Melbourne based 30/70 ensemble, around Allysha Joy, Ziggy, Henry, Thhomas & Jarrod, are about to release their new album.
The sound of 30/70 is a cosmic mélange of boom-bap dynamics, neo-soul harmonies and jazz-funk licks, all steeped in a deep spiritual tradition reaching from Alice Coltrane to Kamasi Washington.
„Elevate“ will be released October 27th on Rhythm Section– available on Bandcamp.
After the success of ‘Trudi’s Songbook: Volume One,’ Ruby Rushton are back with their highly anticipated follow up, ‘Trudi’s Songbook: Volume Two.’
Comprised of a further six cuts, ‘Trudi’s Songbook: Volume Two’ is a welcome succession to its predecessor. Stand out tracks include ‘Tisbury Truckin,’ which is a stunning opener! Starting with an atmospheric soundscape it unexpectedly drops into a neck-snapping hip-hop groove with a punchy melodic line before effortlessly sliding into an up-tempo, afro-beat inspired rhythm with strong solos from trumpet and keys in tow. ‘Song For Christopher’ is a heartfelt ballad, which begins with a touching flute solo and continues to take the listener on a journey through the emotions, ending in a crescendo of optimism – a fitting tribute to the late Christopher Rushton. ‘Charlotte Emma Victoria’ is another strong track and includes some tasteful sousaphone and trombone parts to add extra oomph to its bounce, accompanied by a soaring saxophone solo by band leader Edward Cawthorne (aka Tenderlonious). The album ends with a classic Herbie Hancock jazz-fusion standard, ‘Butterfly,’ which the band handle with finesse. A fitting cover that I have no doubt would impress its original writers. ‘Trudi’s Songbook: Volume Two’ is a fantastic album, which further solidifies Ruby Rushton’s place on the modern jazz scene. – Words by Rodriguez Guido
Out on 22a Music, releases November 10th. Available here.
favourite things 9.17 Madlib, Rapsody feat. Busta Rhymes, El Michels Affair, Will Sessions feat. Wendell Harrison, 30/70, Oddisee, Danny Watts feat. Aye Mitch, Chester Watson, Mick Jenkins, Young RJ feat. Joyner Lucas & Statik Selektah, EarthGang, Ivan Ave, FloFilz, Reginald Omas Mamode IV, Mecca:83 feat. Monma, Mndsgn, B. Cool-Aid feat. Swarvy, Budamunk & Yotaro feat. TSuggs, James Vickery feat. Blue Lab Beats, DAYO feat. Simo Jelqzkov, The JuJu Exchange, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Matt Martians feat. Kaytranada & Badbadnotgood, BADBADNOTGOOD feat. Colin Stetson, Jordan Rakei, Vibration Black Finger feat. Maggie Nicols, Broadstrokes, Silo, KUPLA, Roberto Echo, René Schier, DJM trio, Kaytranada, Samiyam, Carlos Niño & Friends
Children of Zeus, the Hip-Hop duo from Manchester/UK released their EP. Konny Kon and Tyler Daley met back in 2005, after both performing a show near Paris in their respective crews, Broke’N’£nglish and Body Roq. The duo met up back home in Manchester, spurred on initially by a mutual admiration of each others music, and produced their first track together, aptly entitled ‚Coming Home To You‘.
A few years later, Tyler approached Konny about producing a full EP together, ‚The Story So Far…‘ is out on First Word Records – available on Bandcamp.
„Lilies“ is new upcoming new album by multi-instrumentalist Melanie De Biasio casting a mesmerising shadow over the proceedings alongside her long-term ensemble of players. The album is released through Le Label/Play It Again Sam and is available on Bandcamp.
