Review: Rubel - As Palavras, Vol. 1 & 2 (Mr Bongo)

This new album by has already been heralded as sophisticated Latin soul-folk-jazz beach-pop - this years' Seu Jorge! But can it be that good?

The record label think that this debut album by Rubel is up there with the game changer albums like the debut album's by The Ramones or The Damned.  That said, Antônio Carlos Jobim might call this album nu-waveand as Rubel has gathered together the best of Brazil's musicians like Gabriel do Borel, Liniker, Luedji Luna, Tim Bernardes Ana Caetano and Mr. Bongo's own Bala Desejo (see review HERE) plus legend, Milton Nascimento.

And this talent is spread over a full 19 tracks, none longer than 4:07 ('Torto Arado' featuring Liniker & Luedji Luna) and mostly compact nuggets like the early punk singles, old wave Brazilian 'prog' of MPB has been replaced with Rubel's fusionistic take of MPB, samba, tradition folk and capoeira, baile funk, hip-hop and pop.

But don't worry about the short track length as the whole set is worth the instrumental opener (and later vocal version) of 'Forró Violento' and then it's not a two track album. Everything is a-wash with Brasilian sun. 'Na Mão do Palhaço' (produced by the Ana Frango Elétrico- see review HERE) has the Sgt. Pepper samba-psych of it and whilst Nascimento contribution is perhaps not his very best work ever, his seal of approval is proof that Rubel is one very big talent due for all the things said of this album already. 

Totally different to the Mr Bongo's last album release, Project Gemini's 'Colours & Light' (see review HERE) and their Record Store Day Brazil 45s Mix set from DJ KOCO (check out Gilles Peterson's show with a DJ KOCO mix and Mr Bongo himself, Dave Buttle, at 1hr 45mins in HERE) but as we know, they are the one of the most important purveyors of Latin American music, jazz, world and hip-hop and Rubel is too important not to get.

Artist: Rubel

Title: As Palavras, Vol. 1 & 2

Release date: 3rd May, 2024 

Label : Mr Bongo 

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP306

Format : 2XLP (at 45rpm) / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Anna Schreit - Duck EP (Compost Records)

What's the phrase, "You can take a duck to water, but you can't make 'em dance"? 

The last release on Compost we took to our dancing hearts was Arnau Obiols & KAYYAK's fantastic 'Faith / San Diago EP' (see review HERE) and that was immediate 'YES from me'.

And you can get that from the deep synths and busy percussion on 'Enzio On Rainbow Road' but there's classic Kraut-leftfield about this EP.

Perhaps that's to be anticipated on a track called, 'Tobi For Morning Spliffs' (kids, if you're reading this, "morning spliffs" ain't clever so don't do it) and there's a strange conflict of twinkly electric piano with deep bass thump on 'Julian Is A Hero' that swims in a pond of duck weed that's Chicago, Detroit, Berlin - who knows what the duck names are here.

This is Anna's debut on Compost having been a DJ for over ten years and turning heads with 'What Did You Say' released on Berlin House Music a couple of years ago and it's clear this aint 'standard' fair: indeed, I'd say it was first class - now where's me swimming googles?

Artist: Anna Schreit 

Title: Duck EP 

Release date: 3rd May, 2024

Label: Compost Records

Cat. No: CPT 632-3

Format:Vinyl 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Shijuka Quintet - Octave Up (A.MA Records)

'Octave Up' and over with the Shijuka Quintet on A.MA Records.

If proof be needed, Two Things Of Gold's album (see review HERE) on A.MA Records  showed that the label was open minded when it comes to core-jazz basics.   And in eight traks by Aleksandar Jovanović, the pianist, composer, arranger of his Serbian quintet, Shijuka (as he's known to his mates) has gone up that Octave of a higher ground.

The big track is 'What If...' which puts a trumpet and sax on a Belgrade bound BadBadNotGood boat for a traditional wedding.

Whilst the opener, 'Five Or None' is strong on the classical jazz sound, Jovanović's piano style has been compared to Ahmad Jamal (on 'Impure Blue') and we know Radivojevic and Obradovic's front line partnership on Irina Pavlović's 'The Soulful Heritage' album (see review HERE) and on the mellow track, 'Blue Danube' on this album.

Appropriately, a track called 'Missing Part' (the longest track on the album) is composed with a wandering noodle element which we all need in our lives but they seem to have really got it together on 'Impure Blue' and the swing of 'Uneven Swing'.

