Absolute K.O. bout of free jazz poetry by a spry, 85 year old Joe McPhee, adapting his renowned improvised practice to words - juxtaposed with Mats Gustafson’s sparing brass and electric gestures. It’s an utterly timeless and transfixing salvo, another shiny notch for Smalltown Supersound’s brilliant Le Jazz Non Series. As a common ligature to the OG free jazz scene of ‘60s NYC, with formative binds to its European offshoots and the experimental avant garde, Joe McPhee is a true force of nature who has represented jazz at its freest over a remarkable lifetime. In duo with Swedish free jazz and noise standard bearer Mats Gustafson, he upends expectations with an astonishingly vivid and upfront example of his enduring contribution to freely improvised music. In 11 parts he variously reflects on everything from the neon sleaze and scuzz of NYC to contemporary US politicians and laugh out loud imitations of his previous sparring partners such as Peter Brötzmann, with a head-slapping immediacy that leaves you reeling, spellbound.

Hugo Fattoruso's album "Oriental," released in 1991, is a remarkable fusion of jazz, Latin, and world music elements. The album features tracks such as "O Sambinha," "La del Cheche," and "Estrela Distante," showcasing Fattoruso's versatility and innovative approach to composition. His masterful blend of traditional Latin rhythms with contemporary jazz harmonies creates a unique and captivating listening experience. The album has been highly praised by listeners, holding an average rating of 4.88 out of 5 based on user reviews.

Bud Powell, one of the giants of jazz piano, changed the way virtually all post-swing pianists play their instrument. He dispensed with the striding of the left hand, which was previously considered essential, and used the left hand to play chords at irregular intervals. His right hand often played fast single-note lines, essentially transferring Charlie Parker's vocabulary to the piano (although he developed in parallel with "Bird").

Smokey & Friends is a studio album by musician Smokey Robinson. It was released in August 2014 under Verve Records. Reaching #12 on Billboard's album chart, it stands as Smokey's second most successful solo album.

With their anticipated new album, Black Flower delves into the transformative power of rhythm and motion. Each groove, rhythm and pulse channels raw energy, acting as a disruptor that drives transformation. When the mind feels stuck—cemented in patterns, rigid in its views, overwhelmed by obstacles—Kinetic serves as a reminder that the body’s motion can be the force to shatter those confines. To move is to adapt, evolve, and transform. The album embodies a philosophy of flowing with change rather than resisting it, offering a bold, dynamic statement on breaking free from life's limitations. Kinetic is a call to dance through life’s chaos and to harness the power of movement as a tool for liberation. The album showcases Black Flower's signature blend of Ethio-jazz, oriental influences, dub, and afrobeat. The jazz combo, hailed by tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, The Gaslamp Killer, and Lefto Early Bird, has performed live sessions on BBC Radio 3 and Worldwide FM. Their previous albums earned widespread acclaim, with glowing reviews from prestigious publications such as MOJO, Stereogum, Q Magazine, and Uncut Magazine. The band has toured extensively across Europe, building a strong fanbase.

Joona Toivanen Trio returns to We Jazz Records with their new album "Gravity", out 31 January 2025. A landmark work for the long standing group, the album showcases the forward-looking sound of the band, moving way beyond the basic scope of the "piano trio". There’s a startling sense of telepathy and intimacy at work in the music of the Joona Toivanen Trio, something you can glean from the opening moments of their latest album, Gravity. It’s that rare synergy that can only come with years of time spent together onstage, in the rehearsal space, on tour throughout Europe, en route to the next show. To look at the discography of the Finnish piano trio is to see a relationship that stretches back to the year 2000, when they self-released their first album, Numurkah. Only, the connection between pianist Joona Toivanen, drummer Olavi Louhivuori, and bassist Tapani Toivanen goes back even further. “Tapani is my younger brother and we moved to a neighborhood in Jyväskylä in central Finland when I was seven,” Joona Toivanen says. “And on my first day at school I met Olavi, who was in the same class as me!” Nowadays, the trio is geographically split between Gothenburg, Sweden (Joona), Copenhagen, Denmark (Tapani), and Helsinki, Finland (Olavi), but the unit sounds together as ever thanks to their extensive track record in developing their band sound.

