Most recently alto saxophonist Angelika Niescer released an acclaimed album with cellist Tomeka Reid called “Beyond Dragons”. ‘Rejoice, Disrupt, Resist’ is a pretty good title for the full on 8-minute opener. ‘Poranek’ is essentially a short duet with flautist Nicole Mitchell and the pace nor raucousness of the drums (Mike Reed) doesn’t let up. There’s also a second saxophonist (alto and tenor – Dave Rempis) in ensuring the energy levels don’t flag. ‘SAMO bsqt; has an enigmat

“Led by electric jazz harpist and composer Maria-Christina Harper , the collection features original tracks inspired by her Greek and Egyptian musical heritage. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, ‘ Dialogue of Thoughts’ reaffirms the trio’s boundary pushing and distinctive sound—spiritually charged, shimmering soundscapes and experimental tones that reimagine the harp’s place in jazz. Rather than placing the harp centre stage, Harper prioritises vivid musical conversation. Along

Jazz lovers will find something special here on an album of originals (I think) and reworkings of jazz standards. There’s a swinging take on ‘Mack the Knife’ and the Hammond organ/ alto sax/ drums trio also bring a fresh originality to ‘Secret Love’. A revved up ‘The Autumn Leaves; also shows the band are not prepared to rest on their laurels as they bring a new vibrancy to a much-played piece. Then there’s a piece called ‘Facing the Waves’, an atmospheric, haunting creation

Freedom Suite (1958): This near twenty-minute long number is an improvised jazz-blues was the first extended instrumental piece of protest music. Typical of the idiom in which it was written it uses a basic line-up of sax, bass ( Oscar Pettiford ) and drums ( Max Roach ) to use a melody (as well as a few straight forward lyrics) and turn it inside out in a series of variations, developing an ambience that strikes the emotion as well as the intellect. Emily Bonnell, writing f

TWELVE WAYS TO SPOT BEBOP JAZZ Ø  Small groups: drums, bass, horns, pianos with equal roles.   Ø  More complex than swing jazz with several rhythms possibly going on at the same time.   Ø  A faster and more frenetic pace.   Ø  Improvisation and jamming.   Ø  Democratic: skilful interplay, highlighting an individual’s virtuosity.   Ø  Not intended as dance music.   Ø  Most likely originating in New York.   Ø  Associated with a policy breaching segregation barriers i.e. mixed r

The sound of ‘Mercury’ begins the album, the ‘Love supreme’ riff is played on bass and Emma-Jean urges us to ‘Say Something’. The old and new – trumpet (played by Emma-Jean) and electronic keyboards sound as if made for one another, potent jazz fusion is being created. The word ‘mercury’ is repeated and Emma-Jean narrates- ‘to listen is to know and know is to love’; there’s something distinctly spiritual going on here; a solitary Rhodes electric piano with an exhortation to o

♫♫ALICE COLTRANE : Alice McLeod studied classical music and had piano lessons with Bud Powell.  She also occupies the position of one of Jazz’s best-known harpists and also imports the rippling glissando and arpeggiated stylisations into her piano playing, called ‘waterfalls’ by some. She was a member of vibraphonist Terry Gibbs ’ band before replacing McCoy Tyner  in husband John’s quartet. Coltrane’s deeply spiritual music, inspired by a pilgrimage to India in 1970 is an ac

SUN RA’s LEGACY Sun Ra has been an influence on a myriad of musical artists and luminaries. These include pianist Lonnie Liston   Smith  but not just jazz artists alone: George Clinton ( Parliament, Funkadelic  et al), Afrika Bambaataa, Flying Lotus   and Sonic Youth  are just a few cited examples for whom Sun Ra’s music resonated, but Frank Zappa  also seems an obvious connecting point, consciously or not. John Sinclair , manager of the MC5  was a fan and brought the Arkestr

Born Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ Ellington, Ellington’s mother and father had a piano each and studied James P Johnson’s piano rolls when he was young. He worked his way up in the Washington dance band scene and eventually settled in Harlem, NewYork in the spring of 1923where he became leader of The Washingtonians. The recruitment of trumpeter James ‘Bubber’ Miley (his plunger mute would define what was called the ‘jungle sound’ in the Cotton Club days) helped to define the Duke’s

*****ALBUMS: 8) MILES DAVIS: MILES IN THE SKY (1967) “A brilliant transitional album.” MILES IN THE SKY was recorded in four sessions on 16 th  January, 1968 and 15th-17 th May, 1968 at Columbia Studio B, New York. MUSICIANS: Miles Davis, trumpet, cornet (on tracks 1 and 4), Wayne Shorter, tenor sax, Herbie Hancock, acoustic and electric piano (on 1), Ron Carter, upright bass and electric bass (on 1) and Tony Williams, drums with George Benson, electric guitar guesting on 2.

