Back catalogue: Jazz

Review: An album that defined the "cool" in West Coast Jazz when it emerged in 1960, it's a robust, swinging session led by the veteran Los Angeles-based tenor saxophonist. Edwards' smooth tone in the middle and lower registers, combined with a brassier edge in the upper range, showS his melodic inventiveness and dynamic fluidity. The primary rhythm section features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, with either Amos Trice or, more often, Joe Castro on piano. Higgins, fresh off sessions with Ornette Coleman, locks into a straight-ahead groove, with the entire rhythm section swinging relentlessly. Pianists Trice and Castro bring a bebop-plus-barroom feel reminiscent of Sonny Clark, adding grit and charm to the quartet's sound. The program is largely blues and bebop-flavored originals, with several based on the chord changes of 'I've Got Rhythm'. The title track introduces a Latin flair, while Vinnegar's 'Vintage '57' offers variety.A pivotal moment in West Coast jazz when Edwards, once obscure, reemerged with vigour.

Review: Madrid-based collective Danzon El Gato channel the city's restless creative energy into a vivid fusion of jazz, funk and roots music. Formed within Madrid's experimental scene, the group revolves around Javier Adan and Santiago Rapallo, longtime collaborators whose past projects range from jazz fusion to avant-garde film scores. This latest release sees them sculpt a kaleidoscopic sound, pulling from North African, Latin American and Mediterranean traditions while staying locked into the groove with a rhythm section indebted to 70s library music and golden-era hip-hop. Across the record, they explore an array of moods and textures. 'Ronda' pairs intricate guitar lines with a propulsive swing, while 'La lucha'ifeaturing Marina y su Melaoileans into percussive Latin jazz. 'Twangy Morocco' lives up to its name, weaving surf-rock guitar into an East-meets-West instrumental, whereas 'Chapoteo' ripples with aquatic, freeform interplay. 'Amambay' and 'Fuimos invencibles' showcase their knack for evocative storytelling through sound, shifting effortlessly between cinematic tension and unbridled release. Danzon El Gato craft music that reflects Madrid itselfidense with influences, rich in movement and ambiguousiin the best way. Their sound captures a city in flux, where past and present collide to create something unmistakably fresh.

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


Depending on your personal circumstances, the Covid pandemic was either a blissed-out paid holiday or a stressful and seemingly never-ending time of loss and hardship. Both ends of the spectrum are gorgeously captured here by London-based Joy Ellis, who wrote her third album 'Peaceful Place' during those strange weeks. Though a renowned singer, she decided to strip things back to just piano for this record, with long-time collaborators Adam Osmianski on drums and Henrik Jensen on double bass fleshing out the sound. It is a poignant listen from front to back, with all the many different emotions of that time conveyed perfectly, from grief to uncertainty, hope to despair, in one immersive record. The sheer beauty of these songs and the meaning of the melodies stay with you long after they have finished playing, making this a real triumph out of adversity and one that is sure to stand the test of time.