“For me, Lilies has a darkness, but it’s also luminous. After my experiences with ‚No Deal‘ and ‚Blackened Cities‘, I just wanted to retreat to a cave with my Pro-Tools, my computer, and my cheap, 100Euro Shure SM-58 microphone. I could have gone to a big studio, made a big production – but I wanted none of that. I wanted to go back to the seed of creativity, the simplest materials. I was in this room where there was no light, no night or day at all, no heat. Very uncomfortable. But I felt free. I was happy to have this feeling – ‘I don’t need more, I have everything I need here.’“ – Melanie De Biasio
On „Arise“, Zara McFarlane returns to a buoyant UK jazz scene with a head-turning third album. Exploring the musical possibilities of British-Jamaican identity, it’s a cultural exchange that’s born of London’s current musical climate. Released on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings, it sees her working with much-feted drummer and producer Moses Boyd. Both rose through London’s Tomorrow’s Warriors programme, a finishing school for many young vanguards of the live, ascendant jazz scene springing up across the UK capital. Sharing Caribbean family heritages, it’s a product of their joint exploration of the meeting points between jazz and the rhythms of Jamaica; reggae, Kumina, calypso and nyabinghi, shaded with hints of the psychedelic.
Available now on Bandcamp.
New Zealand born multi-instrumentalist, Jordan Rakei newly signed to Ninja Tune Records. His new album titled “Wallflower” will be released on 22nd September 2017.
“In Australia, I was stuck in a bubble”, Jordan explains. „When I moved to London I had to deal with my introversion through ‘exposure therapy’. Every day I met new people for a whole year. I met every producer, songwriter, and musician I could. You have to improve as a person to improve as an artist”
Stream and purchase on Bandcamp.
favourite things 8.17 Apollo Brown & Planet Asia, Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman, KMD feat. Jay Electronica & DOOM, Žiga Murko & wuf, BudaMunk & Youtaro,, Dil Withers, Bishop Nehru, Iman Omari, Mulatto Beats feat. Mick Jenkins, Castelluzzo, Kazumi Kaneda, Tim, Natty Reeves, Ben Hayes & Alfa Mist, DAYO feat. Desy & Volen, Miryam Solomon, Jordan Rakei, Mecca83 feat. Octavio Santos, Phill Musra Group, Moses Boyd, Lloyd Miller, Danan Hargeysa feat. Mohamed Huro Abdihashi, Alpman, German Oak, Rodinia, Milo.
Bottle Tree is a new collaboration conjured from the Southside Chicago storefront chapel of singer/scholar A.M. Frison and composer/cornetist Ben Lamar Gay. With Italian expat Tommaso Moretti on traps, the sound-rendered folklore of Bottle Tree embodies a heart beating to West African mutated funk with the spirit of avant-garde jazz and a Motown-molded melodic mind — like a futuristic fantasy of Stevie Wonder backed by Don Cherry and Novos Baianos in the early 1970s.
Stream below – available on Bandcamp.
After last year’s EP „Rye Lane Shuffle„, Moses Boyd continues in the electronic vein, his latest EP, „Absolute Zero“ is now available. Stream below, purchase on Bandcamp.
favourite things 7.17 Sigmund Washington, Leifur James, E Scott Lindner, Medline, MFakka, Chris Keys, Eets, Ivan Ave, Dibiase x Devonwho, Giorgio Oehlers, Eu-IV, Acie, Drew Dave, Mujo 情, Z.Z. x Olive Tree, Tawiah, Ladi6, Kiefer, OTG feat. Little Simz, Little Simz feat. Josh Arcé, Tyler, The Creator, Mono/Poly x Alyss, Joey Bada$$, Danger Doom, Declaime feat. Blu, Curren$y, Chester Watson, Skyzoo, Swarvy, Karriem Riggins, Four Tet, Blameful Isles.
Stream Blameful Isles new album „This Heart Of Our Heart“. All tracks produced by Blameful Isles, mastered by Pawcut, out now on Urban Waves Records.
Available on Bandcamp.
favourite things 6.17 Kutmah feat. Gonjasufi, Domo Genesis, Curren$y, Figub Brazlevic, Scallops Hotel, Mogillah, Rizván feat. Diggy Dupe, MeloDownz, Axeman, MC Eiht & Brenk Sinatra feat. Outlawz, Action Bronson feat. Big Body Bes, Duñe x Crayon, Jameszoo feat. Niels Broos, Hudson Mohawke feat. Remy Banks, Sudan Archives, Timetable, Mounika feat. Cavetown, Jordan Rakei, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah feat. Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Blue Lab Beats feat. Sheldon Agwu & Yelfris Valdes, JBird, Giorgio Oehlers, Idris Rahman & Leon Brichard & Tom Skinner, Ruby Rushton, Medline, Abby Lee Tee, Jaze Baqti.
