Norbert Stein: Pata Messengers

Avant-garde saxophonist Norbert Stein’s quartet combines attractive jazz lyricism with a freer, contemporary classical inspired vernacular in a musical commentary...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2016

The Steve Fishwick/Osian Roberts/Frank Basile Sextet: In The Empire State

Frank Basile | Jeb Patton | Matt Fishwick | Mike Karn | Osian Roberts | Steve Fishwick

For my (rapidly falling off the perch) generation, the British trumpet player was unquestionably Jimmy Deuchar. And for those who...

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: March/2016

Bill Doggett: Oops!/Prelude to the Blues

Two tenors, organ and rhythm was a formula that served Doggett well after his early big band days with Lucky...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: June/2017

McClenty Hunter Jr: The Groove Hunter

Christian Sands | Corcoran Holt | Dave Stryker | Donald Harrison | Eddie Henderson | Eric Reed | Eric Wheeler | McClenty Hunter Jr | Stacy Dillard

Drummer McClenty Hunter Jr knows all about the groove roots of hard bop – he started out in gospel music,...

Reviewed by John Fordham in issue: July/2018

Jaimeo Brown Transcendence: Work Songs

Big Yuki | Brandon McCune | Cadence Brown | Chris Sholar | Falu | Gee’s Bend Quilters | Jaimeo Brown | Jaleel Shaw | James Francies | JD Allen

The fact that Brown has taken the title of his previous album Transcendence as the name of this group, or...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: April/2016

John Russell, Phil Durrant, John Butcher: Conceits-1987 & 1992

John Butcher | John Russell | Phil Durrant

Originally released in 1988, this is a landmark album in free improv. Though all three have made wonderful music in...

Reviewed by Marcus O'Dair in issue: September/2015

Freddie Redd: Four Classic Albums

Hard bop pianist Freddie Redd’s excellent score for playwrite Jack Gelber’s controversial drug themed stage play/art house movie, The Connection...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: February/2020

Walter Smith III: Twio

Christian McBride | Eric Harland | Harish Raghavan | Joshua Redman | Walter Smith

Many listeners probably woke up to the patiently-spun, dry-toned lines of Texan tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III around 2011, on...

Reviewed by John Fordham in issue: May/2018

Karl Seglem & Christoph Stiefel: Waves

The Norwegian saxophonist Seglem and Swiss pianist Stiefel, an isorhythm specialist, join up folk roots to contemporary music sensibilities, and...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: July/2015

Jon Rose and Chris Abrahams: Peggy

Not as hyper-nuanced as Abrahams' work with The Necks, but this duo which sees him take to a Steinway Grand...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: November/2018