Recent Releases

February 2025
Some Recent Releases

A few words about recent releases / reviews:

Apart from where they are included in articles on this website, I don't have a 'Reviews' section for a number of reasons:

I receive so many requests to review recordings it is impossible to include them all.
Unlike some publications/blogs, Sandy Brown Jazz is not a funded website and it is not possible to pay reviewers.
Reviews tend to be personal opinions, something a reviewer likes might not suit you, or vice versa.
It is difficult to capture music in words, so much better to be able to listen and see whether the music interests you.

For these reasons in particular I just include a selection of recent recordings below where I share the notes issued by the musician(s) as an introduction and links to samples so you can 'taste' the music for yourselves. For those who like to read reviews, these, of course, can be checked out on other sites.

Some albums are priced in dollars or other currencies. These are marked ^. There are currency options if you proceed to order. Recordings are now regularly available on different formats (CD, mp3 downloads, vinyl) or platforms e.g iTunes, Spotify, etc. I am unable to list them all so it is worth checking if you have a favourite platform).

Featured In February 2025

UK

Nick Costley-White - Poncha
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 28th February 2025

Nick Costley-White (guitar & compositions); Julian Siegel (saxophone); Conor Chaplin (double bass); James Maddren (drums)

'Poncha’ is Costley-White’s highly-anticipated third album; a deeply personal collection of seven original compositions named after the Portuguese drink ‘punch’. Using a heady brew of cultural influences, his music skilfully blends dance rhythms and playful melodies from Brazil and Cuba with the harmony and swing of American jazz. Within the tunes lie a melodic and highly rhythmic approach to composition, inspired by his travels to South America, which his quartet interprets with style, flair and energy. Nick’s journey in writing ‘Poncha’ has been a deeply personal one, with several compositions dating back several years - each one documenting a moment in his own life - experiences both good and bad. Reflecting on the set back to performing life that musicians felt during the pandemic, the prospect of venturing back into performing and travelling, collaborating with new musicians, integrating new sounds and relationships; all these experiences and more are felt in both the compositions and the playing. Though the journey may not always be sweet, the outlook is highly optimistic .........' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Tumbeo Tres : Listen to M-Face :

Misha Mullov-Abbado - Effra
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 31st January 2025

Misha Mullov-Abbado (double bass); James Davison (trumpet & flugelhorn); Matthew Herd (alto & tenor saxophones); Sam Rapley (tenor saxophone & bass clarinet); Liam Dunachie (piano); Scott Chapman (drums)

'Award-winning, London-based jazz bass player, composer and arranger Misha Mullov-Abbado is a musician who combines great imagination with raw talent and a clear vision. A BBC New Generation Artist and with three critically acclaimed albums on Edition Records under his name, "Effra" is his fourth album as a bandleader and is a collection of all the music he has written in the last four years for his band of over a decade now. The word is often associated with the area of Brixton in South London which has been his home for almost as long as the band has existed. It began as the name of a now-underground river that runs through the area and has more recently been used as the name of a main road and two rival pubs, as well as a smaller road which one of his tracks is named after. The album is an expression of Misha’s love for both his home and for playing jazz after a difficult period in previous years, and these pieces reflect all the personal journeys in that time.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Feature Article by Howard Lawes : Listen to Subsonic Glow : Listen to Nanban

Barb Jungr - Hallelujah on Desolation Row

(Absolute Records) - Released: 31st January 2025

Barb Jungr (vocals, harmonica); Simon Wallace (piano); David Mantovani (bass); Gary Hammond (percussion)

