Review: Stone's Throw has never really made any wrong moves in our opinion, and here the label puts its full force behind a deceptively powerful album. Taking us to places that are deeper than perhaps what the imprint is best known for, this is immersive, hypnotic, otherworldly stuff made from a variety of plugged in machines, analogue and otherwise, including a semi-modular synth. The result is a journey-style collection packed with atmosphere but one that's also painstakingly detailed and textured. Sound waves are rendered almost visible by the movements, drones, tracks and other pieces here, drum and effects machines producing the kind of noises that mesmerise and suck you in further as time passes. Tunes to get lost in, the only remaining question is whether anyone will ever want to return.
Review: Arranger, composer and pianist Gil Evans worked with Miles Davis on two notable albums - Miles Ahead and The Birth of Cool - and also made a fine debut of his own in 1958. A year later he got back in the studio to work on Great Jazz Standards which saw him work with two different ensembles including talents like trumpeter Johnny Coles, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and clarinetist Budd Johnson amongst more. It is a superb look at some great jazz gems from Bix Beiderbecke's 'Davenport Blues' to a shimmering version of Thelonious Monk's 'Straight No Chaser.' It gets the full remastering treatment for this reissue.
Review: After making her professional debut as the cool, breathy voice behind the historic 1964 crossover smash 'The Girl from Ipanema', Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto became a major force in popularizing the bossa nova sound. Her understated yet magnetic delivery is spotlighted on this collection, Great Women Of Song, showcasing her instantly-recognizable approach to songs drawn from a variety of sources - Brazil, pop hits and standards.
El Preciso Aprender A Ser So (Learn To Live Alone) (3:23)
She's A Carioca (2:19)
Review: There remains great interest in the work of Astrud Gilberto, and much of it is being freshly remastered and pressed up on a constant basis. Her Look To The Rainbow is a captivating journey into the realms of what she did in the bossa nova and jazz. Released in 1966, it showcases Gilberto's ethereal vocals floating effortlessly over lush arrangements as tracks transport listeners to sun-kissed beaches with their infectious rhythms and melodic charm. Gilberto's voice often exudes a tender elegance, while the title track 'Look To The Rainbow' radiates with hope and optimism. With its seamless blend of Brazilian flair and jazz sensibility, this album remains a timeless classic.
Review: Bebel Gilberto has put out several genre-bending albums is a truly gene-bending talent. The Grammy-nominated Brazilian singer-songwriter had her Joao album reissued in 2023 and now Agora is her first new music in six years. It finds her work with Thomas Bartlett who has worked with the likes of Sufjan Stevans and sees Gilberto reach all new heights. Her sultry and smoky Brazilian rhythms come embellished with plenty of catchy electronic beats and it carries on where much loved previous albums like Tudo, released in August 2015 on Sony, and her self titled album from 2004.
Review: In January 1945, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie laid down 'Be Bop (Dizzy's Fingers)' in New York City, a month prior to pioneering the first modern jazz recordings, 'Groovin' High' and 'Blue N' Boogie.' This era marked a transition from big bands to smaller combos, fostering a more intimate musical landscape. Gillespie's late-career exploration, showcased here in Norman Granz's Pablo releases, features a quartet anchored by guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Mickey Roker. Their rendition of bop classics exhibit Gillespie's enduring brilliance. Supplementing the originals are alternate takes of some other standards from their arsenal all of which reveal Gillespie's improvisational prowess and arranging ingenuity.
Review: Scott Gilmore's tracks are deceptively pared back. Putting an Arp Odyssey, Yamaha CS-01, Korg DW-8000, Hohner Pianet T, Roland TR 606, Roland SH 101, bamboo alto saxophone, clarinet, electric guitar and electric bass to very good use on this nine track Balearic-downtempo stunner, the tunes are easy to groove with yet subtly complex. They feel simple, but are incredibly detailed. Veering between a kind of synth-y smooth jazz, lounge, lofi electronica and sunset instrumental, Volume 01 is the proof after the promise of Gilmore's 2019 debut, Two Roomed Motel. Second album in and it's quite clear how talented the guy is. We just wish there was more information available for us to get to know him better with.
Review: The Gin Tonic Orchestra hail from Saint Etienne in the lower regions of France. They are a collective of music lovers with various different backgrounds that all feed into creating fresh new sounds. For proof look no fritters than this album, Shyance, which is their debut and is a perfect primer for anyone not familiar with the sounds. Elements of spiritual jazz, London broken beats, classic jazz-funk and new school fusions all feature here with some high-energy dance floor bangers like 'Rage Jaune' next to much more mellow offerings.
Review: Brooklyn-born, New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist Gitkin delivers a rich fusion of global sounds on Golden Age, his latest ten-track album. Known for his guitar-driven style, Gitkin blends the rhythms of cumbia, North African, and Middle Eastern music, creating a sonic journey that feels both expansive and deeply rooted. As the frontman of The Pimps of Joytime, a staple in the festival circuit, his influence on the soul-funk scene is undeniable. From Bonnaroo to Electric Forest, Gitkin has built a reputation for electrifying live performances. Beyond his own projects, he's produced for artists like Corey Henry, Bernard Purdie and Cedric Burnside, whose Benton County Relic earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. With Golden Age, Gitkin further explores the intersections of global music traditions, weaving his soulful guitar into a captivating tapestry that speaks to his wide-ranging influences.
