Juno Recommends Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz July 2021

Review: Greentea Peng is an unwilling star, but star she is set to be once the world cottons on to her first full length album. The neo-soul singer has been making waves in the underground for a while and now with the power of a full band really ups her game on a collection of personal songs, odes to the metaphysical and plenty in-between. Elements of dub and reggae, broken beat and jazz informed the music while she delivers her stylish vocal twangs with real character and panache up top. There is plenty to get stuck into here, especially in the warmer months.

Review: The Ruby Rushton gang is one of contemporary jazz's finest. They pull a wide range of influences into their music and have had an instantly recognisable sound since busting onto the scene with their still classic debut album Two For Joy. They reach the same heights again here with Giden's Way. 'Spanish Raga' was inspired by an evening out in Madrid in 2019 and floats on dreamy flutes while 'Fall From Grace' is lead by some virtuous sax and florid drum work. The flip side offers two more brilliantly busy but accessible, upbeat and sunny jazz jams.

Review: Detroit native Jason Hogans will not be a familiar name to many, despite the fact he has been putting out music - albeit sporadically - for 20 odd years. A release on Theo Parrish's hero-worshipped Sound Signature will always put you in the spotlight, though, especially when it's as good as this. The artist explores deep Motor City house, percussive broken beats and that shamanistic, off-grid sound that label head Theo Parrish is such a master of. Standouts include the airy, spacious beat work of 'Favorite Coffee Mug' and steamy post-jungle concoction that is 'For My Solids.'

Review: Jayda G is one of house music's most breakout and cross-over sensations in the last five years. She plays with an obvious passion for what she does, and that is mirrored by the tunes she makes and the selections she digs for. A DJ-kicks from her was always going to be a good time listen and so it proves - her own 'All I Need' takes some beating in the feel-good house realm, but the likes of HAAi's lo-fi shuffler 'Good Ol'Fashioned Rugs', disco stepper 'I Want Your Body' from Royale and House Of Jazz's super soulful 'Hold Your Head Up' come real close.

Review: American producer, sound engineer, and composer Art Stewart spent many years working for Motown (producing the likes of Marvin Gaye) before he founded Eboni Band in 1981. It put out only one album, which has been out of print and hard to find ever since. It features an incredible array of talent from Motown and Ivory Coast's Eboni Records including James Brown collaborator Fred Wesley and take sin disco, jazz, funk, world and afro influences. 'Sing A Happy Song (Shake It On Down)' opens with low slung, atmospheric funk, then 'Fasso' sinks into an ethno-jazz sound which is spine tinglingly spiritual and 'Desire' brings a disco party.

Review: Long based sax supremo Nubya Garcia's debut album was a real thing of beauty so it only makes sense it now gets revisited by a team of super remixers for this special Record Store Day release. Presented on limited edition turquoise marbled vinyl it opens with Makaya McCraven's airy and floaty light remix of 'Source' before DJ Tahira layers up 'Stand With Each Other' with ethno-grooves that are loose and off kilter. That tumbledown vibe continues on the scruffy deep house version of 'Together Is A Beautiful Place To Be' by Shy One before big jazz house feels from Mark De Clive-Lowe close things down.

Review: It's a busy month for Detroit veteran Brian 'Javonntte' Garrett, who has a new EP on The Jazz Dairies as well as this new 12" on Ten Lovers Landing simultaneously. He's an artist who cut his teeth playing on tour with Aretha Franklin so is the real deal. Jazz, house, broken beat, Latin rhythms and plenty more all feature in his work. Since the 90s his virtuoso keys have got people dancing and do so again here: 'March' is brilliantly off grid and loose, 'Parade' heads to the stars on cosmic safari and 'Riodashansepa' is all broken beats and busy key solos.

Review: Hailing from Salerno in Southern Italy, Bando Maje present their debut album on Four Flies Records. UFO Bar paints a picture of the pair's interests and experiences such as the local landscape, Neapolitan music, Italian soundtracks from the 70s, as well as B-movies, a passion for vinyl and cassette mixtapes, and afternoons spent watching third-division football. Peppe Maiellano (composer and keyboards) and Tonico Settanta (producer, rapper and DJ) head up the collective, featuring a revolving cast of members, all of whom are a bit like the lively port city they are from.

Review: Brooklyn, New York artist Snips follows up big release on Classic/Defected with a new album on his own label Barbershop Records. This one has a concept that finds the beatmaker drawing solely on gospel samples from his own personal record collection. As such, the record reworks the past into the future and serves as a reminder of the power of gospel to swell your heart and soul. The artist works those samples into all manner of lush frameworks from hip hop to soul, funk to house and there are some club friendly anthems amongst the results such as 'Feed The People' and 'Feel The Spirit.'