Red Kite: Apophenian Bliss

Bernt André Moen | Even Helte Hermansen | Torstein Lofthus | Trond Frones

Elephant9’s recent epic releases have made them the breakthrough band in Norway’s hard jazz-rock scene, which uses electric Miles and...

Reviewed by Nick Hasted in issue: March/2022

Frank Sinatra and Count Basie: The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings

Count Basie | Frank Sinatra

You won't find Sinatra mentioned in many books on jazz. Indeed, for over the past 50 years, whether or not...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: June/2012

Wes Montgomery: In The Beginning

For the most part these two CDs document Montgomery's pre-fame years when he split his waking hours between being a...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: February/2016

The Count Basie Orchestra Directed by Scotty Barnhart: All About That Basie

Alvin Walker | Bobby Floyd | Carmen Bradford | Clarence Banks | David Keim | Doug Lawrence | Doug Miller | Endre Rice | Eric Reed | Freddie Green

The Basie band has gone through a number of incarnations in the years since his death in 1984, of which...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: November/2018

Tom Smith Big Band: A Year In The Life

Alex Garnett | Alistair Martin | Conor Chaplin | Dan Higham | Freddie Gavita | George Hogg | Graeme Blevins | James Davison | Jamie McCredie | Jessamy Holder

While still in his teens, the UK saxophonist /composer Tom Smith had already spurred Django Bates, observing his performance on...

Reviewed by John Fordham in issue: March/2025

Duke Ellington Orchestra: Big Bands Live

Billy Strayhorn | Buster Cooper | Cat Anderson | Chuck Connors | Cootie Williams | Duke Ellington | Harry Carney | Herbie Jones | Jimmy Hamilton | John Lamb

Ellington's last European tour for Norman Granz had him sharing the bill with Ella Fitzgerald, but (apart from a long-gone...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: June/2012

John Coltrane: Mono

Art Taylor | Charlie Haden | Connie Kay | Don Cherry | Elvin Jones | Freddie Hubbard | Hank Jones | John Coltrane | McCoy Tyner | Paul Chambers

This is a valuable collection, despite one obvious flaw which we'll come to in a sec. Although we've had the...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: August/2016

Nick Costley-White: Detour Ahead

Conor Chaplin | Dave Hamblett | Matt Robinson | Nick Costley-White | Sam Rapley

This debut from young guitarist Nick Costley-White, one of the founders of influential London night the Jazz Nursery, mixes knotty...

Reviewed by Thomas Rees in issue: September/2018

Henry Lowther's Quarternity: Never Never Land

Alan Wakeman | Art Themen | Dave Green Chris Laurence | Henry Lowther | Phil Lee | Trevor Tomkins

Quaternity may very well be the British modern jazz group that you’ve never heard of or is that just me?...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: Dec/Jan/2022/2023

Nigel Hitchcock: Smoothitch

Chris Dagley | Dave Milligan | James Mac | Laurence Cottle | Miles Bould | Nigel Hitchcock | Richard Cottle | Scott Firth

Pity the poor reviewer faced with an album like this. Titles are listed (most tracks credited to ‘Hitch’) as is...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: May/2013