Andreya Triana – Lost Where I Belong review

by Juno Daily on 23.08.2010 at 13:46pm.
Last edited: 09.09.2010 at 11:15am.

This debut album on Ninja Tune from South London vocalist Andrea Triana is perhaps the most explicit example of the good work done by Red Bull Music Academy. It was her appearance at the 2006 event in Australia which led to her collaboration with Brainfeeder don Flying Lotus on his career making track “Tea Leaf Dancers” which impressed the likes of professional hushed tones speaker Gilles Peterson (the track appeared on a Brownswood compilation), Annie Mac and the Ninja Tune family. Triana subsequently appeared on albums from label mainstays Mr. Scruff and Bonobo. It’s Simon Green from the latter who produces the bulk of Lost Where I Belong.

After the soft orchestral tug of album opener “Draw the Stars” Triana finds her range on the title track which is complemented perfectly by the organic boombap and sweeping strings. It’s track such as this, the horn filled “Up In Fire” and “Far Closer” which make the most immediate impression, with the production on the latter approaching a Motown strut when Triana hits the chorus. Amidst a sea of somewhat average singer songwriter albums, Lost Where I Belong is distinguished by the sheer soul and range of Triana’s vocals which are allowed to shine throughout by the understated production.

Tony Poland

Natural Self feat. Elodie Rama – My Heart Beats: Remixes & Versions review

by Juno Daily on 19.08.2010 at 13:02pm.
Last edited: 19.08.2010 at 13:04pm.

A follow-up to their recent My Heart Beats Like a Drum album, Nathanial Pearn (aka Natural Self) and Elois Rama’s songs get put through their remix paces on this excellent set from Tru Thoughts. The result makes for a brilliantly eclectic mix of styles, all of which are realised perfectly by the personnel involved.

A great example of this are the two mixes of “My Heart Beats” by Prince Fatty, otherwise known as studio genius Mike Pelanconi, whose reggae alter-ego has been popular of late for his excellent covers of classic hip-hop tunes like “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “Insane In The Brain”. Here he delivers not only a pitch-perfect reggae interpretation of the original, but also a gorgeous dub that shows off his studio wizardry to the utmost – using authentic dub delays and reverbs that simply don’t get heard anymore. Another winning pair of mixes come from Jeremy Soles, who uses the cooing Cotton Club vocals of “Midnight Sun” to genius effect – creating a closely mic’d environment for the horns and jazz guitar to softly embellish the tune. They’ve even included a beatless version of Soles’ mix that really shows off the warm, live room sound achieved.

On a more contemporary tip, both Kidkanevil and Eliphino turn in grimey, post-dubstep mixes of “The Origin”, with Kidkanevil’s almost spewing out different analogue squeaks and glitches over a tough, half-stepping beat. Yult’s “Sub” mix of “The Shock You Heard” earns its title – featuring some seriously punchy bassy wobble underneath a stuttering beat. A final bonus features on the collection – a cover of Radiohead’s “Street Spirit” by Natural Self and Rama which interpolates DJ Shadow’s “Organ Donor” at the same time. This needs to be heard to be truly understood, and is just one reason to give this collection a thorough once-over.

Oliver Keens

Various – The Instrumental Session review

by Juno Daily on 13.08.2010 at 13:35pm.
Last edited: 13.08.2010 at 13:35pm.

Concentrating on the beats for this collection, Sonar Kollektiv have compiled a mouth-watering selection of instrumentals from their incredible stable of producers. With a selection of old and new, there’s as much here for the budding remixer as there is for fans of the German label’s inspired nu-jazz sound.

DJ Ghe’s “SchellePubaBeat” is a great choice to kick things off – flipping between different beats and samples like the instrumental of a hip-hop posse record, such as Mud Fam’s “Camden Wildlife” or Ultramagnetic MC’s “Chorus Line”. More conventional is the instrumental radio edit of Micatone’s “D-D-D-D-Dance” which shows the five-piece showing off their boogie funk styles over a midtempo beat that Quincy Jones would have been proud of during the “Thriller” sessions.

