A group who really live up to their name, as they have a way of reaching back in time and space with this very righteous vibe – blending the sorts of horns you might hear in Sun Ra's Arkestra with more majestic strings that might come from a Carlos Nino/Miguel Atwood Ferguson project – but all with a style that's got a lighter, more cosmic approach! There's strong use of harp on the albums at times, echoing a bit of Alice Coltrane – but the group definitely take off in all their own directions too, especially as they shift the focus on key instruments from track to track – in a lineup that includes flute, alto, oboe, tenor, bass clarinet, and baritone – next to light strings, piano, percussion, and bass. All the music was composed by Ozzy Moysey, and a few tracks feature a vocal group to help lift up the spirits of the tunes – equally cosmic and righteous, and a great addition to the sound of the set. If you've dug the Matthew Halsall recordings on the Gondwana label, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "Rejoicing", "Niyama", "Equanimity", "Arc Of The Sun", "River Of Light", and "Pharoah Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

A spiritual masterpiece from Matthew Halsall – a record that still has the beautiful trumpet work we've loved from the start, but which also shows just how much Halsall has been expanding his talents in search of new meanings, and new modes of expression! Matthew handles a fair bit of instrumentation here himself – including Fender Rhodes, piano, kalimba, percussion, and effects – but there's also a shifting lineup of guests throughout, coloring things in really particular ways – with performances from Chip Wickham on soprano sax and flute, Matt Cliffe on alto and flute, Alice Roberts on harp, and Liviu Gheorge and Jasper Green on Fender Rhodes. The tunes have a sense of gentle majesty that's completely sublime, as they unfold in these very righteous currents – on titles that include "Mountains Trees & Seas", "Calder Shapes", "An Ever Changing View", "Tracing Nature", "Water Street", "Triangles In The Sky", and "Natural Movement". CD

A spiritual masterpiece from Matthew Halsall – a record that still has the beautiful trumpet work we've loved from the start, but which also shows just how much Halsall has been expanding his talents in search of new meanings, and new modes of expression! Matthew handles a fair bit of instrumentation here himself – including Fender Rhodes, piano, kalimba, percussion, and effects – but there's also a shifting lineup of guests throughout, coloring things in really particular ways – with performances from Chip Wickham on soprano sax and flute, Matt Cliffe on alto and flute, Alice Roberts on harp, and Liviu Gheorge and Jasper Green on Fender Rhodes. The tunes have a sense of gentle majesty that's completely sublime, as they unfold in these very righteous currents – on titles that include "Mountains Trees & Seas", "Calder Shapes", "An Ever Changing View", "Tracing Nature", "Water Street", "Triangles In The Sky", and "Natural Movement". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best work so far from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – and a wonderful continuation of the spiritual vibe he's been giving us for the past few years! Halsall's a real up-and-comer – a trumpeter with a spiritual sensibility that rivals the best players on 70s Impulse or Strata East sessions – working with a fluid, open quality that's unlike any other contemporary musicians we can think of! There's depth of sound to the record that rivals the best spiritual sessions from Build An Ark – or from Halsall's frequent partner and labelmate, Nat Birchall – whose tenor makes parts of the album sparkle as much as Matthew's trumpet. Other musicians include Rachael Gladwin on harp – an instrument used heavily on the record, in a cool Alice Coltrane-like way – plus Lisa Mallett on flute, Adam Fairhall on piano, and Holly Simpson on violin. Titles include "The Sun In September", "Finding My Way", "Sailing Out To Sea", "Mary Emma Louise", and "Fletcher Moss Park". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of an album from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – his third on the Gondawa label, and like all the others, a set that we'd easily rank right up there with the best 70s spiritual jazz on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz! The set's got a fluid sound that's extremely compelling – kind of a post-Coltrane vibe that has all the players stretching out nicely, but always in a soulful way – never too overdone, or too avant – always staying in the right sort of expressive modes to keep their energy focused. And in the group with Halsall's trumpet is the tenor of Nat Birchall – labelmate on Gondawa, and a player we totally love too – with rhythm support from Adam Fairhall on piano, Gavin Barras on bass, and Gaz Hughes on drums – plus a bit of harp from Rachael Gladwin on one track. Titles include "Samatha", "The End Of Dukkha", "Song For Charlie", and "Music For A Dancing Mind". Remastered edition – features bonus tracks "Only You", "Singing Everyday", and "Breathless". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible modal sounds from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – one of our favorite contemporary jazz artists, and one whose vision just gets bolder and bolder with each new record! This completely sublime set has Halsall working tightly with reedman Nat Birchall – a frequent musical partner whose own records bristle with the same sort of spiritual energy – given some slight additional flavors here with extra flute, harp, and koto – used alongside the more familiar piano, bass, and drums that have always grounded the pair's work together. All tunes are original, and have this vibe that's perfect for the post-Coltrane spiritual jazz generation – but delivered in a way that's quite fresh, too – and not just a simple rehash of early 70s Impulse Records modes. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Sagano Bamboo Forest", "Tribute To Alice Coltrane", "When The World Was One", "Falling Water", and "Kiyomizu Dera". LP, Vinyl record album