Barb Jungr Hallelujah on Desolation Row album.jpg

'Celebrating the release of her new album, “Hallelujah on Desolation Row,” acclaimed singer and writer Barb Jungr, “Our greatest interpreter of Dylan’s songs,” brings her award winning interpretations and challenging new arrangements to this all-new collection of Dylan and Cohen’s iconic songs.' 'Working with her longstanding pianist and collaborator Simon Wallace, and a double bass, the album features groundbreaking arrangements of two of the most important songwriters of this and last century. Songs include Hallelujah, Desolation Row, Tonight Will Be Fine, Tower of Song, Mississippi, and more. In 2014, Barb followed her award-winning, internationally acclaimed collection of Dylan songs, “Every Grain Of Sand,” with “Hard Rain”, laying herself bare to Dylan’s and Cohen’s political and philosophical songs. “Hard Rain” gained a plethora of 4 and 5 star reviews for its uncompromising and powerful renditions. Bob Dylan’s manager called it “some heavy music”. Praise indeed. She performed this repertoire in a three-week, sold-out, rave reviewed run at New York’s 59E59 Theatre. Jungr’s dedication to reinventing Dylan’s and Cohen’s repertoire has contributed to her formidable reputation as perhaps the best performer of their songs in the world.' (album and publicity notes)

Details : Video for Handle With Care : Video for Hallelujah :

Elliot Galvin - The Ruin
(Gearbox Records) - Released: 7th February 2025

Elliot Galvin (piano, synthesizers, electronics - all tracks); Ruth Goller (bass, voice - tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10); Sebastian Rochford (drums - tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8); Ligeti Quartet: Freya Goldmark (violin I), Patrick Dawkins (violin II), Richard Jones (viola), Val Welbanks (cello) - tracks 3, 4, 5, 7, 9.

"This album is the most personal I’ve made to date. Named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon poem from the 9th century AD about the former glory of an unnamed ruined city, “The Ruin” is inspired by the feeling of living in England (“a country that feels like a living ruin”), the bleak landscape of where I grew up (Medway towns), and a kind of self-portrait reflecting how we all live amongst the ruins of our past selves both collectively and individually. All the musical material on “The Ruin” is taken from iPhone recordings of improvisations that I played on my first-ever piano – bought using money left by my late grandfather. The whole album is structured cyclically so that it gradually builds up and crumbles away, starting and finishing with solo piano. To this end, the very beginning of the album starts with a reversed iPhone recording of me improvising a melody on this piano and ends with this same recording playing forwards. ........" (Elliot Galvin)

Details : Video for A House, A City : Listen to From Beneath :

Philip Clemo - Through The Wave Of Blue

(All Colours Arts Records) - Released: 1st November 2024

Philip Clemo (guitars, voice, piano, keyboards, electronics, sound-design & field recordings); Arve Henriksen (rumpet, keys); Theo Travis (soprano saxophone, flutes); Sarah Homer (clarinet, bass clarinet); Kevin Pollard (piano, fender rhodes); Elizabeth McConkey (violin); Emily Burridge (cello); Stefan Celosia (additional guitar (track 5); Simon Edwards (electric bass, moog); John Edwards (double bass); Martyn Barker (drums, percussion); Dirk Wachtelaer (drums, percussion)

'Philip Clemo’s seventh studio album, Through the Wave of Blue, is a deeply personal exploration of a father’s response to profound adversity. Through shifting narratives of fear, darkness and disorientation, the music ultimately finds its way to a radiant light of light of hope and joy, capturing the resilience of the human spirt. From the haunting depths of “Stalker” and intensity of “Maze” to the serene “Rest” and celebratory “Dawn, Through the Wave of Blue offers an immersive experience that engages both viscerally and emotionally. Each composition has its own sonic identity, inviting listeners to delve deep into the intricate dialogues and textures that unfold. Clemo blends complex drones & atmospherics with brass, woodwind, strings, guitar, piano, electronics and hypnotic rhythms to create mesmerising soundscapes that captivate the senses.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Stalker : Listen to Dawn :

Yazz Ahmed - A Paradise In The Hold
(Night Time Stories) - Released: 28th February 2025