The title track of For Ladies Only is a classic slice of Steppenwolf's brand of hard rock: gritty chord guitar from Blues Image refugee Kent Henry (Steppenwolf went through as many or more guitarist changes as the Guess Who), elegant piano from Goldy McJohn, even jazz flavors on a nine-minute-plus track as blatantly sexist as the album gatefold. The graphic photo of a huge penis car alongside the Hollywood walk of fame tucked inside the cardboard is completely juvenile, while the back of the LP features the boys all reading books, from The Sensuous Woman to Snow White & the Seven Dwarves – interesting imagery that doesn't complement the music as much as the artists might have thought it did at the time. The Jerry Edmonton/Goldy McJohn composition "I'm Asking" has a heavy "Jumpin' Jack Flash" riff that's all sludged out and a weak non-John Kay vocal – like, why bother? Kay's snarling voice was as much a part of the sound as the heavy keys, and without it the otherwise fine performance and production are just totally eradicated; it's a song that would've worked better as an instrumental. Ditto for Jerry Edmonton's "Jaded Strumpet," which is also in desperate need of Kay's authoritative tone, which is refreshingly surreal on the singer's co-write with George Biondo that is "Sparkle Eyes."

BOOM. It's the first thing you hear, the first thing you notice. A bass drum strike so hard and heavy, it's sound carries for blocks. In fact, you probably feel it before you actually hear it. BOOM BOOM. A bottom-end so deep, it let's everyone know: the band is on it's way. BOOM BOOM BOOM And before you can even see 'em, you can hear 'em, clearing the way: angel trumpets, devil trombones, rat-a-tat snares, pulsing tubas, and at the center of it all, the anchor, the rock, the gravity that keeps it all from spinning out and flying off into space, the bass drum. The steady beat that lays the foundation for every feat the brass band can accomplish. The beat that sets the slow and reverential pace for a walk of remembrance towards the cemetery. The beat that dictates the rhythm of the joyous dance on the corner. The beat that puts butts in motion. That bass drum beat is the heartbeat of New Orleans, the organ that pushes the blood through the arteries and veins of our city streets, and the biggest and strongest heart was Kerry "Fat Man" Hunter. When the bass drum was strapped over his shoulders and the mallets were in his hands, he let 'em know-loud, proud and undeniable was his style, and it's that style that's at the heart of For Fat Man, the new recording by the Preservation Hall Brass.

A metaphysical hike into the heart of the Alps. Borrowing the conventions of the symphony, these recordings set listeners adrift in a field of snow draped pines and towering wind-shorn peaks. The meeting of traditional instrumentation and ambient structures string each movement as beads of dew on a silent meadow - unified and free-standing. The thread binding these ecstatic pieces is their hope to elevate listeners to the higher climes for a walk among transcendent slopes.

Steppenwolf were one of the pioneering bands of American hard rock, conjuring the roaring sound of a biker gang laying claim to the highway on hits like "Born to be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride." Like most early hard rock acts, Steppenwolf's approach was steeped in the blues, but with an added level of lyrical swagger and a full-bodied attack that added hints of acid rock. The key elements of their sound were the rough, throaty vocals of leader John Kay, the hard, barking tone of the eclectic guitar, and the thick, muscular voice of the overdriven electric organ.

The critical reception of Schumann's violin sonatas?like that of much of the composer's late output?has vacillated over the course of the intervening centuries. Written for and first performed by some of the leading violinists of the day, all three are now recognized for the masterpieces they undoubtedly are, needing no apology: and we are fortunate indeed to be in a position to enjoy such dedicated performances as these.

Producer, drummer and Hamburg’s Jazz Prize Winner of 2021 Silvan Strauss has already been a household name in the German Jazz bubble when he released his debut LP „FACING“ (via KFR 2021) - a collection of Madlib-soaked beats with hazed-out contemporary jazz. The two years since Strauss stepped out as a solo artist and composer have been more than impressive: Fans were able to follow in real time how Strauss’ talent reached international spheres such as Montreux Jazz Festival (2022). Also virtually he gained momentum through his viral drum improvisation on IG and TikTok up to the point, where music giants like Pete Rock and Queen Latifah praised Silvan’s unique bounce.

Everything I Love features Kevin Fort's fresh arrangements of several jazz classics alongside five original compositions. Inspired by the great bebop pianists of the past and present—such as Bill Evans, Red Garland, Bill Charlap, and Benny Green—the album offers a joyful exploration of the swinging, straight- ahead side of the piano trio tradition.

Hurry Up Tomorrow is the upcoming sixth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, scheduled to be released through XO and Records. It will serve as the final part of an album trilogy that began with After Hours (2020) and continued with Dawn FM (2022).

The eleventh and final release in The Orlando Consort's comprehensive Machaut survey easily maintains the standards of its predecessors. The closing couplet of the final track?'Their singing will be sublime/ Harmoniously will they render him praise'?might well serve as a motto for the Orlandos' achievement, not only in this album but throughout an illustrious career.