Jazz de Ville

Aziyan - The Dillians

Mind-blowing session of Spiritual Jazz recorded in NYC in 1984 led by Haitian genius Alix Pascal blending traditional Ra Ra elements with modal/spiritual melodies. Fantastic listen all through, stand out for us 'Tribilasyon'. Quality Superfly reissue limited to 1000 copies, with insert and obi.

Han Litz Group - Unity in Diversity EP

This digital EP is preceding the upcoming album Unity In Diversity. It's an album sampler consisting of 6 tracks, from which 5 of the tracks derive from the upcoming 12 track album. There's one additional track on this EP, which is a Yoruba Soul Remix by Osunlade of his track Epiphany. Be quick, only a couple of copies left!

The Kutimangoes - Afrotropism

According to the Kutimangoes:

The past 5 years we have taken our music all over the world: Europe, Asia, Africa besides our homeland Denmark, and even though we cannot speak with many of the people we meet, our music is a universal language that transcends borders. The meetings we have had (and continue to have) all over inspire us to create new music. But of course we are the composers of the music, so this is our representation of those meetings.

Our 3rd album is called AFROTROPISM. Tropism is a biological phenomenon that indicates growth of a plant in response to the environment; so when you see a plant turning for the sunlight, this is tropism. In other words, this is not so much about the plant's roots but more about how it reacts when it touches the air, feels sunlight or rain - in other words the outside world. So AFROTROPISM refers to the fact that we are drawn towards the African traditions, but we are "growing" our own music.

On our first two albums we have recorded extensively with African musicians, and AFROTROPISM is centered around The KutiMangoes (TKM) as a band. We are developing our artistic direction by going more in depth with how we can mix our inspirations with our own musical heritage. Our musical mission is (and has always been) to mix cultures and create our own sound.

With our background in jazz music, TKM counts virtuoso instrumentalists with a heartfelt intent and sound innovators with our horns, effect pedals, synthesizers, drums and percussion from all over the world. AFROTROPISM is a further and deeper development of our trademark bold sound that experiments with synthesizers, soundscapes and a bit of electronic effects without losing it's focus on groove, melody, atmosphere and musicianship."

The KutiMangoes, July 2019

Dego - Too Much

After a steady stream of releases from the 2000 Black label which serve as a first course, Dego returns with his third album ; A full length LP of his contemporary adventures in modern sound. This album combines Dego’s consistent forward looking musical explorations with a host of instrumental and vocal collaborators introducing us to new talents and reminding us of those we may have heard before. Dego continues to find new perspectives within the musical landscape. 

Collaborating with singers and songwriters all expressing a distinct sense of where, collectively, we are now. There can be no doubt that this is a time of questions in every way, changes in the world and industry that will affect us all. How and what role music plays in this journey is explored as with any artist in a personal and pensive way from a tear to a smile. There is no preaching here, only statements and explorations. Individuality and sonic diversity combine and reflect the many inspirations and evolutions of style. Cooking up a strong and distinct genre-defying mix of soul, two step, funk, jazz, boogie and R&B, all dance music’s that focus on heritage and natural rhythms. 

Moonchild - Little Ghost

Little Ghost marks the return of LA-based trio Moonchild with their most thoughtfully crafted and complete album to date. Led by first single “Too Much to Ask”, the release sees multi-instrumentalists Amber Navran, Max Bryk, and Andris Mattson channel boundless sonic energy as they explore some of the most personal aspects of what it is to be in love and to believe in who you truly are.  

With a unique style of alternative R&B, soul and new-school jazz that has cemented their spot in today’s music scene, Moonchild continue to intertwine lyrical concepts with expansive glistening melodies, harmonies and irresistible interludes. Taking its name from the most emotional of celestial bodies ‘Little Ghost’ follows the widely-praised ‘Voyager’ [2017], ‘Please Rewind’ [2015] and ‘Be Free’ [2012]. 

