Record Shopping Etiquette
The do’s, the don’ts, and best practices when it comes to shopping for vinyl.
Lance Ferguson led spiritual jazz group Menagerie return with brilliant new album ‘The Shores Of Infinity’
The Australian 9-piece group, Menagerie follows up their breakthrough 2021 full-length Many Worlds with arguably their best recording to date, titled The Shores Of Infinity. Marking their third release for the London-based Freestyle Records label, this is one of the many notable projects led by producer, songwriter, guitarist, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos, Rare Groove Spectrum).
Tenderlonious explores influential jazz classics on ‘You Know I Care’
For about a decade, UK-based producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and 22a label boss, Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne has been one of today’s most forward-thinking artists, incorporating jazz, house, electronic beats, Latin, classical Indian music and more into his recordings. For his latest release, titled You Know I Care, he focuses his energy on exploring the classic jazz material that has inspired him over the years.
Visionary London drummer Yussef Dayes releases debut full-length ‘Black Classical Music’
Ever since his collaborative breakthrough Black Focus album with Kamaal Williams back in 2016, Yussef Dayes has quickly become one the leading musicians among London’s surging jazz scene. Since that time, the drummer, composer and bandleader has released a number of outstanding EPs, singles, live sessions, and additional collaborative efforts. Now he has just released his highly-anticipated full-length debut, titled Black Classical Music on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label.
Chip Wickham returns with soulful spiritual jazz EP ‘Love & Life’
As a follow-up to two standout releases last year for Matthew Halsell’s Gondwana Records, in Astral Traveling and Cloud 10, the saxophonist and flautist Chip Wickham has returned with a brilliant new EP for the Manchester-based label, titled Love & Life.
International Anthem releases incredible posthumous album from the late great trumpeter Jaimie Branch
Late last August, the music world was stunned and saddened when the heartbreaking news circulated of Jaimie Branch’s sudden passing. At that point, the adventurous trumpeter and composer was one of leading young artists among the jazz scene. On the one year anniversary of her death, International Anthem, which is responsible for all of her previous releases, has put out Jaimie’s final album with her Fly or Die quartet, titled Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)).
Colin Curtis presents superb new EPs from GeeW and Stefano De Santis
Over the last couple of years, legendary UK jazz dance and Northern soul DJ Colin Curtis has been issuing some superb limited-edition vinyl-only EPs under his Colin Curtis Presents imprint label. These releases fall perfectly in-line with the kind of dancefloor-focused jazz music that is prominent on his weekly Sunday Jazz Dance Fusion radio show for The Hitmix 107.5 FM. Recently, he has added two more incredible titles to the growing discography in GeeW‘s Supernova EP and Stefano De Santis A Kind of Prayer EP.
Jazz Room Records issues 7inch with two funky gems from Urguayan pianist Mike Dogliotti
On top of continuously putting out a number of well-crafted full-length reissues, over the last few year’s Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records has also issued a number of essential 7inch releases, often included selections on that format for the first time. That is certainly the case here, with the double-sided single from Urguayan pianist Mike Dogliotti featuring two rare dancefloor gems.
Chris Bangs’ new ensemble project Nova Vida release Brazilian-influenced jazz dance 7inch
Following his incredible album Firebird, which was released earlier this year, legendary UK producer, deejay, and acid jazz pioneer Chris Bangs has put together an exciting new ensemble project, called Nova Vida. Ahead of the group’s highly-anticipated Spring 2024 full-length debut, they have recently released a brilliant new 7inch single titled My Only on BDQ Records.
Iconic producer John Beltran continues his Balearic explorations on superb new album ‘Serendipia’
For over the past three decades, iconic Michigan producer John Beltran has been one of the leading artists in fusing together experimental electronic music, techno, jazz and Brazilian influences. Building off of both last year’s highly acclaimed Sol Set project and Para Viajeros EP, in addition to his brilliant and ongoing Back To Bahia series, Beltran has returned with a superb new Balearic album on the Turkish label Oath, titled Serendipia.
Sun Ra Arkestra’s Knoel Scott & Marshall Allen release direct-to-tape session on Night Dreamer Records
London’s fantastic Night Dreamer label has recently released a superb new recording, titled Celestial, by Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonist, percussionist and vocalist Knoel Scott. The record, which represents Knoel’s first studio record in 40 years, also features the legendary Arkestra bandleader and long-time collaborator Marshall Allen (originally joining the Arkestra in 1958, and leading the band since 1995 following “the departure” of Sun Ra).
