Thursday, April 05, 2018

NEW RELEASES: WVR BVBY; BENJAMIN JEPHTA - HOMECOMING; JAKOB BRO - RETURNINGS


WVR BVBY

Melbourne based 8-piece WVR BVBY unveil a meditational jazz odyssey on their debut self-titled album. WVR BVBY is the next link in the chain of Melbourne’s soulful sound that has been developing strongly over the past decade. They create cinematic sounds through roaring horns, synth arpeggiation and a rhythm section that sways from meditative grooves to dramatic, complex rhythmic interplay with tight precision. Recorded at Fitzroy's Plug Seven Studios, the eight track LP was inspired by a mixture of crate digging culture and 70s production techniques, recorded in one take sessions using direct to tape technology. The name WVR BVBY (pronounced WAR BABY) has a special connection to the leader of the 8-piece ensemble, Carl Lindeberg who plays bass. Lindeberg’ s parents first met and fell in love in the war torn Middle East during the Gulf War and the result of that union was Lindeberg himself. The album is the sophomore release of the independent label, Plug Seven Records, run by Plug Seven Records store and studio owner, Ari Roze.

BENJAMIN JEPHTA - HOMECOMING

A beautiful set of spiritual jazz from South Africa – recorded recently, but very much in the same soulful tradition of the best of that scene from the early 70s onward! The tracks are long, flowing, and open – set up in a fantastic way by the rich, round work of the bass of Benjamin Jephte – and given spacious warmth through the talents of Marcus Wyatt on trumpet, Kyle Shepherd on piano and Rhodes, Sisonke Xonti on tenor, and Sphelelo Mazibuko on drums – a really great lineup who resonate beautifully with each other! Spha Mdlalose provides these beautiful wordless vocal passages at times, and other members of the group vocalize briefly – but our favorite "voices" on the album may well be the tenor and piano parts. If you know some of Wyatt's excellent work for the Sheer Sound label years back, you'll know some of the energy of this set – and titles include "Hymn For Ada", "The Blessing", "Requiem For The Wandering", "Be Strong", "Still I Rise", and "One For The Plein". ~ Dusty Groove

JAKOB BRO - RETURNINGS

A moody little record that's cut in the best style of the ECM legacy – and one that definitely recalls the special place that label has for both trumpet and guitar! In this case the guitar is handled by leader Jakob Bro, and the trumpet by Palle Mikkelborg – the latter a longtime associate of the label, and graced with this spacious, open sound that hangs perfectly in the air of the production – balanced with the spider webs of sound coming from Bro's electric guitar, and given just a bit of gentle help from the bass of Thomas Morgan and drums of Jon Christensen. Titles include "Hamsun", "Lyskaster", "Song For Nicolai", "Oktober", and "Strands". ~ Dusty Groove


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