jazz
News: Gregory Porter announces run of UK shows
Grammy-winning singing sensation Gregory Porter soon returns to the UK to perform at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall. With additional dates added due to popular demand, Gregory will now appear on Mon 2 Apr, Wed 18 Apr and Thu 19 Apr. Gregory became the biggest selling jazz artist in the UK in 2017, following the …
News: Kamasi Washington announces European tour dates
Kamasi Washington has announced an extensive run of UK and European live shows. The tour will see the Los Angeles saxophonist, bandleader and composer performing some of his biggest headline shows to date – including a show at London’s legendary 3000 capacity Roundhouse venue – during a run of 26 headline shows and festival appearances …
Premiere: Shama releases new video for Truth BeTold
Ahead of her album ‘Truth BeTold’, out March 23rd via The GungHoDown, Shama, aka Shama Rahman has released an accompanying video for the title track, which we’re delighted to premiere here on Backseat Mafia. Recorded live, the album showcases her approach to composition and performance, and features the groundbreaking mi.mu gloves throughout, cutting edge tech …
Live Review/Gallery: Courtney Pine & The Inner City Ensemble at Brudenell Leeds 23.2.18
Revered British Jazz Saxophonist Courtney Pine arrived for the Leeds leg of his short tour with two things with him – a crack band behind him, and a bag full of brand new tunes – as he told us with a smile “….this is only the second time of gigging these tunes”. It was …
Album Review: Menagerie – The Arrow Of Time
Out today (February 9th_ on Freestyle Records is the new album from Menagerie, led by prolific Australian Lance Ferguson, the creative force behind projects such as The Bamboos, Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Lanu and Black Feeling. With this new album, The Arrow of Time, he has drawn inspiration from themes such as space exploration and …
Track: Lost Horizons – On the day you died
Lost Horizons, the musical project of former–Cocteau Twin and Bella Union boss Simon Raymonde and Richie Thomas of early 4AD figureheads Dif Juz, have released ‘On the day you died’, inspired by and recorded on the day David Bowie’s death was announced. Previously only available via the Rough Trade Album Club on a limited 4 …
Not Forgotten: Lowell George – Thanks I’ll Eat it Here
One of the things that is most often remembered about Thanks I’ll Eat it Here is the fact that it was released just ten days before the Little Feat frontman’s early death. What is remembered less frequently is that Lowell George’s only solo album is very good indeed. Given that George had slowly been losing …
A buyers’ guide to Steely Dan 1972-1980
I disagree with Steely Dan. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like them. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that during the period of 1972 – 1980, they released some of the finest albums of that era, and in Walter Becker and Donald Fagen had one of the finest songwriting duos to …
Track: Portico Quartet – Endless
Portico Quartet have revealed a new track “Endless” ahead of their forthcoming album “Art in the Age of Automation”. Minimal beats and industrial soundscapes gradually peal pack to reveal a warm sensuous soundscape. The blend of live instrumentation and electronics combined with the industrial theme harks back to electronica pioneers such as Basil Kirchin, but …
Album Review: Colin Stetson – All This I Do For Glory
Well, this is some way from “a man shouting into a hoover bag full of saxophones”. I can’t remember who described one of the tracks from Stetson’s ‘New History Warfare: Vol 3’ in that way, but it had me scooting down the record shop. It was an accurate description of one of the tracks (Stetson …