We love the music of Chip Wickham – a very soulful reed player who easily moves between spiritual and modal modes – sometimes grooving, sometimes a bit more open – and always working with a fantastic sense of color and tone! Here, Chip plays both flute and tenor sax – the latter on just one track, as most of the record features his flute lines stepping out over these well-crafted rhythms – served up by Phil Wilkinson on piano, Simon Houghton on bass, and Jon Scott on drums – with guest work along the way from Ton Risco on vibes, and Malcolm Strachan and Eoin Grace on trumpets. The tunes have a quality that's like late 60s Blue Note or Verve material from the generation who were aware of Coltrane, but not directly copping his approach – maybe more loving modal energy, which you'll hear plenty of on the tracks "Slow Down Look Around", "Seven Worlds", "Love & Life", and "Space Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – just an EP, but one that features material from the same recordings that gave us his Ever Changing View album – two long tracks that almost act like a ".5" to that original record! As with the full album, the performances here feature a small ensemble that comes together in very gentle, organic ways – modal grooves served up on percussion, bass, and drums – blended with warmer touches on harp, piano, and flute – plus trumpet from the leader, who also plays kalimba and percussion too! The set features tree tracks, and is over 24 minutes – almost as long as a vintage jazz record – with titles that include "Bright Sparkling Light", "Newborough Forest", and "The Tide & The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from a tenorist we only just discovered with this amazing debut album – a deeply spiritual player who comes off beautifully on this set of original compositions! Nat Birchall blows with a range of feeling that takes us back to the 70s best of Pharoah Sanders, Billy Harper, and Clifford Jordan – and he puts his tunes together with a similar feel too – letting them build organically, often with the group just finding the rhythm at the start – then hitting a groove that lets Birchall's horn blossom wonderfully in sound – reaching forth with rich tones that are simply wonderful – over piano, bass, drums – and some guest trumpet by Matthew Halsall on one track (by the way, check out Halsall's album on the same label – it's another gem!) Titles include "Akhenaten", "Many Blessings", "Nica's Dance", and "A Prayer For". CD

A group who really live up to their name, as they have a way of reaching back in time and space with this very righteous vibe – blending the sorts of horns you might hear in Sun Ra's Arkestra with more majestic strings that might come from a Carlos Nino/Miguel Atwood Ferguson project – but all with a style that's got a lighter, more cosmic approach! There's strong use of harp on the albums at times, echoing a bit of Alice Coltrane – but the group definitely take off in all their own directions too, especially as they shift the focus on key instruments from track to track – in a lineup that includes flute, alto, oboe, tenor, bass clarinet, and baritone – next to light strings, piano, percussion, and bass. All the music was composed by Ozzy Moysey, and a few tracks feature a vocal group to help lift up the spirits of the tunes – equally cosmic and righteous, and a great addition to the sound of the set. If you've dug the Matthew Halsall recordings on the Gondwana label, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "Rejoicing", "Niyama", "Equanimity", "Arc Of The Sun", "River Of Light", and "Pharoah Sings". CD

