Indigo Kid

Gethin Jones | Tim Harries | Dan Messore | Iain Ballamy

On this impressive debut for Babel, guitarist Dan Messore channels Frisell, Fahey and other masters of the fret board, while...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: April/2012

The Claudia Quintet + 1: What is the Beautiful?

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

Jon Balke Batagraf: Say and Play

Ambient experimental Norwegian keyboardist with percussion collective Batagraf is inspired by the ritualistic languages of Wolof, Yoruba and Arabic drumming,...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

EST: 301

Esbjörn Svensson | Magnus Öström | Dan Berglund

Is this some of the finest moments from EST? Quite probably the verdict visited by posterity will be yes, as...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: April/2012

Coleman Hawkins and Tommy Flanagan: AllStars/At Ease/Night Hawk

This 3-LPs on 2-CDs set is great value, and much better than, say the official Prestige version of just Night...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: April/2012

Verneri Pohjola Quartet with Aki Rissanen: Ancient History

Jukka Perko | Anti Lötjönen | Verneri Pohjola | Tatu Rönkkö | Joonas Riippa | Aki Rissanen

Trumpeter Verneri Pohjola is perhaps the best known of a younger generation of Finnish musicians who are making an impact...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: April/2012

FAB Trio: History Of Jazz In Reverse

Joe Fonda | Billy Bang | Barry Altschul

As he showed on his heart-stopping Vietnam-themed releases, Bang, who lived through the horrors of that war as a teenage...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: April/2012

Dave Brubeck: At Newport 1956 and 1959

The classic quartet from 1959 with Dodge and Morello, plus the earlier band from 1956 on a complete carbon copy...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: April/2012

Jens Thomas: Speed of Grace

Verneri Phojola | Jens Thomas

With the blues providing the source material for both jazz and classic rock, you might expect this project to work...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: April/2012

Theo Trio

Julie Tippetts | Keith Tippett | Theo May

It is always a joy to hear the inventive partnership of vocalist Julie Tippetts and piano player Keith Tippett reunited...

Reviewed by Edwin Pouncey in issue: April/2012