Back catalogue: All genres

Review: This 1965 collaborative album brings together some of the international music world's finest talents. Featuring Nara Leao's soothing vocals, Edu Lobo's striking guitar and Tamba Trio's vibrant harmonies, 5 Na Bossa captures the essence of Brazilian bossa nova and jazz with a warm and sunny inflexion. With iconic tracks like 'Reza' and 'Zambi' bringing Latin jazz flair, and Edu Lobo's 'Estatuinha' offering more ruminative folk sounds, this is a brilliant album for those who like South American sounds in all their many guises. The album was recorded live at the Paramount Theater in Sao Paulo and is truly essential listening.

Review:  Legendary Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento is often hailed as one of Brazil's greatest ever musical exports and for this album, he collaborated with NPR's "21st Century's jazz genius," Esperanza Spalding. Milton + Esperanza is an album produced by Spalding and one that blends urgent and timeless sounds together into something interesting and new. The album features guest appearances by Dianne Reeves, Paul Simon, Lianne La Havas, and others while fusing Nascimento's enduring musical vision and Latin spirit with Spalding's innovative approach to jazz.

Review: Jeff Parker and his ETA IVtet are back with their first new music since 2022's Mondays at Enfield Tennis Academy. The album delves into improvised jazz grooves and features longtime collaborators Anna Butterss on upright bass, sax from Josh Johnson and Jay Bellerose on drums. The compositions are carefully crafted to capture the essence of a single night's setlist and reflect the unique atmosphere of the now-defunct Enfield Tennis Academy. Parker channels this space into a beautifully layered and dynamic piece that builds intricate, shifting textures from simple musical ideas that evoke a rich, immersive listen.

Review: Jeff Parker's The Way Out of Easy harnesses his long-running ETA IVtet's residency at the Los Angeles creative music venue, ETA. Featuring saxophonist Josh Johnson, bassist Anna Butterss, and drummer Jay Bellerose, the album comprises four expansive tracks recorded live on January 2, 2023. Known for their transcendental, groove-oriented improvisations, the ETA IVtet's sound evolved over seven years, blending minimalism and polyrhythmic mantras. Engineered by Bryce Gonzales, who designed a custom mixer specifically for the group, The Way Out of Easy presents a pure, transparent auditory experience. The set begins with 'Freakadelic', a composition from Parker's 2012 album, before moving through meditative and richly textured pieces like 'Late Autumn' and 'Easy Way Out'. The album closes with a spontaneous dub/reggae groove titled 'Chrome Dome'. As the final chapter in ETA's history, The Way Out of Easy is a testament to the ensemble's deep creative synergy and the enduring spirit of the venue.

Review: In celebration of Arvo Part's 90th year, his latest release showcases the Estonian composer's continued exploration of minimalist, spiritually charged sound . Part's work has always sought to blend the sacred with the secular, and this collection of new renditions brings forward the timeless resonance of his choral and orchestral compositions. Opening with 'Littlemore Tractus,' based on John Henry Newman's reflections, the piece sets the tone of quiet, introspective change that permeates the entire work. His music, a dialogue between sound and silence, invites profound contemplation, with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Tonu Kaljuste's direction offering nuanced, deeply attentive performances. Compositions like 'Vater unser,' showcase Part's ability to transform liturgical text into transcendent musical experience. There's an undeniable spiritual gravity in pieces such as 'Cantique des degres' and 'Sequentia,' where strings and vocals weave in delicate yet forceful patterns, revealing a steady undercurrent of renewal. The rich textures in these works evoke both a longing for and a reconciliation with the past, capturing Part's life-long exploration of sacred music's dialogue with the world. The album culminates with 'Vater unser,' an evocative reworking that brings together choir, strings, and piano, offering a meditative close to an album that is as much about reflection as it is about the continued forward momentum of Part's artistry. Recorded in Tallinn's Methodist Church, this latest chapter is a continuation of the Part-Eicher partnership that has defined so much of his career, expanding the legacy of albums like Tabula rasa and reinforcing Part's place as one of the most significant voices in contemporary classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Review: In 1971, this revered figure of Italian jazz, facilitated a remarkable session that brought together a talented ensemble of musicians, including trumpetist Francesco "Cicci" Santucci, saxophonist Enzo Scoppa and renowned keyboardist Franco d'Andrea. This collaboration, recorded at Umiliani's Sound Workshop studio in Rome, resulted in a brilliant jazz-funk album that blends intricate rhythms with melodic improvisation. Santucci and Scoppa, both seasoned in the late 50s Italian jazz scene, are joined by Belgian organist Joel Vendrokenbrak, adding a unique flavor to the mix. The album features d'Andrea on electric piano, a precursor to his future work with the progressive jazz group Perigeo. Originally released under a different name, this album is now reissued for the first time with its striking original cover art. The reissue includes a poster and a printed insert featuring images of the Sound Workshop studio, offering a deeper connection to the historical significance of the recording. With its masterful blend of jazz, funk and Italian creativity, this reissue is a significant addition to any collection of rare and influential jazz recordings.

