Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - "In Case You Missed It" (13:29)
Eastern Rebellion - "Bolivia" (9:59)
Joanne Brackeen - "Haiti B" (7:24)
Brian Melvin - "Zen Turtles" (feat Jaco Pastorius) (5:13)
Timeless All Stars - "World Peace" (bonus track) (6:05)
Review: Influential DJ, producer, and Acid Jazz and Talkin' Loud founder Gilles Peterson has curated his jazz favourites from the iconic Dutch jazz label Timeless. The selection includes Pharoah Sanders' cosmic 'Moonchild', Carter Jefferson's vocal jazz on 'Why', Tom Grant's danceable 'No Me Esqueca', and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' 'In Case You Missed It'. While Peterson compiled a Japan-only CD in 2015, this version adds previously unreleased gems like 'Mode For Joe' by Cedar Walton Trio and 'Gibraltar (Alternate Take)' by Kirk Lightsey Trio feat. Freddie Hubbard, making it essential for collectors.
Review: Piero Piccioni's score for Ti Ho Sposato Per Allegria (1967) offers a delightful and sophisticated accompaniment to Luciano Salce's comedy, based on Natalia Ginzburg's play. The film's narrative follows a serious lawyer who marries a whimsical and scatterbrained girl with a troubled past, just a month after meeting her. The story's charm lies in its light-hearted approach to serious themes like abortion, death, separation, and marital communication issues. Piccioni's music, released on vinyl by Musica Per Immagini, perfectly complements the film's whimsical tone. His score blends moods and aesthetic elements from his earlier works while introducing the unmistakable sound of bossa nova, funk, and lounge that would come to define much of his 70s output. The Turin-born composer's ability to simplify complex harmonic structures, infused with jazz elements, results in melodies that are both memorable and classy. Key to this soundtrack are its buoyant spirit and refined elegance. Piccioni's compositions achieve a perfect balance between catchy themes and intricate musical textures. Piccioni's talent for creating music is both light-hearted and artistically rich, making this a standout in his extensive catalog.
Kress (Or The Ambiguities) (alternate version #1) (3:38)
Contesto (5:48)
Dead Stars & Flowers (2:19)
Kress (Or The Ambiguities) (alternate version #2) (1:51)
Project For A Dream (Strings version) (3:21)
Kress (Or The Ambiguities) (alternate version #3) (5:26)
Cadaveri Eccellenti (CD)
Review: Pianist. Conductor. Composer. Impressario. Extraordinaire. We could probably leave it at that with Piero Piccioni, but for the sake of clarity let's get clear. One of Italy's most prolific film composers of the mid-late-20th Century, this monolith of big band and jazz wrote more than 300 movie scores in his career, and also lays claim to membership of 013, the first jazz outfit broadcast in his home country following the fall of Fascism in 1944. Born in Turin, one of the epicentres of Italian music, Cadaveri Eccellenti was a 1977 crime thriller about Lino Ventura, Italy's top homicide detective, who is investigating the assassination of a judge. Full of intrigue, mystery, and tension, not to mention that underlying sense of sexiness which seems to pervade European flicks of this era, by now you can probably imagine how cool the score is.
Review: Celebrates the 50th anniversary of Travolti da un insolito destino nell'azzurro mare d'agosto (which is better known in Engish as Swept Away) with the ultimate edition of this classic soundtrack from Decca. Piero Piccioni's iconic score perfectly captures the 1974 film's exotic ambience with samba, bossa nova and lounge music sounds all enriched by Nora Orlandi's wordless vocals. Fully remastered from the original archive master tape, this version comes on double vinyl and tastefully honours Piccioni's remarkable contribution to Italian cinema.
Review: The Undreamt-of Centre is the fourth solo album by esteemed Australian drummer, composer, and producer Laurence Pike and it offers a modern reimagining of the requiem mass. This evocative work blends influences from modern classical music, Japanese environmental ambient, fourth-world electronics, free jazz, and Estonian choral traditions that are inspired by Tallinn-based composer Tonu Korvits. Collaborating with the VOX Sydney Philharmonia Choir and conducted by Pike's childhood friend, the composer Sam Lipman, this wonderful record was recorded in a 19th-century Gothic church which has helped to create a haunting and atmospheric soundscape that pays homage to diverse musical traditions while pushing the boundaries of contemporary composition.