For fans of Balkan Jazz (if you need some catching up, check fellow pianist / composer Janko Nilović, Dusko Goykovich or indeed anything on Željko Kerleta magical Cosmic Sounds label) this is the update of their jazz in a quintet form

Artist: Shijuka Quintet 

Title: Octave Up

Release date: 3rd May, 2024 

Label : A.MA Edizioni / A.MA Records

Format : LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Aleksandar Jovanovic Shljuka - Piano
Ivan Radivojevic - Trumpet
Rastko Obradovic - Alto & Soprano Saxophone
Milan Pavkovic - Double Bass
Aleksandar Cvetkovic - Drums

Review: David Versace - Eye To Eye (La Sape Records)

Let's see 'Eye To Eye' with David Verace on an ear to ear basis

It's been over a year since 'Marseille Movement' (see review HERE) but the timing for the full album of dreamscape jazz ambience couldn't have been better as it's Bandcamp Friday 40! and May Day Holiday weekend when traditionally the BBQ season starts.

Can't say that's what those BBQ experts down under were thinking about but you can hear what the Australian multi-genre keyboardist (and his incredible band) were aiming at in a post-Miles 'Pangea' / Balearic Sun Ra.

Easy to see why fans include Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, Kev Beadle and many more are supporting this one - don't pass the jazz chill out tent without it.

Artist: David Versace 

Title: Eye To Eye

Release date: 3rd May, 2024

Label La Sape Records

Format/Cat. No. : LP / Digital / Bandcamp

David Versace - Piano, Synths, Bass & Aux Percussion
Jasper Gundersen – Drums
Curtis Scibilia - Trumpet
Luis Manuel Basulto - Congas

Review: Goran Kajfeš Tropiques - Tell Us (We Jazz Records)

Neo-classical ambient jazz in the vein of Matthew Halsall, Eno, Steve Reich and Charles Stepney as these Tropiques produce three tracks for an album, 'Tell Us'; and ironically, you don't need us to tell you how good this is.

The Tropiques being Alexander Zethson (piano, organ, synthesizer), Johan Berthling (acoustic bass) and Johan Holmegard (drums) with leader Goran Kajfeš on trumpet and synthesizer.

This is what Jazz Chronicles is all about, jazz but not jazz as a powerful source of community like 'Unity In Diversity' - you just couldn't think of a better title as it encompasses all the love of Cinematic Orchestra and Rotary Connection combined.

'Magmatique' starts very Alice Coltrane before slipping into some BadBadNotGood jazzyhip-hop as the trio of Zethson, Berthling and Holmegard is outrageously good at the 'rolling groove' the before Goran gets to blow that does indeed sound like Miles at times.

Did they save the best 'til last, 'Prije I Posle'?  If you're going for a pussyfootin' walk with Fripp & Eno into Ryuichi Sakamoto's heavenly garden, before they go all rock fusion in a chamber string section; it's a "WoW!" moment so I suppose they did, but I love it all.

It's so good that each track is over 10 minutes long as they really do explore what's possible as the synth orchestra feels like the unexpected genre busting of a nonclassical trance.

We thought the last album We Jazz released by 'legend' Olli Ahvenlahti, 'Mirror Mirror' (see review HERE) was pretty monumental, but let me tell you, 'Tell Us' is no reflection in that glory.

Artist: Goran Kajfeš Tropiques
Title: Tell Us
Release date: 3rd May, 2024
Label : We Jazz Records
Catalog Number : WJLP76
Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Joel Haag - Bistro (Varva Records and Music)

The guitarist is oft overlooked as main man in a jazz band setting but here's some modern electric that's you'll want to find in any 'Bistro', Ladies and Gentlemen, Joel Haag.

Following on from the recent album 'Mod' by Anna-Maria Nordström (on the same label - see review HERE), Joel's 'Bistro' is his second album, his first album, 'Six Feet Apart' that was more a jazz trio plus strings.

So 'Bistro' is like neither of these and then, like the orignial interpretation of the word. "a small restaurant serving moderately priced, simple meals in a modest setting", this is not the "look at me" jazz guitar of Pat Metheny (sometimes), George Benson (when he was popular), James 'Blood' Ulmar' or going right back the "original", Charlie Christian.  

This is simple and at times elegant modern jazz, like the slow blues of 'Old Watch Still Ticking' and 'The Wailing', that's reminiscent of all of above in a band form.

The highlight is the atmospheric OST "free jazz" of 'Song For Peace' - a tad over 10 minutes long - and like the rest of the ablum, in additon to Haag on guitar, highlights Adrian Åsling Sellius (alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute), Pelle Westlin (tenor sax, clarinet), Björn Petersson (bass) and Anton Jonsnson (drums).

More for fans of Art Ensemble of Chicago, Mike Reed (see review HERE) or a harder edged J.J. Whitefield - possily a combination of all three!

