Don Laka: Afro Chopin

If the album title is more than a bit off- putting, the veteran South African multikeyboardist Don Laka's native Marabi...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Slobber Pup: Pole Axe

Balazs Pandi | Joe Morris | Jamie Saft | Mats Gustafsson

Corrosive flecks of acid-lined spittle pour forth from the jowls of Slobber Pup's sophomore summit, canonising mires of unholy cacophony...

Reviewed by Spencer Grady in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Peter Ehwald: Double Trouble Live

Jonas Burgwinkel | Peter Ehwald | Robert Landfermann | Andreas Lang

Reminiscent of Partikel, say, but with double, er, double bass, Double Trouble Live calls to mind the various other twin...

Reviewed by Marcus O'Dair in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

The Johnny Almond Music Machine: Patent Pending

Steve Hammond | Johnny Wiggins | Roger Sutton | Jimmy Crawford | Johnny Almond | Geoff Condon | Alan White

A classic of its kind, capturing that emerging mix of jazz blues and rock that would create that special Brit...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Barry Altschul's 3dom Factor: Tales Of The Unforeseen

Joe Fonda | Jon Irabagon | Barry Altschul

You just can't fight the freedom urge. Formed in 2012 to celebrate Barry Altschul's 70th birthday the following year, 3dom...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Various: Magic Moments 8 Sing Hallelujah

A comp selected from the recent Munich label catalogue on vocalists performing spirituals, blues and soulful tunes performed by artists...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Grateful Dead: 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995

Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan | Brent Mydland | Bob Weir | Phil Lesh | Keith Godchaux | Jerry Garcia | Mickey Hart | Tom Constanten | Vince Welnick | Bill Kreutzmann

The surviving original members of the Grateful Dead may have officially put the band to bed this past summer with...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Christian Scott: Stretch Music

Braxton Cook | Cliff Hines | Lawrence Fields | Corey Fonville | Warren Wolf | Christian Scott | Joe Dyson Jnr | Kirs Funn | Elena Pinderhughes | Matthew Stevens

Although announced as the latest boy wonder trumpeter a good 10 years ago, Scott's star hasn't quite risen as high...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Rita Reys: …and the Pim Jacobs Trio/Marriage in Modern Jazz

A sequel to the album reviewed last month, this features Reys with her pianist husband Pim Jacobs, and guest star...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016

Paul Desmond: Desmond: Here I Am Quartet and Quintet

Paul Desmond | Dick Collins | Don Elliott | Dave Van Kriedt | Bill Bates

With the rise of pattern based improvisation through the influence of jazz academe, melodic improvisation has receded. Thus Desmond's name,...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: Dec/Jan/2015/2016