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Rastko Obradović ‘Mandala’ CD (A.MA Records) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Rastko Obradović will be no stranger to anyone who has followed the rise of the so-called Serbian Wave of Jazz and the releases on A.MA Records from the Belgrade-based collective of artists who have shaped the label’s catalogue over the past decade. Having recorded for A.MA as a sideman on albums by Sanja Marković, Irina … Continue reading Rastko Obradović ‘Mandala’ CD (A.MA Records) 4/5 →
Pharoah Sanders Quartet 'Love is Here: The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings' 2x180g Vinyl/2CD (Transcendence Sounds) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Before the arrival of this newly issued complete document, listeners had only a partial glimpse of Pharoah Sanders’ November 1975 appearance for ORTF in Paris, when a truncated programme surfaced in 2020 on Transversales Disques under the title Live in Paris (1975) (Lost ORTF Recordings). That release, drawn from the Maison de la Radio archives, offered … Continue reading Pharoah Sanders Quartet ‘Love is Here: The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings’ 2x180g Vinyl/2CD (Transcendence Sounds) 5/5 →
Laura Jurd 'Rites & Revelations' LP/CD (New Soil) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
With “Rites and Revelations”, Laura Jurd delivers a bold, idiosyncratic return that feels both grounded and gloriously unmoored – a record that dances in the space between ancient ritual and modern expression. Jurd, already a formidable voice in British jazz with her work in Dinosaur and as a solo artist, leans deeper than ever into … Continue reading Laura Jurd ‘Rites & Revelations’ LP/CD (New Soil) 4/5 →
Petter Eldh 'Projekt Drums Vol. 2' LP/CD (Edition) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Petter Eldh’s ‘Projekt Drums’ series finally sees the continuation of its series with Volume 2 arriving four years after its inspired predecessor. You certainly couldn’t blame the Swedish double-bassist and producer for having taken too much time of however as the time in between projects has typically been filled with a litany of incredible projects … Continue reading Petter Eldh ‘Projekt Drums Vol. 2’ LP/CD (Edition) 5/5 →
Petter Eldh 'Projekt Drums Vol. 2' LP/CD (Edition) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Petter Eldh’s ‘Projekt Drums’ series finally sees the continuation of its series with Volume 2 arriving four years after its inspired predecessor. You certainly couldn’t blame the Swedish double-bassist and producer for having taken too much time of however as the time in between projects has typically been filled with a litany of incredible projects … Continue reading Petter Eldh ‘Projekt Drums Vol. 2’ LP/CD (Edition) 5/5 →
Ruby Rushton 'Legacy!' 180g Vinyl/CD (22a Music) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Tenderlonious (Ed Cawthorne) is the central creative force behind Ruby Rushton, the band he named after his grandmother. He’s bandleader, multi‐instrumentalist (alto/soprano sax, flute, piccolo, alto flute, percussion), and co‐composer of the album with Aidan Shepherd. He also brings his production skills to LEGACY!, helping to expand the group’s tonal palette while maintaining their live … Continue reading Ruby Rushton ‘Legacy!’ 180g Vinyl/CD (22a Music) 4/5 →
Martin Nodeland 'Tributaries' CD (Smeik) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
“Tributaries” is the thrilling new album from Norwegian guitarist/composer Martin Nodeland. Already someone to watch, with “Debut” (2019) and “Origins” (2020) under his belt, he now presents a set of pieces that feel ambitious with intent and alive with personality. Featuring Will Vinson on alto saxophone, with support from Martin Sandvik Gjerde (piano), Alexander Hoholm … Continue reading Martin Nodeland ‘Tributaries’ CD (Smeik) 4/5 →
Wolfgang Muthspiel / Scott Colley / Brian Blade 'Tokyo' LP/CD (ECM) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
For his third trio outing with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel offers “Tokyo”, a recording that feels at once exploratory and deeply grounded. Recorded in Japan and mixed in Munich, the album carries a quiet assurance, the sound of three musicians whose empathy has only sharpened through years of … Continue reading Wolfgang Muthspiel / Scott Colley / Brian Blade ‘Tokyo’ LP/CD (ECM) 4/5 →
The Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet 'Introducing...' LP (TQM Recording Co.) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something about Detroit jazz – its history, its grit, its fire – that feels unlike anywhere else. Windsor-born trumpeter Russ Macklem, now firmly embedded in the Detroit scene, taps directly into that lineage with “Introducing: The Russ Macklem Quintet”. It’s a follow-up to his JUNO-nominated debut “The South Detroit Connection”, and it doesn’t just … Continue reading The Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet ‘Introducing…’ LP (TQM Recording Co.) 4/5 →
The Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet 'Introducing...' LP (TQM Recording Co.) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something about Detroit jazz – its history, its grit, its fire – that feels unlike anywhere else. Windsor-born trumpeter Russ Macklem, now firmly embedded in the Detroit scene, taps directly into that lineage with “Introducing: The Russ Macklem Quintet”. It’s a follow-up to his JUNO-nominated debut “The South Detroit Connection”, and it doesn’t just … Continue reading The Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet ‘Introducing…’ LP (TQM Recording Co.) 4/5 →
Wolfgang Muthspiel / Scott Colley / Brian Blade 'Tokyo' LP/CD (ECM) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
For his third trio outing with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel offers “Tokyo”, a recording that feels at once exploratory and deeply grounded. Recorded in Japan and mixed in Munich, the album carries a quiet assurance, the sound of three musicians whose empathy has only sharpened through years of … Continue reading Wolfgang Muthspiel / Scott Colley / Brian Blade ‘Tokyo’ LP/CD (ECM) 4/5 →
Masabumi Kikuchi 'HANAMICHI - The Final Studio Recording Vol. II' 180g Vinyl/CD (Red Hook) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something both fragile and unshakeable about the music presented on Hanamichi. Recorded in 2013, just two years before Masabumi Kikuchi’s passing, this posthumous release feels less like a closing statement and more like a final conversation – a dialogue between Kikuchi and silence itself. Where Vol. 1 stunned with its stark intimacy, this second … Continue reading Masabumi Kikuchi ‘HANAMICHI – The Final Studio Recording Vol. II’ 180g Vinyl/CD (Red Hook) 4/5 →
Phylipe Nunes Araújo 'Phylipe Nunes Araújo' LP/CD (Far Out Recordings) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
If there’s one album this year that feels like a cool breeze through a window left lazily open on a sultry evening, it’s this stunning debut from Phylipe Nunes Araújo. Hailing from the Northeast of Brazil – Pernambuco, Agreste, that rugged, beautiful hinterland – Araújo has crafted an album that’s both intimate and expansive; rustic … Continue reading Phylipe Nunes Araújo ‘Phylipe Nunes Araújo’ LP/CD (Far Out Recordings) 5/5 →
Simon Chivallon 'Alone Again' (jazz&people) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s an elegance and warmth that runs throughout “Alone Again”, the new release from French pianist Simon Chivallon. Following his well-received debut “Light Blue” in 2021, Chivallon returns not with original compositions but with a carefully chosen collection of classics and lesser-known gems. It’s a bold move, but one that pays off beautifully, cementing his … Continue reading Simon Chivallon ‘Alone Again’ (jazz&people) 4/5 →
Yarni 'Anemoia' LP (Stanhope) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
In traditional Yarni fashion, a new album means it’s time to wipe the slate completely clean and embrace the challenge of reconceptualising his music with fresh perspectives. Previous releases from the Sheffield native and self-described “sonic traveller”, Benjamin “Yarni” Harris, have included excursions into deep house and electronica with ‘Entkommen’, the Japanese-inspired ‘Boro’ and the … Continue reading Yarni ‘Anemoia’ LP (Stanhope) 4/5 →
Yusuf Mumin 'Journey to the Ancient' LP/CD (Wewantsounds) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
In the annals of free jazz, there are figures whose names flicker at the margins — glimpsed in anecdotes, remembered by fellow musicians, but rarely given the platform of a complete discography. Yusuf Mumin is one of these elusive presences. Born Joseph W. Phillips in Cleveland in 1944, he grew up amidst a swirl of … Continue reading Yusuf Mumin ‘Journey to the Ancient’ LP/CD (Wewantsounds) 5/5 →
