jazz
Track: Ishmael Ensemble debut ‘Wax Werk’ ahead of expansive new album ‘Visions of Light’.
Bristol experimental jazz collective Ishmael Ensemble debut their expansive new album Visions of Light. The follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2019 debut A State of Flow, garnered the band much deserve praise from the likes of The Guardian, Mojo, The Wire and select presenters across BBC 6Music. Their sophomore record is a clear shift in direction with a focus on expanding what the …
Track: Plastic Skin release dreamy new single, ‘No Plans’
After a year of aimlessly making plans, wether it be work or personal , has proven to be exhausting given the world pandemic. So to finally have an opportunity to not make plans, as things start to open up in the world is a sign of relief. So is the brand new track ‘ No …
Discovered: Roberta Baldizzone White Quartet – Changing Textures
Changing Textures is a musical project that brings together works by the pianist and composer Roberta Baldizzone. Pieces based mainly on contrasting sound research – timbre, dynamics, tension – created through experimental work on interval construction and open structures. Regarding the composition and improvisation make-up of the pieces, the themes, ostinatos, harmonic sequences, as is …
Album Review : Adam Moezinia’s ‘ Folk Element Trio’ – A Sonic Travelogue
New York based guitarist Adam Moezinia first debut album ,’Folk Element Trio’ is what we at Backseat Mafia have suspected it would be , after premiering its single ‘Celebration’ last month : a triumphant celebration. It is a union of global folk traditions featuring elements of Beninese, Malian, Welsh and American folk music in a contemporary …
Album Review: Philippe Lemm Trio’s ‘First Steps’ is a mastery of musical movement
First Steps sees the Philippe Lemm Trio come through in unique style and displaying fantastic form, both of which have been well-honed during the past ten years of consistent touring and creating. Partly a reflection on the past 12 months, this record celebrates the life of Lemm’s long-time friend and collaborator, pianist Angelo Di Loreto, who …
News: ‘Amy Winehouse At The BBC’ compilation coming 7th May
Amy Winehouse At The BBC, a retrospective collection which chronicles many of the singer’s outstanding performances during her career, will be released on 7 May 2021 through UMC/Island. For the first time ever, this expanded release offers audio-only versions of the songs featured on earlier compilations A Tribute To Amy Winehouse by Jools Holland and …
Track: Kat Eaton new single announces her debut album
So gorgeously flavoursome; like warm caramel from a soft filled truffle chocolate
Live Review: Guildhall Jazz Orchestra with Ivo Neame
Earlier this month, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s Jazz Orchestra presented a programme of pianist, composer and Guildhall professor Ivo Neame’s original Big Band compositions and arrangements, including his newly composed suite The Rise of the Lizard People. The livestream was recorded at Milton Court. Music is the the universal heart of all things …
See: The video for Mind Maintenance’s ‘Glow & Glimmer’: Chicago’s Chad Taylor and Joshua Abrams step out for some exceedingly cool world-jazz melodicism
TAKE one of the finest and most intuitive leftfield jazz rhythm sections of past decades, Chicago drummer Chad Taylor and bassist Joshua Abrams, who between them amass waay over a couple hundred performance credits to their name on Discogs for artists such as the Chicago Underground Trio and all its various spiralling iterations, Brokeback, Sam …
Track: Abdullah Ibrahim – ‘Did You Hear That Sound?’: South African jazz legend releases a new live recording of the 1979 classic
IF EVER there was a living legend of jazz, then South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, must surely be right up there; Julliard-educated, rubbing performative shoulders with the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Archie Shepp, he performed at Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration after being a forthriht supporter of the ANC …