Wildly talented, the Berlin based drummer and composer, Janek van Laak, has a fascinating new album out today on Sonar Kollektiv that straddles a multitude of genres. The spirit of punk and the theatrics of cabaret in his DNA (literally), Janek has pulled in friends and players, collaboration the key to helping him express the many creative roads his mind is travelling on. Touches of future-funk, jazz in all its finery, Afro-Latin rhythms, psychedelia, soundtracks, post-punk edges. It’s all there, and more. Read / Listen
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Web Web x Max Herre 'WEB MAX II' (Compost Records) - a review
German jazz supergroup WEB WEB return for their second collaborative album with Max Herre for Compost Records and it is an exceptional dive into the more cosmic sounds of the 70s with Krautrock and Spiritual influences adding multicolours to their tight compositional chops. With guests including Carlos Gabriel Niño and Marja Burchard from Embryo adding their magic dust, ‘WEB MAX II’ is an easy album to love even if you’re only jazz-curious. Read / Listen.
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Siema Ziemia 'Second' (Byrd Out) - a review
Polish outfit Siema Ziemia’s forthcoming album ‘Second’ for Byrd Out is a challenging collision of electronica, acoustic improvisational wildness with moments of free jazz energy. My thesaurus is ill equipped to invent a genre for this, just trust me that amongst the fireworks, there is an emotional vulnerability to their creation. Read / Listen.
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Arthur Hnatek Trio 'Uncertainty' (Bridge The Gap) - Premiere!
We are pleased to premiere the new single from the award-winning Swiss drummer, composer and producer Arthur Hnatek. Like Sons Of Kemet in a rhythmic duel with Steve Reich, Arthur, saxophonist Francesco Geminaini and bassist Fabien Iannone manage to become a single pulsating organism, somehow creating a soothing meditative track that also contains a powerful organic groove. Read / Listen
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Just some of the CDs April Records has sent to us!
April Records - Denmark's jazz powerhouse - label focus
April Records is a ridiculously prolific record label from Copenhagen, their widescreen approach to jazz and their championing of young musicians alongside veteran musicians from across the Scandinavian region has produced a highly impressive catalogue of recordings. We asked co-founder Jan Schmidt about the curatorial approach of the label and delved a little into the history of the Danish jazz scene. Read / Listen.
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Marco Woolf 'Lets Build This House' (Phlexx Records) - Video Premiere
We are delighted to premiere the brand new video single from the inspirational alt-jazz artist Marco Woolf. A gorgeous and intimate video of compelling potency featuring many of Marco’s own family members, the single will be released on Friday 9th July on Phlexx Records as a second taster of his brilliant forthcoming EP ‘Francine, i’. Watch / Read here…
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Gerry Weil 'The Message' (Música Infinita) - a review
A superb reissue of Gerry Weil’s funky Jazz-Rock opus ‘The Message’ is a snapshot of 1970’s Venezuela and a reminder that the hippie dreamers could create some serious art amongst the spiritual platitudes…Read / Listen here…
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