Blue Lab Beats are NK-OK and Mr. DM from London. Stream their newest E.P. „Freedom“ below. Available here.
favourite things 5.17 BesideZion, Quickly Quickly feat. Lordapex, Rejjie Snow feat. Joey Bada$ & Jesse Boykins III, Sensible J feat. REMI & Sampa The Great, JD. Reid, G-Eazy, Little Simz, Tall Black Guy, Sampa The Great feat. Estelle, Daoud, Blue Lab Beats feat. Kojey Radical & Tiana Major9, Kiefer, Castelluzzo, Chinsaku, Emanative, Tamara Renée, Twit One, Ruby Rushton, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah feat. Elena Pinderhughes, Glenn Astro & Ajnascent, Arnheim, Vels Trio, Prequel, Yazz Ahmed, Yadava, Flako feat. Kutmah, Buddy feat. Kaytranada.
British jazz band, Vels Trio are about to release their debut EP. ‚Yellow Ochre EP‘ demonstrates the virtuoso jazz talents of the band while maintaining the hip-hop inspired funk that has come to define their sound. „The slender keys of Jack Stephen Oliver glide over Dougal Taylor’s breakbeat fire landing with Cameron Dawson’s funky wah bass lines all culminating in an explosion of synths and tasty licks.“
Out on Total Refreshment Records, available June 9, 2017 on Bandcamp.
‘Voyager’ is the third full-length album from LA’s Moonchild, whose candid style of soul and new-school jazz has propelled them onto a swirling, emotionally charged journey of the heart. Since cementing themselves into the vibrant LA soul scene, Moonchild have released two albums and collaborated or toured with highly-respected names in the soul-jazz crowd including Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, India.Arie, Leela James, The Internet (Odd Future’s Syd tha Kyd & Matt Martians) and more. Along the way, Moonchild have accumulated a host of iconic supporters from Robert Glasper and Laura Mvula to James Poyser, Jazzy Jeff, Jose James, 9th Wonder and Tyler, The Creator who have all shown love for the band.
Available in all formats on Bandcamp.
Bahraini-British performer, Yazz Ahmed, is transforming what jazz means in 2017. This trumpet and flugelhorn-playing artist has worked with Radiohead and These New Puritans, experiments with electronic effects, and combines sounds from her shared heritage to author a new narrative for the genre. Part of the new wave of artists credited with stirring up the sound, including Kamasi Washington, Yussef Kamaal, Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming, Yazz Ahmed is thrilled by the possibilities of making something new. “I feel like I’m a part of modernising jazz and connecting it with audiences today,” Yazz says. “It’s exciting.”
Her new album ‘La Saboteuse’ is a deep exploration of both her British and Bahraini roots. Ably assisted by musicians including Lewis Wright on vibraphone, Shabaka Hutchings on bass clarinet and Naadia Sherriff on Rhodes keyboard, it’s composed of undulating rhythms, Middle Eastern melody and Yazz’s sonorous trumpet lines. ‘La Saboteuse’ will be released in four chapters incrementally, unravelling the story, before the full version is available. Each chapter has its own cover, with beautiful illustrations by Bristol artist Sophie Bass. “I feel really touched, nobody’s created art from my music before, it’s really special,” Yazz says.
Out on Naim Records, available on Bandcamp.
Gondwana Records presents Los Angeles based jazz singer Dwight Trible’s new album. A key collaborator with the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Kamasi Washington, Trible is a long time favourite of the Gondwana record label owner Matthew Halsall. The label-debut release „Inspirations“ is produced by and features Matthew Halsall on trumpet, alongside members of The Gondwana Orchestra.
„Inspirations“ will be released on the 30th June 2017, pre-order here.
„Trudi’s Songbook: Volume One“ is the new album by 22a-artist Ruby Rushton, written and arranged by Tenderlonious (Edward Cawthorne). The album features Edward Cawthorne on flute & sax, Nick Walters on trumpet, Aidan Shepherd on the keys, Fergus Ireland on bass, Joseph Deenmamode percussions, Eddie Hick on the drums.
Out on 22a, released May 19, 2017, available on Bandcamp, stream the entire album after the jump.