Yusuf Mumin 'Journey to the Ancient' LP/CD (Wewantsounds) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
In the annals of free jazz, there are figures whose names flicker at the margins — glimpsed in anecdotes, remembered by fellow musicians, but rarely given the platform of a complete discography. Yusuf Mumin is one of these elusive presences. Born Joseph W. Phillips in Cleveland in 1944, he grew up amidst a swirl of … Continue reading Yusuf Mumin ‘Journey to the Ancient’ LP/CD (Wewantsounds) 5/5 →
Yarni 'Anemoia' LP (Stanhope) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
In traditional Yarni fashion, a new album means it’s time to wipe the slate completely clean and embrace the challenge of reconceptualising his music with fresh perspectives. Previous releases from the Sheffield native and self-described “sonic traveller”, Benjamin “Yarni” Harris, have included excursions into deep house and electronica with ‘Entkommen’, the Japanese-inspired ‘Boro’ and the … Continue reading Yarni ‘Anemoia’ LP (Stanhope) 4/5 →
Phylipe Nunes Araújo 'Phylipe Nunes Araújo' LP/CD (Far Out Recordings) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
If there’s one album this year that feels like a cool breeze through a window left lazily open on a sultry evening, it’s this stunning debut from Phylipe Nunes Araújo. Hailing from the Northeast of Brazil – Pernambuco, Agreste, that rugged, beautiful hinterland – Araújo has crafted an album that’s both intimate and expansive; rustic … Continue reading Phylipe Nunes Araújo ‘Phylipe Nunes Araújo’ LP/CD (Far Out Recordings) 5/5 →
JC Sanford’s EQ 'Denki' CD (Brooklyn Jazz Underground) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
“Denki” – which fittingly translates as “electricity” in Japanese – brings a heady brew of heavy-rock vigor and contemporary jazz-fusion, courtesy of trombonist and composer JC Sanford and his Electric Quartet. Featuring Sanford on trombone and effects, Toivo Hannigan on guitar, Erik Fratzke on electric bass, and Satoshi Takeishi on drums, the album crackles with … Continue reading JC Sanford’s EQ ‘Denki’ CD (Brooklyn Jazz Underground) 3/5 →
SFJAZZ Collective 'Collective Imagery' CD (SFJAZZ) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
In “Collective Imagery”, the SFJAZZ Collective moves boldly into uncharted waters with an album entirely composed of original music born from the visual splendour of Bay Area art. This recording marks the ensemble’s first foray into purely commissioned compositions, inspired by works from the de Young Museum’s collection. No arrangements, no past masters, just seven … Continue reading SFJAZZ Collective ‘Collective Imagery’ CD (SFJAZZ) 4/5 →
Alex Hitchcock 'Letters From Afar' LP/CD (New Soil) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Just taking a somewhat brief snapshot of recent releases from Alex Hitchcock in the last eight months provides compelling insight into the saxophonist’s musically adventurous and prolific nature… Last year was rounded out with another entry into the long-running collaborative AuB project pairing Hitchcock alongside fellow saxophonist Tom Barford unveiling ‘Folk Devils’ for Whirlwind Recordings; … Continue reading Alex Hitchcock ‘Letters From Afar’ LP/CD (New Soil) 4/5 →
John Taylor 'Tramonto [Live]' CD (ECM) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Few pianists in British jazz carried quite the same blend of refinement and unpredictability as John Taylor. A musician who never sought the spotlight yet quietly shaped the sound of European jazz for decades, Taylor had the rare gift of turning complexity into something deeply lyrical. “Tramonto”, recorded live in Birmingham, UK, during a Contemporary … Continue reading John Taylor ‘Tramonto [Live]’ CD (ECM) 4/5 →
Masabumi Kikuchi 'HANAMICHI - The Final Studio Recording Vol. II' 180g Vinyl/CD (Red Hook) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something both fragile and unshakeable about the music presented on Hanamichi. Recorded in 2013, just two years before Masabumi Kikuchi’s passing, this posthumous release feels less like a closing statement and more like a final conversation – a dialogue between Kikuchi and silence itself. Where Vol. 1 stunned with its stark intimacy, this second … Continue reading Masabumi Kikuchi ‘HANAMICHI – The Final Studio Recording Vol. II’ 180g Vinyl/CD (Red Hook) 4/5 →
