BeatCaffeine’s Weekly Record Rundown 02.7.25
This week’s BeatCaffeine Weekly Record Rundown highlights the brilliant new albums from Belgium-based quintet Black Flower, and legendary 86-year-old Italian pianist Mario Rusca, an impressive EP from two of Schema Records’ most notable artists in Gerardo Frisina, and Toco, along with vocalist Luzia Dvorek, and the Far Out Recordings debut of forward-thinking Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and producer Nyron Higor.
Black Flower — ‘Kinetic’
(Sdban Records)
Belgium-based quintet Black Flower, led by by saxophonist and flutist Nathan Daems has recently released a brilliant new album, titled Kinetic. The 7-track recording, which delves into the transformative power of rhythm and motion, blends together cosmic and spiritual jazz grooves with Afrobeat, Ethio-jazz, dub, and Eastern Asian influences. Already receiving heavy rotation from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Colin Curtis, Tony Poole’s Jazz First Chart, Lefto Early Bird, and others, you can already make a place for this record in your year-end “best of” list. Highly recommended!
Mario Rusca (Quintet, Nonet) — ‘4th Dimension’
(Right Tempo / Easy Tempo)
Milan-based label Right Tempo/Easy Tempo has recently released the declared final and arguably greatest album from 86-year-old legendary Italian pianist Mario Rusca, titled 4th Dimension. This expansive 13-track 2xLP recording, features tracks in a number of different settings, including nonet, quintet and trio that incorporates winds, an explosive rhythm section, vocal choruses, and more. With a fusion of jazz dance, Latin, and cinematic grooves, this remarkable session includes timeless original material and a fresh approach to classics from the American jazz songbook. 4th Dimension is quite the exclamation mark(!!!) to what has been an astonishing musical legacy.
Gerardo Frisina & Toco feat. Luzia Dvorek — ‘Deixa Passar’
(Schema Records)
Two of Schema Records most notable artists, Gerardo Frisina and Toco (aka Tomaz Di Cunto) team up again, this time with vocalist Luzia Dvorek, for another impressive EP, titled Deixa Passar. This recording features two original songs, the title track and “llê”, along with two entrancing reworks from Frisina. The music blends together samba, “nu jazz” inspired grooves, and Brazilian folk influences. Overall, a welcomed sun-drenched feel-good release to hold many of us over during these colder months.
Nyron Higor — s/t
(Far Out Recordings)
Joe Davis’ Far Out Recordings has released a superb new self-titled album from rising Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and producer Nyron Higor. Featuring 10-tracks, this recording fuses together 70s inspired MPB roots with dreamlike folk, celestial lush grooves, a wide array of global influences and contemporary production techniques to create a fresh and unique approach to modern Brazilian music.
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