BBE's Peter Adarkwah and John Morales chat about new album 'Teddy Pendergrass - The Voice - Remixed With Philly Love', out March 11th 2022 on vinyl and CD on BBE. Watch here
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Ka Safar - Photo credit Eugene McLaughlin
Ka Safar 'Ancient Tribal Hearts' (2 Headed Deer) - a review
Ka Safar are a thirteen-headed world jazz outfit from the centre of the UK who appear to be trying to reach the centre of the cosmos on their brand new album ‘Ancient Tribal Hearts’. From original Arkestra style groove-freakouts to arrangements of ancient musical and religious notations, this is a remarkable record bursting with energy and ideas that needs to be in the collections of those who love Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra et al. Read / Listen
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Jazzanova 'Face At My Window' (BBE/180 Proof) - rehearsal video exclusive
Check out a sneaky video exclusive of Jazzanova in rehearsal mode in support of the release of the second single from the DJ Amir led project: Strata Records - The Sound of Detroit - Reimagined By Jazzanova
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sneaky jesus 'Bugs (Groove Professor Remix)' (Shapes Of Rhythm) - PREMIERE
We’re mightily pleased to premiere this beat-heavy dubbed out remix of ‘Bugs’ by hot new Polish jazz outfit sneaky jesus on the always on point Shapes Of Rhythm imprint. Think Major Force with a huge horn section, this is a moody beauty from Groove Professor. Listen here
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David Wertman at U Mass - first time Lynne heard him play April 1980
David Wertman & Sun Ensemble 'Wide Eye Culture' (BBE) - a preview
The great bassist David Wertman left the free jazz loft scene of 70s New York to live a life of spiritual harmony in the rural charms of the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts with his wife and musical partner Lynne Meryl but they never stopped making sublime music. BBE have compiled some exceptional (and rare) recordings from the early 80s into a superb new release called ‘Wide Eye Culture’. Here we offer excerpts from the in depth liner notes, in particular from the revealing interviews between Lynne and BBE’s Will Sumsuch. Read here…
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Photo: Daniel Rodríguez
Isaac Sasson 'Canciones de Isaac' (Olindo Records) - a review
Isaac Sasson has released an album of perfectly poised gentleness containing thirteen evocative folky vignettes of life and family in Venezuela and Barcelona. Field recordings of nature accompany his tender voice, exquisite songwriting and light touch multi-instrumentalism. It’s a stunning record. Read / Listen
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Jazzanova and DJ Amir - photo credit Braden Harris
'Strata Records - The Sound Of Detroit - Reimagined By Jazzanova’ (BBE/180 Proof) - first single alert!
Finally…the first fruits from DJ Amir’s invitation to Jazzanova to reimagine, rework and revitalise some of the revolutionary Detroit label Strata Records’ brilliant but outrageously underexposed catalogue of music are here! With tracks and remixes from Jazzanova, Waajeed and Henrik Schwarz, this is essential… Read / Listen here
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corto.alto 'Not For Now' (Worm Discs) - a review
Released late last year, Glaswegian trombonist and composer Liam Shortall’s corto.alto outfit released one of the strongest EPs of funky, expressive jazz of 2021 on Worm Discs. With nods to hip hop, Detroit jazz-funk and with arrangements so tight that they should be illegal for one so young, Liam is a talent to be bookmarked whether you regard yourself as a jazz connoisseur or just have a passing interest. Read / Listen here
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New Regency Orchestra live at Earth (Theatre) (EFG London Jazz Festival 2021) - a review
The New Regency Orchestra is a twenty-piece Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble made up of some of London’s hottest jazz musicians and our good friend Oli Brunetti (Olindo Records / Colectivo Futuro) was lucky enough to catch them live as part of this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival. Check out his excellent review here…
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Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita - EFG London Jazz Festival Photo by John Reed
Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita live at Lakeside Arts (24 Nov 2021) - a review
