Coming soon: Jazz

Review: A flummoxing fusion of jazz, soul and funk from 1972, Donald Byrd's Think Twice is ironically one of few jazz records that we don't really have to think twice about. Taken from the bokeh-grained, 1974 impressionistic prog-jazz opus Stepping Into Tomorrow - on which a whirlwind cast of performers including Mayuto Correa, Larry Mizell, Gary Bartz and Harvey Mason also appear - Byrd's unmistakable trumpet is heard whinnying across this LP-fronter, which rides serious thermals of flugelhorn, soprano and alto sax, ARP synth and backing choir. The vocals by Kay Haith are duly cautionary, insisting but seemingly also tantalising our worst impulses: "Maybe we oughta think twice... Before we start something nice / No need to sacrifice the spice in our lives, ooh ooh / our love's like fire and ice, pretty baby / That's why we oughta think twice..." A rare anti-YOLO anthem!

Review: This second instalment in the Spring Revisited seriesia collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Recordsioffers two expertly handled edits from across the Atlantic rooted in the fertile legacy of 70s New York soul. London's modern disco institution Dave Lee reinvents The Joneses' 'Love Contest' with his trademark finesse, giving the track a full-bodied groove-up without losing its bittersweet heart. The strings soar, the rhythm section locks tight, and Lee's decades-deep knowledge of disco and boogie shines through in every detail. On the flip, New York-based Coleen 'Cosmo' Murphy brings lush new life to Street People's 'I Wanna Get Over'. With sun-drenched keys, crisp hand percussion and subtle delays, she transforms heartache into late-night liberation. Both sides feel like love letters from DJ to danceflooriclassic soul refracted through contemporary ears, pressed on wax that looks and feels like it just time-travelled from 1979.

Review: Kyoto Jazz Sextet mark their tenth anniversary with a pressing 12" pressing, a fresh singular take on 'Dosojin No Uta', a traditional folk song from Nagano's Nozawa Onsen Village, now reimagined as a soul jazz piece. The track first surfaced in 2022 as a demo for the Dosojin Festival video and gained quiet buzz before finalisation in 2025 with new drums and bass. On the B-side is heard 'Extra Freedom', the Sextet's erstwhile most-streamed hit (now newly pressed to vinyl) plus a jazz reinterpretation of Shuya Okino's 'Still In Love', with Navasha Daya and Tomoki Sanders. This release is the first from KJCC, a creative collective founded by Okino flaunting key Kyoto jazz figures.

Review: Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting returns with a luminous new release on First Word, distilling a full spectrum of mood and meaning across six tracks. Known for her delicate command of space and melody she's joined here by collaborators like Alice Russell, Faye Houston, Aidan Thorne and Jon Reynoldsieach adding textural depth to Whiting's expansive vision. The opener 'Contented' is a warm breath of spiritual jazz, anchored by glistening harp and Faye's radiant vocals, while 'What Is It We Need?' pairs Alice Russell's soul-stirring delivery with upright bass and brushed drums. 'Intent' subtly flirts with jungle rhythms, a tempo lift that doesn't break the EP's introspective gaze. Elsewhere, 'It Could Be' is drenched in strings and light-touch percussion, perfect for golden-hour listening. It all closes on 'Moving On', a serene ambient fade that leaves room for reflection. Though classically trained, Whiting's output feels unbound by traditionicinematic yet grounded, with a quietly radical force. Thematically focused on womanhood, visibility and transformation, this EP is as confident as it is graceful. A compact but commanding work from one of the UK's most distinctive instrumental voices.