I love supporting independent soul & funk music with that extra UK edge. Paul Elliot & Jamie Lawrence @ Jet Tricks have been carefully and methodically fusing their individual musical tastes and styles on this, their debut CD. Together with lyricist Adefunke, supplying the brilliant spoken word, Faye Houston and Marcus Malone on vocals, they’ve covered and encompassed all corners of styles; from the massive block party anthemic "Free”; to the bluesy acoustic soul of "Breathe Now Blues”; an afro-beat rocky sound on "Pieces” (I predict a B-I-G hit everywhere soon!) continuing with the feel good melodies of "Unrequited”. "Lose You” is a melancholic winner too, difficult to describe concisely, but as they’ve said themselves "...a truly beautiful song..”. When I playlisted "Free” on previous shows, people were going crazy asking for more Jet Tricks... well, now you have it! FINALLY out, Remote Control is now on iTunes. Be sure to send your feedback to Jet Tricks, they’ll love that! As someone posted on their myspace page recently "...record of the summer!”
myspace.com/jettricks...

Ahhhhhh... It’s an absolute pleasure listening to music from the forthcoming m-a-s-s-i-v-e LP by Woodland Conclave. On show #48, back in February ’08, I was honored and privileged to play a couple of preview tracks from this huge band (or is it an orchestra?!!) which features in excess of 20 of the UK’s finest musicians and vocalists including Perry Hemus, Sammy Kubecki Pearce, Lizzy Parks, Bryan Corbett, Neil Bullock, Andrew Colman, Sarah Colman, Chris Bowden, Ben Markland, Levi French, Ed Johnston, Ray Butcher, Louise Warren... plus many, many more! A couple of years ago they all got together for a week long recording session in the stunning mountain location of Buckland Mill with one objective: the focus on making an uplifting concept album. “Hideaway Forever”, “Song of Joy”, “Song for Si” and “Celebration of Life” are immense intricate compositions and absolutely essential to nourishing your eager ears. If you’re a fan of The Heritage Orchestra, Five Corners Qnt, Middlewood Sessions and Nicola Conte, you’re gonna love this!
myspace.com/woodlandconclave...

It’s been some time since we had the critically acclaimed “Asleep At The Switch” LP from Tom Tyler. He returns with 10 tracks on “Forward Going Backward” and in top form securing his prominent position as a multi-influenced great music maker. Right from the off, check “Drinking Tea From An Empty Cup” with that funk rhythm, the Eastern tabla influence and that baaad jazz base line, opening the door to another great LP. What-a-tune! Switching styles, “Daylight Robbed Her” gets all folky with gentle keys, hypnotic acoustic guitar and that ever present underlying drum break beat. The secret is in the Miles-electric-style “Moemarer” with its ruff trumpet and Blaxpo soundtrack skins circa 1972. “Snowball Go Green” journeys into an abstract looped spacey trip whereas “Backspace Altercation” grips you in a six minute Radiohead frame of mind with profound electric bass fused with a raw, rock-funk tripped out electric guitar. The ‘Bristol sound’ fans will love the rich strings and minimalistic beats of “No Dice”. Definitely worth the wait, definitely going forward, Tom’s been real busy here!
www.myspace.com/tomtyler...

You need this! Jump on this 7 track debut EP real quick, buy it, support it, love it, in fact buy two copies and give one to your best friend, they’ll love ya for it! The wonderfully lyrical, universally influenced and naturally talented Georgia Anne Muldrow, wrote, composed, produced and mixed the whole ting, she even designed the cover art! We love that! Bold new dexterous soul music, delivering a generous helping of rock, boundless funk, hip hop, tight harmonies, yep, Georgia’s really having fun with this courageous musical project. Originally from Los Angeles and now residing in NY, Georgia has a voice and a young musical talent to be reckoned with. This CD is going to live permanently in your player, like all addictive body, mind and spirit music. Worthnothings? Uh uh, this is worth EVERYTHING!
www.myspace.com/georgiaannemuldrow...