Omar Sosa is a Grammy nominated Cuban pianist, Seckou Keita, a Senegalese kora master and recent BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year and Gustavo Ovalles, a Venezuelan percussionist and the world class trio have been stunning audiences everywhere on their recent ‘Suba’ tour. Tim Hills caught them at their date at Lakeside Arts in Nottingham and wrote us a review. Read / Listen here
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PHOTO CREDIT: Emile Holba
Damon Locks - Black Monument Ensemble + Angel Bat Dawid live at EartH (Theatre) (EFG London Jazz Festival 2021) - A review
The EartH (Theatre) in Hackney hosted a double bill of extraordinary power and artistry with Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble and Angel Bat Dawid taking us to the outer edges and back again for this Monday night gig for the EFG London Jazz Festival. Read our review here
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PHOTO CREDIT: Tatiana Gorilovsky
Aynur - Live at Barbican Centre (EFG London Jazz Festival 2021) - a review
Being invited to review this show by the great Kurdish-Turkish singer Aynur as part of the 2021 edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival turned out to be a gift for the ages as the great wood-panelled hall of the Barbican Centre became a triumphant celebration of Kurdish song and culture. Read our review of this spectacular event
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Photo Credit: Alex Kozobolis
Kinkajous 'Being Waves' (Running Circle) - a review
On the eve of a much awaited Kinkajous UK tour, Mauro Ferreiro reviews their brilliant second album ‘Being Waves’ that was released in September on Nottingham’s fine Running Circle imprint. Read / Listen here
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Dave De Rose & Dan Nicholls 'Plants Heal' (DDR) - a review
‘Plants Heal’ is released today and is a short, beautifully weighted album of natural ambience and surprising moments of electro-acoustic tension culled from two days of constant improvisation. Meditative and impressionistic, the record is both relaxing and confrontational in the most calming way from two of the leading lights of the experimental scene. Read / Listen here
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Nilza Costa - an interview
Nilza Costa is a singer/songwriter from Salvador de Bahia living in Italy and her new album ‘Le notti di San Patrizio’ is an uncommon combination of traditional Brazilian rhythms and melodies and European jazz forms. It’s a beautiful thing so I pinged her a few questions.. Listen / Read here
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Penya 'False Prophets' (Liminal Recordings) - video and Cuba Solidarity Campaign
The genre-busting Penya have a brand new remix EP on the way and for the first three months, all the Bandcamp sales raised from their brilliant new single ‘False Prophets’ will be going towards the COVID-19 Medical Appeal for Cuba via the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. Afro-latino rhythms from the past hurtling into the future is their game and we’re big fans. Check the superb video and order the remix pack here
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Jan Van 'Streams' (Teranga Beat) - a review
‘Streams’ is an excellent album of cinematic noir created live by rhythmic maestro Jan Van aka Yannis Angelolopoulos and the cream of Athens’ jazz and improvisational musicians. Funky, spacious and reflective, their unique fusion of contemporary improv jazz and laïkodimotiko (local, popular music) is a fine blend indeed. Read / Listen here
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Credit - Nicola Schmid
Howald 'Amnis Alsace' (BlauBlau Records) - a review
A touching and poetic soundtrack to a filmic diary that was made in response to the music from Swiss multi-instrumentalist Dimitri Howald. Touching on Afro-Brazilian, jazz, post-rock and 80s New Wave flavours. Read / Listen / Watch the film here
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Atakora Manu 'AFRO HIGHLIFE' / 'OMINTIMINIM' (BBE) - a review
In celebration of 100 years of recorded Ghanaian Highlife, BBE release this gorgeous double pack of mid-80s albums by the underappreciated but wonderful Atakora Manu. A brilliant melding of ‘palmwine’ blues and eccentric synth work that stands it out from most Highlife that we are usually exposed to. Read / Listen
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Ballaké Sissoko 'A Touma' (NØ FØRMAT!) - a review
For his second album of 2021, the master kora player Ballaké Sissoko recorded eight solo compositions in one day inside a chapel in Belgium. It is a stunning journey of emotion, virtuosity and West African folk-blues and as good as any kora recordings that I have been lucky enough to discover. Read / Listen
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