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Paul Dunmall: Bright Light A Joyous Celebration
by John Sharpe
While the opener suggests a blowing session from veteran British saxophonist Paul Dunmall, as good as that promises to be, the reality is better still. Joining him is a starry cast drawn from succeeding generations, with the addition of American drummer Hamid Drake. With the drummer touring in the UK. Dunmall took the opportunity to renew a friendship that stretches back almost two decades, one first heard on the fiery Peace And Joy (Slam, 2006). Alongside them in the studio ...
read moreThis Celestial Engine: This Celestial Engine
by Glenn Astarita
This self-titled debut album is a masterful concoction of genres, melding psychedelic nuances with avant jazz and progressive rock elements. It showcases the talents of Ted Parsons on drums, Dave Sturt on bass, and Roy Powell on keyboards. These musicians are celebrated for their extensive contributions across jazz, metal, rock, and experimental music genres. Operating out of Oslo, Norway, the band draws on their varied musical backgrounds to create immersive soundscapes that transport listeners across cosmic distances.The album ...
read moreWalt Shaw & Jim Tetlow: Inner Skull Trail
by Glenn Astarita
This is a fascinating audio expedition crafted by the collaborative talents of Walt Shaw and Jim Tetlow. This album is a sequel to their previous work Cartography of Dreams, for the same record label. Each track is a testament to the duo's spontaneous improvisational prowess. Recorded in one live session, the music is executed via a raw and unfiltered creative process. It is a production which is as much an auditory experience as a performance art piece, blurring ...
read moreCharlotte Keeffe Right Here Right Now Quartet: Alive! In The Studio
by John Sharpe
One of the finest up and coming trumpeters on the UK scene, Charlotte Keeffe's résumé includes an ever increasing circle of collaborators including bassist Olie Brice, reedman Colin Webster and multi-instrumentalists Alex Ward and Martin Archer (the latter also boss of the Discus imprint). For the second album from her Right Here, Right Now Quartet, comprising guitarist Moss Freed, bassist Ashley John Long and drummer Ben Handysides, she aims to replicate a live set in the studio. If this is ...
read moreJohnny Hunter / Mark Hanslip / Olie Brice: Divisions
by John Sharpe
Divisions might seem a strange choice of title for such a cohesive set. It is the name of a four-part suite written by drummer Johnny Hunter for this all British trio completed by bassist Olie Brice and tenor saxophonist Mark Hanslip. As well as his own dates, such as Pale Blue Dot (Northern Contemporary, 2020) for string quartet, sax and drums, Hunter also stokes the fires of Cath Roberts' Sloth Racket and the collective Spinningwork (NEWJAiM, 202z). Perhaps the divide ...
read moreShiver & Matthew Bourne: Shiver Meets Matthew Bourne Volume 1
by Glenn Astarita
This compelling collaboration merges the distinctive styles of two extraordinary artists: the trio Shiver and acoustic-electric keyboardist Matthew Bourne. The album is a mesmerizing journey through diverse musical landscapes, blending electronic elements with jazz influences innovatively and refreshingly.The tracks on this album emphasize an impressive range of sonic textures and experimental sounds. Shiver's mastery of electronic music production intertwines seamlessly with Matthew Bourne's unique approach to jazz, resulting in an entrancing fusion of disparate sounds and styles. The ...
read moreFaith Brackenbury / Tony Bianco: Wayward Mystic-Improvisations inspired by the music of St.Hildegard von Bingen
by John Sharpe
Violin and drum duos are something of a rarity in the jazz and improvised music arena. Swift Are The Winds Of Life (Survival, 1976) by Leroy Jenkins and Rashied Ali, and Bangception (Hat Musics, 1983) by Billy Bang and Denis Charles come to mind, but few others. However, violinist Faith Brackenbury and drummer Tony Bianco make a convincing case for the format on Wayward Mystic. In fact it is their second outing following Rising Up (Discus Music, 2019), but this ...
read moreMoss Freed / Union Division: Micromotives
by John Sharpe
A question any composer for improvisers must face is whether they can create something more worthwhile than what they might come up with if left to themselves. It can be a tough call. For some, such as Alexander von Schlippenbach's Globe Unity Orchestra or Peter Brötzmann's Chicago Tentet, the ultimate conclusion was no, while for others such as Anthony Braxton and Barry Guy the answer has been far less clear cut. British guitarist Moss Freed falls somewhere between the two ...
read moreMartin Pyne David Beebee: Ripples
by John Sharpe
British vibraphonist Martin Pyne's decision to pair with David Beebee's electric piano engenders an unusual combination for the largely freely improvised Ripples. With its fusion associations, the sound of the Fender Rhodes seems slightly retro in this sort of setting. But equally unusual is the degree of overlap in the tonality; the keyboard could be the bottom end of a single instrument completed by the vibraphone. It is a dynamic which they explore across a dozen tracks on this studio ...
read morePaul Dunmall Quintet: Yes Tomorrow
by John Sharpe
Veteran British saxophonist Paul Dunmall helms a crew of talented graduates from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Yes Tomorrow. It's the second time they have appeared on disc with him in a unit as all four were part of the sextet responsible for Cosmic Dream Projection (FMR, 2021). While renowned as a peerless free improviser, Dunmall also composes, here presenting eight original compositions. Even though the majority incorporate accessible riff-based heads, sometimes evoking the spiritual jazz of his one-time employer ...
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