A real highlight is Jazzanova’s instrumental of their remix of 80’s soulsters Status IV’s “You Ain’t Really Down”. A tune that’s recently been remixed every which way after the acapella surfaced on the internet, Jazzanova really nail it and the instrumental shows why. A perfectly mixed set of toms, snaps, triangle and distant cymbals, this really is a drum track to get hold of if you’re into remixes – few producers make drums sound quite as good as this. Stee Downes’s “Obviously” on the other hand is a gentle and languid tune that doesn’t suffer at all from being shorn of it’ vocals – the tropicalia-inspired acoustic guitars and retro synths pluck out enough of a melody to keep you hooked.

Seiji’s instrumental remix of Reunion’s “Strange Attention” is perhaps the most vibrant beat on the collection – a nu-jazz/broken beat beauty that keeps the snares clattering and the bass thick, it’s ripe for some vocal addition. But you have to hand it to Jazzanova, who also include a beat-only version of their classic cut & paste track “LOVE”. Only using about two bars of each sample, the funk breaks fly by in quick succession and leave you slack-jawed at just how well they’re made to fit together. This album will certainly get plenty of intense listens, from fans and producers alike.

Oliver Keens

Jono McCleery – Tomorrow review

by Juno Daily on 04.08.2010 at 11:47am.
Last edited: 04.08.2010 at 11:56am.

A new signing to Ninja Tune and a calm, soothing presence on a label better known for beats and breaks, Jono McCleery drops this impressive single ahead of his album Darkest Light later in the year. While Ellie Goulding made waves at the start of 2010 claiming to play a style she titled “future-folk”, McCleery is actually more appropriate for such a tag.

With fans already including singer Vashti Bunyan (who’s set to appear on the album) and folk-rock legend Danny Thompson, it’s clear “Tomorrow” will earn him many more very quickly. With acoustic guitar and sliding double bass played in a smart, minimal way in a brain teasing time signature, McCleery’s voice sweeps over the top and recalls Bill Withers in his prime. A mesmerising broken beat keeps time but no more, keeping the song free and breezy and allowing some beautiful washes of strings and other orchestral hits to wind their way through the song. It’s a soft and delicate song, but one that thankfully doesn’t fall into any of the obvious traps of cliché along the way. Just as good is “Alive Again” which features a fragile strumming along very jazz-influenced lines while McCleery’s voice huskily sits over the top while charging strings slowly build. Fans of John Martyn, Jose Gonzales and Nick Drake will clearly find to enjoy in Mr McCleery.

Oliver Keens

Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics – Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics review

by Juno Daily on 02.08.2010 at 16:27pm.
Last edited: 02.08.2010 at 19:04pm.

Strut take the initiative from last year’s critically lauded Inspiration Information collaboration between Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics by pairing the latter up with another engrossing figure in Lloyd Miller. Born into the pulsing environment of 1938 New Orleans and raised on a diet of jambalaya and jazz, a move to Iran in the late 50s sparked what has become a lifelong obsession with the music of Persia and Eastern Asia. Miller has previously collaborated with drummer Catto and bass player Ferguson from the Heliocentrics on the Jazzman released Lloyd Miller Trio EP and this album marks the onset of a blossoming musical relationship between all. It is “Electricone” which previously featured on that EP that opens OST in such mesmerising form with the strains of wood wind and taut percussion preparing your ears for a hypnotic journey through subtle eastern jazz arrangements tinged with a soft edge of psychedelia. Miller’s appearance behind the microphone on “Lloyd’s Diatribe” dukes it out with the pensive guitar flavour of album closer “Sunda Sunset” for the highlight of an all round impressive listen.

Review: Tony Poland

The Hackney Colliery Band – Money review

by Juno Daily on 23.07.2010 at 12:34pm.
Last edited: 23.07.2010 at 12:34pm.

Hackney has many things, but a colliery brass band has been sorely lacking… until now that is. Brought together by an appreciation of New Orleans marching bands, Balkan brass and other funky things, this ten-piece have dazzled on stages since 2008, and individually played with Jarvis Cocker, The Bollywood Brass Band and jazz outfit Porpoise Corpus. Along with two percussionists, they count among their number a flugel horn, a superbone (no sniggering at the
back) and a sousaphone (making it possibly the second coolest use of such an instrument after The Roots’ own sousaphone, played by the brilliantly nicknamed “Tuba Gooding Jr”).