Avant-garde is one term for the Liverpool collective Super Numeri, but they are definitely schooled in experimental jazz, prog rock and abstract emotional rhythms. The monsterous 24 minute opening track ‘The First League Of Angels’ is exactly the right scene setter needed for ‘The Welcome Table’ new LP. ‘The Buzzard And The Lamb’ has an almost House repetition with a strong emphasis on Latin percussion, fuzz guitars and spooky Super Numeri background trickery. ‘The Spies Of St Ives’ is yet another monumental meeting of protracted minds. The musicianship is tight and the live sessions must be inspiring to say the least. If this is what the music industry is missing, if this is the new found genre of alternative UK music, then Super Numeri should be respected for championing the unbounded new wave of jazz rock.
www.myspace.com/supernumeri...

As any 30 something serious jazz collector would tell you, the first influential type of jazz to bend our ears was jazz fusion. The Prime Element “Alborada” LP was the 1976 creation of Argentinean Carlos Franzetti and his New York group. The multiple award winning arranger, composer and musician Franzetti has a self styled, versatile sound and has also recorded and performed with such luminaries as Chaka Khan, Ruben Blades, Paquito D’Rivera, Harry Belafonte and Arturo Sandoval. He’s received a Grammy and Grammy nominations for his vast array of work spanning Latin jazz, film score, big band, symphonic and chamber works in orchestras from New York to Norway, Spain to Sweden. Franzetti’s ‘The Prime Element’ features some heavyweight jazz fusion on “Southamelodic” and “Shave And Haircut”, spiritual orchestrated modal soul vibes on “In The Dawn Of Time” and deep innovative jazz music on “Aldebaran”. ‘Alborada’ only had a 70s release on Trova records but has now been catapulted out of rare obscurity via Kindred Spirits as the first instalment of their ‘Free Spirit Series’ reissues.
www.kindred-spirits.nl...

Just over a year ago I was privileged enough to get a sneak preview of a debut LP by the Neil Cowley Trio, from the first listen to ‘Degree In Intuition’ way back in June 06 to the hundredth listen today, I knew something special was happening to my ears, it REALLY is that good. It was clear that a new breath of life was emerging in British Jazz music. Maybe it was even a new style of British Jazz music being created? Cowley, Jenkins and Sadler have crafted an dazzling album of original, impeccable, emotive compositions. Oh, and by the way, ‘Displaced’ recently won the 2007 BBC JAZZ award for BEST ALBUM (YEAH!!), a major achievement for a debut LP on an independent label. The art of making a truly brilliant recording is an LP that stands head above the rest with sustained listenability, the kind of LP that never fails to extrude every ounce of energy from three instruments and leave you with no doubt that you are listening to history in the making. I managed to experience the NCT live shows on their monumental UK schedule, numerous Festivals including Cheltenham, North Sea, Glasgow, Brighton and they’ve now engulfed Norway, France Germany, Finland, and the moon! You need to see them live: the insatiable energy, enchanting and delicate, explosively funky and heartwarming. A new album is being recorded this summer and I believe that they will surpass everyone's expectations... witness the creation of beautiful, melodious, joyful music.
www.myspace.com/neilcowleytrio...

Flora Purim’s amazing career spans nearly four fantastic decades and her music is synonymous with the formidable native rhythms of Brazilian jazz. The new LP, Flora’s Song, brings a palette of all the best colours and rhythms of world music, spiritual jazz, carefully penned lyrics and a very personal soulful expressiveness. We are taken on an emotional journey on the title track through the nine minutes of “Flora’s Song” - effortless exotic rhythms and instrumentation from her seductive calming voice and the compelling choice of musicians which include friends old and new - George Duke, José Neto, steel drummer/arranger Andy Narell and of course the legend Airto. The mighty ‘This Is Me’ gets under my skin every time I hear it, “Here I am, Where are we? This is me, Who am I supposed to be?” just wonderful beautifully crafted organic music. Irresistible!
www.florapurim.com...

