John Handy: Hard Work/Carnival

The 1970s were a low point in Handy's output, and these two mildly funky albums show why....

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: February/2012

Veryan Weston: Different Tessellations

Veryan Weston | Leo Svirsky | The Vociferous Choir

An intriguing album whose impact, as often with something interesting, is hard to describe. The first 40 minutes have virtuosic...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: February/2012

Ernie Henry with Kenny Dorham: Presenting Ernie Henry with Kenny Dorham

Wilbur Ware | Kenny Dorham | Kenny Drew | G.T. Hogan | Henry | Art Taylor

Two much-celebrated 1950s LPs together, showing the chemistry between altoistand trumpeter in quartet and (preferably) quintet settings....

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: May/2012

Neil Cowley Trio: The Face of Mount Molehill

Neil Cowley | Evan Jenkins | Leo Abrahams | Rex Horan

For pianist-composer Neil Cowley, improvisation has always been a bit of fun in a live situation but an artistic no-go...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: February/2012

Mal Waldron: Spanish Bitch

Mal Waldron | Fred Braceful | Isla Eckinge

Here's a real rarity. The second recording ever made for Manfred Eicher's fledgling ECM label (the first being Waldron's Free...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: February/2012

Ray Bryant Trio: Con Alma and Little Susie

Two essential albums from the bluesy pianist, with his 1960 chart hit the title track of the second....

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: February/2012

John Horler Quartet: Not A Cloud In The Sky

Sam Mayne | John Horler | Chris Laurence | Spike Wells

Horler has been such an invaluable sideman, with Peter King, Tony Coe and the ‘royal’ Dankworth family, that his writing...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: February/2012

Ibrahim Maalouf: Diagnostic

Serdar Barcin | Jasser Haj Youseff | Oxmo Puccino | Zalinde | Sarah Nemtanu | Ibrahim Maalouf | Guo Gan | Jeremie Dufort | Jasko Ramic | Piers Faccini

This final installment of a trilogy that began with 2003's Diasporas and 2009's Diachronism is an impressive consolidation of both...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: February/2012

Alan Barnes/David Newton: Inside Out

Alan Barnes | David Newton

As label boss Alan Barnes notes in the inlay, these two have been playing together forever and indeed, have recorded...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: February/2012

Nicholas Payton: Bitches

Cassandra Wilson | Esperanza Spalding | Nicholas Payton | N'Dambi | Chinah Blac | Saunders Sermons

Given the use of the b-word in the title and the fact that Payton, once touted as a serious contender...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: February/2012