This is their first single on venerable funk label Wah Wah 45’s and it’s a great cut for anyone with a love of brass or just a love of unexpected covers of pop songs. “Money” is a perfectly parping version of Kelis and Old Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money”, with that deliciously funky bassline transferred to the bassy parts of the band. They even kick it off with an intro vamp around Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” for maximum crowd-pleasing/head-scratching fun, and drop back into it again like a DJ juggling between two records. The full force of all that brass is a pleasure to hear and explains why they’re currently such a sought after live outfit.

On the flipside is an HCB original called “What’s The Time Mister Wasp?” which grooves along at a slower tempo and has a great soundtrack quality to it, akin to Quincy Jones or David Shire, and comes complete with some soaring solos. This is an excellent pair of songs and hopefully the start of many such singles from the HCB. Oliver Keens

Bobby Jackson – The Cafe Extra-Ordinaire Story

by Juno Daily on 19.07.2010 at 11:31am.
Last edited: 19.07.2010 at 11:31am.

As part of Jazzman’s ongoing series of Holy Grail LP reissues comes this incredibly rare album from Minneapolis jazz hero Bobby Jackson. The stories surrounding Jackson are just as riveting as the album itself – a local evangelist of the power and glory of jazz music, he seemingly put his life on the line in a variety of ways to bring luminaries such as Freddie “Red Clay” Hubbard, Roland Kirk and Elvin Jones to Minneapolis and play. Despite all the travails, he managed to record a single album that didn’t even see a release until eight years after its recording. Given all this history, it’s perhaps fitting that Jazzman have reissued it.

Not that Cafe Extra-Ordinaire is a charity case – indeed far from it, the tunes absolutely leap out at you as soon as the needle drops. The frantic, red-raw pace of “Bobby’s Blues” is one of the most unruly yet together jazz vamps you’re likely to hear – essentially a duel between Bobby Lyle’s piano and the drummer conducted at lightening speed. Slower, modal mapping comes through on “Ya Kum Ba” though, which features elegant trumpet and Jackson’s own basswork. “Understanding” is even slower and heartbreakingly beautiful, the slow pace allowing Jackson’s bass to cut through the mix a little more. Though he was only a spirited amateur, he could clearly hold his own among professional company. “Peepin” allows Lyle a chance to shine, while the natural echo that comes off the trumpet during “Fluck Flick” is possibly one of the highlights of the whole record. It’s little things like this that make it clear why Jazzman decided to excavate this LP from the archive – the recordings sound incredibly unique, with a lo-fi quality that gives the drums especially a distinctive edge. For the history, the tunes and the sound, this is a very worthy reissue indeed. Oliver Keens

Electric Wire Hustle – Electric Wire Hustle review

by Juno Daily on 16.07.2010 at 11:53am.
Last edited: 16.07.2010 at 11:53am.

A future-soul sensation from Wellington, New Zealand that have supported Alice Russell, DJ Krush, Peanut Butter Wolf and Dam Funk in their short career, this self-titled album on BBE is their debut and is a bold, brave and very beautiful voyage through all manner of spacey and soulful sounds.

Opener “Waters” provides a thrillingly knife-edged start, with bass and off-kilter drums laying down a downbeat rhythm while singer MaraTK lays down a thick blanket of seductive cooing over the top. “Experience” continues in the same vein, with thumping filter-bass (reminiscent of The Bar-Kays’ “Holy Ghost”) giving it a really hard-hiting and dynamic swagger. Not averse to all manner of sonic experimentation, the drums on “Again” are reversed while a looped and dissonant string-drone gives it an eerie, aquatic vibe. Stacey Epps takes the lead on brilliant “Walk On” which dramatically shifts midway from being a woozy ballad to breaking into crunchy, ’70s-riffing guitars. The slow balladry continues on the gorgeous low-down soul of “Buy Some Land & Put a House On It”, this time seeing MaraTK riding some exquisite Marvin Gaye/Curtis Mayfield falsettos over string crescendos and some huge nu-jazz beats.

While the majority of the album is slow, sleek and very very soulful, there’s enough variety to really make this a distinctive debut. In particular, the addition of Stones Throw mainstay Georgia Anne Muldrow on “This World”, or the fun rocking guitars of “Burn”. The supreme Motown-isms of “They Don’t Want” is yet another highlight – aping those classic drum sounds to perfection, and the closing “Tom Boy” evokes Al Green without sounding cheesy or contrived for a second. A fantastic and very assured debut, this is a must for soul fans – from Smokey Robinson to Jamie Lidell.

