Latest News: Jazz, Classic Recordings
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Classic Recordings,
Keith Jarrett Quartet featuring Jan Garbarek - Belonging 12th November 2024
A seminal jazz album in European jazz, Belonging by the Keith Jarrett Quartet showcases Jarrett's innovative compositions and the genesis of a new group, featuring the unique tones of Jan Garbarek's saxophone.
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Classic Recordings,
The Clifford Brown & Max Roach Quintet - Clifford Brown & Max Roach 31st October 2024
Clifford Brown and Max Roach's self-titled album, released in 1954, marked a pivotal moment in jazz history. Featuring Brown's virtuosic trumpet and Roach's innovative drumming, the album exemplifies the spirit of hard bop at its finest.
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Classic Recordings,
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out 24th October 2024
The landmark 1959 jazz album by the Dave Brubeck Quartet is renowned for its innovative yet tuneful use of unusual time signatures. Featuring the iconic title-track the album blends jazz and classical elements, challenging rhythmic norms.
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Classic Recordings,
Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain 17th October 2024
The third collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans produced the masterly Sketches of Spain, an expansive album with flavours of flamenco and classical orchestration, and still regarded as a transformative album in jazz history.
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Classic Recordings,
Jazz at Massey Hall with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, & Charles Mingus 10th October 2024
Billed as ‘The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever’ Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach came together for one night only. Recorded live in Toronto at Massey Hall, on May 15th 1953, the quintet were captured into jazz folklore. A historic performance that featured titans of the jazz world, it would be the first and last time this quintet shared the stage.
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Classic Recordings,
Art Blakey - Moanin' 3rd October 2024
The passing of saxophonist Benny Golson, who was the last surviving musician to play on Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers’ iconic recording Moanin’ in 1958, invites us to reflect on his masterful role in shaping the group’s timeless sound.
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Classic Recordings,
Sonny Rollins, 'A Night At The "Village Vanguard"' 24th April 2024
Following a reissue of this exemplary live date in all its glory, we examine the recording which features the great saxophonist during one of the most dynamic and powerful stages of his improvisational development.
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Classic Recordings,
Jimmy Giuffre, 'Music For People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes' 8th November 2023
In many ways ahead of its time, this underappreciated mid-career gem from the late master of mult-instrumental freeness is well worth a re-examination.
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Classic Recordings,
Sarah Webster Fabio, 'Jujus/Alchemy of the Blues' & 'Together to the Tune of Coltrane's “Equinox”' 20th September 2023
Following the reissue of two long out-of-print recordings of her poetry set to a killer funk accompaniment, we take a closer look at the life and career of the pivotal Black writer and activist.
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Classic Recordings,
John Coltrane, 'Africa/Brass' 24th August 2023
Whilst underappreciated upon its release, Trane's bombastic first album for Impulse! from 1961 would seal his fate as one of the label's most iconoclastic artists and performers.
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Classic Recordings,
Stan Tracey Quartet, 'Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood' 10th May 2023
In light of a new vinyl reissue of this seminal British jazz release, we take a look at how the 1965 recording captures the Welsh poet's imaginative genius.
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Classic Recordings,
Ahmad Jamal Trio, 'The Awakening' 26th April 2023
Underrated at the time of its release but having since gone on to be adored by jazz cats and hip-hop producers alike, this album reveals the late pianist at his most joyously creative.
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Classic Recordings,
Dexter Gordon, 'Go!' 2nd March 2023
On the influential saxophonist's centenary, we revisit the much acclaimed Go!, released during his 'New York Renaissance' period.
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Classic Recordings,
Bill Evans & Jim Hall, 'Undercurrent' 25th October 2022
Following a long period of mourning, Bill Evans returned to music with a slew of new projects, one of which being this classic duo session with guitarist Jim Hall.
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Classic Recordings,
Weather Report, 'Heavy Weather' 19th July 2022
At a time when jazz fusion was beginning to fall out of favour, Weather Report's now-seminal seventh album rejuvenated the style by embracing popular music, making it one of the most commercially-successful fusion records of the time but also one of the most fun to revisit.
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Classic Recordings,
Kamasi Washington, 'The Epic' 27th February 2022
American saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington's 2015 breakout record is a gargantuan work, and though it hasn't had the time to develop the long-enduring status of the records we usually cover, we reckon it's worthy of the title of a modern classic.
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Classic Recordings,
Sonny Rollins, 'Saxophone Colossus' 8th February 2022
The highlight of Sonny Rollins' mid-50s sessions deservingly remains one of his most long-enduring recordings, as well as an essential listen of the hard bop era.
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Classic Recordings,
The Bad Plus, 'These Are the Vistas' 18th January 2022
With contemporary rock covers and a similarly punkish attitude, These Are the Vistas was the record that put jazz trio The Bad Plus on the map.
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Classic Recordings,
Pharoah Sanders, 'Karma' 27th December 2021
The saxophonist's 1969 album distilled much of the knowledge gained from his time playing with John Coltrane, furthering the sounds of avant-garde jazz to spiritual new territories.
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Classic Recordings,
Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucía - Friday Night in San Francisco 26th October 2021
Matt wishes he could be transported back to The Warfield Theatre, 5 December, 1980, as he looks back on one of his favourite records, Friday Night in San Francisco, featuring three of the great guitar maestros on top of their game, making for a breath-taking live record.
