Gearbox レコード& CD

Review: Saxophonist Binker Golding and Moses Boyd made a huge impression with their earliest collaborative releases, winning the 'Best U.K Jazz Act' gong at the 2016 Jazz FM Awards. Their periodic albums since, which explore improvised and semi-improvised free-jazz territory, have been uniformly excellent and their latest, the duo's first for two years, is no exception. They recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, under the supervision of GRAMMY-winning producer Hugh Padgam, with guest Max Luthert joining in with tape loops and electronics. The result is a magical set full of alternately dreamy and alien-sounding electronic textures, loose-limbed, impeccably recorded jazz drums (you feel like you're sat behind the drum kit, such is the quality of the stereo panning) and winding, expressive, often lengthy sax improvisations. Magical music!

Review: This is a never-heard-before recording of the legendary tenor sax “Little Giant”, Johnny Griffin, playing at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, and backed by members of Ronnie's House Band (Stan Tracey, Malcolm Cecil and Jackie Dougan). A through-composed suite in four parts, we begin with the aroused baritone sax of ‘The Girl Next Door’ and end on the short curtsy known as ’The Theme’. Mastered at Gearbox Records’ in-house studio using an all-analogue signal chain and cut directly from the original tapes, the recordings making up the record were salvaged at the club by Les Tomkins in 1964. The sleeve features photography by the esteemed Val Wilmer and liner notes by Richard Williams.

Review: After the joys of Emanuel Harrold's recent EP Funk La Soul fans will be glad to hear this quick album follow-up, We Da People. It features on lead single 'I Think' none other than two-time GRAMMY-winner, Gregory Porter whose baritone voice is as smooth as chocolate. The album overall marks a new chapter for Harrold who mixes uplifting messages of hope with a fresh and original fusion of r&b, jazz, soul, gospel, and funk. Further high-level guests such as Malcolm Jamal Warner, Keyon Harrold and Saunders Sermons II make this a landmark moment from this fine artist.

Review: Hands up all of those who thought Basement Jaxx's Simon Ratcliffe would end up making slowly unfurling spiritual jazz with famed London improvisers Binker Golding (saxophone) and Moses Boyd (drums)? Us neither. To give Ratcliffe credit, this debut single from his new jazz-wise project is simply stunning. Golding's wild sax solos and Boyd's brilliant drumming catch the ear and provide an air of authenticity, but it's Ratcliffe's contributions - drowsy sunrise electronics and meditative synthesizer motifs on A-side "Village Of The Sun", sparkling piano motifs on "Ted" and warm bass on both - that tie everything together and ensure that both tracks are worth far more than the sum of their parts. A surprise, yes, but the results are both thrilling and spellbinding.