Nat King Cole: Straighten Up and Fly Right – The Best of Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943)

Red Callender | Wesley Prince | Nat King Cole | Oscar Moore | Johnny Miller

Following the deserved success of its deluxe 2019 Nat King Cole boxed set Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943),...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: August/2020

Jas Kayser: Unforced Rhythm of Grace

Aaron Holthus | Ron Cha | Jas Kayser | Juan Mejia | Milena Casado Fauquet

Unforced Rhythm of Grace is an exciting debut three-track EP in which drummer and composer Jas Kayser carves a distinct...

Reviewed by Christine Hannigan in issue: August/2020

Mulatu Astatke & the Black Jesus Experience: To Know Without Knowing

Enusha Taye | Mulatu Astatke | Bob Sedergreen | Robbie Belchamber | Ian Dixon | Mr Monk | Peter Harper

International artists touring Australia have long saved on costs by working with a pickup band, very often time and again....

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: August/2020

Compro Oro with Murat Ertel & Esma Ertel: Simurg

Murat Ertel | Matthias Debusschere | Frederick Van den Berghe | Esma Ertel | Wim Segers | Bart Vervaeck | Falk Schrauwen

Compro Oro are a mercurial Belgian quintet with a penchant for the vibraphone and a transnational restlessness that makes them...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: August/2020

Josh Nelson Trio: The Discovery Project/Live in Japan

Josh Nelson | Dan Schnelle | Alex Boneham

Judging by this relic from the distant past – March 2019 – what-they-call ‘live’ performance, when musicians used to flout...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: August/2020

Gordon Grdina Septet: Resist

Eyvind Kang | Gordon Grdina | Peggy Lee | Kenton Loewen | Jon Irabagon | Tommy Babin | Jesse Zubot

Strictly speaking, Resist should be reviewed alongside its sister release Safar-E-Daroon, by The Marrow, Grdina's more oud-centric, freer, groove-driven collective.Resist,...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: August/2020

Gerald Clayton: Happening: Live At The Village Vanguard

Marcus Gilmore | Logan Richardson | Gerald Clayton | Walter Smith III | Joe Sanders

In the same month that this set was recorded at New York's legendary Village Vanguard, West Coast resident Gerald Clayton...

Reviewed by John Fordham in issue: August/2020

Mulgrew Miller/Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen: The Duo

Niels-Henning 0rsted Pedersen | Mulgrew Miller

Although a 2000 live two-CD set from these performers (The Duo – Live) was issued a few years ago, the...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: August/2020

Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra: Night Devoid of Stars

Jocelyn Waugh | Michael Kim | Tom Keenlyside | Chris Startup | Noah Preminger | Brad Turner | Rod Murray | Frank Carlberg | Jim Hopson | James Meager

Daniel Hersog, a Vancouver-based trumpeter-composer, is the latest in a line of contemporary Canadian big band arranger-leaders, which includes Ingrid...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: August/2020

Jeff Reid: Look For The Light

Electric bassist Reed's quintet debut (with bass clarinettist Todd Marcus and trumpeter Sean Jones) has a straightahead, post-fusion kick that...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: August/2020