We’re slowly but surely getting back to normal after a bout of flu-like symptoms knocked us out this past weekend. Unfortunately, our visit to Cologne’s Stadtgarten had to be cancelled. Pianist Kevin Hays and vibraphonist Jorge Rossy made a stop there to present material from their five-paw reviewed album “The Wait”. Thanks to our friend…
This year’s Transition Festival, the festival showcasing the latest developments in the international jazz scene, bringing forward-thinking and inspirational artists to the stage, will take place again at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht on March 15th. The line-up for the 8th edition has just been announced and we are looking forward to reporting on this exciting event…
Michael Kiwanuka‘s absolutely stunning album “Small Changes”, his fourth and clearly his best to date, came out in late November in the middle of all the holiday buzz and chaos. It almost went unnoticed, but once the LP arrived, it made its way onto our turntables time and time again. I think the overall mood…
The World Music Showcase, the international showcase for emerging artists in world music, has called for applications until February 16th. The International World Music Showcase will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on July 3rd and 4th. Each accepted application will be evaluated by a 5-member international jury. 12 participants will be selected to participate in the showcase…
Back in October 2022, German-American pianist Benjamin Lackner released his debut for the ECM label called “Last Decade”. It immediately summed up the typical ECM sound, if something like this exists after all. Lots of space, clarity, intimacy, and of course highest production values. Trumpeter Mathias Eick was on that particular record and he is…
It has become sort of a now really precious tradition: at each start of a new year, indie soul will get a top-notch representation via the three-CD “Luxury Soul” compilation on Expansion Records, thanks again to Ralph Tee. If you use our “Search” tool and put in “Luxury Soul”, you will get all of our…
Two independent Jazz labels, Mack Avenue from Detroit and Strata-East from New York, just announced a partnership with the release of “Strata-East: The Legacy Begins”, a digital-only anthology of some of the label’s pivotal recordings. Strata-East was launched in 1970 by trumpet player Charles Tolliver and pianist Stanley Cowell. Charles, now 82, just played at…
Njabulo Ndhlovu aka Radic The Myth from Johannesburg releases a three-track EP on Freerange Records this Friday. Over the last several years, he has released tracks as a producer and/or remixer on various labels such as Stay True Sounds or Garden Groove Music. The three new pieces on the London based Deep House label Freerange…
jazzahead!, the world’s most significant annual Jazz convention and festival, will be back in Bremen this year. From April 24th to 26th, there will be showcases from artists from this year’s partner countries France, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as overseas and Africa showcases, European showcases, and the German Jazz Expo with new and upcoming…
The seventh trio album by Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen on ECM Records came out last October and we’ve been coming back to this very intense record over and over again since its release. Jarle Vespestad on drums accompanies the pianist since his 2003 album “Changing Places”. Bassist Steinar Raknes is on board since 2022’s “Opening”….