With nineteen tracks segueing into each each over two sides of vinyl, Tucson duo Trees Speak continue their earthy yet intergalactic run of albums (6 in 4 years!) for Soul Jazz Records. ‘TimeFold’ is a krautrock Blade Runner set in a doomy 1970s horror film castle (filmed on Mars) but with powerful arpeggiated Tangerine Dream synth weapons and disembodied spoken word amongst their heavyweight blend of influences. Intoxicating stuff. Read / Listen.
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Nick Walters 'Marine Moods' (D.O.T. Records) - a review
Ace UK trumpeter, composer and bandleader Nick Walters reassembles his brilliant sextet (including longtime collaborator Tenderlonious) for his aquatically themed new album 'Marine Moods' which is released on Friday 6th October on his own D.O.T. Records label. Recorded in a single day, the record is a spellbinding combination of modal, spiritual and fusion flavours that gleams with positivity and is supercharged with exquisite musicianship. Read / Listen.
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Diepkloof United Voice 'Harmonizing Soweto: Golden City Gospel & Kasi Soul from the new South Africa' (Ostinato Records)
During lockdown you may have been lucky enough to catch the viral phone video of nine young South African men singing a heart-bursting song called ‘Too Late For Mama’ a capella in a darkened room. These wonderful singers are Soweto’s Diepkloof United Voice and thanks to New York’s Ostinato Records (who discovered them via said video), they now have a debut album coming out in November. The word ‘essential’ gets way overused in the hype game of musical releases but this really is. The combined voices of this new generation of Mzansi gospel singers is a gift. Read / Listen..
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Sandy Barber 'I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)' Remixes (BBE) - a review
Two KILLER remixes here from the Don John Morales and OPOLOPO of Sandy Barber’s brilliant 1978 disco-funk workout 'I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)' out now on BBE! Read / Listen / Buy
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DJ Firmeza live in London (photo credit Marta Pina)
Jamaica Mnanda 'Kama Ipo Ipo (What's Yours is Yours)' (DJ Firmeza Remix) - a review
The informal settlements of Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam keeps pouring out some of the most interesting contemporary genres and sounds and Mchiriku is one such genre. Jamaica Mnanda are one of Mchiriku’s finest proponents and on this brand new release they have enlisted the remix skills of Lisbon artist and alumnus of the brilliant Príncipe label. DJ Firmeza, to rework their Casio keyboard fuelled street mayhem into a tough Luso-Afro dancefloor burner. Read / Listen
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“Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound” (WEWANTSOUNDS) - a review
Saravah was one of the most influential French labels of the 60s and 70s, and Pierre Barouh, singer, composer and producer extraordinaire, was a master at harnessing disparate talents, creating one of the best musical catalogues anywhere. Out there jazz and French underground pop collide with Brazilian and African flavours that sound as exciting now as when they were created. In partnership with Barouh’s son, Benjamin, WEWANTSOUNDS have given us the first ever retrospective of the revolutionary Saravah sound on vinyl and it is immaculate. Read / Listen
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Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita - EFG London Jazz Festival Photo by John Reed
Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita live at Lakeside Arts (24 Nov 2021) - a review
Omar Sosa is a Grammy nominated Cuban pianist, Seckou Keita, a Senegalese kora master and recent BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year and Gustavo Ovalles, a Venezuelan percussionist and the world class trio have been stunning audiences everywhere on their recent ‘Suba’ tour. Tim Hills caught them at their date at Lakeside Arts in Nottingham and wrote us a review. Read / Listen here
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PHOTO CREDIT: Emile Holba
Damon Locks - Black Monument Ensemble + Angel Bat Dawid live at EartH (Theatre) (EFG London Jazz Festival 2021) - A review
The EartH (Theatre) in Hackney hosted a double bill of extraordinary power and artistry with Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble and Angel Bat Dawid taking us to the outer edges and back again for this Monday night gig for the EFG London Jazz Festival. Read our review here
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PHOTO CREDIT: Tatiana Gorilovsky
Aynur - Live at Barbican Centre (EFG London Jazz Festival 2021) - a review
Being invited to review this show by the great Kurdish-Turkish singer Aynur as part of the 2021 edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival turned out to be a gift for the ages as the great wood-panelled hall of the Barbican Centre became a triumphant celebration of Kurdish song and culture. Read our review of this spectacular event
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Julie Campiche - Live at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2020 - a review
I was asked to do a ‘live’ review of Julie Campiche’s performance at the online EFG London Jazz Festival and I’m so pleased I was as this is stunning. Read the review and watch the performance here…
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Various Artists 'Covers 3' (Tru Thoughts) - a review
Tru Thoughts bring out the cover versions once again in the third installment of their ‘Covers’ series and there are beauties within. Hot 8 Brass Band, Quantic, Mark de Clive-Lowe, sUb_modU and J-Felix amongst many stirring up the ingredients and coming up with something fresh! Read / listen….
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Deep Stuff on Music and Life with Acid Coco - an interview
Acid Coco are a white hot new duo hailing from Colombia whose first singles off their forthcoming long player on El Palmas Music have been getting plenty of radio play from us here at T&L with their hybrid of tradition and stripped down electro shock sounds. We couldn’t think of anyone better to interview them than our man in Dominican Republic - Mauro Ferreiro.
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Ammar El Sherei 'Oriental Music' (WEWANTSOUNDS) - a review
Ammar El Sherei’s magnificent ‘Oriental Music’ album is to be reissued in it’s original state (including odd name) on WEWANTSOUNDS in October…have a read / listen about what makes this Egyptian release from 1976 so special…
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New Music Reviews by Mauro Ferreiro - June 2020
We asked our friend and collaborator Mauro Ferreiro (Error Subcutáneo) to review some recent releases we’ve been listening to and as a talented musician and producer in his own right, he’s got some great insight…read / listen here…
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Xoliso 'Shingwanyana' (SHARP-FLAT / BBE) - a review
A killer 1974 album of pump-action grooves and outsider psyche sounds out of Pretoria, South Africa given the top shelf reissue treatment from SHARP-FLAT and BBE….listen / read more….
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Simbad Presents Collections Vol One (BBE) - a review
A favourite DJ and producer of Gilles Peterson amongst many, Simbad has been a prolific remixer for BBE over the years but here is his first album for them and it’s a backdated journey through his unique prism of electronic soul….read/listen more…
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Kinkajous 'Hidden Lines (Running Circle) - a review
Kinkajous are a London based outfit blending live instrumentation and electronics into a hypnotic sound of their own and they have a spanking new album released on Running Circle…read/listen more here…
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Colombian Soul (compiled by Tricky D for BBE) - a review
Finally, an in depth compilation of Colombian downbeat sounds! Compiled by Tricky D for BBE, the 20 tracks here are an exploration of the underground (and not so underground) flavours of one of the most musical countries on Earth…read/listen here…
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David Wertman & Sun Ensemble 'Earthly Delights' (BBE) - a review
Fantastic reissue on BBE (again) of this 1979 spiritual jazz album by David Wertman and his Sun Ensemble. Free, loose and deeply emotional…read/listen more here
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Kabasa 'African Sunset' (BBE) - a review
BBE are reissuing this super-rare album from South African outfit Kabasa. Originally released in 1982, the record is a potent fusion of Afro-Rock, funk, jive and disco…check our review here…
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