Back catalogue: Jazz

Review: Traditionally, Dutch jazz has not been that celebrated globally, despite the Netherlands producing some terrific performers and must-check recordings. Hip Holland does its best to set the record straight, offering up an impressive selection of 'modern jazz' gems recorded in the Netherlands between 1950 and 1970. It's an entertaining and eye-opening selection all told, with our picks of a very strong bunch including the soft-lit shuffle of The Diamond Five's 'Amsterdam Blues', the classic Blue Note flavours of The Jacob Brothers' 'Two Brothers', the bluesy brilliance of 'Golden Eaarings' by Martin Beenen and His Orchestra (where singer Sandy Fort supplies a sublime lead vocal) and the up-tempo hedonism of 'Sing Sing Sing' by the fabulously named Leddy Wessel With Jack Van Poll and His Tree-Oh.

Review: Curated by David 'Mr Bongo' Buttle and Gareth Stephens, with additional picks from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila, and Graham Luckhurst, Volume Two of this much loved Mr Bongo series finally gets a reissue after proving so popular first time round. It continues the vibe of its predecessor by offering a deeper selection of soul and disco tracks that Mr Bongo associates have been spinning in their DJ sets and radio show. Standout tracks from artists like Dee Edwards, Leny Andrade, Rosa Maria, The Equatics, Elbernita 'Twinkie' Clark and The Beaters make this a real must have.

Review: You had us at hello. Or at least you had us at weird French sounds from the 1970s, a decade that played a pivotal role in modernising musical processes, techniques and instruments, among other things. With names like Gilbert Becaud & Christian Gaubert, Jean Schwarz, Jacky Chalard & Gilbert Deaez and Alain Goraguer, those more in tune with this era in Gallic sound culture will know this is going to be a varied ride. Hence we open on 'The Organization', a piece that nods to the classical heritage of screen scores and captures the laidback attitude of the late-1960s perfectly, before moving through a wealth of styles, including proto-New Wave, post-punk, Kraut and meditative moods. For want of a better description. Nothing you won't have encountered before, but certainly pushing in new directions at the time.

Review: This soundtrack is a classy melange of blues, jazz and rock that all perfectly capture the sultry atmosphere of Dennis Hopper's neo-noir classic of the same name. Set in a small Texas town, the film follows drifter Harry Madox as he becomes entangled in a web of seduction and deceit and the moody cinematography and gripping narrative are elevated by this electrifying score. Legends of their game like Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal and Earl Palmer all feature with sparse, eerie and deeply evocative overtones. For that reason, this one is much sought after and has retained its smoky allure 35 years after its original release.

Review: IRMA Records is now in its 37th year and paying resects to the impact of Black music remains central to its vision and output. In the 80s, the acid jazz movement revived soul jazz funk from the 70s, and this vibrant scene continues to thrive today and introduce new artists who take on the mantle. Since the 90s, IRMA has been home to acts on that tip like Jestofunk, Bossa Nostra, Gazzara and Man Sueto and this Mondo Groove collection showcases the diverse Italian scene as it is today. It blends Afrobeat, fusion and world music influences into a party-starting array.

Review: It was a logical next step for the coveted Late Night Tales label and compilation-mix-back-to-ours-selection series. While the brand has been known for inviting some of the finest DJs, artists and acts from the loosely defined and unarguably broad world of electronic music to deliver a personally curated tracklist of hugely various music, At the Movies breaks rank and instead looks to bring together work connected on a thematic level. As the title makes very clear, this is all about cinematic scores.

While there are a million and one of those compilations out there already, this stab at celebrating great soundtracks certainly does stand out. Perhaps chosen by more astute ears than the average 'churn-it-out' cash cow efforts, you'll find some relatively obvious choices for the LNT generation ('Mad World', anyone?) alongside more surprising choices, such as foxtrot classic 'Midnight, The Stars & You' and Wendy Carlos & Mark Ayres vocoder'd up take on 'Ode To Joy'.

Review: Still Life is the new album by Sachal Vasandani, the acclaimed vocalist, and Romain Collin, a noted pianist. They first linked up back in 2021 for the fine Midnight Shelter album which was emotive and intimate. That one reworked both classic and modern songs with some new moments in between and this one again reworks some classics by the likes of Billie Eilish, Paul Simon, Sam Smith, Peter Gabriel and others. It makes for something again lyrically powerful with beautifully emotive tunes and real honesty at their core. These personal reworks are things of real joy.

Review: On this 1954 eponymous album it is often said that Sarah Vaughan put in her best vocal turns. She offers up nine intake standards with trumpet playing from the legendary Clifford Brown. He brings some slick bop styles while Herbie Mann's flute and Paul Quinichette's tenor often shine through in some of the many magic solo passages. The reissue has been mastered from original tapes and pressed on nice loud, clear, heavyweight vinyl for a truly high end jazz experience.

