From the release’s Bandcamp site: “A guitarist Paniyolo and a steelpan player Akio Watanabe are releasing a duo album “Yanami (The row of houses)”. Based on the 11 sketches, they have painted a space kept in tranquil atmosphere with a guitar and a steelpan, each sketch has a glimpse of Continue Reading
Jazz
Gunesh – Гунеш
Gunesh were from Turkmenistan and had one of the greatest drummers and percussionists to ever beat the skins in Rishad Shafi, who passed on a few years ago. This holds itself admirably compared to western fusion bands. Worth your time!
WaJazz: Japanese Jazz Spectacle Vol.I – Deep, Heavy and Beautiful Jazz from Japan 1968-1984 – The Nippon Columbia Masters – Selected by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds)
From the Wajazz Series Bandcamp page: “Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release: from blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa presents an essential 14 track collection of “WaJazz” music taken Continue Reading
Alfa Mist – Two For Mistake
In honor of getting the chance to see the band this evening here in Beijing, I share with you a recent EP by London-based nu-jazz band Alfa Mist. It turns out that they put on a hell of a performance to a packed crowd, mainly of locals. It was one Continue Reading
Reverso – Shooting Star – Étoile Filante
Avant-jazz trombonist Ryan Keberle collaborates with fellow New Yorkers Frank Woeste (piano) and Vincent Courtois (cello) on an exploration of new jazz influenced partially by the legendary Lili Boulanger, a favorite of my great-grandmother’s. From Ryan’s Bandcamp site: “The music of this album is inspired in various ways by the Continue Reading
Chet Baker – Chet On Poetry
We have a rescued gem courtesy of the impeccable Right Tempo! record label out of Italy, and it covers late period Chet Baker in fine form. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “«”Chet on Poetry” is not his last record, but indeed it differs from the others and it is the Continue Reading
Opa – Back Home
Far Out Recordings graces us with yet another vital release out of South America. This one by Opa is a little treasure out of Uruguay, not exactly known as a hot-spot for jazz fusion (at least not when compared to Brazil or, maybe, Argentina). This record, shelved for reasons unknown, Continue Reading
Azymuth – Carnival (Original Full-Length Unedited Mix)
Brazil’s finest fusion band return with a reworking of their legendary hit! From the promo pack: Celebrating 30 years of Far Out Recordings, Azymuth’s biggest club track from their groundbreaking 1979 album Light As A Feather is reissued on 12” vinyl, in its full length unedited form. When it was Continue Reading
Vadims Dmitrijevs Quintet – Integration!
Though the price is a bit steep at 17 Euros for a download, this one might be worth it. Vadims Dmitrijevs is an up-and-coming trombonist from Latvia, and this slab of hard bop swings mightily. Currently there are two tracks made available to sample. The whole album will come out Continue Reading
Willebrant & Williamson – Night Daze
I was introduced to a project new to me coming from Australia. From Karl Willebrant’s Bandcamp site: “Night Daze blends immersive textures and emotive expanses that invites the listener to conceive a visual experience through soundscapes and drones utilizing bass, trumpet, field recordings, and improvised performance. The album evokes themes Continue Reading