New releases last four weeks: Funk Soul & Jazz

Notes: The Philly Issue commemorates some of the most influential and industrious musicians from the City of Brotherly Love. Issue 33 dives into Gamble and Huff, Teddy Pendergrass, and the Stylistics, among many others from the soul, jazz, and hip-hop communities that have long flourished in this cultural mecca.

You'll find rare insights from legends like Thom Bell, Bunny Sigler, and The Delfonics, plus behind-the-scenes stories from the studios where TSOP - The Sound of Philadelphia - was born. We connect the dots from doo-wop to disco, soul to hip-hopiuncovering how Philly carved out a sound both timeless and revolutionary.

Contents Include:

Gamble & Huff, Teddy Pendergrass, Questlove, The Stylistics, Odean Pope, Vince Montana, Howard Tate, First Choice, Sonny Hopson, Jneiro Jarel and more.

Review: Ben Webster and Associates marked the final collaboration between tenor saxophone legends Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, with veteran Budd Johnson joining them. The album was originally released in 1959 and featured a lineup including trumpeter Roy Eldridge, guitarist Les Spann, pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jo Jones. It has many timeless standards like 'Time After Time' and Ellington's 'In a Mellow Tone' along with three original Webster compositions, all of which have been transferred from the original analogue tapes and remastered. The album served somewhat as a tribute to Lester Young, a tenor master from the same era who had died under a month before the session.

Review: Norwegian pianist and composer Bugge Wesseltoft, a jazz innovator known for the diversity of his sound, is back with 'Am Are,' which is an expressive exploration of many sonic textures and dynamic contrasts. This album showcases Wesseltoft's inspiring collaborations with a constellation of superb musicians who bridge generations and styles. From sparse arrangements to complex layers of dubs and loops, Am Are highlights the power of human connection through improvisational interplay. Wesseltoft's curated selection demonstrates his passion for projects that spark creativity and celebrate the beauty of musical communication and make another fine addition to his catalogue.

Review: Ben Westbeech returns with his first solo full-length since 2011's There's More To Life Than This, marking a new chapter in a varied career as a singer-songwriter, DJ, hit producer and curator. The Glitterbox release hears Westbeech step back from the mic to focus fully on production and arrangement, bringing together a cast of musicians to channel a message of self-empowerment and inner peace, through pristine delays, diachronic desert grooves and a freed disco-bedience. Joined by fellows RAHH, Dames Browbn and Obi Franky, Westbeech's latest is a full-length ode to changing times and inner openness.

Review: The fifth album by Young Gun Silver Fox - Andy Platts and Shawn Lee - further explores their love for the smooth, sun-soaked 70s West Coast pop-rock and soul. Musing on Steely Dan, Earth, Wind & Fire, and the Doobie Brothers, the pair came together in Norfolk to write and record in person, with over half the record's tracks emerging from these in-studio sessions. Known for a rapidly growing following in the UK and Europe, Young Gun Silver Fox have also made waves in the U.S., wrapping up their biggest tour yet, including sold-out shows and support dates with Black Pumas. As Andy reflects, "I just smell the ocean and the air... and I can just kick back and enjoy it."

Review: Ziggy and the extended ZFEX crew return with their most ambitious project yet, a double album that dives deep into the tension between creative instinct and artistic intention. Spanning 15 tracks recorded between Berlin and London, the record sees the collective pushing their signature fusion of jazz, funk, and electronic influences into bold new spaces, with a fresh embrace of disco and highlife grooves. Throughout, vintage synths and off-kilter percussion meet the addition of electric guitar, adding a raw, expressive edge to the band's evolving sound. 'Astras Theme' sets the stage with a swirling, cinematic introduction, while 'Radicalise' brings a frenetic energy, driven by tightly wound rhythms and razor-sharp instrumentation. Elsewhere, 'Shine Your Light' channels a cosmic funk sensibility, balancing the album's introspective moments with sheer dancefloor exuberance. With contributions from a diverse lineup of forward-thinking musicians across Europe, the UK, and Australiaiincluding appearances from Oscar Jerome and Tom Driesslerithis record stands as the most dynamic and exploratory incarnation of ZFEX to date. It's a project that refuses to sit still, capturing the restless spirit of a band constantly evolving yet always deeply rooted in groove.