Opus 5: Pentasonic

Alex Sipiagin | Boris Kozlov | David Kikoski | Donald Edwards | Seamus Blake

The co-operative quintet's second album seethes and surges through tricky harmonies, zips from hard-boiled swing to soulful beats, and gives...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: March/2013

Robben Ford: Bringing it Back Home

This guitarist/vocalist has hired jazzers such as organist Larry Goldings for a return to his roots, presenting a mostly classic...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2013

Weather Report: The Columbia Albums 1976-1982

Charles La Boe | Robert Thomas Jr | Tony Williams | Manolo Badrena | Steve Gadd | Jaco Pastorius | Wayne Shorter | Chester Thompson | Alphonso Johnson | Alex Acuña

Who says the UK does weather? Originally released in the USA a year ago this fine box set, which could...

Reviewed by Jon Newey in issue: March/2013

Céline Bonacina Trio: Open Heart

Pascal Schumacher | Hary Ratsimbazafy | Mino Cinelu | Kevin Reveyrand | Himiko Paganotti | Céline Bonacina

This a better rounded album than Bonacina's debut Way of Life, simply because the combination of saxophone, bass and drums...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: March/2013

Pharez Whitted: For the People

Greg Artry | Eddie Bayard | Bobby Broom | Dennie Carroll | Ron Perrillo | Pharez Whitted

We often hear of musicians coming from a ‘musical background’, but Chicago trumpeter Pharez Whitted probably takes the prize....

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: March/2013

Ran Blake/Sara Serpa: Aurora

The Portuguese New York-based Serpa's eerily oblique but also tenderly lyrical reading of some Broadway/film songs is on the same...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2013

Stéphane Belmondo: The Same As It Never Was Before

Billy Hart | Stéphane Belmondo | Kirk Lightsey | Sylvain Romano

The French trumpeter Stéphane Belmondo released his first album in 1993, and has long been something of a first...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: March/2013

Eric Gale: Part Of You/Touch Of Silk

Kenneth Williams | Bernadette Randle | Neil Jason | Steve Gadd | Arthur Blythe | Charles Earland | Harvey Mason | Harold Vick | James Black | David Grusin

What's not to love about Eric Gale? Every student guitarist should disappear into a deep dark hole with his releases...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: March/2013

Toots Thielemans: Bluesette

Three sessions from the Belgian nonagenarian harmonica and guitar player show him at the height of his powers in the...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: March/2013

Trichotomy: Album Interview: Fact Finding Mission

Tunji Beier | James Muller | Patrick Marchisella | Sean Foran | John Parker | Linsey Pollak

With a pair of albums – Variations and 2010's The Gentle War, the latter especially exhilarating and serene in equal...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2013