STR4TA unveil a refreshing neoteric layer on this latest offering. Led by broadcaster/ DJ Gilles Peterson and musician/producer Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick. In a natural departure from their intoxicating signature new-wave-jazz-funk sound, reverberating with the essence of electro-street-soul in the UK. This is the first taste of things to come on their second album following their 2021 debut album ‘Aspects’ with standout tracks "We Like It" achieving over 1 million streams on Spotify, ‘Rhythm In Your Mind’ exceeding 12 weeks on Jazz FM’s playlist, and a remix EP featuring Melé, Dave Lee, Greg Wilson, Dave Aju & more released at the end of 2021. Heavily supported by BBC 6Music, The Guardian, Wax Poetics, The Vinyl Factory, CLASH, Télérama (FR), Radio Nova (FR), Rolling Stones Italy & Japan. Now out on digital on Brownswood Recordings. You can catch STR4TA at one of their upcoming concerts: Wed, June 8 - Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain; and Fri, June 10 - Jazz Cafe, London UK.
Legendary drummer Takeo Moriyama joins the Kyoto Jazz Sextet here – and helps find a sound that's even stronger than their previous album for Blue Note! It's been many years since Shuya Okino first started giving us grooves under the Kyoto Jazz banner – and this sextet project is maybe one of his greatest efforts of the bunch – a searing jazz session that not only takes us back to the strength of Takeo's classic albums of the 70s, but which also makes the album more than worthy of inclusion in the legendary catalog of Blue Note! The rest of the lineup features Shinpei Ruike on trumpet, Takeshi Kurihara on tenor, Yusuke Hirado on piano, and Yoshihito Koizumi on bass – and titles include versions of the classic Fumio Itabashi titles "Watarase" and "Sunrise" – plus the tracks "Father Forest", "Miagete Goran Yoruno Hoshido", "Kaze", and "No More Apple".~ Dusty Groove
An even more powerful set than the Blue Note debut of South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini – a set delivered in response to all the recent struggles in his nation, and put together with all the righteous energy of similar projects from the 70s! Makhathini is way more than a pianist here – as although his instrument is important to the sound, his overall vision is more so – directing a lineup of players that includes Linda Sikhakhane on tenor and soprano, Dylan Tabisher on vibes, Robin Fassie Kock on trumpet, and Gontse Makhene on percussion – working in this sense of flow that swings between rhythmic and melodic, intense and more speculative passages. Omagugu sings on one track – the beautiful "Mama" – and other titles include "Nyoni Le", "Re-Amathambo", "Abantwana Belanga", "Sense Nina", "Omnyama", and "Ntu". ~ Dusty Groove
It was in 2008 that Billboard and SmoothJazz.com chart-topping pianist Jonathan Fritzén burst onto the scene with his debut recording Love Birds which at the time was described as reaching the very core of what great Smooth Jazz is all about. Now, six hit albums later Fritzén is back with the highly anticipated Piano Tales. As well as producing, recording and mixing throughout Jonathan also writes all ten choice tunes. The title of each track is linked in some way to the piano. The album's first single, "Keys To Paradise," peaked at #1 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart and the second single, "Hammers Of Love" also found its way into the Top 10! Quite simply Fritzén remains one of the hottest composers, producers and pianists in the world, in what is already a storied career, it seems likely that there are still many tales to tell. ~ www.smoothjazz.com
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