Mindblowing work from a tenorist we only just discovered with this amazing debut album – a deeply spiritual player who comes off beautifully on this set of original compositions! Nat Birchall blows with a range of feeling that takes us back to the 70s best of Pharoah Sanders, Billy Harper, and Clifford Jordan – and he puts his tunes together with a similar feel too – letting them build organically, often with the group just finding the rhythm at the start – then hitting a groove that lets Birchall's horn blossom wonderfully in sound – reaching forth with rich tones that are simply wonderful – over piano, bass, drums – and some guest trumpet by Matthew Halsall on one track (by the way, check out Halsall's album on the same label – it's another gem!) Titles include "Akhenaten", "Many Blessings", "Nica's Dance", and "A Prayer For". CD

Mindblowing work from a tenorist we only just discovered with this amazing debut album – a deeply spiritual player who comes off beautifully on this set of original compositions! Nat Birchall blows with a range of feeling that takes us back to the 70s best of Pharoah Sanders, Billy Harper, and Clifford Jordan – and he puts his tunes together with a similar feel too – letting them build organically, often with the group just finding the rhythm at the start – then hitting a groove that lets Birchall's horn blossom wonderfully in sound – reaching forth with rich tones that are simply wonderful – over piano, bass, drums – and some guest trumpet by Matthew Halsall on one track (by the way, check out Halsall's album on the same label – it's another gem!) Titles include "Akhenaten", "Many Blessings", "Nica's Dance", and "A Prayer For". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Chip Wickham just seems to get deeper and deeper with each new release – the kind of "instant classic" territory that few jazz musicians seem to hit so effortlessly – and exactly the kind of record that's had us loving Chip's music from the very first record! The groove is mostly modal, and the group has this great blend of bass, drums, and percussion that rolls along with a wonderfully fluid quality – almost in the nascent spirituality of a player like Yusef Lateef in the early 60s, but with a lot more contemporary understanding too – especially as Wickham adds in elements from the harp of Amanda Whiting, trumpet of Eoin Grace, and vibes of Ton Risco! Phil Wilkonson handles the piano with a majestic sort of grace – and Chip blows both flutes and tenor, on titles that include "Dark Eyes", "Tubby Chaser", "Winter", "Lower East Side", "Stratospheric", and "The Hit". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued work from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – most of it recorded during the year of 2008, a time when Halsall was first really starting to make a name for himself – and also working with the great tenorist Nat Birchall! Birchall is on most of these tracks, and together the pair move into territory that's along the more meditative side of the spectrum than their first few albums – spiritual jazz, but of a slow-building style that often frequently features work on harp from either Stan Ambrose or Rachael Gladwin – in a mode that's clearly inspired by the Impulse Records material of Alice Coltrane, but which also has a very personal vibe – given the strong solo work of both Halsall and Birchall. The set also features two Indian-styled tunes, recorded with sitar and tabla – and titles include "Life", "Oneness", "Distant Land", "Stories From India", "Loving Kindness", "Stan's Harp", and "The Traveller". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – one of our favorite jazz musicians of the past 20 years, and an artist who just seems to be growing and growing with each new release! This set picks up on the organic, meditative quality of some of Halsall's recent records – but it also has a bit more bite, and is maybe almost a return to the roots of his earliest records on the Gondwana label – those classics that first made us fall in love with his music over a decade ago, and which made Matthew a real front-runner of the current global spiritual jazz underground! The set's got this very rich presentation – as the leader's work on trumpet is mixed with harp from Maddie Herbert, flute and tenor from Matt Cliffe, piano and kalimba from Livin Gheorghe, and great use of percussion, bass, and drums – all on long tracks that build with the best sort of post-Coltrane energy – titles that include "Joyful Spirits Of The Universe", "Mindfulness Meditations", "Tropical Landscapes", "Harmony With Nature", and "The Energy Of Life". CD

