Juno Recommends Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz Best of 2021

Review: RECOMMENDED
Last October, acclaimed saxophonist Pharoah Sanders turned 80 years young, and his input on this album is testimony to the fact he has clearly aged like a fine wine. Not that this is to suggest preceding outings were anything less worthy than this collaborative project, which sees Sam Shepherd, the British electronic artist better known to most as Floating Points, write nine spectacular arrangements which are then performed by said brass legend, alongside The London Symphony Orchestra.

The results are spectacular, and wildly far-reaching, albeit firmly rooted in jazz with classical undertones. From the movements that made this final cut, some are whisper quiet and delicate to the point of risking breaking off if you were handling haphazardly. Others are booming loud, musical jumbo jets landing at the end of another great crescendo. Whether hushed or monumental, though, we can feel every note and bar of this masterpiece.

Review: Kokoroko very quickly broke through with the last EP on Brownswood. The talented musical collective stuff their tunes with elements of afro, funk, soul and jazz and each one makes an indelible mark. This new EP offers two more such gems: first up, 'Baba Ayoola' has silky drumming that would make Tony Allen proud. The lead trumpets and mellifluous chords all make for a rich sonic tapestry that is ripe for dancing. On the flip is 'Carry Me Home' with more big horns and complex drum patterns, as well as some soulful vocal coos to finish it in style.

Review:  Over the years, George 'E.A.S.E' Evelyn has made some very good downtempo music as Nightmares on Wax, as well as some killer club cuts. Even so, he's previously made little quite as musically refined as Shout Out To Freedom. Made in cahoots a giant cast-list of guest performers, the album's 15 tracks rarely surprise - we know by now that Evelyn will blend elements of soul, hip-hop, jazz, reggae and smooth grooves - but are still capable of genuinely taking your breath away. Basically, Evelyn is doing what he does best, only better than ever, with more extensive use of live instrumentation and some genuinely stirring orchestration. Highlights include the Balearic ambient jazz brilliance of 'Wonder', the low-slung, flash-friend soul shuffle of 'Own Me' and the sunrise-ready bliss of 'Imagineering'.

Review: Louie Vega is one of the wonders of the natural world. He has been making timeless music for more than a quarter of a century and unlike many of his aged peers, he still very much keeps on knocking it out of the park. The fourth part of his Eclipse project with the Elements of Life crew is another golden one. 'Fantasy' (feat Melanin) is a soul drenched opener with broken beats and trademark instrumental flair. Things get deeper on 'Harlem River Drive' with its Latin flourishes before 'You Come Into My Life' is a gorgeous vocal cut with jazzy keys. 'Bass Run' is a shuffling, finger clicking, rump wiggling gem to close.

Review: Given their combined talents, you'd expect any collaborative album crafted by Andrew Ashong and Kaidi Tatham to be nigh-on essential. Happily, we can confirm that Sankofa Season, their first joint album, is ruddy, bloody brilliant (as Alan Partridge might say). Richly soulful, quietly jazzy and wholeheartedly positive from start the finish, the set sees them jump between deep jazz-funk, hazy contemporary soul, jazzy broken beat, breezy Latin soul, organic deep house and immersive, slow-motion soundscapes. Throughout, Tatham's organ, keyboard and piano work is highly impressive and Ashong's vocals are every bit as sumptuous as usual. Recommended.

Review: French jazz-funk experimentalist Jean-Luc Ponty was already a quarter of a century into his career when he recorded 'In The Fast Lane', a genuinely brilliant synth-heavy workout that added trademark violin refrains to a staccato drum machine rhythm and bold, bubbly waves of synthesizer. The record became something of an anthem in the techno clubs of Detroit on its 1989 release, while also inspiring jazz-dancers at Gilles Peterson's legendary Dingwalls sessions. Here the track gets a deserved re-release as a 12" single, with extensive sleeve notes courtesy of the man himself. This time round, there's also an inspired cover version from Opolopo, who re-creates Ponty's famous synthesizer riffs, jams out colourful new solos and adds them all to a non-stop house beat that's as infectious as they come. Simply superb.

Review: 'Jungle Kitten' by Manfredo Fest is something of an underground classic. It features the widely admired Kaidi Tatham on synth and has a fine crew of London's best musicians also involved in the line up and now it gets a cover by Da Lata that is drenched in warmth. The a-side is as organic as they come with fluid grooves and samba styles all heavily applied next to the uplifting vocals. On the flip side is another epic one for the dance floor. It is a vital version of Rafaella Renzulli's 'Asking Eyes' featuring Vanessa Freeman that at long last lands on vinyl.

Review: Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella's recent album, People Need People, was one of the warmest, soulful ad most accessible sets of the year, with the experienced Italian duo combining authentic jazz instrumentation and percussion with contemporary deep house and broken beat grooves. This superb seven0=-inch single showcases two of the album's undoubted gems: the impeccable deep house soul of 'People Need People' - a wonderfully sun-soaked affair in which Petrella's impassioned vocals and vibraphone solos stretch out across a tactile groove - and the downtempo, spoken word-laden hip-hop/jazz fusion of 'The Higher Love'. In a word: essential.