Yazz Ahmed (trumpet, flugelhorn, handclaps, programming & ululations);George Crowley (bass clarinet & handclaps 2, 8); Ralph Wyld (vibraphone, marimba 1, 8) & handclaps 2, 8); Naadia Sheriff (Fender Rhodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), piano 4, 6, 9), Roland JX-03 1, 10) & handclaps 2, 8); Dudley Phillips – bass 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10) & handclaps 2, 8); Martin France (drums & handclaps 2, 8); Corrina Silvester (percussion & handclaps 1, 2, 7, 8); Alcyona Mick (Fender Rhodes 4, 5, 9); Samuel Hällkvist (guitars 2, 4, 9); Dave Manington (bass 4, 5, 9);Natacha Atlas (voice 1, 4, 8); Brigitte Beraha (voice(3, 4, 5, 6) & handclaps 2, 8); Randolph Matthews (voice 3, 9, 10); Alba Nacinovich (voice 6, 8); Jason Singh (voice 9) & additional programming (2, 3, 5, 8, 9); Samy Bishai (violin 1); Noel Langley (flugelhorn 2, 4), handclaps 7) & additional programming 1); Engineer Family (chatter & ululations 7).

'Yazz Ahmed, hailed as one of the most influential trumpet players of her generation. An Ivor Novello award winning composer who makes sweeping epics that are rich with storytelling, depicting evocative ancient worlds and mythological muses. With her fourth studio album, A Paradise in the Hold, the British-Bahrani musician dives even deeper into her dual heritage and has come up with a treasure trove that draws on traditional music and stories from her childhood home. Ahmed writes for the voice for the first time, with lyrics inspired by Bahraini wedding poems and the yearning songs of the pearl divers. Deeply textural, expansive and full of potent performances, the album charts the heroic voyages of the jewel-hunters of yore, who sailed home through rough seas with precious cargo, and Ahmed’s own voyage of self-discovery over the past decade. “A thread in my work has been searching for, establishing and, now, finally embracing and celebrating my cultural identity,” she says. Whereas she explored Arabian music more generally with her earlier material, this release is more explicitly linked to her homeland. “If my first album, 2011’s Finding My Way Home, represents the first steps on this path then with A Paradise In The Hold, I’ve arrived at a deeper understanding of how my British and Bahraini heritage can co-exist, in personal as well as musical terms.”......... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Into The Night : Listen to A Paradise In The Hold :

America

Lucas Winter - Lo
(Heartcore Records) - Released: 24th January 2025

Lucas Winter (electric guitar, acoustic guitar); Kim Cass (bass); Gus Carns (piano, keyboard, synthesizers); Machado Mijiga (electronic drums, production 1 ,3-6); Evan Woodle (acoustic drums track 2); Rex Gregory (tenor saxophone track 2).

'Lo is Lucas Winter’s debut album and is the product of the artist’s arduous and deeply personal effort to push the boundaries of his own writing and instrumental techniques into new realms of possibility. Inspired by the conceptual framework and groundbreaking rhythmic innovation of New York avant-garde jazz and modern music, Lo combines elements from the shifting rhythmic landscapes of M-Base and associated contemporary forms with a free and fleeting melodicism that proves easily accessible to the layman listener.' (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to Forebode :

Scott Colley, Edward Simon, Brian Blade - Three Visitors
(GroundUP Music) - Released: 6th November 2024

Scott Colley (bass); Edward Simon (piano); Brian Blade (drums); Guests: Chris Potter (tenor saxophone); Becca Stevens (vocals); Jana Dagdagan(spoken word); Richard Rood, Elizabeth Lim Dutt (violin); Kathryn Lockwood (viola); Sachi Patitucci (cello); Rogerio Boccato (percussion).

