Pianist Matthew Bourne last year released a remarkable live album recorded in the Norwegian city of Molde. It provided a fascinating glimpse into the world view of the Leeds improv and jazz scene kingpin. The Molde album was the latest milestone in a career trajectory that saw an early peak five years ago with the prodigious flow of his debut record The Electric Dr M for the Sound label. It’s year zero, however, for Bourne as he now unveils the debut of his trio Bourne/Davis/Kane.
27.03.08

When Lizz Wright debuted with Salt five years ago it was clear even then that the jazz world had found a new unique talent even if the album was ostensibly a strongly gospel-rooted affair. By the time of her second album Dreaming Wide Awake, when she was on the cover of Jazzwise for the first time, awash with arresting bottleneck backgrounds and intuitive acoustic and jazz-into-folk settings it was clear that new musical directions were being pursued and that she was becoming a significant jazz singer.
27.03.08

First Hand Records FHR01 ****

John Mayer (vln), Chris Taylor (fl), Ian Hammer (tr, flugelhorn), Tony Coe (ts, cl), Pat Smythe (p), Coleridge Goode (b), John Marshall (d), Diwan Motihar (sitar), Viram Jasani (sitar, tanpura), Keshav Sathe (tabla) (Etudes); Clem Alford (sitar), Keshav Sathe (tabla), The Lansdowne String Trio, Chris Taylor (fl), Tristen Fry (perc), Coleridge Goode (b), Tony Coe (ts, cl), Neil Coton (sarod), Susan Lees (v), Ausin Miskell (v), Nicolette Bernard (v), unidentified (oboe) (Radha Krishna), Rec. date not given

27.03.08

Verve Forecast  ****
Lizz Wright (v), The Southside Horns (t), Glenn Patshca (ky, v), Kenny Banks (p), Patrick Warren (ky), Larry Campbell (pedal steel, mand), Toshi Reagon (g, v), Chris Wright, Oren Bloedow, Joey Burns (g, b), John Convertino, Larry Eagle (d, perc), Ben Perowsky (d), Catherine Russell, Josette Newsam and Marc Anthony Thompson (v). Rec. date not stated 27.03.08

Peerless Monarch KA guitar

The Peerless brand has been going from strength to strength since its instruments came on to the UK market just over a year ago. The Monarch, which is just one of the models in the jazz range, is a full 17-inch single cutaway and comes in all solid tonewoods with a rosewood fretboard, tailpiece and pick guard plus quality Grover machine heads. Originally available with just the standard Peerless floating pick up, it can now be purchased with a mellow voiced Kent Armstrong unit, hence the KA, which adds a whole new dimension to the dynamics of the instrument.
27.03.08

Byron Wallen will always remember his first trumpet teacher. He takes up the story. “In the very beginning I was having difficulty playing the trumpet, so I went to see my teacher. He told me that that my lips were too big and maybe I wasn’t meant for playing the trumpet,” Wallen says, laughing. “But you know, in a way I have to thank him, because that really motivated me to have a go at it.” 27.03.08