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

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 combo who start slow, then really build up with a sense of majestic presence – led by bassist Wojtek Mazolewski, and coming across here with a very spacious vibe! The first two tracks are short, and a bit contemplative, which might take you off guard – as once things get going, there's a surprising richness to the sound – a rising up, maybe with a contemporary mode that's similar to the best work on Gondwana Records – as the leader works with a quintet that features Piotr Checki on tenor, Oscar Torok on trumpet, Marcel Balinski on piano, and Tymek Papior – all familiar instruments, but working together with a presence that seems greater than the parts. Titles include "Sun", "Purple Space", "New Energy", "Air", and "The Art Of Joy". CD

A great overview of the genius of trumpeter Matthew Halsall – a really tremendous musician who really helped reopen the door to spiritual jazz in the first decade of this century! Halsall's got a wonderful sense of space and soul – different than the trumpeters of the late 60s/early 70s generation – as he never comes too full on, and really lets a tune grow to find organic form – often using modal rhythms to build things up, before majestically taking off to the skies! His albums for the Gondwana label have become modern day spiritual jazz classics – right up there with the older best on Impulse or Strata East – and this collection brings together some of the best from those records – with titles that include "Colour Yes", "Calder Shapes", "The Sun In September", "Fletcher Moss Park", "Bright Sparkling Light", "Into Forever", "Eleventh Hour", "The Land Of", "Mountains Trees & Seas", and "Cherry Blossom". 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". CD