Mick Coady's Synergy: Nine Tales of the Pendulum

Michael Buckley | Mick Coady | Sean Carpio | David Binney | Ivo Neame

The Irish double bassist is something of an all-rounder, having studied at Berklee, had stints with such major European straightaheads...

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

Bud Shank: Quintet and Sextet

Early–1960s collaborations between Shank and trumpeter Carmell Jones including some fine playing and some fine extended soloing from Shank, mainly...

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

Harold Mabern: Mr Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr

Joe Farnsworth | Eric Alexander | John Webber | Harold Mabern

Harold Mabern applies his seasoned sophistication to a set of tunes associated with Sammy Davis Jr. The obvious choices are...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Carmen McRae: Complete Kapp Recordings

McRae’s voice was in fine fettle in 1958–9 – these albums capture it to perfection, the Don Abney Trio and...

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

Tim Lapthorn: Transport

Stephen Keogh | Arnie Somogyi | Dave Smith | Tim Lapthorn | Nathan Allen | Lizzy Ball | Adam Phillips | Pat Levett | Polly Gibbons | Magnus Johnston

Tim Lapthorn won early plaudits for his skills as an accompanist to singers of the calibre of Ian Shaw, who...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Kevin Eubanks: The Messenger

Kevin Eubanks | Alvin Chea | Robin Eubanks | Duane Eubanks | Marvin Smitty Smith | Joey De Leon Jr | Bill Pierce | Rene Camacho

Writing in the sleeve booklet, guitarist Eubanks explains that on this date he wanted to broaden out from a narrow...

Reviewed by Jack Massarik in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Michael Formanek: Small Places

Tim Berne | Michael Formanek | Craig Taborn | Gerald Cleaver

How much more ECM can you get? Not only is bassist/composer Michael Formanek an ECM artist but so are altoist...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Maceo Parker: Soul Classics

Michael Abene | Christian McBride | Cora Coleman-Dunham | Maceo Parker | WDR Big Band Cologne

While the premise here is sound – a legendary American horn player fronting a very able European big band –...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

King Crimson: Larks’ Tongues In Aspic

Jamie Muir | John Wetton | Robert Fripp | Bill Bruford | David Cross

Are you a Red man? Or perhaps that audacious, eponymous debut remains your fave Crims outing. But for many Larks’...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013

Max Middleton/Morrissey–Mullen: Another Sleeper/Cape Wrath

Richard Bailey | Dick Morrissey | Jim Mullen | Kuma Harada | Tony Carr | Robert Ahwai | Max Middleton

Coming to you all the way from funky Austria is this unpretentious doubledisc souvenir of the golden age of British...

Reviewed by Jack Massarik in issue: Dec/Jan/2012/2013