Review: Following years of notable collaborations with some of jazz's leading voices, saxophonist and band leader Walter Smith III finally broke through in 2023 via a first headlining album for Blue Note. On his return to the label, Three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben is Not, Smith pays tribute to the Texan city of his birth in the company of Jason Moran (piano), Eric Harland (drums) and Reuben Smith (bass). It's a pleasingly breezy, positive and expertly crafted affair, with the quartet running through a series of ear-catching Smith compositions and a radical (and rather good) interpretation of an old Sam Rivers number. A wholehearted tribute to the rarely discussed cultural richness and diversity of Smith's home city.

Review: Nothing Leaves The House: The Anthology brings together four talented producers who each bring their own flavour to instrumental hip-hop. Tall Black Guy kicks things off with 'One to One,' a jazzy, laid-back track with a smooth groove, followed by 'Solar Coaster For The People,' which ups the energy with its infectious rhythm. Eric Lau's 'Chop For Mr Thing' is a standout, with intricate beats and soulful layers, while Kidkanevil's 'Loopin' Ill' brings playful, quirky melodies. Mr Thing closes the collection with 'Changes,' a funky, groove-driven track that wraps things up on a high note. An essential compilation for fans of soulful hip-hop and jazzy beats.

Review: Espen Berg's Maetrix captures the pianist and composer at a bold creative high, as he upscales his craft, this time working with the celebrated Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Originally premiered to a full ovation at the 2017 Molde International Jazz Festival, this six-part suite finally sees release, recorded between Oslo's Rainbow Studio and Ora Studio in Trondheim. Berg furthers his rep for rhythmic complexity and emotive depth to a 14-piece ensemble featuring standout artists Daniel Herskedal, Rob Waring, and Hayden Powell, while vocalists Kirsti Huke and Sissel Vera Pettersen ensure a graceful vocal topline. Echoes of Pat Metheny and Kenneth Dahl Knudsen waft through the compositions, but Maetrix stands firmly in Berg's own voice, radiating the sense of a collaborative effort years in the making.

Review: The search for The Quest is finally over. This rare album, a true first pressing with the Abbey ring and deep grooves, is now on the shelf and sounding fantastic. It ranks among the top jazz albums, alongside Basra and Far Cry. The Quest is a stunning showcase of soul, musicianship, and composition, with all tunes penned by Mal Waldron, who is a master of sparse, dark, delicate beauty on the piano. Featuring Eric Dolphy on alto and clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ron Carter on cello, Joe Benjamin on double bass, and Charlie Persip on drums, the ensemble is top-notch. Standout tracks include the mellow and reflective 'Warm Canto' and the energetic 'Status Seeking,' Every tune is unique, making it an album worth revisiting. This reissue rightly restores leadership to Waldron, and with the support of Benjamin and Persip, the complex music, bridging hard bop and avant-garde, is beautifully interpreted. Highly recommended.

Notes: Close The App, Make The Ting is a collection of ideas shared by Elijah that began in July 2021, as the Covid 19 lockdowns were ending in the UK. They started as simple notes questioning what the music and creative scenes would look like after being shut down for 18 months shared regularly on Instagram, then developed into a multimedia project that spanned visual installations, an album with grime MC Jammz, a club night and a lecture series that toured the world.

Close The App, Make The Ting: Transformative Prompts for the Modern Artist brings together the best of the ideas and the projects they inspired. This book is for anyone producing or thinking of producing creative work, that needs something outside of ‘advice’, these are evergreen artistic prompts that will inspire new ways of approaching being an artist in the 2020s.

The book is 25cm x 25 cm, and the 144 pages are printed on premium heavyweight paper.