'Three Visitors conjures ephemerality, the idea that we are all temporarily in this physical realm and that we can visit other equally transient realms through art and music. In this time and space, with improvisation as the constant, the three of us come together to visit and explore multiple currents and influences that are passing through us. You could say that we visit each other’s mind-streams as we explore our compositions. On this album we visit many places, places we enjoy or that bring up vivid memories or feelings - The Thicket, Far Rockaway come to mind. We allow for others like Becca Stevens, Rogerio Boccato and Chris Potter to visit as we explore other styles and inclinations. These Three Visitors, who have played with each other in numerous configurations, decided to form this special gathering – their sensitivity to each other’s voice as well as the silence they choose to share as their own participation in the listening process....... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to The Thicket : Listen to Far Rockaway

James Brandon Lewis Trio - Apple Cores
(Anti Records) - Released: 17th February 2025

James Brandon Lewis (saxophone); Chad Taylor (drums, mbira); Josh Werner (bass, guitar)

'Apple Cores is the latest full-length album from New York tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, "one of the fiercest sounds in jazz today" (The Guardian) with a "penchant for unbound exploration" (Pitchfork). Informed by the rhythms and textures of hip-hop and funk while remaining rooted in jazz, Apple Cores was recorded with Chad Taylor (drums/mbira) and Josh Werner (bass/guitar) over the course of two intense, entirely improvised sessions. The album takes its name and intention from the column that poet and jazz theorist Amiri Baraka wrote for DownBeat in the 1960s. In addition to Baraka, the influence of another jazz giant looms mightily over Apple Cores: trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist, Don Cherry. In a testament to Cherry's influence over the music that the trio is playing, Lewis designed each song title as a cryptogram of sorts, making subtle references to Cherry's life and music. Apple Cores further cements Lewis as one of the provocative and prolific musical voices of his generation. It follows his breakthrough with JazzTimes' Album of the Year Jesup Wagon (2021), a dreamlike mosaic of gospel, folk-blues, and catcalling brass bands inspired by inventor George Washington Carver, and Eye Of I (2023), his joyous and exploratory debut for ANTI-. (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Prince Eugene : Listen to Five Spots To Caravan :

Jeong Lim Yang - Synchronicity
(Sunnyside Records) - Released: 31st January 2025

Mat Maneri (viola); Jacob Sacks (piano); Jeong Lim Yang (bass); Randy Peterson (drums)

'Following up her imaginative 2022 release Zodiac Suite: Reassured (“bold music … bursts with freewheeling, chip-on-the-shoulder modernism” – All About Jazz), Korean-born, Brooklyn-based bassist and composer Jeong Lim Yang is proud to announce the release of her newest recording, Synchronicity. Partnering with three great fellow improvisers in violist Mat Maneri, pianist Jacob Sacks and drummer Randy Peterson, Yang navigates the indefinable human connections at the heart of this music. “I’ve been dreaming of playing with these musicians for many years, since I moved to New York in 2011,” Yang says. “I would always go see them play, then come back home, not even say hi,” Yang admits. “Little by little, I got to know them in other settings.” Synchronicity was defined by Carl Jung as “the coming together of inner and outer events in a way that cannot be explained by cause and effect and that is meaningful to the observer.” As Yang puts it, “Serendipitously, things happen. You’re thinking of a friend you haven’t seen in years, and the friend shows up. That’s how I felt with this band when we played." ....... (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to Synchronicity :

Naomi Moon Siegel - Shatter The Glass Sanctuary
(Slow And Steady Records) - Released: 8th November 2024

Naomi Moon Siegel (trombone); Ray Larsen (trumpet); Marina Albero (piano); Andy Coe (guitar); Kelsey Mines (bass); Christopher Icasiano (drum)

Naomi Moon Siegel Shatter The Glass Sanctuary.jpg

'I wrote most of this music as a way to process my experience living in a small town in Western Montana after spending most of my adult life in cities. A central theme in this album is the practice of holding paradox. Forging my way as a creative, improvising trombonist and composer in an unconventional setting has presented a lot of beauty and challenge. These compositions have been cathartic for me, and this band, with the help of Allison Miller, has truly brought these pieces to life. With gratitude.....' (Naomi Moon Siegel album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Sabotage : Listen to Holding All The Broken Pieces :