Review: Chilean pianist Matias Pizarro quickly gained recognition in Buenos Aires after fleeing Pinochet's dictatorship, with his take on jazz often compared to Herbie Hancock. During his two years in Argentina, he joined the Viejas Raices project with local jazz legends Jorge Lopez Ruiz and Pocho Lapouble, collaborated with Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and also released his solo album, Pelo de Rata (which means "Rat's Hair"). Pizarro had a rich musical background in Chile and studied at Berklee but also folds in US jazz fusion with Latin American influences while expertly exploring harmony and intimacy. An eight-page booklet includes extra context on this mini Latin jazz classic.
The Fantastic Life Of Mr Adonis The Peacock (3:04)
The Wheels Are Spinning (5:36)
Review: In a first-time collaboration, psychedelic trance godhead Simon Posford (best known as Hallucinogen and a founding member of Shpongle) teams up with fellow hippie and flutist Raja Ram (Ronald Rothfield) on a welling improvisatory record, Improvisations For Piano And Flute. Though both are highly esteemed artists in their respective micro-corners of the electronic music scene, Posford and Rothfield both depart significantly from their usually danceable ends for a living-room recorded set of ambiences. With a synth placed atop an antique Bluthner piano, Raj and Simon would join in after the other first begun playing, delivering a 44-minute effluence for the spontaneous soul.
Review: POSY's full-length debut The Garden is such a lush and organised soundscape that it really lives up to its tranquil title. Emerging from the Pacific Northwest, POSY is a multi-instrumentalist who crafted the album using analogue gear and traditional studio setups to create a warm, rich sound. The album's title is inspired by a real garden - a place of solace where the artist overcame writer's block by recording voice notes that they later refined in the studio. Influenced by artists like Yuseff Dayes and KIEFER, The Garden blends jazz, funk and downtempo with gems like 'All The Time' and collaborations with vocalists SAiGO and Jennyfire helping it to really stand out.
Review: Jonathan Powell's Mambo Jazz Party is an electrifying blend of Latin and modern electric jazz that draws from his 20 years of experience playing with legends like Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente Jr.. It finds Powell assembling an 18-piece ensemble to bring the infectious rhythms of mambo to life and mix traditional Latin jazz with influences from electric pioneers like Chick Corea and Weather Report. He adds in layers of tabla textures and crossover jazz harmonies across a series of both original compositions and reimagined classics. Mambo Jazz Party captures the essence of joyous, groove-driven music and creates an irresistible party atmosphere throughout.
Review: Roy Powell's piano trio is set to enchant listeners once again with their new album, The Italian Songbook, a sequel to their acclaimed 2009 release, Napoli, which has graced Terashima Records compilations multiple times. This latest collection features seven beloved Italian compositions alongside two original pieces, showcasing Powell's masterful lyrical expression. The album transports listeners through Italy's picturesque landscapes with its rich melodies and heartfelt performances. Powell has emotional depth, particularly evident in the slower pieces where his artistry shines. Known for his background in avant-garde composition and jazz, Powell's journey began with his debut album, A Big Sky, recognised as a significant contribution to British contemporary jazz. In The Italian Songbook, Powell and his trio create a vibrant soundscape that captures the essence of Italian city life, inviting audiences to experience the beauty and charm of Italy through music. This release is poised to be a delightful addition to any jazz lover's collection.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Overture (5:45)
Feed The Fire (4:18)
Sleep (2:59)
Interlude 1 (2:13)
Indigo (3:38)
Survive (4:29)
Interlude 2 (0:37)
From The Fire (4:04)
Souled Out (6:34)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
From The Fire is a superb new album from Audrey Powne that is about as accomplished as any debut could be. The young auteur herself has composed all nine cuts, wrote all the lyrics, plays all the piano, organ and Rhodes, does all the singing, arranged all the strings and produced everything herself as she set out to have complete creative control. It is a rich and rewarding listen with some soaring solos and meticulously crafted grooves that have already won her high praise from those in the know such as Gilles Peterson.
