Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Drawing deep inspiration from jazz legends like McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock and Geri Allen, Stevenson blends faith, identity and human experience into a exciting musical journey. His unique approach to composition, grounded in quartal harmony, modality and dramatic interplay within his trio, offers a sound that is both accessible and intellectually engaging. The album's title, El Roiimeaning "God of Sight"icaptures the themes explored within faith and identity. Through his storytelling, Stevenson delves into how one perceives the world around them, while reflecting on his relationship with faith. The compositions are marked by a strong sense of contrast, often starting with a central motif and expanding through varied melodic ideas. This creates a sound that resonates with listeners across genres. Following his debut album Faithful One, Stevenson continues to showcase his evolving style, combining spiritual narratives with modern jazz elements. His carefully chosen bandmates, including double bassist Jacob Gryn and drummer Joel Waters, contribute to a sound that is both rooted in tradition and forward-thinking.

Review: Macie Stewart's debut on International Anthem finds the multi-instrumentalist and composer, in her own words, writing a "love letter to the moments we spend in-between," all while returning to her first instrument, the piano. Through prepared piano, field recordings and string quartets, she creates a cinematic, transient world that reflects her musical journey. Featuring collaborations with artists like Lia Kohl and Whitney Johnson, the album weaves a sound collage of memory and movement that is inspired by her travels. When the Distance is Blue muses on themes of change, longing and the beauty found in the unknown.

Review: International Anthem continues to serve up inspired debuts from some of the more intriguing members of Chicago's jazz and experimental music communities. The latest comes from multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser Macie Stewart, who has delivered what's being dubbed "a companion piece for moving through life". At the heart of the album is Stewart's use of both piano and 'prepared piano' (a technique where various items such as coins and pieces of felt are attached to the instrument's strings). These picturesque and occasionally melancholic musical motifs come wrapped in atmospheric field recordings and sensitive string quartet arrangements. The results are rarely less than memorable, mesmerising and magnificent.

Review: A collection that blends classic soul, jazz, and rhythm & blues with a touch of British mod flair, this is the 11th album from the British veterans. From the outset, the album demonstrates the band's ability to capture emotion with the haunting saxophone and reflective vocals on 'How Many Times', which sets a powerful tone for what follows. The title track delivers an uplifting, seventies-inspired anthem, combining brass, hand percussion and heartfelt harmonies that evoke the essence of Isaac Hayes and Stevie Wonder. Tracks like 'Everything & All I Want' and 'Cut Me Loose' highlight the band's versatility, drawing influences from artists such as Paul Weller and Fela Kuti. The latter, featuring JP Bimeni's stunning vocals, delivers a funky, rhythm-driven groove. Meanwhile, 'Close To Where You Are' is a beautiful love dedication with its soulful brass arrangements and dreamy trumpet segments. The album also explores more introspective moments with 'Fix You Up', which exudes a relaxed, jazzy vibe, while 'The Beat I Know' offers a peaceful, bass-driven composition with serene vocals from Sheree DuBois and Carmy Love. Other tracks like 'When Worlds Collide' and 'Reach Out' deliver elegant slices of rhythm and blues. The band's ability to mix emotion with impeccable musicianship is on full display. The closing track, 'Summer Song,' featuring the legendary Omar, is a poignant tribute to overcoming life's challenges, closing the album on a deeply reflective note. The Revival of Survival is a stunning, soulful journey that will leave listeners eagerly demanding more.

Review: Stone Foundation return with their 11th studio album, also marking their first in three years. Known for their collaborations with the likes of Omar, Laville, J.P. Bimeni, and above all their long-time collaborator Mick Talbot (The Style Council), this wonderwork hears this stylish high council of soul rejoice at their formative 25th anniversary, as they tour the world with the likes of Grace Jones and Paul Weller, their sights set firmly on the future. This new release promises a fresh evolution of their signature "small town soul" sound, which, despite the name, takes cosmopolitan flight into an atmospheric sound, in the stead of home.

Review: A recently uncovered live solo piano performance from the late 70s and an intimate glimpse into this most cosmic of artist's boundless creativity. Initially mislabeled as a 1979 Carnegie Hall recording, the tapeidiscovered by an archivisticontained 11 pieces, some familiar, others more elusive. However, historical discrepancies in known setlists and concert durations led to further research, ultimately identifying the recording as an unreleased 1977 performance at a downtown New York jazz cafe. The music captures an artist fully immersed in spontaneous exploration, shifting effortlessly between blues, gospel and avant-garde phrasing. There are joyous excursions through tradition, contrasted with strikingly forward-thinking passages that stretch harmonic boundaries. Swing-era standards take on new life, infused with rhythmic playfulness and unexpected melodic turns. Certain moments drift into meditative contemplation, while others erupt into exuberant, free-flowing improvisation. The interplay of structure and spontaneity remains a defining feature throughout, reinforcing the pianist's ability to bridge past and future in a way few could. Four additional solo pieces, sourced from a separate but contemporaneous rehearsal tape, further enrich the collection. Originally captured during a session with a drummerilikely a longtime collaboratorithese tracks were recorded during a brief interlude when the percussionist stepped away, leaving the pianist to vamp freely. These passages, while exploratory, align seamlessly with the spirit of the primary recording, reinforcing a sense of continuity. Decades later, this rediscovered performance remains as vibrant and unpredictable as the day it was played.

Review: The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, a soul and funk nonnet from San Diego, have long blessed the Colemine modern funk sceptre with crumbled parfaits of funk topped with crumbly analog psychedelia and Afrobeat. With their new album, they ravage fresher sonic territories. Recorded between 2021 and 2024 in Lemon Grove, California, Gemini centres on their already-laid breakbeat-heavy funk-soul-jazz foundation, heard in tracks like 'Makin' Moves' and 'The Grifter', but they also draw influence from library music, spiritually-inclined jazz and exotica adjacents. Personifying the astrological Gemini - curiosity, versatility - 'Corporatocracy' stands out as special, welding an extended tabla solo to a wordless critique of the world's most egregious mega-firms.

Review: A nine-piece instrumental combo hailing from San Diego, California, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble deliver a heady brew of jazz, funk and global rhythms on their latest offering. Recorded in their homebase of Lemon Grove, the album sees them expanding their sonic palette, drawing on library music, spiritual jazz and exotica. Tracks like 'Makin' Moves' and 'The Grifter' showcase the band's signature funk-driven energy, their tight grooves and soaring horns recalling the classic sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. But there's a more introspective side on display too, with tracks like 'Mother Earth' and 'Freddie' evoking the spirits of Freddie Hubbard and Phil Ranelin, their introspective melodies and atmospheric textures adding a layer of depth and complexity. 'Corporatocracy' is a standout, its extended tabla solo and modal funk groove demonstrating the band's willingness to experiment with unconventional sounds and structures. This adventurous spirit is a hallmark of The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, a band consistently pushing the boundaries of their sound while remaining firmly rooted in the traditions of jazz and funk.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Shigeru Suzuki has been involved with plenty of cult, hard-to-find albums from Band Wagon to Pacific and they have all been reissued of late. Next up is Reservation Calendar alongside Sunset Hills Hotel, another glorious synth work that transports you to a place of pure and clean musical bliss in an instant, as does so much jazz from the Far East. This record takes in mellifluous downbeat pieces like 'Silver Snow Shining' as well as lovably kitsch 80s tunes like 'April First' and the more introspective sounds of 'November Eyes' with its lush tropical percussion and yawning soft rock riffs.