Forced into the fast lane with a Mercury Prize nomination for his debut album Golden, pianist KIT DOWNES has survived the glare of the media spotlight, and the harsh realities of growing up in public.
Whether aged 17, when he made his recording debut in 1961, or at 70, with his seventh Grammy win under his belt, the quality of vibes virtuoso Gary Burton’s playing has never been less than impeccable.
From the first electrifying notes of Miles Davis’ trumpet, hooked to the sheer ferocity of Jack DeJohnette’s drums, it’s clear that Live in Europe 1969 is an album of truly monumental music making – the like of which is rarely heard today.
Few singers can channel the levels of sadness and soul that Liane Carrol c an, indeed, everything she sings courses with chill-inducing emotion.
Iconic folk singer June Tabor has teamed up with jazz pianist Huw Warren and saxophonist Iain Ballamy, to form one of the more unusual trios of recent years, Quercus.
As Soweto Kinch’s immersive new double album The Legend Of Mike Smith proves, jazz, rap and richly-plotted drama can co-exist.
Walking away from jazz superstardom to live the life of the hermit in the late-1960s could have proved catastrophic for a dreamer such as Charles Lloyd.
Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington discovered one of Duke Ellington’s most remarkable albums, Money Jungle, in a record shop discount bin.
Ten years on since his Quartet’s debut, Footprints Live!, Wayne Shorter marks his 80th birthday year by returning to Blue Note Records after a 43-year gap, and releases one of his most profound recordings to date, Without A Net.
Anyone who hears the sheer velocity of ideas that issues forth every time Chris Potter puts a saxophone to his lips can’t fail to be mesmerised, but as a solo artist he’s mined his own quietly prolific path on the edge of the limelight.