22a レコード& CD

Review: During a trip to Lahore, Pakistan in April 2019, multi-instrumentalist and all-rounder jazz musician Tenderlonious set about a storied collaboration with local quartet Jaubi, laying down a set of six full, original instrumental ragas form a single one-day recording session. The result is the record you hear here; the emanative sounds of Indian and Pakistani classical music, acting as a framework for a spiritual interdiction between Tenderlonious on flute and soprano sax and Jaubi band members on tabla, vocals, sarangi and guitar. A determinant synth drone, lent to the euphony by Polish composer Marek Pedziwiatr, underlies the entire suite, lending this six-pack a not unfuturistic mood of brooding. Four years in the post-productive making, Ragas From Lahore is a pristine, on which the boughing lops of the tabla, the effortless flurries of the sarangi and apical vocal, and the arch-mood of overcoming and perseverance through strife, are felt with full sway. A deeply foreboding, but rewarding contemporary raga album.

Review: Tenderlonious has been turning out a diverse range of brilliant sounds with all sorts of projects in the last few years from his band Ruby Rushton to classical music with Pakistani quartet Jaubi and even deep house and ambient when he goes solo. Here, four years after his On Flute mini-album back in 2016, he serves up another album of his signature flute-lead sounds on the 22a label with elements of Detroit house, p-funk, synth grooves and more all featuring. 'Isaac's Theme' is a gorgeously deep and reflective flute solo while 'Neptune's Mood' ride on a broken beat. 'Still Flute' is a brilliant jazzy house tribute, presumably, to the St Germain classic.

Review: Tenderlonoius has long been at the heart of the nu-jazz and broken beat sound that has proliferated over the last five for so years, as has his 22a label. They have both been prolific sources of new school sounds and old school influences and You Know I Care is another full length statement of skill from the man who has often worked in collaboration or with his Ruby Ruston band. It is a widescreen offering that ranges from brooding ballads to epic modal delights which will appeal to all sorts of jazz heads old and new. All the tunes are standards by some of Tender's favs including Jackie McClean, Clifford Jordan, Wayne Shorter and Duke Pearson.