Jazz Recommends Jazz April 2021

Review: Galaxy Sound Co's Black Cash & Theo AKA Thelonious Beats are the most accomplished edit duo on the label. They know just what to do to tweak and touch up classic tunes into sympathetic modern versions. Here they work on supremely funky, soulful, jazzy fusion tunes that sound familiar even if you don't know exactly what they are. 'We're In Love' is a real smoother, a heart melter with smooth chords and life affirming riffs that are gentle but hugely emotional. The flip is a tune that has been sampled heavily over the years and is another seductive and sensuous funk jam with lush synth work and steamy drums that get right into your affections.

Review: Jazz's black consciousness movement has many famous landmark moments but Musa-Ancestral Streams is one of the more obscure offerings in the grand canon. It's a record of real intimacy that is rather at odds with the grand designs of the likes of John Coltrane, but for that reasons stands out all the more. Cowell's energy and touch are remarkable throughout, as he plays with spirt, passion and freedom that come only once you have truly mastered your instrument. On 'Travelin Man' he really out does himself with an overdubbed ‚duet' featuring himself on both acoustic and electric piano. It's one of many special moments on a special record.

Review: The New Herd, headed by one of Japan's foremost jazz musicians,Toshiyuki Miyama, is what you could consider quintessential Japanese big band jazz. Tsuchi No Ne continues on from titles like Nio and Pigeon in Miyama's exploration of 'Wa (Japanese) jazz' where he and the band remain true to the basic elements of the genre, while intentionally eschewing the use of traditional instruments. A masterpiece where the recordings take in influences from free jazz to jazz-rock, coming together to form what the Beat Ball label best described themselves as 'a suite that embodies the poetic sentiments of traditional Japanese folk tales in a magnificent and breathtaking manner.'

Review: Black Jazz continues to have its best moments reissued and few come more highly regarded than this one. Keyboardist Gene Russell was at the artistic helm of Black Jazz and this album is one of the most bootlegged of them all. It features modal and soul jazz flourishes, with fine guests like double bassist Henry 'The Skipper' Franklin and drummer Steve Clover. New liner notes by Pat Thomas are included in this reissue with remastering by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision making sure this stone cold classic never sounded better.

Review: Manchester trumpeter, band leader and Gondwana label boss Mathew Hallsall is right at the forefront of today's thriving jazz scene. He has an enviable discography that takes in a wide range of jazz styles and the spiritual eastern leaning sounds of When The World Was One make it one of his best. It's the sort of mellifluous record that swells all round you, lifting your spirits filling you with joy and hope. Helping that be the case are the heavenly harps and shimmering piano chords, koto and bansuri flute payed by his Ensemble, but centre stage is always given to Halsall's own beautiful, heart aching trumpet playing. From bold heights to vulnerable lows, this is as good as jazz gets.

Review: Two years on from his last outing under the alias, Finnish drummer-producer Teppo Makynen dons the Stance Brothers guise for a typically on-point outing. Both cuts are freshly re-imagined takes on "Resolution Blue", a joint Makynen/Timo Lassy production first featured on the pair's 2018 collaborative album on We Jazz Records. The A-side rendition naturally features killer beats from Makynen, as well as a low-slung, Afro-funk influenced bassline and fluid vibraphone solos. Over on side B, "Where Is Resolution Blue" once again pushes the "vibes" to the fore, though the analogue synth-sporting groove that sits below is altogether smoother, jauntier and seemingly recorded with crushed velvet smoking jackets and smoky lounge clubs in mind. It's the kind of thing that fellow Finn Jimi Tenor once excelled at.

Review: In the wake of last year's incredible Captured Spirits album - their fourth in total, and first for three years - Mammal Hands has decided to offer-up a new clear-vinyl pressing of their critically acclaimed 2016 set Floa. It neatly captures the essence of the Norwich-based trio, with Jordan Smart's squally saxophone solos and Nick Smart's mesmerising piano playing rising above alternately sweaty, loose-limbed and intense drumming from Jesse Baratt (who also plays Tabla on a number of tracks). The results are refreshing and invigorating, flitting between considered moments and sweaty dancefloor moments that brilliantly join the dots between contemporary jazz, spiritual jazz and more exotic, otherworldly flavours.

Review: Many critics have suggested that Know What I Mean is one of the most accessible and desirable albums in Cannonball Adderley's vast discography. Recorded and released in 1961, it saw the saxophonist join forces with virtuoso pianist Bill Evans and the rhythm section of the Modern Jazz Quintet to deliver an impressively diverse range of tracks that largely draw influence from hard-bop and soul-jazz. There are some great up-tempo numbers in which both Adderley and Evans shine - see 'Who Cares', 'Toy' and 'Waltz For Debby' - while the album's most quiet and contemplative moments are, arguably, even better. For proof, check the sublime and haunting 'Goodbye'.

Review: Get ready to fire up your sampler. Taking in diverse styles from funk, soul and jazz through to Latin, Brazilian, samba and Afro-Cuban, Percussion Spectrum was originally produced in 1979 by legendary percussionists Barry Morgan (of Morgan Studios/Blue Mink fame) and top session musician Ray Cooper on Themes International Music. Remastered with audio from the original analogue tapes for vinyl, plus artwork restored from archive scans, this is another one of those essential library records that Be With themselves state 'should be out there for anyone who wants a copy.'

Review: Nimbus was a local student band in Mecosta, Michigan, and was well regarded in the world of self released AOR, mellow fusion and blue eyed soul back in the 1980s. This 7" is take from Children of the Earth, the band's only album and one that was privately pressed in limited quantities so is not widely available. P-Vibe have the full rights to it and boy are we glad because 'Nezarai' is a joyous bit of jazz that doesn't in any way sound 40 years old. '
Free Yourself' is more deep, with glowing Rhodes and plenty of positive forces in the drums, vocals and keys.

Review: Late Philadelphia reedman Byard Lancaster's lesser known classic 'My Pure Joy' was recorded for the Black Fire label in 1992. Backed by a band made up of fellow Philly musicians such as percussionist Keno Speller and Baba Robert Crowder, other influential figures like Tunde Kuboye also featured and help to lend it its richly musical, afro drenched sound. Full grooves, trademark flutes and plenty of spiritual, positive vibes abound throughout the tracks which surfaced as one of the label's final CD releases in 1995 and has never before appeared on vinyl.