Europe and Elsewhere

Yuki Fujiwara - Glass Colored Lily

(defkaz Records) - Released: 1st October 2024

Yuki Fujiwara: (shinobue); Mitsuhiro Sonoyama (saxophone); Peter Apfelbaum (keys, clarinet, flute); Will Bernard (guitar); Bill Laswell (8-string bass, EFX); Adam Rudolph (percussion)

'This is the first release from the Japanese shinobue and flute player Yuki Fujiwara. Boarding Yuki's musical ship feels as if the pier exists in a strange space between the past and the future going to a journey to a land which is not here anymore and is not still there. A deep connection to the music world of Toru Takemitsu!' Bill Laswell about the record - ''This is a recording of very unique musicians. Everyone had a deep understanding of music from different cultures, including Japan. Think of it as a new cultural ensemble with everyone bringing their experiences to the overall sound. Japanese musicians - Yuki and Mitsuhiro brought their very own strong statements and presents. I should say this session was a Ichigo-Ichie: once-in-a-lifetime sound encounter. Today, we were transforming all the elements into sound....I think this recording speaks that way.'' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Gloss Phew : Listen to The Red Devil Who Cried :

Tassos Spiliotopoulos - Anamnesis : Compositions For Electric Guitar
(self release) - Released: 5th January 2025

Tassos Spiliotopoulos (guitar)

'Greek guitarist and composer Tassos Spiliotopoulos is known for combining lyrical compositions with melodic, high energy improvising into a style that is rooted in Jazz tradition but often expands beyond it. Is this an experiment? What have I learned all these years? Was there another dimension to this music? Can the natural properties of the guitar be featured more than on the original recordings? These are some of the questions Tassos Spiliotopoulos tries to answer with this collection of new arrangements and interpretations of some his favorite originals from past albums made in the period between 2006 to 2022. The idea came suddenly and after a few days in the studio it was all done. Spiliotopoulos, who plays all the instruments on this album, offers this new, stripped down set with the aim of bringing these compositions closer to their original concept.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Feral Dance : Listen to Emerald Blues :

Jim Mullen Quartet - For Heaven's Sake

(Cadiz, Stunt Records) - Released: 2025

Jim Mullen (guitar); Ben Paterson (organ); Jan Harbeck (tenor sax); Kristian Leth (drums).

'Wes Montgomery's long-lasting and tremendous influence on jazz musicians includes the seasoned Scottish guitarist, Jim Mullen. Like Montgomery, Mullen is self-taught, plays with his thumb, and is also an excellent improviser. The now 78-year-old Glasgow native still plays with boundless energy and has developed a unique and recognizable style: 'I'm actually left-handed, but I play right-handed. The pick often slipped out of my fingers, so I ended up just playing with my thumb. Just like Wes, who has always been one of my favorites - along with Jim Hall and George Benson.' ...... Danish drummer Kristian Leth, known for his no-nonsense swinging playing, assembled a quartet that included Danish tenor saxophonist Jan Harbeck and Chicago organist (and pianist) Ben Paterson and organized a tour and recording session. Harbek is one of the most sought-after saxophonists in Denmark and greatly inspired by Duke Ellington's legendary tenor player, Paul Gonsalves. ... Jim and Ben hadn't previously met, but Kristian felt they would be a good match - and he couldn’t have been more right. All the musicians fit together perfectly and are comfortable with blues, ballads, and bebop. Jim curated a perfect program for this album, where collaboration with top-notch musicians clearly shows why Mullen continues to be in high demand after a rich and historic career.' (album notes)

Details : Listen to Angel Eyes : Listen to This Here :

Scott Hamilton - Looking Back
(Cadiz, Stunt Records) - Released: 2024

Scott Hamilton (saxophone); Jan Lundgren (piano); Hans Backenroth (bass); Kristian Leth (drums)

