Tag: Jazz Funk
Highly innovative and active Panamá-born, Chicago-based drummer and DJ Daniel Villarreal, who also notably plays and co-leads in a number of groups including Dos Santos, has recently released an incredible collaborative cosmic psych-jazz debut (under his own name) on International Anthem.
Glasgow’s highly-talented Nimbus Sextet follow-ups their impressive breakthrough debut Dreams Fulfilled, with a superb sophomore release on the Acid Jazz label, appropriately titled Forward Thinker.
London’s Kalita Records, who consistently unearths essential gems, has recently reissued the obscure 1980 soulful disco-funk masterpiece Ultra/Sound from The IgG Band, which was made up of medical students at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.
Another incredible reissue recently issued by Frederiksberg Records, is the highly obscure 1973 deep spiritual jazz private press recording by New York-based quartet Compass, titled Compass Rises.
After 10 outstanding releases over two years featuring new music by Roy Ayers, Azymuth, Gary Bartz, Doug Carn, João Donato, Brian Jackson, and Marcos Valle, Jazz Is Dead’s masterminds Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are just getting started, as they have kicked off the second series of releases with an incredible new compilation highlighting standout tracks from the next wave of releases.
Over the last couple years, New York’s Frederiksberg Records has put out some of the highest quality and rarest reissue releases. That certainly remains the case with their official reissue of trumpeter Milt Ward’s extremely obscure 1977 adventurous cosmic jazz-funk album Milt Ward And Virgo Spectrum.
This Saturday, April 23rd is the first of two Record Store Day’s in 2022. This now bi-annual event has become the prime day in which many labels release limited-edition or never-before-released vinyl albums, singles, compilations and reissues. While the day usually attracts many hardcore collectors, shops also often see a large influx of casual music fans and possibly a smaller number that might be buying their first record. Regardless, these are all great things.
In what has to be one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2022, Berlin’s groundbreaking collective Jazzanova reimagine essential material from the now-legendary and short-lived 70s era Detroit label Strata Records. In association with DJ Amir (aka Amir Abdullah) and 180 Proof Records, who have been officially reissuing material from the label’s vaults for almost a decade, this superb new album will be released on BBE.
UK-based record shop and label Mr Bongo have recently reissued a half-speed mastered edition of the iconic 1972 jazz-rock-fusion album Belladonna from British trumpeter great Ian Carr. This groundbreaking recording was a part of Carr’s adventurous shift in sound following a number of years during the late 60s performing and recording with the legendary post-hard bop ensemble, The Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet.
The outstanding Bristol quartet known as The Jazz Defenders build on the foundation of last year’s standout 7inch single The Big Man / Love’s Vestige with a superb soulful jazz full-length, titled King Phoenix on the UK-based Haggis Records.
