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Here are a couple of new additions by the Westbrooks:

 

 

British vocalist / lyricist Kate Westbrook, wife and musical companion of the celebrated pianist / composer Mike Westbrook, has been a singular figure on the local Art scene for decades. Her completely unique vocal approach as well as her exceptionally broad understanding and knowledge of the European literary and cultural heritage, make her a singular artistic personality of unparalleled quality. Combined with her knowledge of other European languages (French and German), which enables her to perform music written to accompany literary pieces in these languages and use the original versions, she is a perfect performer and a perfect partner for Mike Westbrook, similar to the role of the great Lotte Lenya with her husband Kurt Weill. This superb album presents a project originally staged in 1994 bur recorded seven year later, in which Kate presents music composed by several of hers favorite contemporary composers and to which she wrote original lyrics. Accompanied by a stellar cast of players, which includes among others saxophonists Chris Biscoe, Peter King, Barbara Thompson, Kate delivers the texts with true artistry and the overall effect of the music and lyrics is truly overwhelming. Perhaps not for a casual listener, but this project is so elegant and sophisticated that true music lovers will definitely enjoy it to the fullest. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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Here are a couple of new additions by the Westbrooks:

 

 

This magnificent album by British pianist / composer / bandleader Mike Westbrook is a superb example of European Jazz at its best, combining the Jazz tradition with the European heritage. "Mama Chicago" is a Jazz cabaret, constructed and envisaged as a continuation of the European cabaret legacy, established by Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht in the early 20^th century. Westbrook wrote the music and the lyrics were written by his wife and faithful companion Kate Westbrook, a great connoisseur of the European literary tradition. The music is performed by a septet, which includes Westbrook on piano and tuba, Kate on vocals and piccolo flute, trumpeter Phil Minton, saxophonists Mick Page and Chris Hunter, trombonist Malcolm Griffiths and drummer Dave Barry. As appropriate for a cabaret, it includes a series of songs, linked together by a theme, which is repeated several times in various forms. Overall it is absolutely stunning both on record and live, which I've been privileged to witness on several occasions. Kate's vocal performances send a current down the listener's spine time and time again and the instrumental passages, the arrangements and the atmosphere they inspire is spectacular, without being bombastic. This is definitely a masterpiece and another crown jewel in Westbrook's life-time monument of achievements. Absolutely not to be missed!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the tiny Crescent label owned by guitarist Phil Miller:

 

 

British pianist / composer Steve Miller, who lost the battle with cancer in 1998, was one of the greatest musicians on the local scene. From the early days on the Canterbury scene as member of such bands as Delivery and Caravan and later on as a member of the Free Jazz community, his output was consistently excellent and inspiring. This album, recorded less then two years before his untimely death, presents him totally exposed, as any solo piano album does – just him, his music and the instrument. Although freely improvised, the music is exquisitely lyrical and although deeply personal it is also communicative. It does require total attention and open-mindedness from the listener, as any great music does, but it is proportionally rewarding. Miller's many admirers need no further encouragement to grab this superb historic document. A must to all British Free Jazz enthusiasts!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the tiny Crescent label owned by guitarist Phil Miller:

 

 

British pianist / composer Steve Miller, who lost the battle with cancer in 1998, was one of the greatest musicians on the local scene. From the early days on the Canterbury scene as member of such bands as Delivery and Caravan and later on as a member of the Free Jazz community, his output was consistently excellent and inspiring. K.Ostra was Miller's last band with which he worked up to the last days of his life. This album captures the band live just two months before Miller's untimely death and is a momentous document of his vitality and courage, while fighting his illness. The music is challenging and often quite complex, as appropriate for such freely improvised setting, but the group plays wonderfully together and Miller's acoustic piano and synthesizer performances are breathtaking. His compositional skills are also evident here quite clearly, as he composed the entire music included herein. Miller's many admirers need no further encouragement to grab this superb historic document. A must to all British Free Jazz enthusiasts!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the tiny Crescent label owned by guitarist Phil Miller:

 

 

