Browse Through some great Jazz records that were
posted on this blog this year. There is no intention behind the
particular order in which the albums are listed. If you don't feel like
reading just scroll down and listen to the complimentary Youtube Playlist.
The North - Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland)
With their debut album "Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland)" the Hawaiian piano trio The North released a record that is packed with beautiful melodies, interesting rhythms and great compositions. With his solo project pianist Romain Collin already proved to be a true master of his craft. The trio among Shawn Conley and Abe Lagrima Jr. still manage to put that extra punch in these original compositions (+ interpretations of Dylan and Thelonious Monk tracks)....more
Træben - Looking At The Storm
With their last album "Push"
the dutch jazz combo Traeben already showcased an excellent way to work
beautiful and challenging melodies into an interesting contemporary
jazz sound. The brand new album "Looking At The Storm" is another
example for this exciting and fresh sounding approach. What strikes you first as a jazz band could also be mistaken for a rock
group. Traeben's sound is built around bandleader Jens Larsen's guitar
and completed by Søren Ballegaard on Saxophone, Olaf Meijer on Bass and
Haye Jellema on Drums. Tracks like the uptempo opener "Do You Think
They're Any Good?" almost sound like the instrumental version of what
originally could have been a vocal song. The melody lines and
songwriting create this kind of song-like modern jazz flavour which is
pushed even more to the front on "Looking At The Storm"...more
Kekko Fornarelli Trio - Outrush
Releasing the successor to an incredible album like Kekko Fornarelli's "Room Of Mirrors" is not what you would call an easy task. Still, the italian pianist managed to get the job done in "Outrush". It shows his talent for on point songwriting and his sense for beatuiful harmonies for a second time. But there are also a lot of new things to hear on this one like distorted piano sounds, strings or his fellow jazz singer Roberto Cherillo....more
Collocutor - Instead
Tamar Osborn is the mastermind and saxophone player behind the dynamic modal jazz sounds featured in Collocuter's "Instead". Rhythmic grooves that draw influences from eastern and african sounds are thus packed in an exciting jazz outfit. The nice moods and atmospheres really stand out on this one. They are constructed by intelligent instrumentation and appear through stomping and dynamic rhythms...more
Mammal Hands - Animalia
With Nick Smart on piano, Jordan Smart on saxophone and Jesse Barrett on
drums Mammal Hands features a classic lineup. Just like their label-mates
GoGo Penguin they are more oriented towards a more or less minimal kind
of songwriting. Mostly it is a simple piano pattern that carries the
track over a clever arranged rhythm. The saxophone is usually occupied
with playing the lead melodies which evolve out of the piano pattern
that is the keystone to the songs structure. It is also the key to the
tracks' steady movement that flows through different moods and dynamics.
Mammal Hands prove how simple and effective jazz compositions can be.
As always - making the complex and difficult things look easy, that is
certainly what is happening on this record...more
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