Back in stock: Jazz

Review: Keyboardist Stale Storlokken leads the trio through six stellar compositions, showcasing hypnotic, magical, and razor-sharp polyrhythms. The album - the follow up to their acclaimed album Arrival of The New Elders - maintains the band's signature groovy mix of high-energy rock and power jazz while incorporating more structure and reflection and displaying a more diverse and mature approach. Recorded and mixed by producer Mattias Glava, Mythical River solidifies Elephant9's position as a contemporary, timeless and futuristic band.

Review: Pete Jolly's Seasons, first released in 1970, is an early example of, one could say,'"environmental' cool jazz and ambient music. Seasons never saw a significant commercial release, though they say that if one successfully articulates the spirit of the time, one is rewarded with fame regardless: the ensuing cult following in the years after felt almost inevitable, and now that its flames are being fanned again, we can say with surety that the West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist's efforts will continue to be rewarded once more. Cycling through each season in a jumbled order, yet revelling in every possible sensory twist and turn characteristic of each season, we're met with an album that not only straddles the jazz and pop worlds in unprecedented ways, but also serves a premonitory rendition of hip-hop; the album is a favourite sample source of such greats as Cypress Hill, Jay Dee and Busta Rhymes.

Review: First released in 1970 and now reissued in conjunction with Light In The Attic and Future Days, Pete Jolly's Seasons first manifested on A&M Records as a series of live-composed melodies and textures, recalling the naturalisms of each passing season through their expression in jazz and funk. Starting naturally in spring before segueing into a verdant nature-scape, then briskly launching into a sandstorm, not long followed by an 'Autumn Festival' and an 'Indian Summer', the order of each season in Jolly's remit is not the same as their occurrence in reality; yet this is precisely what makes this early ambient, cool jazz opus so arresting; it's as though it came from another world.