Ubuntu Music レコード& CD

Review: Those active on the London jazz scene may already be aware of Mark Kavuma. The trumpeter-composer has his own hard working quartet, but also heads up both the Burger Sextet and the hip-hop-infused Floor Rippers. Members of those combos provide able support on this eponymous debut album, which bristles with fine compositions from the man himself. Heavily influenced by vintage Blue Note and Prestige releases, the album boasts multiple highlights, from the glistening jazz guitar solos on "Carolina Moon" and Kavuma's own punchy trumpet work on frantic opener "Into The Darkness", to the extended percussion solos that rise above the stellar cover of "Abide With Me". In other words, it's not only a great debut, but also one that suggests Kavuma could be a name to watch in coming years.