Jazz Articles about Michael Bardon

About Michael Bardon

Album Review

Hi Res Heart: Move Fast And Mend Things

Read "Move Fast And Mend Things" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
May 11, 2026

On its second outing, British outfit Hi Res Heart trades the stitched-together aesthetic of its debut for the friction and immediacy of shared space, sharpening both its collective instinct and sonic identity. Where the earlier release documented remotely recorded parts later assembled in the studio, Move Fast And Mend Things convenes the ensemble in a single setting, heightening responsiveness and rapport. By supplementing the core trio—reedist Martin Archer, trumpeter Charlotte Keeffe and percussionist Martin Pyne—with violinist Graham Clark and bassist ...

Album Review

Ron Caines / Martin Archer Axis: Practical Dreamers

Read "Practical Dreamers" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
October 11, 2024

Practical Dreamers is the fifth collaboration between Discus label boss multi-instrumentalist Martin Archer and veteran saxophonist Ron Caines, and like the others, situates the latter's largely introspective reeds within varied electro-acoustic soundscapes. Caines was a founding member of progressive British rock band East Of Eden back in 1967, but after leaving to pursue jazzier endeavors, he performed with the likes of Evan Parker, Steve Lacy and Keith Tippett. While the pair's previous release, the excellent Blutopia (Discus, ...

Album Review

Ancient Infinity Orchestra: River Of Light

Read "River Of Light" reviewed by Chris May

by Chris May
December 17, 2023

Since 2008, when he released his first album, Sending My Love, Yorkshire-based trumpeter and Gondwana label founder Matthew Halsall has been the catalyst for the emergence of a regionally distinct, Northern English sound in which spiritual jazz is the primary ingredient. This is unusual in England, a small country where most roads lead to London. The latest beneficiary of Halsall's energy is bassist Ozzy Moysey's Ancient Infinity Orchestra, which, like Halsall, is based in the city of Leeds.