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
Jazz
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
Fumio Itabashi – Watarase
Our friends over at Wewantsounds have released a post-bop gem by pianist Fumio Itabashi which will be available in April 5th, 2024. From their Bandcamp site: “Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Fumio Itabashi’s sought-after album “Watarase” hailed as one of the great Japanese jazz albums and featuring Itabashi on piano Continue Reading
Jazz Q – Živí se Diví: Live in Bratislava 1975
A new label out of Poland called GAD Records has been documenting seminal jazz and jazz-rock albums out of Poland, but now they’re venturing into the former Czechoslovakia with this release. Jazz Q were a progressive rock band who managed to incorporate blues rock and even a bit of free Continue Reading
The James Taylor Quartet – Mission Impossible
From the Acid Jazz Bandcamp site: “To mark the 35th Anniversary of Acid Jazz, we have been reissuing seminal records from our catalogue on colour vinyl. The final instalment – and the second James Taylor Quartet release in the series – is this this version of ‘Mission Impossible’ is pressed Continue Reading