*****ALBUMS: 7) MILES DAVIS: MILES SMILES (1967) “A classic post bop album that pushes the boundaries of hard bop and flirts with the avant-garde.”   MILES SMILES was recorded in two sessions on 24 th  and 25 th  October 1966 at the Columbia 30 th  Street Studio, New York   TRACKS: Orbits, Circle, Footprints, Dolores, Freedom Jazz Dance, Ginger Bread Boy .   MUSICIANS: Miles Davis, trumpet, Wayne Shorter, tenor sax, Herbie Hancock, acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter, bas

*****ALBUMS: 5) WORKIN’ WITH THE MILES DAVIS QUINTET “Part of a series of four compilations of recordings released years later and, arguably the best.” Miles Davis’ ‘Workin’ was recorded in 1956 (There were two sessions on 11 th  May (the majority of the album) and 26 th  October (the piece entitled Half Nelson as part of a contractual obligation to Prestige Records before Davis departed for Columbia Records that produced Workin’ and three other albums, Relaxin’, Steamin’ and

*****ALBUMS: 4) KIND OF BLUE “Has come to be regarded as a go-to jazz album” MILES DAVIS: Based on modality rather than Hard Bop, KIND OF BLUE (1959) (Columbia) (Sextet) (New York) was recorded over two sessions on 2 nd  and 22 nd  April?, 1959 and released on 17 th August, 1959. TRACKS: So What, All Blues, Freddie Freeloader, Blue in Green, Flamenco Sketches MUSICIANS: Miles Davis, trumpet; John Coltrane, tenor sax; Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley, alto sax; Bill Evans/ Wynton

*****ALBUMS: 3) PORGY AND BESS “An orchestral jazz masterpiece.” MILES DAVIS: PORGY AND BESS (1959) (Columbia) (Sextet) (New York) was recorded over three four sessions on 22 nd and 29 th  July, 1958 and 4 th  and 18 th  August, 1958, rather rushed perhaps for a work of such eloquence- nevertheless, it turned out as a whole a magnificent achievement. TRACKS: The Buzzard Song, Bess, You Is My Woman Now, Gone; Gone, Gone, Gone; Summertime; Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess, Prayer (

***** ALBUMS: 2) MILESTONES “Of the Present and the Future” MILES DAVIS: MILESTONES (1958) (Columbia) (Sextet) (New York) was recorded over three sessions. TRACKS: Dr. Jackle, Sid’s Ahead, Two Bass Hit, Milestone, Billy Boy, Straight, No Chaser. MUSICIANS: Miles Davis , trumpet, piano; John Coltrane , tenor saxophone; Cannonball Adderley , alto saxophone; Red Garland , piano; Paul Chambers : bass, Philly Joe Jones , drums. NOTES: MILESTONES’ opening piece, Jackie McLean ’s Dr

*****ALBUMS: 1) THE BIRTH OF THE COOL   INTRODUCTION: Te Birth of the Cool was much more than an album of music. It was the start of a movement as depicted in Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, the title of a movie by award winning Director, Stanley Nelson. Reviews were mostly positive but at times mixed, criticism coming from those who lament the ‘talking head’ style of documentary that predominates, unfortunately in my opinion, the structure of modern documentaries. It is amaz

William ‘Count’ Basie’s role in The Blue Devils under the musical directorship of heavyweight string bassist Walter Page , a pioneer of the walking bass line, is documented in his autobiography ‘Good Morning Blues’. It was when sleeping off a hangover in a Tulsa hotel room that Basie was awakened by a jazz band playing on the back of a truck in the street below. The talent recruited to The Blue Devils were gradually assimilated by the Bennie Moten Band. Moten was a Kansas Cit

Produced, performed, recorded, mixed, and arranged in her South London flat, Weirdo  was originally conceived as a strategy to speak about her struggles with mental health—Thackray is autistic and has ADHD. Emma-Jean insists ‘weirdo’ can be positive, suggesting something different like Byony Gordon’s Book “There is No Such Thing as Normal.” Her 2021 LP ‘Yellow’ was a great success. This album surpasses even ‘Yellow’ as Emma-Jean exposes her inner torments. The opening vignett

DUKE ELLINGTON-Extract from unfinished book “A Jazz Supreme.” Duke Ellington ’s Hot Five  band was put together to record in a makeshift recording studio, OKeh in Chicago. The Hot Five had a classic line-up : Lil Hardin  on piano; Johnny Dodds  on clarinet; Kid Ory  on trombone; Johnny St.Cyr  on banjo and history was about to be made. As Ted Gioia describes, Armstrong’s playing just got better and better as 1926 went on as he displayed “increasing fluency in the upper regist

The best introduction to Armstrong’s music came out in 2020: Satchmo: The Decca and Verve Years 1924-1967 . It begins with Shanghai Shuffle with the Fletcher Henderson  Band- even though it has not transferred well from its crackly ‘78’ manifestation, it remains essential, a joyous romp with sublime syncopation. Solos follow solos on New Orleans Stomp while Black Bottom Stomp has some fast-paced tooting and may well be the ‘rave’ music of the day- although you’d need more spa