Simon Chivallon 'Alone Again' (jazz&people) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s an elegance and warmth that runs throughout “Alone Again”, the new release from French pianist Simon Chivallon. Following his well-received debut “Light Blue” in 2021, Chivallon returns not with original compositions but with a carefully chosen collection of classics and lesser-known gems. It’s a bold move, but one that pays off beautifully, cementing his … Continue reading Simon Chivallon ‘Alone Again’ (jazz&people) 4/5 →
Langendorf United 'Undercover Beast' 2LP/CD (Sing a Song Fighter) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s no denying the pedigree of Lina Langendorf. From Addis to Stockholm, her saxophone has stirred up dancefloors, sweat-soaked club nights, and festival fields, and “Undercover Beast” is soaked in the richness of those travels. But while this second outing with Langendorf United leans deeply into folk-rooted Ethio-jazz, there’s a dissonance that lingers. At its … Continue reading Langendorf United ‘Undercover Beast’ 2LP/CD (Sing a Song Fighter) 3/5 →
Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet 'Live Spirit I' 2LP/CD (WMQ) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Despite my natural demeanour, there are times when I do get a little over excited. This is one of them. “Live Spirit I” by Wojtek Mazolewski and his Quintet is an absolutely thrilling album that says just about everything that is great about music. The Quintet assert themselves not merely as performers, but as visionaries … Continue reading Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet ‘Live Spirit I’ 2LP/CD (WMQ) 5/5 →
Ancient Infinity Orchestra 'It’s Always About Love' BioVinyl LP/CD (Gondwana) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something so deeply moving about the album title of the latest release by the Ancient Infinity Orchestra – ‘It’s Always About Love’. It’s an incredibly evocative title in some regards but also intrinsically simple at the same time. I suspect it is more about the “love” involved in making music as a tightly-knit ensemble … Continue reading Ancient Infinity Orchestra ‘It’s Always About Love’ BioVinyl LP/CD (Gondwana) 4/5 →
Michael Ragonese 'Chasing Calm' LP/CD (Self-released) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Michael Ragonese’s latest outing, “Chasing Calm” is a crystalline example of contemporary jazz: thoughtful, emotionally rich and impeccably performed by a quartet on top form. From first note to last, this album is an inspired meditation on searching for peace – and the bittersweet beauty of the journey. Born and raised in Los Angeles to … Continue reading Michael Ragonese ‘Chasing Calm’ LP/CD (Self-released) 4/5 →
O.N.E. 'Well, actually…' LP/CD (April) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
April Records’ latest offering, “Well, actually…”, is the third album from the wonderfully egalitarian Polish quartet O.N.E. – a project whose very name carries twin meanings: “one” in English, unity; one (oh-neh) in Polish, “they” (fem. pl.), nodding to its all-female lineup. That wordplay doubles as a philosophy, a leaderless band in full collective flight. … Continue reading O.N.E. ‘Well, actually…’ LP/CD (April) 4/5 →
Espen Berg 'The Kempen Concert' CD (Kite) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something quietly intoxicating about hearing a pianist conjure entire worlds in real time with just a grand piano, the space around him and the daring to improvise. That’s exactly what Espen Berg delivers in “The Kempen Concert”, his new solo piano outing recorded live in Paterskirche, Kempen, Germany in November 2024, and now released … Continue reading Espen Berg ‘The Kempen Concert’ CD (Kite) 5/5 →
Lightning Trio 'Lightning' LP/CD (Jazzland Recordings) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Young, daring and often vivid – “Lightning”, the debut recording from the Sondre Moshagen Lightning Trio, bursts with promise. With pianist Sondre Moshagen at the helm, alongside Kertu Aer on double bass and Steinar Heide Bø on drums, this collection of nine tracks delivers a journey through dreamy atmospheres, tension, and moments of real beauty. … Continue reading Lightning Trio ‘Lightning’ LP/CD (Jazzland Recordings) 3/5 →