British guitarist / composer Phil Miller and his ensemble In Cahoots are one of the most interesting groups on the Jazzy side of the Canterbury scene. Miller's numerous recordings over the years have been consistently excellent and a great source of inspired and inspiring music. This album is a series of duets recorded with In Cahoots bassist Fred Baker, who is a great guitar player as well, as demonstrated here. They perform a series of duets, with Baker altering between bass and guitar, which works out wonderfully well. The music is mostly composed by Miller with Baker contributing a couple of his compositions. Both the interplay between the two musicians and the individual performances are superb and I probably don't need to recommend this one much more, as Miller already enjoys a faithful following all over the years since many years, all of it well deserved indeed. A must to all Canterbury scene fans!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the wonderful British reissues label Vocalion Records:

 

 

British Funk-Jazz outfit Olympic Runners were active on the local scene during the 1970s, releasing a series of albums which gained relatively little attention in spite of their classy content. The group was initially an instrumental quartet and included keyboardist Pete Wingfield, American guitarist Joe Jammer, bassist Delisle Harper and drummer Glen LeFleur. Under the wings of veteran producer Mike Vernon (who plays occasional percussion on the second album) they managed to gain some attention in the US later on. This album includes the first two releases recorded by the group, which includes some great funky grooves somewhat similar to Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. Since Funk is Funk, the material remains relevant today and still induces some involuntary backside movement. Watch out!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the wonderful British reissues label Vocalion Records:

 

 

Saxophonist / composer / bandleader Johnny Dankworth is one of the Godfathers of modern British Jazz. His activities on the local and international scenes since the early 1950s were instrumental in establishing a whole new generation of Jazz players, which eventually led to the flourishing and revolutionary British Jazz of the 1960s. After his first group - the Johnny Dankworth Seven – disbanded, Dankworth established the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra, the first British modern Big Band, which consisted of the best Jazz players in Britain at the time. Dankworth's superb compositions and magnificent arrangements, aided by the virtuosity of his band members, were among the finest in the world and easily compared to the American Big Bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and others, often surpassing their output with the sophistication and finesse of its works. This great reissue presents Dankworth's first two recordings with his Orchestra, the debut "Journey Into Jazz", which includes the suite "Itinerary of an Orchestra" – Dankworth's presentation of a Jazz Orchestra similar in concept to Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". As most of Dankworth's compositions the arrangements were made by the excellent "in house" arranger David Lindup. "5 Steps Into Dankworth", subtitled "Presenting the Music of Johnny Dankworth", concentrates on his talents as a composer and emphasized the magnificent full power of the Big Band. Together these two albums are a true treasure of great music, which lost nothing of its power and ingenuity over the years and sound completely relevant today. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the wonderful British reissues label Vocalion Records:

 

 

Drummer / composer / arranger Tony Kinsey was one of the brightest stars on the modern British Jazz scene at its inception. Founder member of the Johnny Dankworth Seven in 1950, Kinsey later started to lead his own quintet and the first of the two albums included on this wonderful reissue is his debut recording with that quintet. Featuring a double saxophone front line the quintet included saxophonists Don Rendell and Ronnie Ross, pianist / vibraphonist Bill Le Sage and bassist Pete Blannin. The second album is a live recording done just a few months after the debut and features the same rhythm section with two different saxophonists: Joe Harriott and Bob Efford. The music is mostly Jazz standards with few originals by Kinsey, Le Sage and Harriott, but the arrangements are completely different from the usual Be Bop approach, adding some Cool and European tradition into the mix. The result clearly shows the seeds of the complete revolution and emancipation from the American Jazz that would follow just a few years after these recordings were made. Clearly Rendell and Harriott are such virtuosi players that they could blow any American saxophonist off the stage with ease. This is some of the best European early modern Jazz and the beautifully remastered sound just makes everything perfect. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

 

 

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Here are some new additions on the wonderful British reissues label Vocalion Records:

 

 

By the late 1970s the fantastic British Jazz scene, which thrived during the previous two decades producing some of the most revolutionary music ever and breaking many barriers of conceptual approach to Jazz, was unfortunately suffering badly. Many different factors contributed to this phenomenon: musical, social, economic and so on, but the situation "on the ground" was getting pretty desperate, with major record labels almost completely banning Jazz material from their repertoire of new releases, contrary to their traditional support of Jazz music. This new development opened a new opportunity for small independent British labels to step in and provide a platform, which would enable British Jazz musicians to record and release their music. One of such labels was the tiny, but excellent Lee Lambert label and this album is a long overdue reissue of two of the albums original released by that label in the late 1970s. Drummer Martin Drew presents an album recorded by his quintet / sextet with superb musicians: saxophonist Brian Smith, vibraphonist Bill Le Sage, pianist John Taylor, bassist Ron Mathewson and percussionist Chris Fletcher. Pianist Tony Lee presents an album recorded by his quartet with bassist Tony Archer, drummer Martin Drew and congas player Tony Uter. Both albums are full of excellent musicianship and great ideas. The music includes mostly Jazz standards but there's nothing standard about the way they are performed here. Both albums are excellent examples of how mainstream Jazz can be of high quality and completely devoid of boredom. Highly recommended!