Oliver Keens

Various – Party Keller Vol. 3 review

by Juno Daily on 14.07.2010 at 15:53pm.
Last edited: 14.07.2010 at 16:23pm.

The range of funky nuggets at Florian Keller’s disposal is quite extraordinary. Off the back of his Party Keller club night in Munich, he’s made a name for himself as a peerless selector of old and new funk and boogie across Europe. But this compilation on Compost really pushes the boat out – a staggering collection of rarities that will instantly become firm favourites in your collection.

The slow proto-rap of Peter Giger’s “Here Come The Family” kicks off the compilation in style – a head-nodding beat embellished with a variety of percussion sounds from the Swiss legend – everything from steel drums to thumb pianos. Some incredible covers dominate this mix though – two from Gino Dentie, his version of B.T. Express’ “Express” and a version of Brass Construction’s epic “Movin'”. Both of these were recorded direct-to-disc (as was common in the ’70s to ensure hi-fidelity sonics) and hearing the incredible tightness captured in these single take recordings will make you gasp. Both versions get a Latin disco makeover, and both are primed to shake butts. Elsewhere, the BA Baracus Band’s version of “Mama Said Knock You Out” is stripped to the bone but ideal party fodder, with a pitch perfect vocal that matches LL’s intensity.

Another choice cut is Rahmlee’s “Down in Storyville” – recorded by former Earth, Wind and Fire hornman Rahmlee Michael Davis for his classic jazz-fusion album “Rise Of The Phoenix”. Fans of Donald Byrd and the SOS Band will go nuts for this mellow, trumpet-led belter. Keller also keeps an unlikely version of a classic staple of funk fans for the last tune – an acoustic-led vamp around Archie Bell and The Drells’ “Tighten Up” by psych-rockers The Nazz. It’s a fittingly fun end to a collection that’s stuffed to the gills with rare yet rewarding funk both new and old.

Review: Oliver Keens

Micatone – Sonar Kollektiv Best Of Three LP review

by Juno Daily on 09.07.2010 at 12:57pm.
Last edited: 09.07.2010 at 12:57pm.

A perfect primer into the consistently classy and sophisticated world of Micatone, Sonar Kollektiv compile highlights from the German nu-jazzers three albums and various EPs. The 5-piece have been together for over ten years now, and if you haven’t been exposed to them before now, this “Best of Three LP” is an essential purchase. The range of their output thus far has been extraordinary – they have the ability to swing between soul, nu-jazz, disco and funk with ease and always end up sounding unique at the same time.

Opener “Another Road” is a lush broken beat track that came at the end of their “Is It You?” album. Sleek and soulful, it’s nicely broken up with some rogue sinewave stabs to add a touch of weirdness. Vocalist Lisa Bassenge adds her deliciously rich tones to this and many other tunes here, channeling the rough edges of Billy Holliday on “Another Road” in particular. On a more jazz-step tip, “Step Into The Gallery” rides along at a furious pace and showcases the incredible double bass playing of Paul Kleber. “Plastic Bags and Magazines” takes in yet another style, this time working out a disco-house groove that’s fleshed out with sweeping, Chic-like strings and deep Rhodes piano for a joyful glitterball feel. While live drums are at the core of Micatone’s sound, they’re also adept at combining them with sequenced and sampled drums to give them a broader range. Two songs that go down this route are “Sit Beside Me”, which combines live cymbals and jazzy sampled handclaps and snares, and the slow 2-step of “I’m Leaving Anyway”.

While the majority of songs collected here are upbeat and driven by Bassenge’s vocals, a pleasing exception is made for the moody instrumental “Mon Coeur”. With drummer Tim Kroker providing some excellent jazz drum fills, it combines some menacing synth atmospherics and a Roy Ayres style-vibraphone lead, all of which work to provide the perfect soundtrack to the best spy film never made. While Micatone clearly had their roots in 4 Hero and Jazzanova, this collection shows how far they’ve developed over ten years, and it’s a must-hear for anyone who appreciates the finer side of dance music in its many guises.

Review: Oliver Keens

Saravah Soul – Cultura Impura review

by Juno Daily on 06.07.2010 at 14:02pm.
Last edited: 12.07.2010 at 13:01pm.

