Jazz de Ville

Kandace Springs - The Woman Who Raised Me

Kandace Springs is releasing her new album The Woman Who Raised ME on upcoming Friday, March 27th.

The album is made up of Kandace's renditions of classic from woman that have inspired her, including tracks from Norah Jones, Lauryn Hill, Sade, Ella Fitzgerald, and more.

RIP Manu Dibango

Cameroonian Afro-jazz legend, Manu Dibango is dead, he died at the age of 86. The family of the Cameroonian singer and saxophonist on his facebook page on Tuesday,announced on his death from the consequences of the new coronavirus.

The author of one of the biggest planetary hits in world music, “Soul Makossa” (1972), is the first world celebrity to die from the virus. He died in the early hours of the morning in a hospital in the Paris region,” Thierry Durepaire, manager of the artist’s music publishing business, told AFP.

A statement released by the family reads: “It is with deep sadness that we announce to you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on 24th of March 2020, at 86 years old, due to covid-19.”

Nico Gomez & his Afro Percussion Inc. - Lupita (Bosq rework)

Lupita on the A-side is a cover version of the song by Perez Prado, the Cuban-born King of Mambo, who has legendary status in his adopted country of Mexico. In contrast to Prado's elated original, Nico Gomez's version is an absolute funk monster, driven by heavy percussions, psychedelic organ grooves, fuzzy guitar, exciting brass and a deep bass line. A truly extraordinary song!

Bosq's version on the B-side takes the original even further, adding more percussive elements and killer beats and breaks. His DJ-friendly rework has proven itself on dance floors around the world, always turning the mood into a hot melting pot.

Mark de Clive-Lowe - Ryūgū​-​jō (Live at Grand Performances)

Music that would become de Clive-Lowe's double album work "Heritage" started with this premiere performance in LA "Mirai no Rekishi" (History of the Future) - a musical exploration through his Japanese heritage through the lens of jazz and electronica featuring an 8 piece ensemble live on stage.

Alex Attias - LillyGood Party Vol. 2

Swiss DJ Alex Attias returns to BBE with a second helping of uptempo cuts, perfectly encapsulating his LilliyGood Party! sound.

Founder of the recently revived Visions imprint, a long-time collector and a revered selector, Alex Attias is, before everything, a refined producer whose musical craft has seen him travel the globe, most notably with an extended stint in the birthplace of the bruk sound, London.

The tracks you’ll find on this compilation are all current favourites, or proven classics that have never left Alex’s record box at the LillyGood Parties, a gathering Alex and his brother Stephane run in their hometown of Lausanne, Switzerland.

LillyGood Party! Vol.2 is another testament to Attias’ unswerving taste for smooth yet intricate, subtly layered yet deeply rooted dance compositions; some subtly edited for maximum dance-floor effect.

Featuring instantly recognisable names such as Louie Vega’s Elements Of Life, Peven Everett and even Pharoah Sanders, LillyGood Party 2 also sheds light on some lesser-known artists, digging out some gems, buried deep across the jazz, disco and electronic musical strata.

Chip Whickham - Blue to Red

Flautist and saxophonist, Chip Wickham returns with Blue to Red, his most absorbing and cosmically-charged offering to date. Soaring flute melodies, lush harp arpeggios and glistening Rhodes keys interact across six journeying, spiritual jazz compositions, leaning on a rich palette of sounds beyond borders, space and time. 

Channeling the spirit of Alice Coltrane and Yusef Lateef via the lens of a hip-hop, electronic and club music educated ear, Blue to Red encompasses Wickham’s disparate set of production influences with his Manchester and spiritual jazz education. 

The album, not only seeks to forewarn Earth’s possible Mars-like future but seeks to tap into the interplanetary, cosmic nature of music. “It’s a culture crisis rather than a climate crisis, one that can only be solved if we go right to the core of how we live as human beings”. 

Born and raised in Brighton, UK, Wickham moved to Manchester to attend college. He soon moved into music going on to perform and record with a formidable and diverse list of artists from his Manchester base including Nightmares on Wax and Andy Votel as well as regular funk excursions with The New Mastersounds. However it was upon his meeting of Mancunian trumpeter/bandleader of Gondwana Orchestra, Matthew Halsall, and other influential players connected to the Manchester’s spiritual jazz circuit such as Nat Birchall that Wickham’s musical course was re-routed for good. 

Leaving the UK for Madrid in 2007, Wickham set out on his Iberian-facing debut a decade later with La Sombra (2017), before moving again from Madrid to Doha (Qatar), where Wickham released his follow up Shamal Wind (2018), a lively and international melding of modal jazz, Arabic sounds and other disparate sonic territories, that blends Wickham’s penchant for ethereal, beatless composition and Dingwalls-esque, jazz dance numbers.  

Having recorded, produced and mixed everything himself, Wickham’s meticulous approach to production and unswerving ambition for Blue to Red, led him to a phenomenal group of musicians across the UK’s thriving jazz scene, including Sons of Kemet and Mulatu Astatke drummer, Jon Scott, Fingathing head honcho, Simon ‘Sneaky’ Houghton (double bass/cello) and Nightmares On Wax affiliate Dan ‘JD 73’ Goldman (keys). Making up the lineup is Gondwana Orchestra alumni Amanda Whiting, whose celestial and mystical harp playing is a particularly prominent and enchanting feature of the record.  