 

 

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Here are a few new additions on the wonderful British reissues label BGO:

 

 

Drummer / bandleader Buddy Rich was for many years an iconic figure on the US Jazz scene, first as drummer in big bands led by Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey and later as a leader of his own Big Band. His incredible technique, speed, power and inventiveness as well as his personal charisma and a dry sense of humor soon awarded him the title of “the world’s greatest drummer”, which was largely true as far as mainstream / swing Big Band Jazz was concerned. His bands featured over the years some of the best players on the scene and the music was meticulously arranged to achieve the maximal effect as far as Big Band sound is concerned. This wonderful album, recorded live at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s club in London, is probably one of the best recordings Rich ever made. The club’s intimate atmosphere and sympathetic crowd, as well as the acoustics of the venue, contribute greatly to the music, which is performed with flair and vengeance. For Big Band enthusiasts this is an absolute must, and it serves as a great document of the era as well as the Big Band phenomenon, which is almost gone today. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here are three new additions on the superb Swiss Hat Hut label:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the great album by the trio Clusone 3, which includes saxophonist / clarinetist Michael Moore, cellist Ernst Reijseger and drummer Han Bennink. The trio plays their interpretations of standards composed by Irving Berlin, definitely a "strange" choice by musicians usually associated with Free Jazz / Improvised Music. Although Berlin's memorable melodies are being stretched and stripped down to the bone by the trio, their magic is still there for the trained ear. Enthusiasts of the genre will find this both fascinating and stimulating, as these are superb players and improvisers doing what they do best. Recommended!

 

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the beautiful album by Austrian trumpeter / composer Franz Koglmann, one of the most important representatives of European Free Jazz scene. The album includes two separate sessions, one with a quartet, which includes the wonderful veteran British clarinetist Tony Coe (definitely one of top world clarinet players), guitarist Burkhard Stangl and bassist Klaus Koch, and the other a duet with pianist Misha Mengelberg. Most of the music is composed by Koglmann with a few compositions by other arranged by him. The album presents a wonderful atmosphere of melodic approach to modern Jazz, mixed with improvised passages and highly individualistic soloing. All the musicians perform beautifully, especially Coe, who has been my favorite for decades. This album is accessible to most Jazz listeners, well beyond the Free Jazz genre, as its gentle approach and deep aesthetics transcendent musical borders. Superb stuff!

 

 

 

The trio Trapist led by Austrian percussionist / electronic artist / composer Martin Brandlmayr with guitarist Martin Siewert and bassist Joe Williamson is one of contemporary Improvised Music most respected outfits. This album, their debut recording, captures them live performing their music using their respective instruments in a most unusual way as well as electronics and computers. The result is an experimental and strange amalgam of noises and sounds, which represents the extreme avant-garde of not only Jazz but also Rock and other contemporary genres. Completely devoid of any structure or concept, this is more like a group thought process expressed in sounds. Listeners looking for melody and harmony will have to look elsewhere, but the adventurous and courageous ones might find here just what they're looking for.

 

 

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Here is a couple of new additions on the great US reissues label Wounded Bird Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album recorded by bassist Ron Carter following the demise of the Miles Davis second quintet. Supported by a great cast of musicians, which includes flautist Hubert Laws, guitarist Sam Brown, pianist Herbie Hancock and drummers Billy Cobham and Grady Tate, Carter presents a set of his original compositions. The music is adventurous and atmospheric, but at the same time melodic and well structured, with plenty of space for soloing. Carter's bass playing is of course beyond reproach, his virtuosity clearly evident. The album was initially released on the tiny Embryo label, which was Atlantic's "experimental" imprint and was a sought after collectors' item for many years. It's great to see this great piece of music available again. Not to be missed, especially by bass enthusiasts!

