Louis Armstrong, Blanche Calloway, Clarence Williams: 1928-1938 Unissued on 78s

The two alternate takes of Armstrong's 1929 ‘St. Louis Blues' alone make this worth getting, but so too do 11...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: February/2015

Manuel Valera And New Cuban Express: In Motion

David Bowden | Joe Williamson | Stephen Henderson | Peter Johnstone

Valera is yet another outstanding Cuban-born NYC-based pianist, who has worked with groups led by the great drummer Dafnis Prieto,...

Reviewed by Tony Hall in issue: February/2017

Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble: The Whistle Blower

Antonio Feola | Gilad Atzmon | Tali Atzmon | Chris Higginbottom | Yaron Stavi | Frank Harrison

The Whistle Blower succeeds in consolidating the sometimes-competing aspects of Gilad Atzmon's musical personality into a more complete, unified artistic...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: February/2015

Wayne Horvitz & The Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble: At the Reception

Wayne Horvitz

Fans of the late Butch Morris' approach to ensemble improvisation will find much to pore over here. ‘Conduction’ – as...

Reviewed by Stuart Nicholson in issue: February/2015

Ben Sidran: Blue Camus

A Mose Allison disciple and cool jazz piano veteran, Ben Sidran sings gives us earthy philosophy in wry hipster speak-sing...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: February/2015

Various Artists: Jazz On Film… Crime Jazz!

Numerous ensembles and musicians

In so many instances, a half-decent theme tune to a movie or TV series can prove to be infinitely more...

Reviewed by Roy Carr in issue: February/2015

Robert Wyatt: Different Every Time

Robert Wyatt

Released to complement Marcus O'Dair's biography, this is a brave stab at capturing the spirit of Wyatt, if not a...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: February/2015

Nels Cline & Julian Lage: Room

Julian Lage | Nels Cline

Cline has helped bring improvisatory fire to Wilco, one of the finest US rock bands extant, while maintaining his jazz...

Reviewed by Nick Hasted in issue: February/2015

Large Unit: Erta Ale

Lasse Marhaug | Mats Äleklint | Paal Nilssen-Love | Jon Fune Strøm | Klaus Ellerhusen Holm | Andreas Wildhagen | Christian Meaas Svendsen | Ketil Gutvik | Kasper Værnes | Thomas Johansson

You know you're dealing with a huge sound when Paal Nilssen-Love isn't even the loudest thing in the room. This...

Reviewed by Daniel Spicer in issue: February/2015

Brand X: Nuclear Burn

Phil Collins | Morris Pert | John Giblin | Percy Jones | Chuck Burgi | Kenwood Dennard | J. Peter Robinson | Mike Clark | Robin Lumley | John Goodsall

Brand X will always be held in affection by gentlemen of a certain era, surviving as they did endless personnel...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: February/2015