Tag: Spiritual Jazz
Bristol-based experimental jazz collective Ishmael Ensemble, led by saxophonist and producer Pete Cunningham, return following their breakthrough 2019 debut A State of Flow, with another brilliant and expansive new album title Visions of Light.
London’s Strut Records continues it’s superb series diving deep into the vaults of Jimmy Gray’s now considered legendary Richmond, Virginia based label Black Fire Records with another highly in-demand reissue of Southern Energy Ensemble’s 1977 masterpiece Southern Energy.
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.
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”.
London’s Strut Records continues it’s brilliant series of releases exploring the vaults of Jimmy Gray’s now considered legendary Richmond, Virginia based label Black Fire Records with a highly in-demand reissue of Bow To The People by Dayton, Ohio theater collective Theatre West.
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.
London’s Jazz Room Records, run by iconic London DJ Paul Murphy, continues it’s string of essential releases with a recent limited-edition reissue of Shamek Farrah And Folks‘ nearly impossible-to-find 1978 funky spiritual jazz album La Dee La La, featuring trumpet great Malachi Thompson of Chicago’s influential collective AACM.
The innovative London-based trio, featuring bassist and founding member of Ill Considered Leon Brichard, saxophonist Idris Rahman (Soothsayers), and drummer Tom Skinner (Sons of Kemet), have followed up last year’s outstanding album Season 2, with a brilliant new four-track EP, titled Better Times. This also marks the debut release on notable London-based Portuguese DJ Mafalda Daniel‘s new label Tropic of Love Music.
As we move into the warmer months of summer, it’s great to see that many of the record shops that were either closed for over a year and/or only doing online sales are finally opening up again. In my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than a Saturday trip (or any day really) to the local record shop(s). Somewhat similar to last year, this year’s typical annual Record Store Day has been broken up into not just one, but two Saturdays (or what is being referred to as “Drop 1” & “Drop 2”) on June 12th and July 17th.