'70-year-old American tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton can reflect on a rich and rewarding career with pride and humility. In choosing the material for his new album, Looking Back, he's drawn inspiration from several musicians he has collaborated with over the years - a 'who's who' of jazz. .... Hamilton has remained true to his roots throughout his career, becoming one of the most prominent representatives of the swing and mainstream jazz legacies. With a mature perspective, he calmly exudes confidence through sophisticated phrasing, regularly breathing new life into even the most well-established musical material. And that's what listeners can look forward to on this latest album. .... On Looking Back, as well as on three previous Stunt releases, he collaborated with the same top-shelf musicians who fill out his regular Scandinavian quartet on tours: Swedes Jan Lundgren on piano and Hans Backenroth on bass and Danish drummer Kristian Leth. Hamilton describes them as 'indispensable,' highlighting that 'few musicians have the imagination and experience to transform unusual material and make it sound like jazz.' This continued collaboration adds a unique depth and richness to the album, making it a must-listen for jazz enthusiasts.' (album notes)

Details : Listen to On A Clear Day : Listen to Rockin' Chair :

Clemens Kuratle's Ydivide - The Default
(IntaktRecords) - Released: 24th January 2025

Dee Byrne (alto saxophone); Elliot Galvin (piano, electronics); Chris Guilfoyle (guitar); Lukas Traxel (bass); Clemens Kuratle (drums, electronics).

Clemens Kuratle's Ydivide - The Default.jpg

'Following the internationally acclaimed debut album Lumumba, Intakt Records will release the second CD The Default by Ydivide in 2025. Many important drummers are great band leaders. With their overview, sense of rhythm and form, they provide guidance for the band. During his many years of artistic activity as a drummer in various formations, Clemens Kuratle has developed an individual language as a composer and drummer. He is considered one of the most original drummers of the younger generation, and one of his greatest achievements is the initiation of and continuous work with the band Ydivide, a British-Swiss collaboration. This quintet brings together the young British jazz scene with saxophonist Dee Byrne, guitarist Chris Guilfoyle, Elliot Galvin on piano, the outstanding Swiss bassist Lukas Traxler and mastermind Clemens Kuratle. Clemens Kuratle and Ydivide have extraordinary musical and technical skills and have developed their very own musical language over the years. Ydivide has something to say: the music is driven by the urgent questions and conflicts that this generation, and the next, have to face. The compositions from the pen of Kuratle reflect political and social issues.' (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to Roy Wood Jr :

Reissues

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra - The Capitol Singles Plus

(Jasmine Records) - Released: 10th January 2025

Duke Ellington (piano and leader) with various personnel

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra The Capitol Singles.jpg

'This release comprises the complete singles, and some additional treats Duke Ellington recorded while under contract to Capitol Records in the mid-1950s. This period in Ellington’s career is frequently overlooked, the music he made during these years, and the single releases in particular, undervalued. With the exception of a 12-inch LP released in the UK in 1961 on the World Record Club label which collected a dozen of these sides, no anthology has been created previously which focuses on Ellington’s Capitol singles in this way. Fully remastered from the best possible sources.' (album notes)

Details

Archie Shepp - Live At The Panafrican Festival

(Charly Records) - Released: 2024

Archie Shepp (tenor sax, vocals); Grachan Moncur III (trombone); Clifford Thornton (trumpet); Dave Burrell (piano); Alan Silva (double bass); Sunny Murray (drums); Ted Joans, Don Lee (poets); plus various Toureg and Algerian musicians.

