Category: FEATURED RELEASES
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.
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.
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.
Following up their breakthrough self-titled debut EP in 2019, the London-based jazz-infused Afrobeat collective KOKOROKO, led by trumpeter and vocalist Sheila Maurice-Grey, returns with a much-anticipated follow-up double A-side 12″ single on Brownswood, featuring two superb tracks in “Baba Ayoola” and “Carry Me Home”.
Following up on 2019’s standout debut full-length Scheming, the outstanding Bristol quartet known as The Jazz Defenders returns with a brilliant new 7inch release on the UK-based Haggis Records, featuring two superb dancefloor jazz selections.
Once described as “the Quincy Jones of Catford” by Rolling Stone magazine, South London composer, arranger, and trombonist Nathaniel Cross has become a prominent musician among today’s UK jazz scene, performing and recording with artists like Moses Boyd, Solange, Zara McFarlane, Kano, David Murray, LCSM, Swindle, Sons of Kemet, and many others. Stepping out on his own, he has just released a superb debut EP on First World Records, titled The Description Is Not The Described.
Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records continues it’s string of incredible “must-own” releases with a brand new 7inch single, titled The Electric Jazz Room EP, revisiting two essential selections that made their mark at the underground jazz dance nights like Shiftless Shuffle, The Horseshoe, Electric Ballroom, and others in London.
Over the last several years, London-based trombonist Rosie Turton has continued to make her mark as one of the prominent musicians and composers among the thriving UK jazz scene. In 2019, she released her superb debut EP Rosie’s 5ive via the Jazz re:freshed label, followed by a couple of outstanding recordings with the incredible 7-piece Nérija ensemble. She returns with a brilliant new self-released cosmic jazz release, titled Expansions and Transformations: Part I & II.
