Rich Halley: Boomslang

An Oregon-based veteran tough tenor in the David Murray-ish mould but spikier, in a quartet whose angular, freeform jazz -...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2022

Charlie Gabriel: Eighty-Nine

Ben Jaffe | Charlie Gabriel | Joshua Starkman

The surname Gabriel has plenty of resonance among those who are familiar with New Orleans jazz and its family dynasties....

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: March/2022

Wardell Gray: Four Classic Albums Plus

Sonny Criss | Erroll Garner | Al Haig | Roy Haynes | Ernie Royal | Johnny Richardson | Hampton Hawes | Conte Candoli | Tommy Potter | Chico Hamilton

Avid’s usual generous helping runs this time to The Chase and The Steeplechase, a classic live album dating from 1952,...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: March/2022

Trevor Watts Moiré Music Drum Orchestra: With The Flow

Paapa J Memsah | Trevor Watts | Jojo Yates | Colin McKenzie | Nee Daka Patato | Nana Tsiboe | Nana Appiah

To criticise music as life-affirming as this seems rather churlish, so it is with a heavy heart that I write...

Reviewed by Kevin Whitlock in issue: March/2022

Kabir Dalawali: Awareness

This Chicago-based drummer-composer’s Kickstarter-funded quartet debut doesn’t make for easy listening but tends to grow on you a bit with...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2022

Boris Kozlov: First Things First

Boris Kozlov | Rudy Royston | Behn Gillece | Donny McCaslin | Art Hirahara

Boris Kozlov has played on over 160 albums and holds the bass chair and MD of the Mingus Big Band...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: March/2022

Szilárd Mezei's Tubass Quintet: Rested Tuquoise

Four double basses (two in each channel) plus tuba in the centre – that's the kind of lineup I could...

Reviewed by Kevin Whitlock in issue: March/2022

Alex Merritt/Steve Fishwick Quintet: Mind-Ear-Ladder

John Turville | Mick Coady | Matt Fishwick | Steve Fishwick | Alex Merritt

Merritt, Turville and the Fishwicks formed this quintet as far back as 2014 out of a desire to ‘write music...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: March/2022

Emile Parisien: Louise

Emile Parisien | Nasheet Waits | Joe Martin | Roberto Negro | Theo Coker | Manu Codjia

This is the seventh album on ACT from the former Marciac child prodigy Emile Parisien. His first significant statement for...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: March/2022

Bootstrappers (Elliott Sharp, Melvin Gibbs, Don Mckenzie): Xenolith

This trio, led by influential guitarist Sharp, have a history of revolving-doors personnel since 1990; the new line-up teleport the...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: March/2022