A favourite among funk fans far and wide, Saravah Soul are half-English, half-Brazilian and, well, 100% fun. Returning with their second album on Tru Thoughts, they’ve let the incredible energy of their live shows seep into the recordings, producing fast-paced soul dynamite with a carnival-esque twist. Opener “Janaina” sets the tone just right – expertly played brass that cuts straight through the mix, big choruses of Brazilian singing and piles of rolling percussion and drums.

Saravah are able to slow down, albeit briefly. “Mussum” for example is a midtempo sway through strummed acoustic guitars and cuica’s in the background. “Da Ne Mim” is also delivered at a slow and rocksteady pace, with lead singer Otto Nascarella, sax player Marcelo Andrade and bassist Matheus Nova chipping in on the vocals. But they’re at their best when they’re going at full-pelt, such as on the intense poly-rhythmic instrumental “Seu Problema” or the popcorn funk of “Se Da Do”.

An undoubted highlight though is their cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire”, which sounds like the original Stax house band tearing up a rock classic – in much the same way as Otis Redding covered The Stones’ “Satisfaction” in fact. The slightly mournful closer “The Truth Is Hard To Come By” is another top moment – combining the politically aware lyrical flair of early Specials with the sound of Cymande. Already established as a fearsome live band, Cultura Impura should cement their reputation even further.

Review: Oliver Keens

The Ipanemas – Que Beleza review

by Juno Daily on 05.07.2010 at 10:19am.
Last edited: 05.07.2010 at 15:10pm.

The idea of a new album by Brazilian bossa gods The Ipanemas might at one time have sounded crazy, given that their eponymous debut from 1962 didn’t see a follow up until 2001. Thankfully that record, The Return of The Ipanemas found them a new wave of fans and sparked a sparked new wave of productivity. Far Out’s Joe Davis has coaxed yet another fine album from this multi-generational institution, which has survived the deaths of founding members to come back stronger than ever.

Opener “Que Beleza De Nega” features some sublime trombone from Vitor Santos and soft lilting vocals from founder member Wilson Das Neves. He also takes the lead on the droll and fabulously mellow “Eua A” – a song that will instantly warm the coldest heart the moment a room full of male voices begin to join in on the chorus.

Backing vocals are brought to the fore on the time-signature shifting “Nega E Kota”, while elsewhere instrumentals like “Espelho D’gua” and “Olhando Tres” give more room for Santos’ trombone lines to shine. The album builds to a brilliant closing salvo – “Eparrei” – which has the confidence to let heaps of percussion take the lead and allow veteran singer Andrea Martins space to stretch out her vocals unhinged. It’s a thrilling finale to yet another welcome return from the Ipanemas.

Review: Oliver Keens

Bonobo – Stay The Same review

by Juno Daily on 02.07.2010 at 14:21pm.
Last edited: 02.07.2010 at 14:21pm.

Keeping the momentum going from his wildly successful Black Sands album, Si Green (Bonobo’s less simian alter-ego) drops “Stay The Same”, a favourite from the album and a devastating collaboration with singer Andreya Triana. As Black Sounds showed, Bonobo has been on a mission to flex a whole new range of styles and skills of late, and where before he would have packed in a cornucopia of diferent drum hits, here he nails it with a simple kick, snare and shaker combination which works a treat.

With raw acoustic guitars anchoring the song, Triana’s vocals practically melt into the mix, and get echoed and reversed at various points by Bonobo – ushering in the heavenly sax of The Portico Quartet’s Jack Wiley, who backs up brilliantly on the choruses. Along with an instrumental version is a fantastic live version, recorded with the full Bonobo band at Ronnie Scott’s. It provides a great alternative – even more pared-down and with a crisp rim-shot in place of the beats, it’s hugely compelling and recalls Erykah Badu or Jill Scott in their prime. The tightness and breathless intensity captured from that performance is truly miraculous. If “Stay The Same” floats your boat, it’s definitely worth checking out the album afterward – there’s plenty more quality where this came from.

Review: Oliver Keens

Haggis Horns – Keep On Movin’ review

by Juno Daily on 25.06.2010 at 12:18pm.
Last edited: 25.06.2010 at 12:45pm.

