Michael Janisch: Paradigm Shift

Paul Booth | Michael Janisch | Jason Palmer | Colin Stranahan | Leo Genovese

Busy as he is running the Whirlwind Recordings label and depping in numerous bands, bassistcomposer-producer Janisch, a tirelessly dynamic personality...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: October/2015

Percy Humphrey: And the New Orleans Joymakers

This is the 1972 edition of the New Orleans band that toured the UK, where this original LP, (plus three...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: October/2015

John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension: Black Light

Ranjit Barot | Etienne Mbappe | Gary Husband | John McLaughlin

In 2006, McLaughlin released Industrial Zen. Some tracks roared and were a welcome antidote to a lot of tepid jazz-rock...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: October/2015

Various Artists: The ACT Man: Siggi Loch – A Life in the Spirit of Jazz

Sidney Bechet | Michael Wollny

Siggi Loch, also known as The ACT Man, record producer and founder of ACT records, was 75 on 6 August...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: October/2015

Smadj: Spleen

Didier Bouchet | Bojan Z | Ibrahim Malouf | Jean-Pierre Smadja | Ballake Sissoko | Sofiane Saidi | William Sabatier | Touma Guittet

It's taken Jean-Pierre Smadja five years to craft this latest work, released on his new label, Jazz Village. Opener ‘Zakari’...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: October/2015

Album Interview: Colin Towns Mask Orchestra: Drama

Simon Allen | Andrew McCormack | Stephen Maas | Ralph Salmins | George Hogg | Tom White | Tim Tim | Rory Simmons | Alan Skidmore | Roger Williams

Drama by name but epic in form with over 140 minutes of music, this double CD captures much of Towns’...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: October/2015

Bobby Shew: Live 1983

Bobby Shew | Gary Langford

Trumpeter-clinician Shew was a familiar figure at one time, touring the UK regularly under the auspices of promoter Ernie Garside,...

Reviewed by Peter Vacher in issue: October/2015

Erik Friedlander: Timeless Suite

This New York downtown cellist takes a more traditional but no less quirky route paying tribute to Oscar Pettiford, a...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: October/2015

Shai Maestro: Untold Stories

The third album from the New Yorkbased Tel Aviv born pianist Shai Maestro, best known as sideman of bass star...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: October/2015

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: Complete Recordings

Grant Green | Horace Parlan | Stanley Turrentine | Paul Chambers | George Tucker | Art Taylor | Al Harewood | Tommy Flanagan

The title Complete Recordings refers to the particular Messengers line-up that, for a mere six months, had Mobley, Silver and...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: February/2018