A sublime live set from British trumpeter Matthew Halsall – a set that maybe sounds even more organic and spiritual than some of his already-amazing work in the studio! There's a great sense of majesty here – as Halsall leads a wonderfully cohesive lineup that stretches out on long tracks that seem to get even more out of the space of the concert venue than they might in a smaller recording room. The group features Matt Cliffe on tenor and flute, Liviu Gheorghe on piano, Gavin Barras on bass, Alan Taylor on drums, Jack McCarthy on percussion, and Maddie Herbert on some especially nice use of harp – understated, and never dominating the music, but a really crucial part of the album's sound! Titles include "Canopy & Stars", "Mindfulness Meditations", "Joyful Spirits Of The Universe", "Harmony With Nature", "Tropical Landscapes", and "Salute To The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A really incredible album – a set that's filled with far more soul and feeling than you might guess from the youthful image on the cover! Matthew Halsall's a pretty young player, but his sound here is really amazing – not just on his own trumpet solos, but on the overall feel of the album – which is beautifully composed, and put together with a sense of spirit that takes us back to Strata East at its most sophisticated in the 70s! There's a really beautiful balance here – ambition in the writing that recalls other UK efforts from The Heritage Orchestra or Nostalgia 77 Octet – but an execution that's much leaner overall, deeply personal lines played by a relatively small combo – quintet formation on all numbers, featuring Halsall's trumpet alongside great reedwork on soprano sax, flute, alto, and tenor – supported by soaring rhythms on piano, bass, and drums – all handled with the majesty of an early 70s McCoy Tyner album, or some of the other great modally-inspired work of the American post-Coltrane generation. Tremendous stuff throughout – a record that held us rapt from start to finish – with 5 original compositions that include "On The Other Side Of The World", "Reflections", "Freedom Song", "Sending My Love", and "Sachi". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful debut from Estonian pianist Hanakiv – a set that draws equally strongly on her compositional sense of sound as it does from her actual performance – as Hanakiv plays piano here amidst all sorts of really beautiful shapes and tones! Alabaster DePlume is a guest on the record – and the set definitely falls within the scope of his own beautiful work – almost a dreamy reworking of familiar instrumental modes – so that the piano parts are kind of a lifeline back to reality, while all the other sonic elements create misty shapes and surreal landscapes. Titles include "Lies", "Goodbye", "No Words Left", "And It Felt So Nice", "Home II", and "Meditation I". CD

A beautiful musical gift from Mammal Hands – and, like their previous records, a set that's instrumental, but only partly in the world of jazz – as the group have a fantastic ear for a melody, and and create this really magical flow that illuminates the lovely tunes at the core! Drummer Jesse Barret is light and cyclical on the kit – never bombasting, but creating these cascading lines that are woven with these warm piano lines from Nick Smart, then balanced with nicely angular saxophone parts from Jordan Smart. The approach is great – hypnotic and lovely, and titles include "Nightingale", "Riser", "The Spinner", "Kernel", "Dimu", and "Deep Within Mountains". CD

A beautiful musical gift from Mammal Hands – and, like their previous records, a set that's instrumental, but only partly in the world of jazz – as the group have a fantastic ear for a melody, and and create this really magical flow that illuminates the lovely tunes at the core! Drummer Jesse Barret is light and cyclical on the kit – never bombasting, but creating these cascading lines that are woven with these warm piano lines from Nick Smart, then balanced with nicely angular saxophone parts from Jordan Smart. The approach is great – hypnotic and lovely, and titles include "Nightingale", "Riser", "The Spinner", "Kernel", "Dimu", and "Deep Within Mountains". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful large concept work from UK saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi – one that features a rich array of players, all folded together in a warmly spiritual sound! There's echoes of some of the other mellow work on the International Anthem label here, but also more of the righteous currents of artists on the Gondwana label – all pushed even farther into more sophisticated territory with the larger arrangements in the music – which echo a Charles Stepney sort of majesty! Kinoshi leads the group on alto sax, and the lineup features trumpets, tenor, trombone, piano, guitar, bass, and drums – mixed with light strings, and even some flute and turntables too. The album's one long work that progressed beautifully in six parts – and is completed by another live recording from Total Refreshment Centre, "Smoke In The Sun". CD