 

 

 

Legendary US bassist Ron Carter, one of the great Jazz veterans of the genre and the backbone of countless Jazz recordings, presents here a series of new compositions accompanied by other great musicians: trumpeter Art Farmer, saxophonist Bill Evans and drummer Tony Williams. This piano-less quartet might sound slightly unusual at first, but just a few bars into the music it becomes clear that they are s superb unit of Master musicians. Both Farmer and Evans solo with confidence and flair, Williams displays his usual pyrotechnics, which is second to none, and Carter confidently and with virtuosity sets the pace and puts down the backbone at all time. His beautiful tone (excellently recorded) is overwhelming and inspiring. The music includes four compositions by Carter and two by Williams and although it's not experimental or particularly innovating, is well structured and makes perfect sense musically, allowing plenty of space for soloing. Carter's solos are of course, as always, full of inspiration and virtuosity and Williams proves to be a perfect partner – well they did play together for many years in the legendary Miles Davis second quintet after all. This album is an absolute must for all bass enthusiasts, but every Jazz lover will find plenty of great music here.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

2^nd album by the British band Web fronted by singer John L. Watson. The band played a nice mix of Pop, Rock, Psychedelia and Jazz, which still sounds good today, but lacks a focal point, which they only found on their next seminal album. Apart from Watson, the band included guitarists Tony Edwards and John Eaton, saxophonist Tom Harris, bassist Dick Lee-Smith, vibraphonist / percussionist Lennie Wright and drummer Kenny Beveridge. The great pianist Gordon Beck guests on one tune. The material is a mixture of originals and standards and overall is very well played. The late 1960s sound and production create that sound, which unfortunately is lost forever, which is another good reason to give this album a spin. Recommended!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

3^rd and last album by the British band Web, which is a little known early Jazz-Rock / Prog masterpiece and a beautiful example of the musical freedom enjoyed by the musicians at the time. The members of Web recruited the keyboardist / composer Dave Lawson after their lead singer John L. Watson left to pursue a solo career. Lawson wrote a bunch of new material for this album and his strong Jazz background strengthened the already existing Jazz elements in the band, turning it into one of the finest examples of early British Jazz-Rock. The excellent music included a lengthy suite in 6 parts, which became the band's signature tune. Apart from Lawson, the band included guitarist Tony Edwards, saxophonist Tom Harris, bassist John Eaton, vibraphonist / percussionist Lennie Wright and drummer Kenny Beveridge. Soon after this album was released, the band changed their name to Samurai and recorded one more album under that name. In retrospect the album still sounds great after all these years and is a superb source of musical inspiration. A must to every fan of early British Jazz-Rock and good music in general!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

5^th album by the wonderful British singer / songwriter Claire Hamill, who recorded her first four albums in the early 1970s, which were beautiful Folk-Rock / Prog creations, and then disappeared from the scene for several years. She re-appeared in the early 1980s as the lead singer with the band Wishbone Ash, and after leaving the band recorded this solo album. She delivers a set of great songs and is accompanied by many excellent musicians, but the album suffers from the 1980s production techniques, which soaked everything in cheesy synthesized sounds. Once these are (mentally) filtered out, the remaining content is excellent and memorable. Definitely worth checking out!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

This wonderful album by bassist / singer / composer Jack Bruce was unfortunately lost somewhere along the way, drawing little attention, although it is as good in every respect as the rest of the material Bruce recorded through the 1970s as a solo artist and leader of the Jack Bruce Band. A beautiful set of songs composed by Bruce and as usual with lyrics supplied by his poet-friend Pete Brown comprise the bulk of the material and are exceptionally intelligent and moving. The stellar band accompanying him on this recording includes guitarist Clem Clempson (Colosseum), keyboardist David Sancious and drummer Billy Cobham. Bruce delivers the vocals in a completely unique fashion, his operatic abilities evident as always and the instrumental work is spotless and sympathetic. Considering Bruce's songwriting abilities one wonders why he remains to be known only among a relatively small circle of friends and admirers, rather than being appreciated and treasures more wildly. Well he's obviously simply too good for his own good. Brilliant stuff and a most welcome reissue!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

