Regina Carter Freedom Band: Swing States: Harmony in the Battleground

Regina Carter

Even before the outbreak of Covid-19, the upcoming US election was guaranteed to be fraught. This new project from esteemed...

Reviewed by Thomas Rees in issue: September/2020

Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band: Blue Soul

Dave Stryker

The Cologne-based WDR Big Band's tight discipline and springy bounce reflect a long history of tailoring their riffs, shimmers and...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: September/2020

Julian Shore: Where We Started

Julian Shore

Where We Started is either the third or fourth album by New York-based Shore – an earlier work, Filaments, was...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: September/2020

Marcin Wasilewski Trio with Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff

Marcin Wasilewski

Joe Lovano showed he's much more than a masterful post-bop barnstormer and lush balladeer on his first outing as leader...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: September/2020

Various Artists: Soul Love: The Black Fire Records Story, 1975-1993

Byard Lancaster,

In many ways this superlative compilation provides a wider context to the recently-released Oneness Of Juju anthology. They were a...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: September/2020

John Finbury: Quatro

A US composer specialising in Brazilian and latin jazz hires an allstar cast: great contributions from pianist Chano Domínguez, soulful...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: September/2020

Gonzalo Rubalcaba/Aymée Nuviola: Viento y Tiempo – Live at Blue Note Tokyo

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the astonishing Cuban piano virtuoso whose balletic lightness of touch and awesome chordal power drive resources as packed...

Reviewed by John Fordham in issue: September/2020

Eric Binder Trio: Hard Bop

Eric Binder

An album called Hard Bop, led by a drummer sounds like a cue for a Jazz Messengers tribute act. In...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: September/2020

Quinsin Nachoff: Pivotal Arc

For this Canadian saxophonistcomposer's second Whirlwind release he presents a convincing if tough-going contemporary classical violin concerto (for virtuoso Nathalie...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: September/2020

Dinah Washington: Four Classic Albums

Not sufficiently acknowledged these days, Washington was a huge influence in bringing a tinge of gospel into pop and jazz,...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: February/2020