A beautiful large concept work from UK saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi – one that features a rich array of players, all folded together in a warmly spiritual sound! There's echoes of some of the other mellow work on the International Anthem label here, but also more of the righteous currents of artists on the Gondwana label – all pushed even farther into more sophisticated territory with the larger arrangements in the music – which echo a Charles Stepney sort of majesty! Kinoshi leads the group on alto sax, and the lineup features trumpets, tenor, trombone, piano, guitar, bass, and drums – mixed with light strings, and even some flute and turntables too. The album's one long work that progressed beautifully in six parts – and is completed by another live recording from Total Refreshment Centre, "Smoke In The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A jam-packed issue of this mighty great magazine – one that not only features a big article on Carla Bley, pictured on the cover – but also more on reedman Azar Lawrence, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and improvising cellist Abdul Wadud! There's also more on John Zorn's Naked City, Amirtah Kidambi, Ruth Goller, Mette Henriette, and Francois Jeanneau – plus a look at the great spiritual jazz label Gondwana Records, and photos from the We Jazz Festival in 2023! As always, the writing is great, the photos superb, and the large publication is more like a book or journal than a magazine – kind of the Wax Poetics for those who dig jazz! (Magazines, Jazz) Magazine

Japanese electric Miles, featuring 2 long tracks – "Zimbabwe" and "Gondwana" – spread out over the course of a sweet double live set! The album gives Miles and the group plenty of room to groove and stretch out – hitting notes that are both funky and noisy, often at the same time! Michael Henderson lays down some great bass work on the set, and major solos are by Sonny Fortune, Pete Cosey, and Reggie Lucas! Great stuff – and more proof that Miles in the 70s was a very very deep place! CD

A beautiful large concept work from UK saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi – one that features a rich array of players, all folded together in a warmly spiritual sound! There's echoes of some of the other mellow work on the International Anthem label here, but also more of the righteous currents of artists on the Gondwana label – all pushed even farther into more sophisticated territory with the larger arrangements in the music – which echo a Charles Stepney sort of majesty! Kinoshi leads the group on alto sax, and the lineup features trumpets, tenor, trombone, piano, guitar, bass, and drums – mixed with light strings, and even some flute and turntables too. The album's one long work that progressed beautifully in six parts – and is completed by another live recording from Total Refreshment Centre, "Smoke In The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese electric Miles, featuring 2 long tracks – "Zimbabwe" and "Gondwana" – spread out over the course of a sweet double live set! The album gives Miles and the group plenty of room to groove and stretch out – hitting notes that are both funky and noisy, often at the same time! Michael Henderson lays down some great bass work on the set, and major solos are by Sonny Fortune, Pete Cosey, and Reggie Lucas! Great stuff – and more proof that Miles in the 70s was a very very deep place! CD

A set of improvised music, but one that's very different than some of the more familiar free jazz you might expect – as the Avant Trio have a way of moving between rhythmic and melodic moments with effortless ease – sometimes getting a bit spiritual, with currents that move between South African jazz roots of the 70s, and some more contemporary expressions on the Gondwana label! The group features Oki Kim on tenor, Sungbae Kim on bass, and Francesca Han on piano – and all players have an ability to move together as one on some numbers, then space out with much more freewheeling improvisation on others – creating a blend of moods and moments that's completely seductive throughout, and which really makes for an album that never stops surprising the ear at each new step. Titles include "Shaman Dance", "Abdul Him", "Solar Buddha", "Controversy", "Tembo Steps", "Dadam", "East Suns", and "The Loudest Silence". LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese electric Miles, featuring 2 long tracks – "Zimbabwe" and "Gondwana" – spread out over the course of a sweet double live set! The album gives Miles and the group plenty of room to groove and stretch out – hitting notes that are both funky and noisy, often at the same time! Michael Henderson lays down some great bass work on the set, and major solos are by Sonny Fortune, Pete Cosey, and Reggie Lucas! Great stuff – and more proof that Miles in the 70s was a very very deep place! CD