Review: Munich-based trio Prepared craft a hypnotic and high-energy journey that blurs the lines between chamber music, jazz and minimal dance. The trio i Chris Gall on prepared piano, Flo Riedl on bass clarinet and Christoph Holzhauser on drums i merges cyclical motifs and layered patterns into a trance-inducing soundscape. Drawing comparisons to Steve Reich, Jonny Greenwood and Dawn of Midi, their music pulses with rhythm and repetition, creating a hypnotic Gesamtkunstwerk that feels both innovative and timeless. Recorded live in a single room without overdubs, Module is a state-of-the-art production. Utilizing advanced 3D miking techniques for Dolby Atmos, the recording captures the raw interplay between instruments with breathtaking clarity. Across four expansive tracks divided into ten parts, the album flows through moods and textures. 'Modul Eins' opens with a downtempo introduction before evolving into an upbeat, swinging groove. 'Modul Zwei' offers a cinematic, film noir feel, while 'Modul Drei' dips into hip-hop beats with introspective breaks. The 15-minute opus 'Modul Vier' swells through four sections like changing seasons, showcasing the trio's virtuosity and cohesion. With Module, Prepared prove that repetition can be a riveting genre-defying experience that's impossible to forget.
Review: Originally released in 1963 under the Contemporary Records label, The Cry! still stands tall as a hallmark of free jazz by saxophonists Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons. The timeless album which is now reissued on the Craft label, also showcases the talents of Gary Peacock and Mark Proctor on bass, and Gene Stone on drums. This Acoustic Sounds Series edition boasts AAA lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman, pressed onto 180-gram vinyl at QRP and housed in a tip-on jacket for a deluxe presentation, making it a fantastic-sounding record.
Review: Professor Creepshow is back with another of his immersive and innovative new albums on SIC Records. The wonderful Dreamcast is a 17-track soundscape that blurry the lines between dreams and reality and invites you to embark on a journey that the artist has defined as 'Playawave'. It's silky smooth and lo-fi hip-hop with balmy pads and soulful hooks, some cosmic moods and plenty of nods to niche genres like vapourjazz, jazz wave, mallsoft, chill wave and plenty of other in-between sounds that blend moods and grooves from jazz, hip hop and downtempo into something superbly cathartic and escapist.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Stomp (LP) (4:15)
Take It Easy (2:59)
Push People (4:38)
Nu 1 2 (3:51)
Soul Talking (5:08)
Breakfast Toast (4:24)
Drum Salad (3:37)
Salvation (3:31)
Mad World (4:07)
MInd The Gap (4:54)
Benny's Blues (7") (3:01)
Herbalist (1:39)
North Side Shuffle (3:09)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Original pioneers of rare groove PUSH made a welcome return with this exciting album back in 2004 when it first dropped. It remains a vibrant workout 20 years later and blends classic underground rare grooves with contemporary feel-good funk and soul, featuring heartfelt songs and incredible instrumental pieces along the way. Emerging from the London club scene in 1987, PUSH thrived on JB-inspired funk, blaxploitation soundtracks, and raw soul-jazz. They toured Europe and Japan, performing at Gilles Peterson's legendary Dingwalls sessions. Key members Crispin Taylor, Ernie McKone, and Mark Vandergucht also played with Galliano and supported US divas like Candi Staton and Marlena Shaw.
Review: In 1971, this revered figure of Italian jazz, facilitated a remarkable session that brought together a talented ensemble of musicians, including trumpetist Francesco "Cicci" Santucci, saxophonist Enzo Scoppa and renowned keyboardist Franco d'Andrea. This collaboration, recorded at Umiliani's Sound Workshop studio in Rome, resulted in a brilliant jazz-funk album that blends intricate rhythms with melodic improvisation. Santucci and Scoppa, both seasoned in the late 50s Italian jazz scene, are joined by Belgian organist Joel Vendrokenbrak, adding a unique flavor to the mix. The album features d'Andrea on electric piano, a precursor to his future work with the progressive jazz group Perigeo. Originally released under a different name, this album is now reissued for the first time with its striking original cover art. The reissue includes a poster and a printed insert featuring images of the Sound Workshop studio, offering a deeper connection to the historical significance of the recording. With its masterful blend of jazz, funk and Italian creativity, this reissue is a significant addition to any collection of rare and influential jazz recordings.
Review: Featuring a tenor saxophone and digital keyboard with subtle additions of other instruments, it offers up an effortless and expansive exchange between Shiroishi and Kurek whose collaboration first began during a BBC Radio 3 remote session aired on Jennifer Lucy Allan's Late Junction show in February 2024. The easy chemistry between them continued after the show and soon resulted in tracks that celebrate intuitive expression and the tenderness of first takes. Across these immersive sounds jazz sounds their sense of trust and discovery is there for all to hear as their sonics elegantly complement each other's voices and gestures.
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