Review: For the latest volume in their Special Products series, Jazzman has decided to deliver a first ever vinyl pressing of Danay Suarez's 'Viaje En Dub', a 2019 cut best known for featuring on the soundtrack to the Need For Speed: Heat video game. Making it available to vinyl overs is a great idea because it's undoubtedly one of the Cuban singer's most evocative and alluring cuts to date. Suarez is naturally the headline attraction, delivering a sweet and sultry Spanish lead vocal (and, seemingly, the backing vocals too) whose delay-laden production is a neat fit for the languid, dub-wise digital reggae backing that sits beneath. There's also a chance to enjoy the track without her vocals on the flip, via an even more dub-fired Instrumental Mix that has previously never been released.

Review: Madrid-based Brighton boy Chip Wickham sure knows how to come up with exotic sounds. His name is perfect for the 60s spy theme style funk he cooked up for Lovemonk back in 2011. They proved so popular they quickly sold out and so the today 7" has now been repressed. 'Hit & Run' is exactly as it should sound based on the title - a soundtrack to a high-speed car chase in a 60s movie. 'Apache' then rattles and rolls with busy Latin percussive flair, tumbling drums and a sunny flute lead packed with joy. Both of these will inject any set with next-level vibes.

Review: It would be fair to say that De Las Colonias Del Rio De La Plata is something of a little-known gem. Recorded in two days in Buenos Aries back in the autumn of 1976, the album remains the sole recorded output of Argentine keyboardist and producer Jorge Lopez Ruiz's jazz-fusion outfit, Viejas Raices. The album itself has long been sought-after by Latin jazz collectors, hence this handy - if frustratingly limited - vinyl reissue. Musically, it's a blast from start to finish, with Lopez Ruiz's electric piano and ARP synthesizer sounds riding extra-percussive Latin jazz grooves and some seriously groovy upright bass. Alternately floor-friendly and pleasingly laidback, the album's funky beauty and impressive musicianship is only heightened by the lack of fiery horns.

Review: Jazz N Palms let loose with noter of their impossibly sunny and freeform new EPs. It packs in five more iconic tunes that have all been reworked, retouched and edited by the in house team. They're the sort of joyous jams you'd hear in more grown up spots in Ibiza and at monthly warm-up sets at the Ronnie Scott's (London) jazz concerts held at Pikes. Latin, funk, jazz, bossa, beats and soul all collide here with big brass sounds, organic percussive energy and sunshine to spare. The playful porno sounds of 'La Ola' is our pick.

Review: 44th Move is a project from talented pianist Alfa Mist and Richard Spaven, two of the brightest lights in London's current jazz scene revival. "We shared a lot of the same influences [so] we got to writing straight away" they say of their natural pairing. The music they come up with is lush, majestic, heart swelling, with broken beats and tender pianos. simmering chords and melancholic moods all permeating each of the sublime tracks. 'Hope' is a standout for its florid trumpet playing and 'Broken' is a real dancer for floors that know.

Review: The Jahari Massamba Unit is an all new jazz project from the legendary Madlib and Karriem Riggins. Madlib is responsible for all the instrumentals bar the drums, which Riggins takes care of, and both bring a wealth of jazz and hip hop experience and knowledge to the collaboration. The sounds are best described as spiritual jazz, or as Madlib calls it 'Black classical music', and are steeped in history while also offering up a vision of the future. There are moments of abstract sun worshiping, lush broken beat grooves with exquisite solos and more prickly pieces. This sure is another vital entry into the ever excellent discography of Madlib.

Review: Detroit native Jason Hogans will not be a familiar name to many, despite the fact he has been putting out music - albeit sporadically - for 20 odd years. A release on Theo Parrish's hero-worshipped Sound Signature will always put you in the spotlight, though, especially when it's as good as this. The artist explores deep Motor City house, percussive broken beats and that shamanistic, off-grid sound that label head Theo Parrish is such a master of. Standouts include the airy, spacious beat work of 'Favorite Coffee Mug' and steamy post-jungle concoction that is 'For My Solids.'

Review: Some of you may remember Aura Safari's 2018 debut album on Church, an ear-catching concoction that blurred the boundaries between jazz-funk, deep house and ambient. They've been all but silent since, so this new EP for the Balearic-minded Hell Yeah Recordings label is undoubtedly long overdue. In keeping with the imprint's seductive, sun-kissed sound, the EP sees them in sunset-ready mode, making great use of mid-80s, new age ambient style synths and soft-touch grooves. Opener 'Dreams of Music' wraps sparkling FM synthesizer melodies around a tactile, downtempo house groove, while 'Oasis' is a lusciously horizontal float through glistening Balearic boogie. Elsewhere, they give dub an ambient twist on 'Slow Divers', while 'Libra' is a sparkling, warm, positive and smile-inducing chunk of horizontal jazz-funk loveliness.