Since the release of their critically acclaimed ‘Voyager’ album, Moonchild have toured the album across the world, with headline tours in North America, Asia and Europe as well as opening for The Internet and Kamasi Washington. Whilst travelling, the band wasted no time working on ‘Little Ghost’ as they started putting together beats and production ideas on the road; “Eventually we were able to spend time solely on the album, going to Lake Arrowhead for writing retreats and meeting up at each other’s houses back in LA” says Bryk. Channelling this collaborative spirit, the LP is a continuation of the Moonchild story; “Moonchild has been a project between the three of us where we work to achieve sound we all have in our heads, but can’t articulate into words”, Bryk summarises.  

This fondness for experimentation and teamwork follows across the release, particularly through the instrumentation with band members coming together to form harmonies and horn solos; as shown in the funk-fuelled “Come Over” features three separate horn solos back-to-back-to-back from Moonchild with Bryk on Clarinet, Mattson on Flugelhorns and Amber on flutes showcasing their otherworldly musical talent and respect for one another.  

Portico Quartet - Offset

First single of the upcoming album Memory Streams by Portico Quartet is available today. Have a listen!

John Coltrane - Blue World

An unreleased and never-before-heard 1964 recording by John Coltrane and his Classic Quartet, Blue World, will be released by Impulse!/UMe on 27 September. It features new recordings of earlier works which, in an almost unprecedented move, they reinterpreted for this session, recorded at Van Gelder Studios.

The album will available on CD, vinyl LP and digitally, and is previewed by the release of the title track, which is now available.

The recordings were made in June 1964, in between the sessions for Crescent and A Love Supreme. Coltrane had been approached by a filmmaker in Quebec, Gilles Groux, who was planning to make his film Le chat dans le sac, a love story set in Montreal that had political overtones.

Groulx was a devoted Coltrane aficionado, and via his connection with bassist Jimmy Garrison, he approached the great jazz figurehead with the idea of Coltrane recording the film’s soundtrack. Remarkably, he agreed.

Sp it was that he went into the studio with Garrison, Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner to revisit and reinterpret some of Coltrane’s earlier works. The session was recorded on quarter-inch analog mono tape and mixed by the great jazz engineer Rudy Van Gelder on 24 June. Groulx, who had been present at the session, took the masters to Canada to use in Le chat dans le sac, but only included ten minutes from the 37-minute recording.

Kevin Reeves at Universal Music Mastering in New York has now mastered Blue World from the original analog tape. The lacquers for the new release were cut at Capitol Studios by Ron McMaster.

Devotees and new admirers will hear both Coltrane’s creative progression and the consistent, interactive sound that had become the signature of the Classic Quartet by 1964. The album is also a window into a fascinating and hugely significant period in Coltrane’s musical evolution, set in between two of his most transcendent recordings. Crescent was released in July, and A Love Supreme the following January.

Blue World follows the global success of the 2018 release Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album. Recorded in 1963 by Coltrane and the Classic Quartet, it revealed new compositions that showed the group at the paek of their powers. The album achieved his highest-ever debut on the Billboard 200, at No. 21, made the top 20 on mainstream charts in the UK, France, Germany, Japan and elsewhere, and topped jazz charts around the world, rising to worldwide sales of more than a quarter of a million

Nat Birchall - The Storyteller - A Musical Tribute to Yusef Lateef

With 20 years passing since his first foray into recorded jazz, Nat Birchall now ranks as one of the premier saxophonists of his generation. With several highly acclaimed albums in the locker, he now returns with his most ambitious project yet – a tribute to the legend that is Yusef Lateef. 

“When Jazzman Gerald first mentioned to me the idea of doing an album as a tribute to the jazz giant Dr Yusef A. Lateef, my first thought was "Where on earth do I start?" Lateef was such a colossus of music, and his scope so broad, that I couldn't hope to begin to cover his musical universe. He was a master of the tenor saxophone, a master of the flute, a master ballad player, a master blues player. Not to mention his skills as a composer and arranger and of course his exploration and use of musical methodology and instruments from all over the world.“ 

“I’ve always been a great admirer of Lateef, and the challenge was intriguing, so I decided to give it go. We interpreted some of his own compositions (Brother John, Morning & Ching Miau) as well as some compositions by others that he made his own by careful arrangement and interpretation (Love Theme from Spartacus, Ringo Oiwake). I also wrote some original songs that, while certainly not written in his style, might be said to fall into his very broad approach to music making.” 