With his group (that will feature British jazz pillar, Greg Foat on keys), Wickham will be embarking on a tour across the UK and Europe this April with headline dates at London’s Ronnie Scott’s and Paris’s La Petite Halle. Alongside playing with Dwight Tribble, Allysha Joy (30/70), The Sorcerers, Scrimshire and Joe Tatton (The New Mastersounds), Chip's previous and recent live endeavours saw him perform at the mainstage of Love Supreme last year and he continues to tour the world with Halsall and The Gondwana Orchestra. 

Whilst we pray Wickham’s prediction that the planet’s decline from Blue to Red is proven incorrect, it’s hard to imagine a time in the future where pieces of music do not represent markers of our own personal growth or catalysts for structural, societal change. The vanguard of spiritual jazz past and present are no stranger to this, and on Blue to Red, Wickham not only salutes but earnestly contributes to this legacy. 

Brian Blade - Fellowship

Brian Blade's album Fellowship just has been rereleased on 180 gram vinyl by Blue Note Records.

Art Taylor - AT's Delight

Another great reissue by Blue Note Records: AT's Delight by Art Taylor. Essential!

Wolfgang Muthspiel - Angular Blues

Wolfgang Muthspiel, whom The New Yorker has called “a shining light” among today’s jazz guitarists, returns to the trio format with Angular Blues, his fourth ECM album as a leader, following two acclaimed quintet releases and his trio debut. Like Driftwood – the 2014 trio disc that JazzTimes dubbed “cinematic” and “haunting” – Angular Blues finds the Austrian guitarist paired with long-time collaborator Brian Blade on drums; but instead of Larry Grenadier on bass, this time it’s Scott Colley, whose especially earthy sound helps imbue this trio with its own dynamic. Muthspiel plays acoustic guitar on three of the album’s tracks and electric on six more. Along with his characteristically melodic originals – including such highlights as the bucolic “Hüttengriffe” and pensive “Camino” – he essays the first standards of his ECM tenure (“Everything I Love” and “I’ll Remember April”), as well as his first-ever bebop rhythm-changes tune on record (“Ride”). Angular Blues also features a single guitar-only track, “Solo Kanon in 5/4,” with Muthspiel’s electronic delay imbuing the baroque-like rounds with a hypnotic glow.

Muthspiel, Colley and Blade recorded Angular Blues in Tokyo’s Studio Dede after a three-night run at the city’s Cotton Club. The album was mixed with Manfred Eicher in the South of France at Studios La Buissonne, where Muthspiel had recorded his two previous ECM albums, Rising Grace and Where the River Goes (both of which featured pianist Brad Mehldau and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire). Each of the groups that Muthspiel has put together for his ECM recordings has had a special rapport. About his new trio, the guitarist says: “Scott and Brian share my love of song, while at the same time there is constant musical conversation about these songs.”

Secret Rendezvouz - Back in the Day

It’s safe to say that Secret Rendezvous have got off to a good start since linking up with Kraak & Smaak’s Boogie Angst imprint…

The sentimental slow jam ‘Back in The Day’ proved to be an instant hit with serious support from heavy hitters like La Belle Musique, Stereofox, Born Music, and LA On Lock all championing, not to mention support on LA tastemaker station KCRW and high profile Spotify editorial placements including multiple ‘New Music Friday’ playlists and ‘BAE’ across that and the following singles from their EP of the same name. It’s clear that singer/songwriter Sietske Morsch and producer/guitarist Remi Lauw are quickly carving out quite a name for themselves with their soulful pop songs crafted with more than a cheeky pinch of 90’s throwback flavour. And now they return with a steaming hot batch of eclectic mixes from some of the finest producers in the game today, plus a new original version, featuring esteemed rapper Maydien, adding some Spring and Summer vibes to it.

HIGH HØØPS is the solo project of Leisure's Jordan Arts who you may recall featuring as featured vocalist on fellow BA artist – Moods’ high-riding ‘Comfortable’ single. He leads the way with his flip of the title track. Tight crunchy drums and extra servings of bass tone is order of the day here. Combined with the accapella and some tasteful horns and guitar the end result is a slice of bright indie pop with a smattering of electronica, and it’s catchy as hell.

Up next, iamalex – an esteemed alumnus of Chillhop Records. So as you would expect his style is super chilled and groovy. Warm crackles, sentimental piano chords, and tasteful sound design are all over this chilled take on ‘Your Love’.

Canadian hip hop crew Potatohead People are creating some of the finest modern hip hop and rnb in the world today, and adding further weight to that statement is the fact they have won plaudits from the likes of Kaytranada, Nightmares On Wax, Phife Dog and Big Boi. Here they turn in a fantastic jam-packed slinky version of ‘Back in the Day’.

Boogie Angst’s very own duo Snacks, throw up a minimalist, club focused electronica vibe in their rework of ‘Your Love’, and as said earlier, the original version gets a re-run as well, this time with the added Summer flavor of Dutch rapper Maydien.

And to round off this massive package is Junktion, who established his production reputation as one half of dance heads Fouk, and has since had solo outings Brooklyn's Razor-n-Tape, Times are Ruff, Sleazy Beats and his own label Outplay. Here he makes a lively skittering beat around ‘Settle Down’ that is destined to be a dancefloor weapon for years to come.

Montreux Jazz

No text needed ;-)

North Sea Jazz festival 2020

The annual biggest jazz festival in Holland. Do we need to say more?