Nat Gonella: Young Nat Gonella 1930–36

Although Nat is held in great affection, this anthology of (mainly) un–swinging ponderous UK bands featuring his imitative trumpet and...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Nat Birchall: Sacred Dimension

Adam Fairhall | Andy Hay | Corey Mwamba | Nat Birchall | Nick Blacka | Rachael Gladwin

With Sacred Dimension, British saxophonist Nat Birchall plugs right into the flaming core of early-1970s modalspiritual jazz, as originally propagated...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: February/2012

Ernest Dawkins Live The Spirit Residency Big Band: Memory Inn The Center An Afro Opera: Homage To Nelson Mandela

Aaron Getsug | Brent Griffin | Corey Wilkes | Dee Alexander | Ernest Dawkins | Irving Pierce | Isaiah Spencer | Junius Paul | Khari B | Marquis Hill

Fans of the Chicagoan saxophonist and bandleader will know of his strong ties to South Africa, as documented on 2000's...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: August/2015

Yarni: Pigna

Ally McMahon | Ben Marks | Emily Marks | James Atasharoo | Jeff Darko | Jonoa | Rachel Shirley | Sheila Herzog | Yarni

Yarni is a Sheffield-based producer, arranger and ensemble leader beloved of the dancefloor-leaning jazz world and such electronic icons as...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: July/2022

Mahavishnu Re-Defined II: A Tribute to John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra

Asaf Sirkis | Gary Vesace | Mike Outram | Nels Cline | Steve Lodder | Steve Vai

The first edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra continues to inspire musicians 40 years later simply because of the density of...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: June/2011

Miles Davis: The Quintessence

All Miles's key recordings from 1954-1960 in one 2CD set make this an ideal starting point, and a good general...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: May/2015

Dayna Stephens: The Nepenthetic Place

Ambrose Akinmusire | Dayna Stephens | Gretchen Parlato | Jaleel Shaw | Joe Sanders | Justin Brown | Taylor Eigisti

Glib as it may sound, a marketing department may bill this as 1960s modernism àla Miles, Herbie, Evans et al,...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: August/2013

Enrico Rava: Edizione Speciale in Concert

Enrico Morello | Enrico Rava | Francesco Bearzatti | Francesco Deodati | Gabriele Evangelista | Giovana Guidi

Now 82 years of age, Enrico Rava has rightly been dubbed the Godfather of Italian jazz (‘Il Padrino’) and can...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: December/January/2021/2022

Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet: Intuit

Joe Martin | Kurt Rosenwinkel | Michael Kanan | Tim Pleasant

Philly-born Kurt Rosenwinkel was still a relative newcomer when this album of standards – released in 1999 on CD only,...

Reviewed by Kevin Whitlock in issue: May/2023

Jimmy Smith: Four Classic Albums

This is Smith at the height of his powers on Blue Note between 1957 and 1960, and with the larger...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: February/2020