3^rd and last album by the short-lived Anglo-American super-group West, Bruce & Laing consisting of guitarist Leslie West and drummer Corky Laing from the American band Mountain and British bassist / vocalist / songwriter extraordinaire Jack Bruce, of Cream fame. The group came together after both the first incarnation of Mountain and the Jack Bruce Band fell apart and was almost a "natural" choice of participants, considering the many parallels between Mountain and Cream, both stylistically and personally via Mountain member and Cream producer Felix Pappalardi. This live recording is a great document of the level of energy involved in the group's performances and the virtuosity of its members. Bruce's bass playing is simply spectacular, as are his vocals and he is especially strong on his own compositions. People who like Cream's live recordings, with expanded song versions, will enjoy this stuff immensely and the younger people can hear what Rock was all about, when it was truly rocking.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

5^th album by the excellent British Prog band Curved Air and the first live recording done by the group after it re-formed following the hiatus of the two preceding years when founding members Darryl Way (violin) and Francis Monkman (guitar and keyboards) left to follow solo careers. The re-united group was fronted (as always) by the divine singer Sonja Kristina and included also the fourth founding member drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa, with just one new member bassist Phil Kohn. The material includes songs from the first three seminal albums the band recorded, but the energetic and virtuoso performances on these live dates make it even stronger that the original recordings. Kristina is particularly brilliant with her strongest and most expressive voice ever recorded and with energies equal to those of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. In retrospect this is certainly one of the strongest live Prog albums ever recorded and certainly the best British female vocalist in that genre recorded live. Not to be missed!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

This is the only formally released album by this trio, which included brothers Peter Giles (bass) and Mike Giles (drums) and legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, which in retrospect turned out to be one of the most pivotal albums in the history of Rock. Not only did it outline the foundations on which King Crimson was to be based musically, but it also marked the birth of Prog or rather the transition between the Psychedelic and the Progressive Rock genres. The music is excellent of course, with Fripp`s guitar prominently featured. There are some Psychedelic elements but also a lot of jazz influences and a lot of the typical British whacky humor. This is essential Prog history!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

4^th and last album by the British (Northern Ireland) Prog group Fruupp founded by guitarist / songwriter / vocalist Vincent McCusker with Stephen Huston on keyboards, oboe and vocals, Peter Farrelly on bass and Martin Foye on drums. By the time this album was recorded Huston was replaced by John Mason. The band was a typical Prog outfit and often played alongside other Prog bands of the time, such as Genesis. Their music, mostly melodic and well structured, combined elements of Rock with Folk and Classical influences and was consistently excellent, as was their playing and singing. This album is considered by many as their best work, alas ironically it was to be their last, as the band fall apart soon after in the turbulent period that victimized most Prog bands of the 1970s. In retrospect they deserved more attention that they managed to achieve, as their recorded legacy – four great albums – ranks among the best of the genre. Definitely worth having and an integral part of any serious Prog collection.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

2^nd album by the British (Northern Ireland) Prog group Fruupp led by guitarist / songwriter / vocalist Vincent McCusker with Stephen Huston on keyboards, oboe and vocals, Peter Farrelly on bass and Martin Foye on drums. The band was a typical Prog outfit and often played alongside other Prog bands of the time, such as Genesis. Their music, mostly melodic and well structured, combined elements of Rock with Folk and Classical influences and was consistently excellent, as was their playing and singing. In retrospect they deserved more attention that they managed to achieve, as their recorded legacy – four great albums – ranks among the best of the genre. Definitely worth having and an integral part of any serious Prog collection.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

Japanese percussionist / composer Stomu Yamash`ta settled in England in 1972, after studying music in his native country and later in the USA. He worked mainly as a composer for theatre music, but his signing as a recording artist for the Island label brought his work to the attention of a wider audience, which later led to him forming the group East Wind, which recorded this exceptional album. Combining forces with some of the best British musicians at the time, the band included Yamash`ta on drums and percussion, his wife Hisako Yamash`ta on violin, guitarist Gary Boyle (Isotope), keyboardist Brian Gascoigne, and bassist Hugh Hopper (Soft Machine). The music is a wonderful fusion of Western and Far Eastern elements as well as many cross genre excursions, from atmospheric ambient to high spirited Jazz-Rock Fusion. Although Yamash`ta became mostly known for the "Go" recordings, which were done a few years later, this is truly his most remarkable album recorded for Island and the one that withstands the test of time most adamantly. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

