jazz
Album Review: John Coltrane – A Love Supreme : The Complete Masters
Music shouldn’t be easy to understand. You have to come to the music yourself, gradually. Not everything must be received with open arms. – John Coltrane, 1963 This is a sentiment that I can wholeheartedly agree with. There have been many instances over the years that I’ve come at an album and couldn’t find …
Win: Two Tickets for Gogo Penguin at London Village Underground 25.2.16
We’ve been big fans of Manchester jazz trio Gogo Penguin for about as long as we can remember. The three piece, pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner drew on not only the jazz heritage, but broader influences such as Brian Eno, John Cage, Massive Attack and Aphex Twin to make something …
Track: Kneebody & Daedelus – ‘Drum Battle’
Following on from releases from Thundercat and Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus’ increasingly important and consistently brilliant label Brainfeeder is preparing to release an new album, Kneedelus, featuring LA/Brooklyn instrumental quintet Kneebody, and esteemed electronic producer Daedelus. Although they first appeared on wax together as part of Daedelus’ Remixes record from 2088, its a partnership that …
Not Forgotten: Steely Dan – Can’t Buy a Thrill
Steely Dan are one of those acts who are spoken of in hushed tones. Be it their studio perfectionism, their increasingly deft blending of rock and jazz as their career progressed, or their smart arse lyrics, Steely Dan are a band beloved by those who take music very seriously indeed. For many Steely Dan fans, …
Feature: 10 Bands to Catch at Tramlines this weekend
So, it’s here again, Sheffield’s brilliant City Centre festival – Tramlines. With (literally) hundreds of bands to choose from all over the city this coming weekend (24th-26th July), it’s an unenviable choice to pick some things out, but do it we have. With headliners such as Basement Jaxx, Wu-Tang Clan, Martha Reeves, The Buzzcocks and …
Win: Tickets for Nostalgia 77 @ Rich Mix, London 18.9.15
He doesn’t play out very often, doesn’t Ben Lamdin, aka Nostalgia 77 so there’s much excitement here in Backseat Mafia towers that he’s announced a rare live appearance, along with his full live band, at Rich Mix, London on Friday 18th September. After bursting onto the scene with this atmospheric (nu)jazz and fresh take on …
News: Light in the attic to release Karin Krog collection
She was a new one on us, Norwegian jazz singer Karin Krog. Over the last five decades she’s been treating, and educating, and thrilling jazz fans across Scandanavia to her way out post-bop spiritual jazz, bringing together the experimental worlds of electronics and jazz to create something rather special, but maybe hidden (or is that …
Track: Quantic – Creation (East L.A.) plus album news
We’ve long had a thing for Quantic, aka British born producer Will Holland. He moved through so many areas of electronic music during his years, and has spent the last handful of years studying and immersing himself in the music of South America, Africa and the Caribbean, producing a handful of brilliant (and often collaborative …
Track: Lauren Desberg – He Loves and She Loves
Seems a bit of a cheek to have this, the new track from 23 year old Los Angeles singer Lauren Desberg, given that it was written by George Gershwin for his 1927 musical ‘Funny Face’. A Graduate of Berklee where she won the ASCAP Foundation’s Leiber and Stoller Music Award, Lauren Desberg has been gaining …
New Music: Nostalgia 77 & The Monster – Measures / Island in the Sun
Out right now via the consistently brilliant Tru Thoughts is the new digital single from Ben Lamdins crew of jazz warriors and producers, aka Nostalgia 77. Measures / Island In The Sun are both taken from the second album under his Nostalgia 77 and The Monster guise, also called Measures, which came out back in …