Tag: Spiritual Jazz

Rahsaan Roland Kirk — Live in Paris 1970

Live 1970 recording of Rahsaan Roland Kirk performing in Paris released

The French label Transversales Disques continues its string of brilliant live ORTF recordings captured at Grand Auditorium’s Studio 104 in Paris’ Maison de la Radio (aka the headquarters of Radio France) with an early 70s session from legendary jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk. This is the latest in a growing series that has included jazz greats Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Don Cherry, and Ahmad Jamal.

The Yussed Dayes Experience — Live From Malibu

The Yussef Dayes Experience releases ‘Live from Malibu’ session

Originally released in limited quantities through Rough Trade Records back in December 2023, and now more broadly released through Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, London-based drummer phenomenon Yussef Dayes and his stellar quintet return with another brilliant live session, performing music from last year’s highly acclaimed Black Classical Music album, new originals and a superb cover of Jaco Pistorius’ “Portrait of Tracy”.

BeatCaffeine's Favorite Tracks of 2023

BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Tracks of 2023

With the final “best of” list for 2023, I dive into some of our favorite tracks of the year. Out of all of the year-end lists, this is easily the most difficult to pull together given how many great tracks are worthy to be included in such a list. This year, I went about this differently. Instead of just listing the tracks, I also included the album, 12″ or 7″ that the track was associated with in hopes to encourage everyone to be purchasing the vinyl or digital releases (which is important for these artists and labels!). No commentary included with these, we’ll just let the music do all the talking.

BeatCaffeine's Favorite Compilations of 2023

BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Compilations of 2023

Now in the final days of 2023, we take a look back at some of the essential compilation releases over the past 12 months. From tropical grooves to jazz dance, spiritual, soulful house and obscure selections from around the globe, there were many incredible must-own compilations to dive into.

BeatCaffeine's Favorite Reissues of 2023

BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Reissues, Lost Recordings & Retrospectives of 2023

As with new music releases, 2023 was an outstanding year for reissues and previously unreleased recordings. It feels like with every great new release or artists that breaks through on the scene, there are still so many records from the past to still discover and dive into as a listener. The quality of the actual reissue releases themselves also seems to improve in time. The care and work that goes into many of these releases is astonishing and handled like the artifacts that they truly are.

BeatCaffeine's Favorite Albums of 2023

BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Albums of 2023

Almost another year around the sun, and that means it’s that time again (hard to believe), where we revisit some of the best releases of the year. In regards of new music, 2023 was another incredible year. As always, it was admittedly extremely challenging pulling together a “best of” list, however I’m excited to have been able to expand to 40 releases, which still didn’t feel like enough. As always, I’m sure I missed a few worthy selections.

Isaiah Collier — Parallel Universe

Isaiah Collier releases brilliant direct-to-disc spiritual jazz album on Night Dreamer

The London-based Night Dreamer label continues their string of incredible Direct-To-Disc recordings with arguably their best session to date, featuring Chicago multi-instrumentalist and composer Isaiah Collier with a superb group that includes gospel soul singer Jimetta Rose, AACM and former Art Ensemble of Chicago trumpet player Corey Wilkes and others, titled Parallel Universe.

J Jazz Vol. 4: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan - Nippon Columbia 1968 -1981

BBE’s superb Japanese Jazz compilation series returns, dives into the Nippon Columbia label

Since the release of the series’ first compilation back in 2018, in addition to two follow-up compilation recordings and a growing number of select album reissues, BBE’s J Jazz has become the most definite collection exploring innovative and rare Japanese jazz. Curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, the highly anticipated fourth compilation dives deep into one of the biggest and most diverse labels in Japan, Nippon Columbia.

Atlantis Jazz Ensemble — Celestial Suite

Atlantis Jazz Ensemble return with spiritual soul jazz ‘Celestial Suite’

In much anticipation, the Ottawa-based collective Atlantis Jazz Ensemble return with a brilliant new recording on Marlow Records, titled Celestial Suite. Originally spawning as a project by pianist Pierre Chrétien and alto saxophonist Zakari Frantz of The Souljazz Orchestra back in 2013, this represents the group’s first release since their 2016 breakthrough album Ocean Suite.