Lucy Reed: Complete Recordings 1950-1957

Another of the singers that Fresh Sound make a habit of rediscovering, Reed is a more than passable vocalist, but...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: August/2017

The Claudia Quintet + 1: What is the Beautiful?

Chris Speed | Drew Gress | John Hollenbeck | Kurt Elling | Matt Mitchell | Matt Moran | Ted Reichman | Theo Bleckmann

Percussionist John Hollenbeck's band Claudia Quintet is a contemporary improvising group with a strong identity, that lies somewhere between a...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Alban Darche: Le Gros Cube #2

Alban Darche | Christophe Lavergne | Geoffroy Tamisier | Gilles Coronado | Jean-Louis Pommier | Jean-Paul Estiévenart | Joël Chausse | John Fedchock | Jon Irabagon | Loren Stillman

The veteran French saxophonist-composer Alban Darche's work in the field of performance art as well as music, is nothing if...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: August/2021

The Chonto/Tamura: Sonic Insurgency

Accurately described as “totally improvised free jazz with a dollop or two of Krautrock”, drummer Joe Chonto's spoken-word also does...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: June/2012

McAlmont & Webb: The Last Bohemians

Alex Webb | Andrew Cleyndert | Andy Davies | David McAlmont | Peter Adam Hill | Toni Kofi

This isn’t the first collaboration between vocalist David McAlmont and pianist Alex Webb, as the two continue to perform the...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: February/2020

Isfar Sarabski: Planet

Alan Hampton | Baku Strings Quartet | Isfar Sarabski | Lev Trofimov | Makar Novikov | Mark Guiliana | Sasha Mashin

With a mother who teaches violin; a father who is a record collector and aficionado; and a grandfather who sings...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: August/2022

Laura Jurd: Human Spirit

Alex Roth | Chris Batchelor | Colm O'Hara | Conor Chaplin | Corrie Dick | Laura Jurd | Lauren Kinsella | Mick Foster

This follow-up to Laura Jurd's critically acclaimed 2012 debut Landing Ground explores an entirely different sound-world. The all-instrumental debut brought...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: February/2015

Charlie Wood: Lush Life

Dave Holland | Nikki Iles | Stan Sulzmann

Charlie Wood's seventh album Lush Life is his second release on the Memphis-based independent label, Archer Records, following his 2009...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: March/2020

Alexis Parsons

This Chicago-born vocalist’s affective classical-toned vocal comes through best on her lovelorn Broadway ballads especially Wilder’s ‘Winter of My Discontent’...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: Dec/Jan/2011/2012

Pablo Held: The Trio Meets John Scofield

John Scofield | Jonas Burgwinkel | Pablo Held | Robert Landfermann

Pianist Pablo Held is one of the leading lights on the Cologne jazz scene, often featuring at the annual WDR...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: February/2015