Archie Shepp At The Panafrican Festival.jpg

Live At The Panafrican Festival is one of the most thought-provoking entries in Archie Shepp’s sprawling discography precisely because of the pivotal moment in time it captures. Recorded live in Algiers at the first Panafrican Festival in 1969. ...... On the album are two concerts that took place at the front of the Ketchaoua mosque and at the Atlas Cinema. It swarms, it screams, it moves, it dances. Shepp and the musicians are in the middle of a crowd in trance, creating a frenetic atmosphere which assures the listener a completely immersive adventure...... (album notes)

Details : Listen to album from earlier release :

Jelly Roll Morton - A Career Anthology (Volume 1 - 1923-28) : (Volume 2 - 1929 - 40)

(Resonance Records) - Released: 2024 [2 x 3CD box sets]

Jelly Roll Morton (piano) with various personnel.

Jelly Roll Morton A Career Anthology.jpg

'Pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and occasional singer Ferdinand Joseph ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton was one of the most important and influential personalities in the entire history of jazz. Born in New Orleans of Creole descent in 1890, he was one of the earliest jazz innovators and pioneers, to the extent that he actually said that he invented the genre, although his accomplishments and influence were such that he did not need to make such exaggerated claims. Starting as a ragtime pianist, his 1915 tune “Jelly Roll Blues” was one of the first published jazz compositions. His career output of recordings was so prolific that we have chosen to release them as two 3-CD sets. This 70-track Vol. 1 collection comprises releases during these years on the Paramount, Gennett, Okeh, Autograph, Vocalion, and Victor labels, including solo performances, and recordings with various line-ups as his Orchestra and Jazz Band, The New Orleans Rhythm Kings, His Stomps Kings, Steamboat Four, Kings Of Jazz, Incomparables, The St. Louis Levee Band and His Red Hot Peppers. Members of his ensembles during this era include Tommy Ladnier, Leon Roppolo, Ben Pollack, Natty Dominque, Kid Ory, George Mitchell, Johnny St. Cyr, Barney Bigard, Johnny Dodds, Baby Dodds and Russell Procope. Released at the same time is “A Career Anthology Vol. 2 1929-40” (ACTRCD9155). They both offer a comprehensive overview of his work during these eras, and are a fine showcase for his unique talents.' (album notes)

Details Volume 1 : Details Volume 2 :

Gordon Beck's Gyroscope - Progress

(Jazz In Britain Records) - Released: 21st October 2024 [ 2 CDs]

Gordon Beck (piano, electric piano, composer); Brian Smith or Stan Sulzmann (tenor & soprano saxophone, flute); Frank Ricotti (vibes, percussion); Ron Mathewson (bass, electric bass); Tony Levin (drums, percussion)

'On download, streaming and CD for the first time ever, the only Gyroscope album ‘One, Two, Three… Go!’ ever released, expanded with live and studio recordings from the archives plus a wealth of first-hand information about the band and many previously unseen images. Produced with the support of Gordon Beck’s sister Jude and the approval of the band members or their families. Compiled from studio, live and rehearsal session recordings, made in 1973 and 1974, from the tape archives of Ron Mathewson and Gordon, and released with the support of the Gordon Beck Estate, the album provides a chronological audio history of Gyroscope’s formation and development, ie their ‘Progress’.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Blue, Just Like You : Listen to F.I.V.A. :

Various Artists - Classic V-Disc Small Group Jazz Sessions

(Mosaic Records) - Released: October 2024 [11 CDs]

Various Artists

Classic V-Disc Small Group Jazz Sessions.jpg

'This set collects some of the finest small-group jazz of the artistically turbulent Forties in collaborations that would not have happened otherwise. The V-Disc program did not record every important jazz artist active in those years, but they captured a great deal. These sessions are a fascinating cross-section of small-group jazz, with stars and some musicians never found in jazz history books. By focusing on small groups and great solos, Mosaic has put together a collection that is more focused and pure than some varied and almost-random V-Disc sets that have appeared over the years, as well as more expansive than the one-or-two CD collections that concentrated on a more narrow set of artists....... (album notes)

PLEASE see Details and Samples for full information about this box set. It is priced at $179 (approx £143) plus shipping. Review by The Syncopated Times.