Scottish band Haggis Horns are a brass heavy funk powerhouse that have been rocking clubs up and down the country for the last few years, combining breakbeat funk, soul, hip-hop and afrobeat with the virtuosity of trained jazz musicians. Formed around the nucleus of Malcolm Strachan (trumpet) and Atholl Ransome (tenor sax, flute), this superbly named outfit extend to an eight piece live outfit, with guitarist Ben Barker also taking a production role in their recorded output.

Following the tragic loss of founder member Jason Rae early in 2008, the boys hit the studio to record the follow up to their album debut “Hot Damn!” .With the new 11 track Keep On Movin’ album they’ve teamed up with singer and fellow funk aficionado Nia Saw (aka Lucinda Slim) who has performed around the world with the likes of Zap Mama and DJs alongside Keb Darge at their long established Deep Funk night at Madame Jojo’s in London’s Soho. The new album sees them back at their funky best with energetic brass led stabs, funky guitar licks and the sort of snappy backbeat that could cause whiplash unless properly supervised. From the straight up B-boy funk of “The Jerk” to the Isley Brothers-esque disco funk of “Love Gets You High” and the infectious vocal afrobeat of “Too Blind”, this is another belter of a record from Scotland’s answer to The JB’s that is sure to reinstate their place as one of the world’s premier funk bands.

Review: Aaron Coultate

Compost announce ‘Disco’ sub label

by Juno Daily on 18.06.2010 at 14:30pm.
Last edited: 18.06.2010 at 17:24pm.

Next month sees the first release on Compost Disco, a new sub label from legendary Munich imprint Compost with the focus squarely on the campier Italo tinged end of the disco spectrum.

Various – Far Out Futebol Brasil review

by Juno Daily on 11.06.2010 at 14:13pm.
Last edited: 11.06.2010 at 14:13pm.

Proving that no challenge is beyond the incredible crate-diggers at Far Out, in time for the World Cup they’ve put together a selection of songs celebrating the beautiful game, all from a Brazilian perspective. Kicking off with Grupo Batuque’s “Umbabaraumba,” a song previously made famous by Jorge Ben in the ’70s, a swinging bossa-nova underpinned by a bluesy guitar riff and stuffed full of breezy funk.

Sabrina Malheiros’ 2009 single “Connexao” follows and is almost a hybrid of bossa and disco, with vocals taking the lead and joined by big silky strings and brass on the chorus. While “Connexao” is a peach, the footie connection is fairly tenuous. “Brasileiros E Ingleses” however features samples from Brazilian football commentary, and even lays out a long trademark “gooaaall!” at one point. “Na Cadencia do Samba” is even the theme tune to the Brazilian version of Match Of The Day, and a rollicking tune to boot.

Elsewhere, Far Out use some excellent remixes of Brazil’s finest to evoke the passion Brazilian’s feel for the game – Spirtual South’s mix of Azymuth’s mighty “Roda Piao” for example, or ZeroDb’s crazed electro-samba mix of “E Ruim”.

Review: Oliver Keens

Courtney Dowe – Accomplice review

by Juno Daily on 07.06.2010 at 09:53am.
Last edited: 07.06.2010 at 09:53am.

Maryland-based singer/songwriter Courtney Dowe channels a steady stream of influences on her beautiful debut album, Accomplice. With her dynamic voice and an acoustic guitar to the fore across the album, it may seem hard for Dowe to distinguish herself with such ubiquitous tools. Yet, songs like “Dancer Blue” and “Might” really stand out and it makes for an affecting and uncliched album.

Opener “On The Rise” sets her stall out nicely, with just a guitar playing harmonics and Dowe’s powerful and heartfelt voice rising above it. “LEO” on the other hand is a full-band tune with a soft, bossa nova backing reminiscent of Bill Withers at his best. “Might” also keeps things stripped down yet retains a certain funky flavour from the band, with echoes of Ricki Lee Jones in the mix.

“If I Had Wings” is a truly beautiful and spiritual song, almost gospel at times and with only the faintest of backing from guitar and organ. “Yona” also captures that epic balladeering vibe as well, while the album ends as it starts, with just Dowe and a guitar on “Siddhi”. Mellow and chilled, but with a lot of soul and heart at the same time, Accomplice is a worthwhile debut that’ll reward listeners time and time again.