Artist: Joel Haag

Title: Bistro

Release date: 2nd May, 2024

Label: Varva Records and Music

Cat No. VRAMCD07

Format: CD / Digital

Review: MiraculuM - Discoverse (Be Adult Music)

Welcome to the Discoverse! We may be still looking for the perfect beat, but Be Adult Music have found some deep house perfection with MiraculuM in a 3 track EP.

We got some dreamy Arabian sun from the 'Nebulounge, some main room sun from 'The Bless & The Curse' and some sexy sun from the 'Midnight Muse'.

All tracks have beautiful vocals, a percussion for the feet and some sensible synths that scream Balearic.

You don't need me to tell you that this is big; but this is BIG! I repeat, welcome to the Discoverse!

Artist: MiraculuM

Title: Discoverse

Release date: 2nd May 2024

Label: Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM360

Review: Natasha Kitty Katt ft. His Bitter Truth - Galactic Love (F*CLR Music)

Bowie may well have been loving the alien but Natasha Kitty Katt and His Bitter Truth get tongue and groove action on the dancefloor with this 'Galactic Love' affair.

This is somewhat different to the last time we saw NKK with the 'Batt Danse' featuring Billly 'Lost Boy' Wirth (see review HERE) as Billy has been given the elbow and His Bitter Truth (aka Raff) has stepped up to the launch pad.

A atmospheric Hi-Energy track that's draws on  as much of Duran Duran's disco era as it does Tommy Soul's favourite Italian Funk and Disco dancefloor floorfillers on Lumberjacks In Hell.

If you love spacey Kraut-synth whirling, it's original and instrumental versions for you.  And again, so different to the fantastic previous release on the label, DJ Paul Funk and Quinten De Rozario Remix release of 'Hold Me Back' by Chip E ft Kid Enigma (see review HERE).

Expect to here Ms. Kitty Katt playing this out as she DJs internationally at all the best electric galaxy hot spots.

Artist: Natasha Kitty Katt ft. His Bitter Truth

Title:  Galactic Love 

Release date: 29th April, 2024

Label : F*CLR Music .

Catalog Number : FCLR031

Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Grupo Ébano - Grupo Ébano (BBE Music)

This sounds like and looks like a Mr Bongo find but it is BBE's diggers that have unearthed this one from the deepest corners of Rio's classic Brazilian bossa and MPB vaults.

It's always hard to believe that there's so little appreciation by the Brasilian youth for the elders like Seu Jorge, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento (as Gilles Peterson would tell you) when backing vocalist Gill Miranda has supported such Dingwall/Jazzdance trendies in the past.

So much so that back in 1997, Gil's 13 songs sung by an all-female vocal group, Grupo Ébano, (BTW, pronounced, "Grupo EH-ba-no"), was released under the eponymous title on CD on a small independent label in limited quantities and faded out view to all but the most dedicated of fan.

But those with good memories and sharp ears will recall Grupo Ébano's 'Pé No Chao' was included on Compost record's  'Glücklich VI' (see review HERE), that was compiled by Peterson's and DJ Miche's mate with the sharpest of Bossanova, Fusion, Latin Jazz, Modal, MPB, Soul-Jazz super fan ears, Rainer Trüby.  

And now you've got another dozen tracks that all could have equally been picked by Rainer.

So with this renewed interest, BBE have picked it up with a full vinyl release as it's got the sound and swing of 60s and 70s as if Swingle Sisters singing in Portuguese in a gospel church of Edu Lobo / Nara Leão / Joyce (Moreno) et al. 

Now this is re-issued (no CD version ironically), be sure youngsters that've picked up the nu-waver's from Rio, Bala Desejo (see review HERE) will be on this: as will old fans on the MPB 

Artist: Grupo Ébano

Title: Grupo Ébano

Release date: 26th April, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE765

Format: Vinyl 2 x LP / Digital Bandcamp  

"Dreamy trip hoppers stay connected" as Fred Everything teams up with the much loved Stereo MC's on a 'Soul Love' train.

"Dreamy trip hoppers stay connected" as Fred Everything teams up with the much loved Stereo MC's on a 'Soul Love' train.

We were ahead of the timetable with Fred's collab with James Alexander Bright on the last single 'Breathe' (see review HERE) and the album, 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope' is coming out next month.

So with 2 great singles, expectations are high; especially if Fred's collection of vintage keyboards are involved.

New versions of the track, including remixes by Clive From Accounts (he of 'Strictly Business EP' on Razor N Tape and some classy remixes), will be available later in 2024

Artist:  Fred Everything feat. Stereo MC’s

Title: Soul Love

Release date: 26th April, 2024

Label : Lazy Days Recordings

Catalog Number : 

Format: Digital / Bandcamp