Nābu Pēra 'Soundscapes of Nicosia' CD (Zero Nove Nove) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
I do love it when an album lands that is so uniquely original that I feel compelled to write about it. Right from the opening textures of “Pithkias”, it’s clear that “Soundscapes of Nicosia” is not a conventional debut. Nābu Pēra, the Cypriot trio of Savvas Thoma (bendir, vocals), Natasa Hadjiandreou (vibraphone, percussion), and Demetris … Continue reading Nābu Pēra ‘Soundscapes of Nicosia’ CD (Zero Nove Nove) 4/5 →
Bill Laurance 'Lumen' 180g Vinyl/CD (ACT Music) 5/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There are albums that have the capability to wash over you. Then there’s “Lumen”, a stunning solo piano album by Bill Laurance that radiates warmth and beauty from its very first note, not just washing over you but actually healing and cleansing mind, body and soul as it goes. If you ever needed the perfect … Continue reading Bill Laurance ‘Lumen’ 180g Vinyl/CD (ACT Music) 5/5 →
Eero Savela 'Way To' LP (Mustik Motel) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Trumpeter Eero Savela has been a fixture on Helsinki’s creative scene for over two decades, moving fluidly between jazz, world music, and interdisciplinary projects where sound meets dance, circus, and theatre. “Way To” marks a milestone: his debut as a bandleader and composer, stepping forward with a set of original pieces that bring together his … Continue reading Eero Savela ‘Way To’ LP (Mustik Motel) 3/5 →
Armel Dupas Trio 'Everyday Superheroes' CD (Self-Released) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
There’s something quietly persuasive about the Armel Dupas Trio’s new album “Everyday Superheroes.” A delightful piano-led trio record that captures the imagination, it drifts between accessible warmth and moments of subtle depth, even if not always pushing far enough to surprise. Armel Dupas is no stranger to freshness: educated at the Paris Conservatory, steeped in … Continue reading Armel Dupas Trio ‘Everyday Superheroes’ CD (Self-Released) 3/5 →
Jan Bang / Arve Henriksen with Fames Institute Orchestra 'After the Wildfire' 180g Vinyl/CD (Punkt Editions) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Few collaborations in contemporary music are as quietly intriguing as that between Jan Bang and Arve Henriksen. Over the years, the two Norwegian artists have carved out a sonic world where jazz, ambient, folk, and electro-acoustic textures bleed into one another. Their latest work, “After the Wildfire”, commissioned for the Skopje Jazz Festival in 2023 … Continue reading Jan Bang / Arve Henriksen with Fames Institute Orchestra ‘After the Wildfire’ 180g Vinyl/CD (Punkt Editions) 3/5 →
Hermeto Pascoal, visionary Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist, dies aged 89 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Hermeto Pascoal, the Brazilian composer, improviser and multi-instrumentalist once described by Miles Davis as “the most impressive musician in the world,” died on 13 September 2025 at the age of 89. Known affectionately in Brazil as O Bruxo (“the Wizard”), Pascoal spent six decades redefining the possibilities of sound, creating music that was by turns startling, tender, … Continue reading Hermeto Pascoal, visionary Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist, dies aged 89 →
Lauri Kallio 'Turtles, Cats and Other Creatures' LP (Mustik Motel) 4/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
With “Turtles, Cats, and Other Creatures”, Finnish guitarist-composer Lauri Kallio has crafted a record that feels both lovingly handmade and impossibly expansive. Recorded in the quiet of Kiikala, sometimes in the town’s church, and sometimes in his countryside studio, this second solo release embodies a DIY spirit while conjuring lush soundscapes that range from funk-infused … Continue reading Lauri Kallio ‘Turtles, Cats and Other Creatures’ LP (Mustik Motel) 4/5 →
Eero Savela 'Way To' LP (Mustik Motel) 3/5 - ukvibe - astral travelling since 1993
Trumpeter Eero Savela has been a fixture on Helsinki’s creative scene for over two decades, moving fluidly between jazz, world music, and interdisciplinary projects where sound meets dance, circus, and theatre. “Way To” marks a milestone: his debut as a bandleader and composer, stepping forward with a set of original pieces that bring together his … Continue reading Eero Savela ‘Way To’ LP (Mustik Motel) 3/5 →