Review: Nubya Garcia is one of the icons of the current, thriving jazz scene. Her album Source was a deserving Mercury Prize-nominee and here she reworks it through a series of new collars with the likes of DJ Harrison, Moses Boyd, Dengue Dengue Dengue and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Each of the new versions retains plenty of the soul and invention of the originals but adds in a range of other influences that take them in a more driving, groove-orientated direction. The results are stunning, with plenty of great options for DJs who like to play slow and sensuous. The Kaidi Tatham remix of 'La Cumbia Me Esta Llamando' is our personal pick.

Review: Edit superstar C. Da Afro comes to Super Spicy Records fresh off the back of a series of big outings on labels like Tropical Disco, Samosa Records, Masterworks Music, and many more. Once again this increasingly vital studio whizz comes correct with a series of playful disco house bombs. 'Don't Give Up The Groove' plays with filters, layers up the funky riffs and soars on a diva vocal. 'Wantin' U' is a classic house tune with authentic old school production chops and 'Holding On' is a super sweet outside party tune for the warmer months. 'The Solo Groove' sends you home on some feel good strings that melt any heart.

Review: Adam Scrimshire's latest full-lenbth excursion - the Albert's Favourites founder's third in as many years, is an expansive, adventurous and entertaining affair, with a string of guest vocalists and musicians swinging by to lend a hand. After opening with a touch of Rotary Connection-inspired brilliance featuring Cleveland Watkiss ('The Pile'), Scrimshsire sashays between soft-focus, semi-acoustic soul ('Heron', featuring Miryam Solomon and the blissful 'In Circles' with Idris Rahman), breezy spiritual jazz ('I Hear You, I See You', with UK jazz royalty Nat Birchall and Faye Houston), becalmed ambient jazz (the Ursula Rucker-voiced 'Boldly') and a swathe of slick, decidedly laidback gems (see 'Morning Affirmation' and Pie-Eye Collective ambient collaboration 'Discussion').

Review: The Ruby Rushton gang is one of contemporary jazz's finest. They pull a wide range of influences into their music and have had an instantly recognisable sound since busting onto the scene with their still classic debut album Two For Joy. They reach the same heights again here with Giden's Way. 'Spanish Raga' was inspired by an evening out in Madrid in 2019 and floats on dreamy flutes while 'Fall From Grace' is lead by some virtuous sax and florid drum work. The flip side offers two more brilliantly busy but accessible, upbeat and sunny jazz jams.

Review: If you've ever wondered what you might hear if Nightmares on Wax man DJ E.A.S.E. invited you back to his Ibiza villa for a post-club crack on, this edition of the long-running "Back To Mine" series has all the answers. It's a fine mix, all told, with the Warp Records stalwart running through a range of soulful head-nodders (Children of Zeus, Ladi6, Creative Principle), and sun-kissed good-time grooves (Bosq, Massimo Vanoni), before gently upping the tempo via Dim Zach's Imagination-sampling nu-disco, the simmering jazz-funk of Chieftain, and the NYC proto-house style goodness of Soulphiction's SBM project. Naturally, you'll find a clutch of the Leeds-raised artist's own productions and reworks dotted throughout, including a wonderfully loved-up, string-laden house version of "Russia" by Fat Freddy's Drop.

Review: The Invisible Sessions new album Echoes of Africa is the first on the newly launched Space Echo label out of Italy and is richly rooted in black music. It's been 15 years since a breakout release put this group on the map and now trombonist and multi-instrumentalist Gianluca Petrella and poet, rapper and MC Martin Thomas Paavilainen (aka Benjamin "Bentality" Paavilainen) link once more to great effect as they use jazz as a vehicle to convey their messages of cultural synergy, unity and love. Afro-beat and Ethio-jazz, funk, psychedelia, and modal music all colour the most compelling grooves.

Review: Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records serve up two underground dance floor hits from the London circuit here. Latin supergroup Wild And Infectious's 'Caliente' takes care of the a-side and has banging piano riffs and heavy bass laid down by Descarga originator Cachao, all run through with some superb driving vibes from Tany Gil with a big percussion meltdown from Walfredo De Los Reyes added for good measure. ON the reverse, The Vienna Art Orchestra serve up a great new version of a Bud Powell classic.

Review: Brazilian producer Zopelar brings oodles of South Hemisphere sunshine to his splendid debut outing on Mother Tongue Records. Theer is so much goodness packed into his 7" its a surprise they didn't have to make it 12"s. 'Entre Viagens' is a languid dance with nimble percussion, sun worshiping synths and jazzy broken beats that keep you on your feet. 'Vista' is high class space funk with rugged analogue textures, crispy hits and plenty of Detroit electro funk stylings in the drums. It's a perfect meeting of Brazil, London and the Midwest.

Review: French producer Laroye has s super slick production style that is showcased across this third volume of works on the If It Ain't Jazz label. Gilles Peterson has already approved the tunes here and for good reason: the a-side edit of 'Leaving This Planet' is an audacious one with powerful and modern drums layered in below the cosmic synth work and deeply buried vocal. Extra synths and new bass recorded by Aroop Roy finishes it in style. The b-side is 'Phantazia,' a more baseman styled disco jam with low sling bass and infectious loops that make you move, all finished off this time with a killer jazz-funk groove.