Record Reviews

IAIN BALLAMY ~ RIVERSPHERE BABEL 25161 (Barcode: 5070004082703) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2025 Released: 2025 This is an album by British Jazz saxophonist / composer Iain BallamyFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Rob LuftFind albums by this artist, bassist Conor ChaplinFind albums by this artist and drummer Corrie DickFind albums by this artist. Trumpeters Laura JurdFind albums by this artist and Charlie BallamyFind albums by this artist guest on selected tracks. The album presents ten tracks, five of which are credited to the performing musicians, one each is by Ballamy and Luft, one is by Bill FrisellFind albums by this artist and two are by Antonio Carlos JobimFind albums by this artist. The music offers a beautiful mixture of Jazz and contemporary Ambient aura, with Ballamy’s seductive saxophone work, Luft’s spacy guitar layers and delicate rhythm section support, with excellent electric bass work. The resulting ambiance is quite unique, very romantic and relaxed, offering a pleasant, but not trivial listening experience. The three tracks featuring trumpets fit the rest of the material perfectly, staying within the same vein and adding a touch of Scandinavian Jazz moods. Overall, this is a refreshing, and highly satisfying experiment, expanding the Jazz elements with more contemporary electric ambient vistas, but all perfectly within the aesthetic borders one expects form musicians of the class of Ballamy. I had a surprisingly marvelous time listening to this album and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Updated: 01/12/2025Posted: 01/12/2025

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SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA ~ SWEET SISTER SUITE SPARTACUS 026 (Barcode: 880992150637) ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is a criminally little known British Jazz gem, an eight-parts suite composed and arranged by the brilliant Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, commissioned in 1996 by the Scottish National Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist (SNJOFind albums by this artist) directed by saxophonist / composer Tommy SmithFind albums by this artist. The suite was recorded only in 2017, three years after Wheeler’s departure, by the seventeen members of the SNJO and two guest soloists: trumpeter Laura JurdFind albums by this artist and Greek vocalist Irini ArabatziFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely stunning, as expected, a classic Wheeler piece of Art and a brilliant example of his extended orchestral works. Performed splendidly by the SNJO members and the two guests, the music flows flawlessly between the suite parts, always perfectly balanced and elegant. This album adds yet another splendid piece of Wheeler’s composed works to the long list of his orchestral Jazz masterpieces. The wonderful touch of adding vocalese to the Big Band arrangements, which in many cases were executed by the divine Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist, are superbly done here by the young Arabatzi, who is definitely worth keeping an eye (well, ear) on. The trumpet soli by Jurd are also excellent, and bear a certain nostalgic similarity to Wheeler’s tone. She is also definitely worth following. Overall, this album is a must to all British Jazz lovers, Kenny Wheeler fans and orchestral Jazz enthusiasts, offering some of the absolutely stunning modern British Jazz out there. The fact that this music was recorded over twenty years after Wheeler submitted it to the SNJO, is a sad reminder of twisted fate of British Jazz, but “better late than never” is perfectly right in this case, as it would have been criminal for this music to disappear unrecorded. Grab a copy while they last!

Updated: 11/02/2023Posted: 11/02/2023

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