1^st album by the obscure British Prog band Stud, formed by two ex-Taste members: bassist Richard McCracken and drummer John Wilson joined by guitarist Jim Cregan (ex-Blossom Toes). Two guest musicians also play on this album: violinist John Weider and vibraphonist Poli Palmer (both later associated with Family). The resulting music is quite interesting, moving between Folk-Rock inspired pieces and long jazzy improvisations, sometimes quite adventurous. The players display a high level of skill and imagination and the overall result is often quite surprising. The album has been unavailable for ages and the original LP is a highly sought after collectors’ item. This reissue creates a new opportunity for Prog and Jazz-Rock fans to get acquainted with this little gem.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

2^nd album by one of the most fascinating early British Prog / Jazz-Rock bands East Of Eden, co-led by violinist Dave Arbus and saxophonist Ron Caines and including guitarist Geoff Nicholson, bassist Andy Sneddon and drummer Geoff Britton. The band played a completely unique amalgam of Rock, Jazz and World Music (in fact they were amongst the first bands to incorporate exotic melodies and rhythm patterns borrowed from distant cultures). The resulting material is truly mesmerizing, switching rapidly between purely melodic passages into electrifying improvisations, sometimes almost free form. In retrospect this is definitely one of the more accomplished works recorded at the time, still completely relevant four decades later. The extensive bonus material includes the tracks recorded for an aborted album, as well as the bands unexpected hit “Jig-a-Jig”, which was their only, albeit short lived, flirt with commercial success. A classic of the genre and a must in any serious record collection!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

2^nd and last album by Welsh power trio Love Sculpture led by the immensely talented guitarist Dave Edmunds, who also sings and plays piano, with bassist John Williams and drummer Bob Jones. On this album the band moves away from the Blues-Rock direction, which dominated the debut, moving into the Psychedelic and Progressive genres. Dominated by the immense success of their single, which presented an instrumental version of Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" and was a worldwide hit, the band recorded two more arrangements of classical pieces: Gustav Holst's "Mars" and Georges Bizet's "Farandole", all exceptional showcases for Edmunds' spectacular guitar playing. The album turned out to be a classic and in retrospective still serves as a great document of the era. Guitar freaks rejoice!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the great reissues British label Esoteric Records with some of the treasures from the past:

 

 

1^st album by Welsh power trio Love Sculpture led by the immensely talented guitarist Dave Edmunds, who also sings and plays piano, with bassist John Williams and drummer Bob Jones. The album is a great example of Blues-Rock with solid performances and exceptional guitar soloing by Edmunds, whose licks resemble those of Eric Clapton during his stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. The material comprises mostly of Blues standards written by famous American Blues artists, with one instrumental co-written by the band members and a wonderful version of George Gershwin's "Summertime". This is a notable debut, which shows the band already at its full strength and a memorable document of the British Blues revival, which was at its peak at the time. Blues guitar fans still wet their lips hearing this after all these years!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

