Various Artists: European Cool Jazz 1951-1959

Bobby Jaspar | Don Rendell | Hans Koller | Johnny Dankworth | Johnny Keating | Lars Gullin | Sacha Distel

What an eye-opening treasure trove this double CD set is. The first thing that is so striking is that across...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: August/2014

Ben Williams: Coming Of Age

Andy Hague | Ben Waghorn | Chris Jones | Jim Blomfield | Mark Whitlam

Even before he landed a high profile gig with Pat Metheny, Ben Williams attracted attention through impressive work with the...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: March/2019

MultiTraction Orchestra: Reactor One

Alex Roth | Arve Henriksen | James Allsopp | Jon Scott | Kate Ellis | Rhodri Davies | Ruth Goller

Alex Roth convened the MultiTraction Orchestra as an audacious Covid riposte, beating lockdown's loneliness by inviting 27 musicians from 15...

Reviewed by Nick Hasted in issue: April/2023

Billy Cobham: Magic/Alivemutherforya

Alphonso Johnson | Alvin Batiste | Billy Cobham | Jochim Kuhn | Kathleen Kaan | Mark Soskin | Pete Escovedo | Pete Maunu | Randy Jackson | Sheila Escovedo

Break out your best bandana: Alivemutherforya was a classic even before you lowered the vinyl on to your music centre...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: June/2018

Various Artists: All Night Long OST

Allan Ganley | Charles Mingus | Colin Purbrook | Dave Brubeck | Johnny Dankworth | Johnny Scott | Kenny Napper | Stan Roderick | Tubby Hayes

Originally released on CD in 2004, the 1960s soundtrack CD specialist label Harkit reissue this British jazz soundtrack: a fascinating...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Jay Phelps: The Now

David Mrakpor | Harry Ling | Jack Robson | Jansen Santana | Jay Phelps | Menelik Claffy | Nicola Guida | Rūta Sīpola | Simon Jnr | Tom Ford

The seventh solo album by Canadian-born, London-based trumpeter du jour Jay Phelps, The Now has been a while coming. Recorded...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: May/2023

Stanley Jordan: Friends

Bucky Pizzarelli | Charlie Hunter | Charnett Moffett | Christian McBride | Kenny Garrett | Kenwood Dennard | Mike Stern | Nicholas Payton | Regina Carter | Ronnie Laws

Ever wondered what happened to Stanley Jordan? He was the self-taught boy wonder whose amazing two-hand-tapping system for guitar was...

Reviewed by Jack Massarik in issue: November/2011

Wes Montgomery: The NDR Hamburg Studio Recordings

Hans Koller | Johnny Griffin | Martial Solal | Michel Gaudry | Ronnie Ross | Ronnie Scott | Ronnie Stephenson | Wes Montgomery

This is the kind of reissue that will delight jazz enthusiasts and discographical anoraks alike. Montgomery's participation in [West] German...

Reviewed by Simon Spillett in issue: May/2021

Olegario Diaz: Basquiat By Night/Day

Alex Sipiagin | Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts | Olegario Diaz | Scott Colley | Seamus Blake

Diaz is an excellent Venezuelan modern pianist who divides his time between his birth country and New York, leading different...

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: July/2014

Nakama: Most Intimate

The Norwegian bass player Christian Meaas Svendsen's quintet's recording sometimes comes across as overly cerebral, its mix of Euro-jazz, traditional...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2017