September In The Rain", "Down At The Loft", "Our Pad", "One To Blow On", and "Dark Clouds". CD features 2 bonus cuts – "When The Blues Come On" and "Buried Gold". CD

A record with an unassuming cover, but a wonderfully rich sound within – a set of easygoing spiritual jazz numbers that have a very live, very spontaneous vibe – in part because the musicians collaborated on the cuts in a very short span of time, and were able to create something very fresh and vibrant in the process! Miles Spilsbury leads the group on saxes and keyboards – and the lineup features additional piano and keys from Oliver Cadman, drums from Finn Booth, and a bit of vocals from Alizee Leriche – plus percussion and "texturising" from Carlos Nino – whose spiritual sonic touches are very clearly present on the recording! We're not sure why the record was issued in such a limited, white label pressing – as it hardly fits the depth of the music – yet perhaps that's also part of the mystery and charm as well. Titles include "Tungsten", "Water On Water", "Cyclamen", "Gratitude", "Light Theme", and "Cloud Formations". LP, Vinyl record album