The meeting between saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach in early 1970s established not only an excellent musical cooperation, as documented by the albums they recorded together, but also a deep personal friendship. Later the pair joined forces with two Jazz giants, bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster, forming a quartet, which was named Quest, and which recorded the debut album under that name in 1981. When Mraz and Foster left the quartet to pursue other avenues, they were replaced by bassist Ron McClure and drummer Billy Hart and the quartet played on for a few years, but never recorded, eventually falling apart. But good fortune had it to reunite the quartet in 2005 for en European tour, with some gigs being recorded, as heard here. Considering the fact that these are all veteran monster musicians, I suppose it takes no effort to convince anybody that this music is exceptionally good from start to end. This is no nostalgic get together, but a serious blow out of contemporary Jazz by the best players around, so don't think twice!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the superb album by British pianist / composer / bandleader Mike Westbrook and his orchestra, paying tribute to the genius of Duke Ellington, the great American Jazz composer. In contrast to most tribute albums, Westbrook does not present his interpretations or new arrangements of Ellington's music, but composes completely new music himself, which relates to the many complex aspects of "Ellintonia" such as harmony and melody, in spirit rather than literally to his music. As usual in Westbrook's case, the music is outstanding, as are the performances by his orchestra members, which includes his wife and musical companion Kate Westbrook on flutes and voice, trumpeter Phil Minton, saxophonist Chris Biscoe, guitarist Brian Godding, drummer Tony Marsh, and others. Westbrook's followers know exactly what to expect from him as he never fails to amaze and surprise, other might perhaps finally discover him, as he is one of those well kept secrets, which once discovered stay with you for life. Grab it!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony Braxton, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20^th Century Free Jazz and avant-garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John Coltrane era. The album captures a recording of a trio, one of Braxton's favorite settings, with him playing saxophones, clarinet and flute, accompanied by German bassist Adelhard Roidinger and legendary British drummer Tony Oxley. The music includes five original compositions by Braxton, one by Oxley and one standard. The level of virtuosity in interplay is simply astounding and this album surely deserves an honorable place in any serious Free Jazz collection. The intercontinental meeting of improvising forces and talents works beautifully, soaring to previously undiscovered heights. This is an absolutely essential example of Free Jazz, for those who are connoisseurs of the genre, which is not to be missed, especially for the second time around.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony Braxton, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20^th Century Free Jazz and avant-garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John Coltrane era. The album captures a live concert, recorded in Germany (Braxton was always an icon in Europe, and hardly ever taken seriously at home), with Braxton conducting a huge orchestra performing his compositions. The orchestra includes some of the most important and celebrated Free Jazz players, such as trumpeters Kenny Wheeler and Leo Smith, saxophonists Vinny Golia and Marty Ehrlich, trombonists Ray Anderson and George Lewis, pianist Marilyn Crispell, bassist John Lindberg and many others. The sound and overall effect of the orchestra performing this music is simply magnificent, and leaves the listener completely dazed. The music just rolls on all over one's mind, constantly entering new territory both sonically and rhythmically. People familiar with Braxton's music need no encouragement to plunge into this masterpiece, and those less familiar should definitely try this one in particular, as it might prove to be more accessible. Definitely a masterpiece!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This album presents the compositions by two of America's most iconic Jazz composers: Anthony Braxton and Duke Ellington. Although seemingly totally separated and different, the works of these two composers are reflections of their respective eras. Ellington symbolizes the sophistication of the Jazz Art Form at its peak; at least as far as Jazz composition is concerned, and marks the turning point of Jazz, when its musical qualities finally reached the level of complexity and sophistication of the Classical Music heritage. Braxton symbolizes the next giant step in the development of Jazz, when it finally freed itself from any preconceptions and limitations, concentrating on its intrinsic quality, i.e. improvisation. Side by side, these compositions can certainly compliment each other, especially when performed by an excellent quartet of European musicians, two of which have recorded Braxton's music before under his supervision: Swiss trombonist Roland Dahinden and pianist Hildegard Kleeb with Greek violinist Dimitris Polisoidis and Austrian electronic musician Robert Höldrich. The performances are virtuosic and the music, although difficult and demanding, offers besides the obvious challenges also many hidden treasures associated with contemporary Improvised Music. For serious listeners only!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader John Zorn, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20^th Century avant-garde and music experimentation scenes. "Cobra" is one of the earlier monumental works by Zorn, which established him as a member of the "major" league of contemporary composers, such as Morton Feldman, Frederic Rzewski, Karlheinz Stockhausen and other icons of the "new" serious contemporary music. Many of the compositional devices used by his contemporaries are present here, as the music is basically a freely improvised collage of sounds made by electronic, electric and acoustic instruments and human voices. In places it is similar to musique concrète, in others to an ambient soundtrack, and so on, changing constantly. However, what sets it apart from most avant-garde music is an intrinsic connection to Jazz and Rock, evident clearly at places, especially in phrases played by the electric guitars (played by Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsey and Elliott Sharp. This album includes two quite different versions of the music, the earlier one recorded live and the slightly later one recorded in the studio. It's fascinating to compare the two, as they are truly revealing as to the process of music creation in an improvised environment. This is not an easy listening experience and it was never intended to be one – total open-mindedness is absolutely required, but the intellectual reward is exhilarating and elating. Come on you brave-hearted…

