The Jack Davies Big Band: The Jack Davis Big Band

James Opstad | Percy Pursglove | Richard Foote | Josh Arcoleo | Martin Speake | Joe Wright | Reuben Fowler | Alex Munk | Jon Ormston | Tom Taylor

This trio of releases from 26-year-old trumpeter-and-more Jack Davies constitute an impressive calling card. Davies won the Deutsche Bank award...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: June/2012

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

Hannah Köpf: Flying Free

This German singer-songwriter has the perfect pop song formula of the acoustic folk-jazz variety (includes pianist Benjamin Schaefer) with influences...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: June/2012

Loose Tubes: Säd Afrika

Noel Langley | Dai Pritchard | Julian Nicholas | Django Bates | Thebe Lipere | Ashley Slater | John Parricelli | Mark Lockheart | Dave Powell | Paul Edmonds

“When I hear the first bars of ‘Säd Afrika’ I could be back at Ronnie's, feeling the crackle of excitement...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: June/2012

Various Artists: The Leopard Lounge Original Album Series

Ray Charles | Barney Kessel | Ella Fitzgerald | Carmen McRae | George Melly | Mel Tormé | Bobby Darin | Betty Carter | Miriam Makeba | Mose Allison

Shake, stir or pour a long one and settle back on that leopard skin chaise longue: chilled? Then we shall...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: June/2012

Colosseum II: Strange New Flesh

Gary Moore | Mike Starrs | Jon Hiseman | Neil Murray | John Mole | Don Airey

As even Hiseman would admit, Colosseum II bore little resemblance to its noble predecessor. Gone are those muscular brass parts,...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: June/2012

Darius Jones Quartet: Book Of Mae' Bul

Ches Smith | Darius Jones | Matt Mitchell | Trevor Dunn

There is a sense of self-possession, if not gravitas that has marked Jones' work since his auspicious 2008 debut Mannish...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: June/2012

Dave Brubeck Quartet: Their Last Time Out

Joe Morello | Paul Desmond | Eugene Wright | Dave Brubeck

The album title says it all. At the end of 1966, Brubeck had advised the quartet that he would be...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: June/2012

Frank Sinatra and Count Basie: The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings

Frank Sinatra | Count Basie

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

TrioVD: Maze

Chris Bussey | Chris Sharkey | Christophe de Bezenac

For the most part, Leeds-based unit trioVD's second album sharpens and refines the tactics delineated on their startling 2009 debut...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: June/2012