Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil, recorded during his tenure with Miles Davis and released on Blue Note, stands as a pinnacle of his solo work. While Shorter's tenure with Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and Weather Report alone would secure his place in jazz history, this album underscores his genius as a bandleader and composer. Blending hard bop with avant-garde influences, Speak No Evil features a potent lineup: Shorter on tenor sax, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums. The album strikes a balance between traditional hard bop and more exploratory sounds. Tracks like the intense, fast-paced title piece 'Speak No Evil' showcase the ensemble's dynamic interplay, while 'Dance Cadaverous' offers a moody, atmospheric contrast with its subtle avant-garde touches. Each composition, penned by Shorter, highlights his exceptional skill as a writer and performer. Speak No Evil is impactful for illustrating Shorter's enduring brilliance in jazz.

Review: Celebration, Volume 1 is the inaugural release in a series of archival recordings curated by the legendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter before his passing in 2023. This exhilarating 2014 live recording captures Shorter's acclaimed quartet, featuring pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade, at the Stockholm Jazz Festival in Sweden. The adventurous set includes favorites such as 'Zero Gravity,' 'Smilin' Through,' 'Orbits,' 'Lotus,' and 'She Moves Through The Fair.' Carolina Shorter, in the album's liner notes, recalls how Wayne immersed himself in unreleased music in late 2022, making detailed notes on each track. His excitement was palpable when he first heard the Stockholm concert, exclaiming, "this is the album!" Initially envisioning the collection as Unidentified Flying Objects due to the innovative notes played, Wayne ultimately decided to name it Celebration to honor life. The album is not just a live recording but a vivid celebration of Shorter's enduring legacy and musical vision.

Review: Wayne Shorter's Juju, featuring McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums, was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in August 1964 and released in July 1965, resonating with profound influences from John Coltrane. The album's allure lies not merely in technical strength but in its emotive depth, transcending analytical descriptions. Shorter's tenor saxophone exudes a brooding intensity, marked by sharp tonality and deliberate, weighty phrasing, punctuated by rapid flourishes into higher registers that convey a sense of restrained urgency. His compositions, characterised by hypnotic, repetitive motifs, unfold a richly textured musical adventure. The interplay between Shorter and Tyner on Juju reveals a unique dynamic, distinct from Shorter's collaborations with Herbie Hancock on other Blue Note recordings. The album shows varying ensemble configurations across Shorter's discography, each contributing to its nuanced musical landscape. This Blue Note Classic Series reissue, mastered from the original tapes, preserves the album's timeless appeal.

Review: An album that stands as one of American jazz pianist Silver's last great albums for Blue Note. Recorded in early 1968 with two mostly different quintets, the album features trumpeter Charles Tolliver, alternating tenor saxophonists Stanley Turrentine and Bennie Maupin, bassists Bob Cranshaw and John Williams and drummers Mickey Roker and Billy Cobham. Silver's rhythmic, economical piano style is often described as funky and nowhere is this more evident than on the album's standout opener, 'Psychedelic Sally'. With its jubilant horn theme and funky Memphis soul-inspired bass riff, the track is a rollicking seven-minute classic that blends 60s funk with 50s bop. The rest of the album maintains a playful spirit. 'Rain Dance' presents a campy, American Indian-style theme, while 'Jungle Juice' offers an exotic, tribal flavour. The warm, loose-swinging title track, 'Serenade to a Soul Sister' and the ethereal 'Kindred Spirits' add depth to the set. The album closes with the gentle piano trio ballad 'Next Time I Fall in Love'. While the first half of the album leans into a bluesy, funky vibe with Turrentine's soulful saxophone, the latter half shifts to a more boppish feel with Maupin, is a different but equally engaging dynamic. Through it all, Silver's philosophy of keeping politics and anger out of his music shines, delivering a joyous and tightly performed soul-jazz classic.

Review: A decade into his career, Horace Silver recorded what many consider one of his finest albums at the renowned Van Gelder Studio. Joined by Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, Gene Taylor, and Roy Brooks, the session marked a key transition for his quintet. This album was released a year before his iconic hit 'Song for My Father,' which was indeed a tribute to his Cape Verdean father. This reissue for the Blue Note Classic series has been remastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes so it offers an all-analogue experience and delivers superb sound quality that honours Silver's legacy.

Review: Lonnie Smith's 1970 opus Drives manifests an exhilarating blend of adventure and unyielding grooves. Featuring a stellar lineup with Dave Hubbard on tenor sax and Ronnie Cuber on bari sax, Smith reinterprets classics like 'Twenty-Five Miles' and 'Spinning Wheel' while breathing new life into Miles Davis' 'Seven Steps to Heaven.' This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition offers a pristine listening experience, being all-analogue and mastered by Kevin Gray from the original tapes, pressed on high-quality 180g vinyl at Optimal. A vital addition for any jazz aficionado, it captures Smith's artistic spirit brilliantly.