Album reviews

Moving, emotional and mystical

A Nordic sensibility in multi-instrumental duo jazz

When past podcasts guests come together

An emotional celebration of a deep respect for Brazilian culture

Legend takes on new sextet

Compositions and solos celebrate 80 years of the Metropole Orchestra

Re-composed standards

“To my friends pictured within”

Celebrating Scotland as the birthplace of jazz (maybe)

Exuberant jazz from the Netherlands

Swedish sonic shape-shifting

Piano, sax and drums at the soul of Mammal Hands

European jazz in waters that run deep

Brazilian rhythms bring the sun

Maria Schneider  is a true musical genius and it was such an honour that I was able to interview her for Harmonious World  in 2020. Now she has released a new EP - ‘American Crow’ - that is an extension of her wonderful album ‘Data Lords’. Schneider says: “Every time I hear my band play, I witness the magic of listening. A true jazz improvisor thrives on listening ... Jazz shines a light on what we are allowing to slip away in our brittle and fractured world, making our art f

I love it when music is combined with the spoken word and there’s a beautiful selection of poetic monologues that accompany each of the movements of ‘The Forgotten Stories Suite’ from the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra . Composed by multi-instrumentalist Sean Irvine , the album allows the orchestra to range around emotional personal stories, with vocals from Karly Epp and narration of the monologues from Quinn Greene. The opening Forgotten Stories  monologue introduces us to the con

Complexity and simplicity of faith and jazz

Fine funk collaborations from Cory Wong

The musician-led Stoney-Lane Records  always delivers new and interesting music and once again they have introduced me to a new artist - composer, pianist and vocalist Lucy Mellenfield . If you want somewhere to start, I recommend the gradual build-up of layers on Like a Feather  before the track finishes once more on nearly-solo piano. From the opening notes, this songwriting and composition flits effortlessly between jazz and folk - and who needs to put music in genre boxes

Formidable funk