“The best things come to those that wait”. Oh yes. It really has been a long, long time coming, and there is definitely something in the Mersey water that’s for sure. Karl Webb and Mark Kyriacou have not been wasting any time in the last five years since their debut on Ninja’s “Xen Cuts” back in 2000. I love it when an LP isn’t rushed, is lovingly chipped at, and then POW! it hits you and the wait has been more than worth it. These are ALWAYS the types of LP that stand the test of time, never defining a certain era or period in music, always ahead of the game. “Fire Shepherds” has been described as Miles Davis meets Carl Craig meets Kronos Quartet, just listen to the unstoppable energy of ‘Meet Dad’ for a taste of that. I need more music like this in my life. Loka’s influences come from afar a field as movie soundtracks, jazz/rock shake downs from the sixties/seventies, right through to experimental funk rhythms and cinematic strings as in the modern modal “Tabernacle Part 2” & “Airfling”. Your ears need this!
www.myspace.com/lokafireshepherds...

All the D’s baby! Strictly setting a very, very high standard in original abstract cut ‘n’ paste dance music, Alfred Weisberg Roberts (aka Daedelus) is re-inventing himself once again with this new LP. The LA based Daedelus stretches his musicianship, production and vocal skills to cover moody Latino electronica, burly bossa breaks, turbulent techno thumpers and fun folky freshness. There’s a strong element of Daedelus live and in the flesh as apposed to his kinda trademark sample style. On at least the 48th listen, “Bahia”, with all its Latin bass clarinet carnival spirit, is gonna be massive with the convertible crew now that summer is in sight. You want it harder? Stick “Like Clockwork Springs” in yer headphones, and email Chaser with feedback. Hip Hop devotees look no further than “Lights Out” with its touch of vibes and suspense thriller movie twists. Freaky techno heads get redeeming fixes too with experimental blips and bleeps galore on “Our Last Stand” and at least 4 other tracks. It’s all here, this doesn’t need me to sell it, it sells itself!
www.myspace.com/daedelusdarling...

The boys are back in town! ‘Nuther excursion into the ever brilliant Sleepwalker tally of quality jazz music. Tricky LP to find but so damn worth it! Featuring ‘that’ title track with the brilliant, intense master, Pharoah Sanders sounding still as incredible as the first time I heard it. The beautifully arranged opening piano chords from Yoshizawa on ‘Afloat’ prepare you for something really big, then the fascinating, sweet, smile-generating vocals of Yukimi Nagano sweep you away on a rolling jazz dance trip in complete articulation with the rest of this highly talented quartet. Yukimi, remember, sang on the Koop ‘Summer Sun’ huge hit in her teens. Bembe Segue guests on the unprecedented ‘60s swing of ‘Into The Sun’. Simply happy jazz all the way. ‘Kaze’ and ‘Ai-No-Tabi’ are equally spiritually uplifiting highpoints. Watch for the gentle build and then the perpetual roller coaster... These young men have such a unique sound but yet remind me of bygone decades of untouchable jazz. Trust these ears!
www.myspace.com/hajimeyoshizawa...

It takes something very spectacular to reduce me, a grown man, to tears. The sheer joy of listening for many weeks to ‘Beyond The Wall’ has triggered that emotion. In addition to an AMAZING line up including: Pharoah Sanders, Mulgrew Miller, Bobby Hutcherson, Brian Blade, the haunting, hipnotic vocals of Nedelka Echols on ‘Qing Wèn’ really does transport you to a different space. A truly lovely space. It just gets better and better! There are a few compositions on here with a Tibetan / Far East feel, but the incredible ‘Tsunami Song’... I’m not gonna say much more, just want you to savour for yourself, I’d love to hear what it did to YOU... The whole LP is dedicated to the Master, McCoy Tyner, for his years of inspirational music. Very humbling and correct, embracing that brotherly love. ‘Calling’ is an uplifting heavy weight piece, a masterclass of musicianship and camaraderie. There is hope in this recording, there is delightful joy, and there is spiritually healing music. Trust these ears!
www.myspace.com/kennygarrettmusic...