“I also wanted to utilise as many different instruments as possible, something I hadn't explored too much until this album. So it was a nice opportunity to finally get around to playing some of the many small instruments I've collected over the years; the Turkish zurna, the mbira from Zimbabwe, the balaphon from Mali and the arghul from Egypt. We have also tried to use varied time signatures in the music, so we have songs in 3/4, 5/4 and 7/4 time, as well as the standard 4/4.” 

“Ultimately the best music tells a story to the listener and takes them to places they might not have imagined themselves. Yusef Lateef certainly did that, and as such was a master storyteller.” 

- Nat Birchall

Tru Thoughts 20 years!

One of our favorite labels, Tru Thoughts, is celebrating it's 20th anniversary.

To celebrate, they already filled 2019 with genre-crossing releases including albums from Te’Amir, Hot 8 Brass Band, Wrongtom, Flowdan, Hidden Orchestra, Quantic, Pieces of a Man, Bryony Jarman-Pinto and Gawd Status alongside special releases from the likes of KINGDEM, Nikitch & Kuna Maze, Lightning Head, IRAH, Anchorsong and Strategy. Still to come, there will be new music from Rhi, Moonchild, Ego Ella May, The Seshen, Rodney P, new signing Sefi Zisling and the annual ‘Shapes’ compilation… more news coming soon.

Wanubalé - Phosphenes

Wanubalé – nine guys from Berlin, inspired by the city’s fresh Jazz scene and distinct club culture. This band sets out to define their own, highly danceable version of Jazz, Neo Soul and Funk. 

Wanubalé met at school. Five of the nine in the band went to the same musical high school in Berlin. There, in a dark basement jam-packed with equipment, Philip Schilz and Heinrich Eiszmann met for whole afternoons to built unique sound castles made up of bass drums, snares and everything else they were able to get their hands on. Thus, the two drummers built the foundation for the ultra-danceable grooves that define Wanubalé. 
Heavy influences from Jazz, Neo Soul and Funk shape their compositions. However, electronic sounds are just as important to Wanubalé. All of the nine are in their early twenties. All of them grew up around the vibrant club culture of Germany’s capital. All of them are into Dub, Bass Music and Broken Beats. And several members are DJs, as well. Philip remembers one of many long nights: “Everyone around us was dancing. We were in the midst of it, analyzing why and how the beats work.” 

The Wanubalés are first rate musicians. They tend to take their time writing arrangements, yet they are careful not to overly emphasize their jazz skills. Songwriting is a collaborative affair, everything is developed organically. Just like the band name, which dates back to the days of fooling around in the schoolyard, playing with syllables (“nuba” came first). Sound was crucial. Some say “Wanubalé” means “brother” in Swahili. 

Wanubalé’s instrumental debut album was recorded by Axel Reinemer in Berlin’s Jazzanova Studio in 2018. The musicians don’t hide their influences: Snarky Puppy, Fat Freddy's Drop, plus younger acts like Hiatus Kaiyote and Nubiyan Twist. But Wanubalé do their own thing, having produced and arranged the album. Wanubalé: four horns, two drummers, guitar, bass, keyboards. Nine musicians with a knack for funky breaks, might brass sounds and great melodies.

Maestro at the Hoxton

Early disco set from 11.30 till 14.30

Music Distillery

The 3rd edition of the Music Distillery will take place on October 11 till 13 at the Nolet facility (better known as the brewer of Ketel 1). Early bird tickets for sale now.

RCO Club Night

More info soon

Ibrahim Maalouf at Paradiso

Master trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf comes to Amsterdam on November 10 to play at Paradiso!

Blue Note at Sea 2020

Blue Note at Sea will return in 2020 with a fantastic program including Robert Glasper, Gregory Porter, Kamasi Washington, Melody Bardot, David Sanborn and much more.

Capetown International Jazz Festival

Cape Town International Jazz festival celebrates it's 20th! edition on March 29 and 30

Montreux Jazz

No text needed ;-)

North Sea Jazz festival 2020

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