Four sublime tracks from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – all of which work together to give this EP release all the spiritual power of his full length albums! Halsall has a sense of majesty here that's undeniable – the continuing evolution of that style that's grabbed us strongly for over a decade, mixed here with flute and saxes from Matt Cliffe, Harp from Maddie Herbert, piano from Liviu Gheorghe, bass from Gavin Barras, drums from Alan Taylor, and percussion from Jack McCarthy. The harp and flute are especially nice, and the work has a style that's meditative, but modal too – really moving forward with some great gentle grooves – on titles that include "Yogic Flying", "Upper Space", "Positive Activity", and "Changing Earth". CD

The music of Matthew Halsall really opens up here – still staying in the spiritual jazz style we love from earlier records, but with an even more expansive vision overall! The album brings in some added string players to a core group that includes flute, harp, and koto alongside the usual jazz instrumentation – but the overall feel is still quite intimate – as the group's still under the larger assemblage you might think from the "orchestra" on the cover! Instead, the strings act in this way to expand and shade in colors initiated by the various members of the group – at a level that makes the sound incredibly rich, and which gives the harp, piano, and koto even more focus. Halsall's trumpet lines are as wonderful as always – soulfully breathtaking – and the record also features vocals on a number of tracks, from righteous singers Josephine Oniyama and Bryony Jarman Pinto – both of whom hit a 70s current that takes us back to Jean Carn with Doug Carn on the Black Jazz label, or maybe some of the female vocals on the first few Oneness Of Juju albums. Titles include "Only As A Woman", "As I Walk", "Dawn Horizon", "The Land Of", "Jamais Vu", and "Daan 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

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 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 record that's more of an EP than a full length release, but one that's still really overflowing with fantastic music from the great Matthew Halsall – a player who can deliver as much meaning and soul in a short space as most musicians can in a double-length set! The album features four tracks, and Halsall's trumpet is wrapped up wonderfully with the flute of Matt Cliff – a player with a very evocative vibe, and one that really fits the modal rhythms of the tunes – as does the harp work of Maddie Herbert. Liviu Gheorghe plays both piano and organ, and the set features the originals "Temple Within", "Earth Fire", "A Japanese Garden In Ethiopia", and "The Eleventh Hour". CD

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

Really lovely music from saxophonist Jasmine Myra – an artist who's a great fit for the contemporary spiritual sound of the Gondwana label! Myra has great ties to the contemporary British scene, and as with some of her contemporaries, she's far more than just a soloist – as the album resonates with her strength as both a leader and composer – music that moves beyond just being a showcase for her reeds, and which also has this larger vision that's really wonderful! Some tracks are straightforward, others are more ambitious, and other players include Ben Haskins on guitar, Jasper Green on piano, and Alice Roberts on harp – all musicians who really help Jasmine carve out a wonderful first statement on record – on titles that include "Morningtide", "1000 Miles", "Words Left Unspoken", "Horizons", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

Both artists here are ones you might know from other UK jazz projects – bassist Milo Fitzpatrick hails from Portico Quartet and saxophonist Jordan Smart is part of Mammal Hands – and together, they work in these spare duets that are really beautiful, and often very different than their previous recordings! There's a nice sense of space in both the way the bass and sax are recorded – so that the larger sound of the production wraps their sounds together nicely – almost an ECM sense of space, but without the coldness that label always seems to have – which makes for a key difference here in the way things come across. Titles include "Train To Kyoto", "Spiral Slow", "New Planet", "Epic Dream", "Red Moon Rising", and "Thoughts Shifting". 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

Four sublime tracks from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – all of which work together to give this EP release all the spiritual power of his full length albums! Halsall has a sense of majesty here that's undeniable – the continuing evolution of that style that's grabbed us strongly for over a decade, mixed here with flute and saxes from Matt Cliffe, Harp from Maddie Herbert, piano from Liviu Gheorghe, bass from Gavin Barras, drums from Alan Taylor, and percussion from Jack McCarthy. The harp and flute are especially nice, and the work has a style that's meditative, but modal too – really moving forward with some great gentle grooves – on titles that include "Yogic Flying", "Upper Space", "Positive Activity", and "Changing Earth". 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 fantastic setting for the voice of Dwight Trible – one of the few contemporary jazz singers who inherited the style of spiritual jazz greats like Leon Thomas or Joe Lee Wilson! Trible's singing here with backing from a group that includes trumpeter Matthew Halsall, recording on Halsall's own label too – a wonderful imprint that's also one of the few to really get the spiritual vibe just right – that sort of long-flowing, always-soulful mode that grew out of the post-Coltrane generation! Tracks are all open and modal – just the right vibe for Trible to hit his heights – and they also leave plenty of space for Halsall to take some great solos, too – in a combo that also includes piano, bass, drums, and even a bit of harp. Most titles are remakes of older numbers, but given a completely different spin by Trible – and titles include "Tryin Times", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair", "Heaven & Hell", "Feelin Good", and "Dear Lord". CD