It’s strange, but as a firm promoter of this band as the ‘saviour of jazz music’ a few years ago in SNC and on my radio shows, I’m starting to feel a little short changed. Bang into their sound for many previous releases, I’m feeling that S&P Sessions are starting to sound a little bit repetitive, a little screetchy, a little too... nose bleed if you know what I mean? I suppose that is the main point though and why they are so revered by the lunatic, punkjazz fraternity. They are very different to anything you’re likely to hear. Okay, admitidly, there are moments of grace as in “Dawn” and the fiery “Sahara”, but the standout track for me has got to be the sublime “Hype Of Gold” in all its wonderful modal glory and that’s what I want more from them right now. Can’t wait to hear the crowd reaction to their Glastonbury debut, if you listen carefully... you’ll hear them all the way from London!...

Like a breath of fresh air, the What’s Up? second LP creates bold ideas, exquisite soundscapes, clever, straight jazz music in a Kenny Dorham hard-bop style, Jazz Messenger-ish in certain lights, with a touch of Valdambrini without sounding too 60s and old. There’s even a killer modal-latin track “Telemundo” which is going to ensure a funky younger audience bringing something special into the music that they’ve heard before and can relate to. So, they’re a bright young five piece ensemble from Tokyo, full of life and passion, unfortunately not as well known as their counterparts: Sleepwalker, Indigo Jam Unit, etc, but that will change. The finger-snappin’ happy jazz of “Which One Is True” wins my ears every single time and it’s a big track for the faithful jazz DJs at the moment. There are six tracks that are over 7 minutes long so you know there is room to breathe in the recording and space to express as a group focused on one thing: to make music that is real.
myspace.com/commododepot...

Not quite holy grail status in collector circles, but thanks to Jazzpuu this Finnish 1970 recording finally gets a re-issue along with its predecessor 'Odysseus', Eero's first jazz LP, both of which would set you back a small mortgage payment if you sought the original vinyl. Eero and his Music Society were very receptive to the jazz music that was being created in the USA and the rest of Europe. The influence this had on these recordings is instantly realized, from start to finish the music is extremely delightful and ingenious. For any of you that need or want an introduction into the delights of European high calibre jazz music, look no further than Eero's LP's. What he was creating in Finland in the late 60s was the perfect complement to what Mike Westbrook, Dudley Moore, Neil Ardley, Harold McNair and friends were doing over here. Within 3 years, it was all about the electrified jazz funk expression when we get to the 1972 release WAHOO! These days you'll find Eero featuring with the nuskool Scandi bands like Five Corners Quintet.
www.eerokoivistoinen.com...

Every so often there seems to emerge, like clockwork, another HVW8 jazz outfit outta Japan, we had Sleepwalker, Izanami & Soil & Pimp Sessions. Now the Indigo Jam Unit fire up the burners with their debut LP 2x2. The CD shows off to great heights, the individual expert ability of each musician in the quartet. 'Sakura' delivers a modern Jap-jazz-bop anthem with Tarue's piano often tender and intimate but always directing you to the dancefloor. Carl Craig fans will appreciate the original jazz-meets-'ard-core mindbender 'Alert', watch for the mid flow switch. The pinnacle for me is the outstanding 'Spin A Top', man, this is what other jazz bands need to talk like, where the music really breaths and flourishes with BJ on the double bass and Shimizu's almost Art Blakey-esque skills. However, I do find myself wanting something more than just the instrumentation. The tightness of the music is perfect, they've proved that they can play well, but it really needs some vocal integration. Just a few 'songs' is what I'm looking for....

Time once again for the radar to haul in the great new songwriters, Anam Owili-Eger (uh-NAHM oh-WEE-lee ee-GAIR) is way up there with the new school multitalented Philly exponents. He can sing, he can tell a story, he can perform. This truly impressive debut 5 track trio EP pulls in influences from the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Omar, Stevie, Jamiroquai and McCoy Tyner, warm, original, imaginative soul-jazz music. You'll be transported into the raw, live experience when you switch from 'Reason To Be' to 'Day Of Knowing', just two perfect reasons to have full faith that big things will happen for this man in the near future. The dexterity and smoothness of the vocals and keys on 'The Moment' and 'The Coin' proves that Anam aint afraid of performing alone on stage, quite the opposite, he gets off on it and is right at home reworking his songs and the artistry of story telling. Already adorned with a Singer/Songwriter award, 2007 will see a full length LP with more instrumentation and a horn section. It's all very exciting in Philly again!
myspace.com/anamanam...