Philip Catherine: The String Project – Live in Brussels

Philippe Aerts | Philip Catherine | Nicola Andrioli | Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie | Hans Van Oosterhout | Nicolas Fiszman

‘With this string project, I didn't feel that I wanted to prove anything to anyone, so I consciously avoided playing...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: November/2015

The Gary McFarland Legacy Ensemble: Circulation: The Music of Gary McFarland

Mike Lawrence | Joe Locke | Michael Benedict | Bruce Barth | Sharel Cassidy

When composer, arranger, singer and vibraphonist Gary McFarland died in 1971 he was 38 and contemplating a career writing and...

Reviewed by Mike Hobart in issue: November/2015

Contact Trio: Double Face

Evert Brettschneider | Alois Kott | Michael Jüllich

Most histories of the explosion of musical freakdom that took place in Germany in the late 1960s and early 70s...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: November/2015

Sinne Eeg and Thomas Fonnesbæk: Eeg-Fonnesbæk

Sinne Eeg | Thomas Fonnesbæk

In contrast to the large textural palette of Sinne Eeg's 2011 recording, Remembering You, of which I was a huge...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: November/2015

Wes Montgomery & The Wynton Kelly Trio: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Broadcasts

Larry Ridley | Wynton Kelly | Jimmy Cobb | Wes Montgomery | Ron Carter

It never ceases to amaze what previously unheard recordings suddenly pop up. Take this pair of Station WABC Portraits In...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: November/2015

Tom Harrell: First Impressions

Ugonna Okegwo | Danny Grissett | Jonathan Blake | Wayne Escoffery | Rubin Kodheli | Rale Micic | Tom Harrell | Meg Okura

Difficult to understand that section of (white) American jazz academe and their UK camp followers anxious to ingratiate themselves into...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: November/2015

Luciano Biondini: Senza Fire

Solo accordion is not for everyone but the Umbrian born Biondini plays imaginatively, with a yearning Mediterranean passion and a...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: November/2015

Steve Smith, Tony Monaco & Vinny Valentino: Groove: Blue

Tony Monaco | Vinny Valentino | Steve Smith

Smith pitched in a different context to how we usually hear him; not the funky fusioneer, not the big band...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: November/2015

London, Meader, Pramuk & Ross: The Royal Bopsters Project

Sean Smith | Steve Schmidt | Steve Williams | Dylan Pramuk | Cameron Brown | Holli Ross | Amy London | Darmon Meader

This multi-generational paean to the art of vocalese not only introduces a superb new quartet – project instigator and soprano...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: November/2015

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire

Billy Cobham | Rick Laird | Jan Hammer | Jerry Goodman | John McLaughlin

By common consent the finest of all the original Mahavishnu Orchestra's recorded output, this Limited Edition SACD – even if...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: November/2015