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". CD

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

Really lovely music from saxophonist Jasmine Myra – an artist who's a great fit for the contemporary spiritual sound of the Gondwana label! Myra has great ties to the contemporary British scene, and as with some of her contemporaries, she's far more than just a soloist – as the album resonates with her strength as both a leader and composer – music that moves beyond just being a showcase for her reeds, and which also has this larger vision that's really wonderful! Some tracks are straightforward, others are more ambitious, and other players include Ben Haskins on guitar, Jasper Green on piano, and Alice Roberts on harp – all musicians who really help Jasmine carve out a wonderful first statement on record – on titles that include "Morningtide", "1000 Miles", "Words Left Unspoken", "Horizons", and "Awakening". CD

Part of a fantastic legacy in spiritual jazz – music that was almost overlooked at the time, but went on to become the start of both a big wave of new energy on the UK scene of trumpeter Matthew Halsall, and a whole global generation as well! The album is Halsall's second, and follows strongly from the amazing spirit of his debut – done for the Gondwana label with key help from the great Nat Birchall on tenor – a player whose depth is a perfect balance to the measured, spacious tone of Halsall – in a group that also features Adam Fairhall on piano, Gavin Barras on bass, and either Gaz Hughes or Marek Dorcik on drums – plus some especially wonderful harp from Rachael Gladwin on half the album's long tracks. The set is great, with beautifully open sounds – and the titles are all original, and include "Colour Yes", "Together", "I've Found My Joy", "Mudita", "I've Been Here Before", and "Me And You". New edition includes the bonus tracks "Ai" and "It's What We Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's more of an EP than a full length release, but one that's still really overflowing with fantastic music from the great Matthew Halsall – a player who can deliver as much meaning and soul in a short space as most musicians can in a double-length set! The album features four tracks, and Halsall's trumpet is wrapped up wonderfully with the flute of Matt Cliff – a player with a very evocative vibe, and one that really fits the modal rhythms of the tunes – as does the harp work of Maddie Herbert. Liviu Gheorghe plays both piano and organ, and the set features the originals "Temple Within", "Earth Fire", "A Japanese Garden In Ethiopia", and "The Eleventh Hour". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully moody combo – one who are definitely in the more jazz-based side of the spectrum for the Gondwana label – but a group who also have a different vibe than label heavyweights like Matthew Halsall and Nat Birchall! There's a very loose, open approach going on here – music that moves in these gentle cycles that are more elliptical than modal jazz, but have a similar sense of spirit – served up with sublime instrumentation from group leader Seth Ford Young on bass, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, Sylvain Carton on saxes, and Josh Collazo on drums. At times, the group hang wonderfully on the edge between spiritual jazz and freer sounds of the loft jazz generation – on titles that include "Still Dancing", "Like Glass", "Drum Talk", "Mama", "First Step", and "The Cradle". CD

A wonderfully moody combo – one who are definitely in the more jazz-based side of the spectrum for the Gondwana label – but a group who also have a different vibe than label heavyweights like Matthew Halsall and Nat Birchall! There's a very loose, open approach going on here – music that moves in these gentle cycles that are more elliptical than modal jazz, but have a similar sense of spirit – served up with sublime instrumentation from group leader Seth Ford Young on bass, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, Sylvain Carton on saxes, and Josh Collazo on drums. At times, the group hang wonderfully on the edge between spiritual jazz and freer sounds of the loft jazz generation – on titles that include "Still Dancing", "Like Glass", "Drum Talk", "Mama", "First Step", and "The Cradle". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful record from reedman Nat Birchall – a solo set, but one that's got the same spiritual flow as his records with a group – as Nat himself handles a number of different instruments over the course of the set, using overdubs to give the whole thing the same spiritual flair as an early 70s session for Impulse Records! We've always loved Nat's work on saxophone – and he solos on plenty of tenor and soprano here, plus bass clarinet – but he's also got a great ear for rhythms, and delivers these beautiful modal grooves on piano, bass, and drums – with extra percussion added in all the right ways to deepen the sound, and make the record really live up to its title. The set is one that we'd easily rank right up there with Birchall's classics for the Gondwana label – and titles include "Mirror Mind", "Ancient Africa", "Malidoma", "Song For John Blanke", and "Ancestral Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

An instant classic from saxophonist Nat Birchall – the kind of set that first made us fall in love with him all those many years back, when we first heard his early records on the Gondwana label! Nat's working here in a mode that's spiritual, but on long tracks that have a great modal vibe – really enforced by the energy of his group here, which features some especially great piano from Adam Fairhall – a player with a very majestic command of his instrument, and one that really sets the tone for the whole record! Other members of the group include Michael Bardon on bass, Paul Hession on drums, and Lascelle Gordon on percussion – but Birchall is clearly the shining light in the front – blowing beautiful long solos on tenor, plus a bit of wood flute too – with occasional contributions on mbira and balafon as well. Tracks are all nice and long, and include "Nile Valley", "Sun In The East", "Lokumbe", and "Unity" 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