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the delightful album by a great trio comprising of saxophonist John Zorn, trombonist George Lewis and guitarist Bill Frisell, musicians who are usually associated with the Free Jazz / avant-garde US scene, but on this album reexamine their roots and play their brilliant interpretations of Bop Jazz, composed by four great musicians / composers, who were active in the 1950s and 1960s: trumpeter Kenny Dorham and pianists Hank Mobley, Freddie Redd and Sonny Clark. Although truly unusual as far as instrumentation is concerned, this trio sounds just brilliantly and their redemption of these wonderful but mostly forgotten tunes composed decades earlier is remarkable and sounds fresh and innovative in every respect. Add to this the exceptional ability of the trio members and their phenomenal interplay and you get a brilliant album from start to finish. Listeners familiar with the work of these three iconic musicians will be delighted to hear them in this setting and people unfamiliar with them can hear this without fear of heavy intellectual struggle with the music, as it is accessible and melodic as much as it is brilliant!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This long overdue reissue of the legendary debut album by the quartet led by saxophonist / clarinetist / flautist / composer John Carter and trumpeter Bobby Bradford, with Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman on drums, is a tribute to the great era of American Jazz, when groundbreaking music was being created there on momentous scale. The quartet was operating under the cooperative name New Art Jazz Ensemble, typical of the period's social / philosophical climate of unity and cooperation on one hand and high appreciation of individual expression and genius on the other. The music expands the tradition already established by Free Jazz pioneers like Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and John Coltrane, but is completely unique and refreshing. Carter's virtuosity (my favorite being his clarinet playing) and compositional skills place him immediately at the spearhead of the burgeoning musical revolution taking place at the time, a position he would firmly keep up for decades to come. The interplay between Carter and Branford is reminiscent of the superb dialogue between Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry, but the level of telepathic conversation seems to be even more intimate. The most amazing aspect of the album is its total lack of aggressiveness; the music tickles the intellect constantly rather than banging the listener right on his head in an attempt to create a shock treatment affect, an approach often used by other Free Jazz / avant-garde players. As a result the music is listenable even to a less experienced Jazz enthusiast, who might find most of other Free Jazz experimentation too overwhelming or aesthetically shocking. In retrospect this album is a Jazz masterpiece in every respect and a worthy addition to every serious music collection. Having it available again is a true blessing and a new chance to get acquainted with a true lost treasure.

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

2^nd album by the excellent quartet co-led by legendary US saxophonist Dave Liebman and his somewhat younger colleague saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, with bassist Tony Marino and drummer Jim Black. The two saxophonists share the leadership on equal footing, playing both individually and collectively with passion and almost telepathic rapport. The material, mostly written by the ensemble members with the exception of one tune composed by Eric Dolphy, is truly inspiring and moves freely between "straightforward" modern jazz and free improvisation. The technical skills of the musicians are astounding and the collective performances breathtaking. The album is a perfect example of superb contemporary Jazz, which successfully avoids the traps of trying to be "likeable" and stays faithful to the principles of artistic expression and exploration. Liebman's career is an example of dedication to one's true vocation and his consistently excellent work over the years is a beacon for future generations of Jazz players, with this album being no exception. A must for any experienced Jazz listener armed with a pair of open ears and adventurous spirit!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

British pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Mike Westbrook has been a most prominent figure on the European Jazz and avant-garde scene since the 1960s and his enormous contribution to music is immeasurable. His numerous recordings, varying in scale from solo piano to large orchestras have always been a source of inspiration and full of deeply aesthetic statements, often combining music with European literary legacy. This recording, which is somewhat unusual for Westbrook, finds him interpreting classical music, namely excerpts from operas by Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini ("William Tell", "The Barber Of Seville", "Otello"), completely rearranging and altering the source and shaping it into a new mold, mixed with some additions of his own. The music is performed by a septet, which includes Westbrook on piano and tuba, his wife and faithful musical companion Kate Westbrook on vocals, piccolo and tenor horn, Lindsay Cooper on soprano saxophone, Peter Whyman on alto saxophone, Paul Nieman on trombone, Andy Grappy on tuba and Peter Fairclough on drums. The overall effect is absolutely stunning, full of brilliant ideas, breathtaking performances and a dash of humor, which often characterizes Westbrook's work. Stylistically the music covers everything from New Orleans marching bands to a New York loft avant-garde performance, with a truly remarkable fluidity and brilliance. This is a treat for true connoisseurs of madcap but genius music, intellectually challenging and culturally transcending the borders of time and space. A true masterpiece! The original release of this album was unfortunately unavailable for ages and the new edition is a godsend for music lovers.

 

 

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