Les Respectables – Les Respectables
Les Respectables are a Canadian band, born out of Quebec, with a vibrant rock ‘n roll stance on French music. There’s a heavy Rolling Stones theme, jinking twinkling piano and organ riffs that complement the co...
Yilian Canizares – Invocacion
There are so many influences in this album; Cuban, Jazz, Venezuelan, Swiss, it’s hard to note from each song what track goes into which category. Indeed, they don’t. It’s all too easy these days to want to brac...
Xavier Lewis – The Antidote to R&B
Xavier Lewis has become the focus of the up-and-coming R&B world in the last few years having appeared on the Steve Harvey Morning Show, America’s Got Talent and touring across Europe. This soulful approach...
Flow TribE – At Capacity
This brilliantly funky and upbeat live album is brimming with full-of-punch horns and grooving guitar licks that make it absolutely no wonder it was a sell-out show.
Recorded at Tipitina’s in New Orleans in 20...
Sarah Elizabeth Charles – Inner Dialogue
It's not easy to pin down exactly the type of artist that Sarah Elizabeth Charles is. Her vocal work is so adaptable and diverse that she doesn’t necessarily slip seamlessly into the jazz category. Whilst her d...
Halie Loren – Butterfly Blue
Halie Loren’s ‘Butterfly Blue’ is a lovely example of gentle vocal jazz that never fails to warm the soul. There’s a pretty, wandering melody that runs through the veins of the entire album, scatty riffs that f...
Carol Welsman – Alone Together
This well thought out, intricate jazz album from Carol Welsman, the Canadian born singer-songwriter, is another jewel in her (rather full) crown. Her 11th studio album brings the listener traditional, straight ...
Ceux Qui Marchent Debout – Don’t Be Shy
This upbeat and lively album from CQMD stays true to their excellent soulful horn sections of old. It’s feel good and it’s funky and you can’t help at the end of each track to move as quickly as possible on to ...
Smoky Greenwell’s Blues Jam – Live Blues Jam
A fine, fine example of how to make a great live record. Opening with ‘Smoke Alarm’ the musicians literally swing into full flow, Smoky flying into perfect rhythm with controlled but heartfelt harmonica work, a...
Anne Paceo – Circles
Paceo’s album ‘Circles’ is a trance-like movement, a journey from her upbringing n the Ivory Coast through floating African melodies and then jazzy Parisian saxophones, textured trumpets and organic electronic ...
Eliades Ochoa & Alma Latina – Guajira + Mas Guajira
This brother sister duo delve deep into the depths of Latin feeling in this record, ‘Guajira + Mas Guajira’, the name Maria Ochoa gives to her brother. The well-known delicacy and pertinence that Eliades brings...
The Mezzo Sax Encounter – Benjamin Koppel/Joe Lovano
Peter Jessen invented the mezzo saxophone for Benjamin Koppel and it didn’t take long for Joe Lovano to hear about it and order one for himself. This became the basis for this album at Summer Jazz 2015. Joe Lov...
Dennis Paul Williams – Morning Light
Dennis Paul Williams brings mellow, bluesy tones to zydeco guitar and listening to this album instils a sense of calm into the soul of those fortunate enough to be on the receiving end. After having moved from ...
Omar Sosa – Real Live
This is a true embodiment of Sosa’s work, humble yet flawless in its approach and execution. He states in the cover of the CD: ‘there are concerts where you feel so good, you never want to forget. This one at M...
CD Review – Return Of The Kool – Sean Ardoin ‘N’ Zydekool
Sean Ardoin comes from a family with deep roots and traditions in Zydeco Music. Members of the Ardoin family have been recording Creole music for over 80 years. This rich tradition can be traced back to the cou...