Colin Curtis Presents Vinilo y CD

Review: Colin Curtis Presents another superb EP here which has been put together "to enlighten the listener to the two very different sides of this project." On the A-side, Stefano De Santis showcases a vintage spiritual jazz side with Afrobeats and plenty of funk in the drums. On the flip is a more broken boogie vibe with big disco strings courtesy of The Sunlight Orchestra. It's a life-affirming sound that fills you with sunshine and then last of all comes an Eastern Bloc Extension of 'Barra Nova' that rides on lush broken-beats all lit up by lush chords.

Review: We're not sure who GeeW is but since 2021 they have served up three super fusion EPs, one on Ten Lovers Music and two on Colin Curtis Presents, which is where they return now for the third time. Their Deeper Than Black EP is a magic one that draws on all forms of jazz, soul, Latin, bossa, funk and house to cook up broken beat explorations doused in sunshine and with one eye on the stars. The title cut is a lively and vibrant jam with layers of percussion and mad Rhodes jams, 'Alzira Vida' is a little more chill but no less expertly arranged and 'Ocean Drive' then gets more dance with its prickly broken beats and lush horns. 'Difi The Hifi' is high-paced fusion brilliance.

Review: Plenty of class defines these cuts on Colin Curtis Presents. GEEW is the original artist behind tw of them: 'Bruk Free' is the first and arrives as a vibrant fusion of fleshy synth bass and broken beats with bright chords and florid sax notes. The other is 'Necesitas Esto' (instrumental) which is another sun-worshipping bit of freeform synth jazz-funk. The SLW Geemix is a little more club-ready with some classic Nina Simone vocals re-sung in soulful fashion. Last of all is 'Pachanga' (Be On Di Geemix) which has a cosmic feel in the inquisitive, pixel-thin synth leads.

Review: Colin Curtis Presents is dropping some real heat this month with a pair of fine fusion EPs including one from GeeW and now this one from JuJu. This is another excellent transmission from the forefront of the contemporary British nu-jazz scene by Roderick Stewart. 'Black Samba' is one of those nimble and ass-wiggling rhythms the is punctuated by big horns, funky chords, busy percussion and a cool sense of style. 'Musa' (Cumulative Collective rework) keeps the life-affirming Roy Ayers melodies going over more effortlessly funky bass and 'Cla Samba' (feat Josue Ferriera) and 'So Da Manha' bring more Brazilian vibes to this superb EP.

Review: Those who keep a keen eye on the contemporary British nu-jazz scene should already have encountered producer Tom Funk's The Sultan's Swing project. He's already released a trio of fine albums under the alias, each of which combines authentic jazz, jazz-funk and acid jazz instrumentation (provided courtesy of a rotating cast of guest musicians) with nods to trip-hop, downtempo, dub, Balearica and Latin beats. The Sultan's Swing Sessions, Funk's contribution to the Colin Curtis Presents series, takes a similar approach, with predictably excellent results. Our picks of a very strong bunch are the gently spaced-out dancefloor Latin jazz of 'Lotta Arlotto', the summery jazz-fusion of 'Hitchfunkers Slide To The Galaxy' and impeccable opener 'The New Beginning'.