Tag: Jazz Dance
Paul Murphy’s Jazz Room Records, who has been putting out a number of stellar releases over the past couple of years, has recently reissued vibraphonist Khan Jamal’s highly obscure 1984 spiritual soul jazz masterpiece Infinity.
Cognitiva and ANMA Records have teamed up to release an incredible new compilation, titled Outlines, which highlights a new generation of exciting producers from across Europe, whom are fusing together jazz, broken beat and house in adventurous new ways.
Following last year’s superb collaborative EP with Andrew Ashong and the reissue of his groundbreaking 2008 sophomore solo recording In Search Of Hope, pioneering producer and keyboardist Kaidi Tatham, who has made his mark as one the most innovative broken beat artists over the past two decades, has just released an absolutely incredible new cosmic jazz album, titled An Insight To All Minds on First Word Records.
Following the breakthrough success of last year’s album Ignite, the London-based cosmic jazz ensemble The Sultan’s Swing return with a masterful new follow-up recording in Matter Of Urgency on Lazy Robot Records.
Thanks to Gilles Peterson and Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick’s highly acclaimed STR4TA project, the late 70s-early 80s UK-based DIY new wave jazz-funk sound, known as Brit-funk is beginning to see a nice resurgence. A number of other artists and projects also seem to be resurfacing as of late, including French multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Koji Ono, who recently released a brilliant new twelve-inch single on the Paris-based label Chuwanaga. Receiving some assistance from two key players of the pioneering band Atmosfear, this new single features legendary bassist and founding member Lester Batchelor (aka “LB”), and the group’s current drummer Roy Mistry.
Composer and pianist Ken Rhodes’ highly obscure 1974 jazz-funk recording Profiles has recently seen a limited-edition reissue by the French independent label Sconsolato. Originally released by the small German jazz label AMAYANA, this album represents the well-travelled musician’s most notable work as a bandleader.
Over the last several year’s Dynamite Cuts, run by Malachi Trout, has been issuing an impressive string of seven-inch singles highlighting essential jazz, funk, and rare groove. Most recently, the London-based label has put out a brilliant new 45rpm release featuring two classic jazz dance gems “It’s Over” and “Love Signs” from Nanette Natal’s 1980 private press full-length My Song of Something.
The 10-piece UK-based collective Nubiyan Twist, led by producer and guitarist Tom Excell, have released a brilliant and expansive new album on the Strut label, titled Freedom Fables, featuring an all-star cast of special guest vocalists including Cherise, Nick Richards, Ego Ella May, Ria Moran, London jazz great Soweto Kinch, rising Ghanaian star K.O.G. and highlife legend Pat Thomas.
Following an inspiring tour with Theo Parrish in 2014 and a highly memorable experience at New York’s Soul Summit in 2015, London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Junior Alli-Balogun aka JAB released quite possibly the best song of 2019 in the 10-plus minute dancefloor gem “Directions”, which was eventually released as a twelve-inch single. With much anticipation, JAB returns with an outstanding new EP titled Currents.
Bristol, UK based ensemble Dundundun, who feature members whom have collaborated with The Heavy, Alice Russell, Pete Josef, DJ Die, Dele Sosimi, and others, have recently released their brilliant debut twelve-inch on Worm Discs (one of our favorite new labels!).
With so much great music being released these days from all corners of the globe, I find that there are always a number of incredible recordings that are not on my radar and might miss upon their initial release. That is certainly the case with the debut album Dreams Fulfilled from Glasgow’s Nimbus Sextet.
Nineteen years since the release of their debut twelve-inch single New Standards, Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella team up again following a string of recent singles over the past few years with a brilliant new full-length album on Schema Records, titled People Need People.
