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”….
Los Angeles-based singer Sy Smith, who released her five-paw reviewed album “Until We Meet Again” about a year ago, will come to Europe for a few select dates. So far, only three gigs are confirmed in the UK and Germany. Sy will also play with trumpeter Chris Botti on his Caribbean Sea cruise on February…
Award-winning pianist, composer, singer, and songwriter Kevin Hays and drummer and vibraphonist Jorge Rossy have teamed up for an exciting duo album called “The Wait”. The list of artists with whom both of them have worked with over the last couple of decades reads like a who’s who of the jazz world. We’ve reviewed Kevin’s…
We just wanted to remind you of three albums released last year which we went back to over and over again. All three are out on vinyl too. Pianist and composer Renee Rosnes released “Crossing Paths” on December 6th on Smoke Sessions Records. The nine songs on the album feature Brazilian classics written by Egberto…
We’re back from the holidays and witnessing the devastating news from Los Angeles. We just hope that all our friends and contacts in SoCal, and of course all of the residents of this beautiful city, are safe and taken care of, one way or the other. It is really hard to see so many structures…