Review: A unique collaboration between Milo Fitzpatrick of Portico Quartet, and Jordan Smart of Mammal Hands, Vega Trails' 'Tremors In The Static' hears these two mega-accomplished musicians bring nine spaced out forays through melodic, solo double bass. Taking their name from the Carl Sagan novel Contact (the Vega system), Influences from Swedish fiddle to Indian Classical are woven into a minimized tapestry of ambient instrumental sounds. Verbed-out folk jazz for your pleasure.

Review: Encore has been remastered from the original tapes and features 11 compositions by Arthur Verocai who was joined by the legendary Azymuth, Ivan Lins and a nine-piece string section. The album was a long-awaited follow-up to his 1972 debut so bridges 35 years and bottles up Brazilian influences with American soul and cinematic experimentation. Initially overlooked amongst his wider canon, Verocai's debut gained cult status thanks to Far Out Recordings' Joe Davis who rediscovered it in the late 80s. In 2004, producer Dave Brinkworth brought Verocai back to the studio to reignite his musical brilliance. A master arranger, Verocai's work with Brazilian legends shaped his visionary sound and have helped to cement him as a timeless force in music history.

Review: Since late 2019, David Versace has independently released over 20 tracks and fans have long wanted an album. They now have to wait no longer as he has signed to La Sape Records and has finished his debut long player Eye To Eye. It is something of a conceptual masterpiece that traverses raw, organic concepts born in the moment and each of which represent his most refined and articulate work to date. For smooth jazz lovers, this is a must-cop with gorgeous sounds like 'You Really Mean It' and delightfully air and meandering space jazz cuts like 'Full Moon Sprint' all working their charms.

Review: Panama '77 is the debut album from Chicago-based drummer Daniel Villareal, and it lands on a label he's orbited for a little while, International Anthem. Having participated in projects like Dos Santos and Ida Y Vuelta, he's now flying solo with a project described by the label as "a vibrant and verdant suite of multi-textural, jazz-laced psychedelic instrumental folk-funk." We couldn't have put it better ourselves, as Villareal's incredibly intricate percussion skitters around an incredible panoply of productions. It's as though you're taken into the beating heart of the charismatic musician's world hopping between jams, gigs, sessions and skits, riding in the back of his vintage baby blue Merc on 18th Street.

Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas is a stone cold classic Christmas album that now comes with a specially festive gold sleeve. What's here has the air of a sophisticated evening spent enjoying slow drinks in a late night jazz bar. It's sexy and refined stuff, laidback to the point where you can almost see the flames in the fireplace, resulting shadows dancing off the walls. Yes, 'Skating' is far more uptempo, and both 'Hark, The Herald Angels Sing' and 'Christmas Time Is Here' take us to school age Yuletide plays with their vocal choirs. But, on the whole, this might be the most tasteful festive album we'll ever get. So dig in.

Review: This album was recorded in 1979 at Sound Ideas Studio in New York City with some heavyweights of the time all involved. Cedar Walton was on piano, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Bob Berg on tenor saxophone, Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums and between them they had a finely tuned jazz sound that brought to life six strong tracks, all composed by Cedar Walton bar their jazz interpretation of the classic standard 'Never Never Land.' The dynamic interplay between the musicians makes this a tight, impactful collection.

Review: Norwegian pianist and composer Bugge Wesseltoft, a jazz innovator known for the diversity of his sound, is back with 'Am Are,' which is an expressive exploration of many sonic textures and dynamic contrasts. This album showcases Wesseltoft's inspiring collaborations with a constellation of superb musicians who bridge generations and styles. From sparse arrangements to complex layers of dubs and loops, Am Are highlights the power of human connection through improvisational interplay. Wesseltoft's curated selection demonstrates his passion for projects that spark creativity and celebrate the beauty of musical communication and make another fine addition to his catalogue.

Review: Almost 15 years after her tragic death and admission to the ill-fated '27 club', it's impossible not to tear up when thinking about Amy Winehouse. The untimely loss of such an incredible talent is one thing, gradually understanding that nobody caught and held such a vulnerable person in their time of need is what really hits the hardest. Back to Black, Sam Taylor-Johnson's biographical drama about the UK singer-songwriter and musician's rise to stardom, and the fallout, was never going to be an easy watch, then. As if we needed any more proof, the soundtrack really emphasises just how timeless Winehouse was as an artist. Highlights from her own incredible output are here - 'What Is It About Men', 'Stronger Than Me', 'Valerie', '(There Is) No Greater Love', the list could go on - as are some of the most evocative and captivating soul, blues and r&b tracks of the 20th Century. And there's nothing to separate these from each other, sonically, lyrically, or emotionally. We weren't worthy, and maybe never will be

Review: Adrian Younge's latest in the Something About April series is a stunning analogue opus that blends a 30-piece orchestra with breakbeats, synth work and Brazilian psychedelia. It has reportedly been years in the making and is the culmination of Younge's sonic vision as well as being his most expansive and experimental work to date. Brazilian vocalists, fuzzed-out drums and lush orchestration evoke MPB greats like Verocai and Os Mutantes and hip-hop kings Wu-Tang in equal measure. Tracks like 'Nunca Estranhos' and 'Nossas Sombras' are richly cinematic and deeply soulful standouts. More than a closing chapter, this record cements Younge's legacy as a visionary composer.