Author: TJ Gorton
Bristol-based experimental jazz collective Ishmael Ensemble, led by saxophonist and producer Pete Cunningham, return following their breakthrough 2019 debut A State of Flow, with another brilliant and expansive new album title Visions of Light.
Every year, there are always a number of unanticipated releases that seem to come out of nowhere and become future classics. That certainly was the case with the debut release from a superb trio cast of beat makers, producers, and instrumentalists known as Turbulance, whom have recently released their incredible debut on CoOperation Records.
London’s Strut Records continues it’s superb series diving deep into the vaults of Jimmy Gray’s now considered legendary Richmond, Virginia based label Black Fire Records with another highly in-demand reissue of Southern Energy Ensemble’s 1977 masterpiece Southern Energy.
Making the most out of the unfortunate lockdown, Glasgow-based pianist, keyboardist, and composer Josef Akin, who also plays in two excellent groups Amara and GABO, returns with an absolutely brilliant new album titled, Flightcase on London’s Sola Terra label.
Just in time for the warmer summer months, New York-based Frederiksberg Records have recently released a fantastic retrospective EP celebrating the tropical sounds of legendary Caribbean Mocko Jumbie and musician Hugo Moolenaar.
Highly innovative Italian drummer, composer, and producer Tommaso Cappellato, who has recently relocated to Los Angeles, launches his new Domanda Music label with a brilliant cosmic jazz recording, titled Pioneered, featuring an impressive cast of musicians like Shahzad Ismaily, Jaimie Branch, Val Jeanty, Afrikan Sciences, Michael Blake, Yusuke Yamamoto, Donato Dozzy, and others.
In what is certainly one of the most anticipated albums of 2021, the highly talented London-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, vocalist and DJ, Emma-Jean Thackray returns with an incredible new full-length album titled Yellow on her own Movementt label.
One of the leading groups among the Bristol scene, the seven-piece ensemble known as Snazzback, has just released their widely expansive sophomore album In The Place on Worm Discs, a newer Bristol-based label that has quickly made a strong impression with already a number of essential releases.
Toronto based record label We Are Busy Bodies has recently reissued the rare 1980 recording by the collaborative supergroup ensemble Eboni Band, featuring musicians from Ivory Coast based Eboni Records and prime Motown session players, including funk legend and longtime JB’s bandleader Fred Wesley.
Decca has recently released an incredible new compilation featuring selections from some of the greatest and most sought-after British jazz recordings from the sixties and seventies, titled Journeys In Modern Jazz: Britain. This represents a time where the UK jazz scene was really finding it’s own sound with it’s own “home grown” British musicians and the support of labels like Decca, Deram, Argo, EMI Columbia/Lansdowne Series, Fontana, Mercury, Philips and others.