Review: Oliver Keens

Various – Music For Jazz Dancers review

by Juno Daily on 01.06.2010 at 14:34pm.
Last edited: 01.06.2010 at 14:34pm.

As DJ at one of the longest running and most venerable jazz nights around, London’s Messin’ Around, Adrian Gibson has road-tested more than a fair share of jazzy sensations in his time. Music For Jazz Dancers distills his knowledge and experience into one vital collection of essential cuts, and it’s an eye-opening and valuable resource.

Trombonist and bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer’s collaboration with Dianne Reeves from 1995, “Cherokee,” kicks things off with a big band flair that would undoubtedly tear up the right dance floor. Samba rhythms find a good home here too – with Mario Canonge’s “Kon Djab Djigidi” and Marcos Ariel’s pacey “Samba Torto” breaking out the congas in particular. In fact, much of what Gibson selects comes at a break-neck speed, which suggests the crowds at Messin’ Around must have superhuman stamina. Fernando Gelbard’s “Alevacolaries” in particular is blisteringly fast, driven by hand percussion, some screaming vocals and Rhodes. The combination of all these elements is fascinating and a real find. For listeners inclined toward a slightly more conventional mode of jazz though, Primo and the Groupe’s “A Child Runs Free” is a perfect fusion of uptempo rhythms with smooth vocalisms and laidback piano accompaniment. Not only is this a great collection of hitherto obscure jazz, the fact that it’s presented with dancing in mind makes it all the better.

Review: Oliver Keens

Przasnik – Azymic review

by Juno Daily on 24.05.2010 at 10:39am.
Last edited: 26.05.2010 at 09:04am.

A breath of fresh air for nu-jazz and broken beat fans, this collection of songs by Polish producers Przasnik are happy to eschew chin-stroking seriousness and instead cut loose with a kaleidoscopic set of sounds that can’t fail to entertain even the most hardened of listener.

Opener “Piggyback Ride” is a lively vamp around Ray Charles’s “Hit The Road Jack” and mounted on a perfect set of nu-jazz drums and sampled brass. “Kind Of A Thing” continues in a similar vein – sampling a line from “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” by Duke Ellington. While it may sound a little cheesy, Przasnik handle it brilliantly and keep the listener firmly on their toes as they dice up loops in much the same way The Avalanches once did.

More conventional songs like “Doo That” show Przasnik’s skills with live arrangements – throwing pianos, Rhodes and live percussion into the mix with some subtle vocals and brass building in the background. “Barber On The Dancefloor” however goes full pelt to rock a dancefloor – courtesy of the drums from The Monkey’s Mary Mary and a host of Latin samples arranged with a chaotic energy. There’s no filler here at all and it’s a delight from start to finish – a perfect shot of energy for even the most casual jazz fan.

Review: Oliver Keens

Half Seas Over – Half Seas Over review

by Juno Daily on 11.05.2010 at 11:08am.
Last edited: 11.05.2010 at 11:08am.

Brooklynites Half Seas Over really impress with this self-titled debut on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood imprint. Comprised of singer Adam McBride-Smith and pianist Elen Mehler, this release follows on from Mehler’s The After Suite album from last year, which saw the pair join forces on a couple of tracks.

While The After Suite was rooted in jazz, this new fully-fledged collaboration has liberated the pair to create something that will appeal to a great swathe of music fans. Unashamedly mellow and melancholy, the instrumentation is sparse but played to a truly captivating standard. Mehler’s piano must take the lion’s share of credit – check out his staccato, nerve-jangling playing on “Rake” for one example. But there are also drums and the occasional accordion (which nicely evokes the genesis of their name – a slang term for drunken sailors). The virtuoso double-bass on opener “Get Me To The Station” especially will have your jaw slowly dropping in admiration of the dexterous playing.

While most of the songs are slow and sentimental, a couple of jolly and upbeat songs make the cut. “Sunday’s Empire” has a rollicking bar-room vibe, while “Sad Mona” has a pleasing bossa nova lilt to it. They give the album a wider range as McBride-Smith’s smooth, Chet Baker-style voice cooing and emoting nicely throughout the album. Combining jazz, folk and blues so effortlessly, this album manages to touch on a lot that has come before – Tom Waits, Talk Talk and Jamie Cullum to name but a few – but manages to set itself apart nicely from the rest.

Review: Oliver Keens