Monty Alexander: Rass! featuring Ernest Ranglin

Sparrow Marlin | Denzil ‘Pops’ Laing | Jackie Jackson | Monty Alexander | Noel Seale | ‘Trini’ Clarence Wears | Ernest Ranglin

It delivers what it says on the tin or in this instance the card slip case that houses this CD,...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: June/2015

John Coltrane: Lush Life/Trio/Quartet/Quintet

Donald Byrd | Earl May | Paul Chambers | Arthur Taylor | John Coltrane | Louis Hayes | Red Garland

Prestige Records' boss Bob Weinstock never wasted anything, and that included expensive reels of magnetic recording tape and precious studio...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: June/2015

Lionel Hampton: Alive and Jumping

Run of the mill Hampton from 1977 with his touring band featuring Milt Buckner, but Hampton's run of the mill...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: June/2015

Cheikh Lô: Balbalou

Flavia Coehlo | Oumou Sangaré | Ibrahim Maalouf | Fixi | Cheikh Lô

A jewel–like recording from the singular Senegalese crooner, whose tremulous voice, both delicate and strong, weaves through 10 original tracks....

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: June/2015

The Vicky Tilson Quartet: Mojo Risin'

Reinis Axelsson | Dee Byrne | Stuart Fiddler | Vicky Tilson

As monikers go, the VTQ has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? A bit like the MJQ. Not that...

Reviewed by Robert Shore in issue: June/2015

Brzzvll & Anthony Joseph: Engines

For those who remember this London-based Trinidadian, Gil Scott Heron inspired street poet Anthony Joseph's entertaining Spasm Band, here's a...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: June/2015

Charles Mingus: Live In Europe 1975

Bill Triglia | Willie Jones | Mal Waldron | Gerry Mulligan | Eric Dolphy | Benny Golson | Bud Powell | Jerome Richardson | Shafi Hadi | Booker Ervin

For the seasoned Mingus freak, the most interesting material has to be the DVD, consisting of the closing set of...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: June/2015

Art Tatum: The Greatest Piano of Them All

The plethora of late recordings that Norman Granz produced by Tatum make charting a way through them difficult, but this...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: June/2015

Sachal: Slow Motion Miracles

Sachal | Nate Smith | Taylor Eigsti | Michael Leonhart | Buster Hemphill

Following three jazz-based albums on the Mack Avenue label, Sachal has journeyed far – artistically and sonically speaking – since...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: June/2015

Joe Pass: Intercontinental

Joe Pass | Eberhard Weber | Kenny Clare

Norman Granz revealed there was no problem getting Pass into a studio, but once ensconced the great guitarist would happily...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: June/2015