Black Superhero (feat Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid & Big KRIT) (5:51)
Shine (feat D Smoke & Tiffany Gouche) (6:26)
Why We Speak (feat Q Tip & Esperanza Spalding) (6:16)
Over (feat Yebba) (4:50)
Better Than I Imagined (feat HER & Meshell Ndegeocello) (4:55)
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (feat Lalah Hathaway & Common) (5:54)
Everybody Love (feat Musiq Soulchild & Posdnuos) (4:45)
It Don't Matter (feat Gregory Porter & Ledisi) (5:24)
Heaven's Here (feat Ant Clemons) (3:56)
Out Of My Hands (feat Jennifer Hudson) (5:33)
Forever (feat PJ Morton & India.Arie) (4:37)
Bright Lights (5:13)
Review: Robert Grasper very much announced his arrival on the world stage with Black Radio 1. And Black Radio 2 only took him into the stratosphere. Both records proved him to be a master of hip hop, broken beat and jazz and able to call upon some of the biggest names in those scene from Jill Scott to Erykah Badu. Both of those timeless records, as the title suggest, are steeped in Black music traditions and so is this third one. Here the award winning Glasper (nine Grammy nominations and four wins) works with modern greats such as Gregory Porter, Q Tip, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ty Dolla Sign and many more to cook up another powerful statement for these troubled times.
Endangered Black Woman (feat Andra Day & Staceyann Chin) (3:46)
Expectations (feat Baby Rose, Rapsody & James Poyser) (4:58)
All I Do (feat SiR, Bridget Kelly, song Bird) (6:52)
Aah Whoa (feat Muhsinah & Queen Sheba) (2:58)
I Want You (2:48)
Trade In Bars Yo (feat Herbie Hancock) (1:49)
DAF Fall Out (2:00)
Sunshine (1:52)
Liquid Swords (4:38)
DAF FTF (4:32)
Treal (feat Yasiin Bey) (7:21)
Cold (2:09)
Review: Given that he's spent much of the last decade producing other artists, recording collaborative sets and performing live, you could say that Robert Glasper's latest solo set - his first, by our calculation, since 2009 - is long overdue. Of course, while it may be his name on the cover, it's still a collaborative affair, with the assembled cast list including a wealth of musicians, rappers and singers from the worlds of jazz and hip-hop, including (deep breath) Bilal, Herbie Hancock, Yasiin Bley, Buddy and Terrace Martin. To fit everyone and everything in (one thing Glasper is not short of is great ideas), the GRAMMY-winning pianist has presented it as a non-stop mixtape. It's a format that allows his widescreen, eclectic vision to come to life.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Carol Of The Bells (feat Cynthia Erivo) (4:57)
Make It Home (feat PJ Morton & Sevyn Streeter) (3:47)
Memories With Mama (feat Tarriona 'Tank' Ball) (3:30)
Joy To The World (feat Alex Isley) (5:21)
December (feat Andra Day) (4:54)
Little Drummer Boy (feat The Baylor Project) (6:42)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (feat Doobie Powell) (6:33)
Review: Whether you like it or not, the festive season is fast approaching which means we are starting to get a number of seasonal classic land, new and old. This one is a rather non-traditional holiday release that brings a weight and musical funkiness to a genre and time of year that is often seeped in campy or classic holiday motifs. It is the work of modern jazz heavyweight Robert Glasper and finds him working with a top list of frequent collaborators including PJ Morton, Sevyn Streeter, Cynthia Ervo, Tarriona Tank Ball, Alex Isley, Andra Day and The Baylor Project. It is a real joy to listen to and brings great warmth to the cosy months.
Review: Rather confusingly, Beverly Glenn Copeland released a self titled album called Beverly Glenn Copeland in the 1970s, which is not the same album as this one, called simply Beverly Copeland. Both, along with several other of their works, are being reissued at the moment on vinyl and CD as a result of a great reappraisal of their work during the pandemic. The experimental musician identifies as a transgender man and is known for having written soundtracks for Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station next to her jazz, ambient, exotic and electronic fusion records.
Review: Beverly Glenn Copeland's work has been getting revisited, reappraised and reissued plenty in the last couple of years and several of her seminal albums are all arriving in July across various different formats. Copeland was always ahead of their time with her mix of experimental, ambient, exotic electronic sounds and poetry and famously scored kids' TV shows cut as including Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station. Now 78 and identifying as a transgender man after a time identifying as a lesbian, their second 70's recording - this self-titled album - is a real jazz classic widely admired amongst fans.
Review: Godtet is back with his third LP, and one which he calls possibly the finest distillation of his sound yet. Across eight tracks he fuses sounds from around the world that show another organic evolution and draw on three years of gigging, playing and recording music. The record was made with no samples and was wholly improvised and is said to be the final part of a trilogy. The beats are dark and intense at times, but can just as easily be feather light and superbly spacious, such as on the gorgeous 'Sun.' Though these tracks are short, they really are very sweet.
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