Carolyn Hume/Katja Cruz: Light And Shade

Singer and pianist mix elements of minimalism, folk, lieder and popular song, in this set of interesting wordless original songs....

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Bushman's Revenge: A Little Bit of Big Bonanza

Rune Nergaard | Gard Nilssen | Even Helte Hermansen

Listening to the Norwegian power-trio's take on Sonny Sharrock's ‘As We Used To Sing,’ which opens their fourth album, is...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: April/2012

Jezebel Sextet: Lift it Up!

Get Carter-meets-The Meters on this hip jazzy organ-horns funk ensemble's very tasty debut featuring JTQ guitarist Hugh Gledhill....

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Heather Cairncross: At Last

The ex-Swingle Singers vocalist performs at the highest level in the concert hall and pop arena, but these Broadway tune...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Milt Jackson/Monty Alexander: Soul Fusion

Powerful playing from Jackson in one of his best “non-MJQ but similar” line-ups, with his vibes paced by Alexander's punchy...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: April/2012

Steve Turre: Woody's Delight

Jon Faddis | George Delgado | Buster Williams | Chocolate Armenteros | Andy Gonzales | Corcoran Holt | Claudio Roditi | Duduka Da Fonseca | Dion Parson | Pedro Martinez

Of all the leaders he worked with in the early stages of his career, none had a greater influence on...

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: April/2012

Various Artists: Down Beat Jazz Concert

This 1958 New York Town Hall concert has a great array of talent, occasionally given the chance to shine, amid...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: April/2012

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Leaving Eden

While the only jazz connection is Brad Mehldau's label, this Grammy-award winning bluegrass band plays with a raw, rootsy mostly...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Bob Downes Open Music: New York Suite

Bob Downes | Paul Rutherford | Paul Bridge | Denis Smith | Brian Godding

Though based in Germany since the 1980s, multi-instrumentalist Bob Downes will forever be associated with underground London of the late-1960s...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: April/2012

Opus 5: Introducing Opus 5

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

This is basically a band within a band. All five are regular members of the Mingus Big Band and do...

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: April/2012