Beautifully executed as usual by Gearbox, this is the first release of a 1968 BBC Jazz In Britain recording, forerunner of the classic Argo LP Heart Is A Lotus, issued two years later. With Don Rendell and Ian Carr.

The first album in thirteen years by this great trumpeter (and founder of Strata East).
A quintet — with US veterans Jesse Davis, Keith Brown, Buster Williams and Lenny White — joined by Binker Moses on a couple of cuts.

A no-frills, loving tribute — with Shirley’s longtime drummer Steve Williams and double bassist Curtis Lundy (brother of Carmen), formerly of Betty Carter’s group; also the fine pianist Alex Minasian and trumpeter Till Brönner.

A performance for Danish TV, never released on vinyl until now, with Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Ørsted Petersen and Albert Heath. The title track is storming Afro-Cuban jazz (from the unmissable Blue Note LP A Swingin’ Affair).

A quintet, with DJ Harrison from Stones Throw on keyboards, drummer Corey Fonville (Christian Scott, Nicholas Payton), bassist Andrew Randazzo, Marcus Tenney on trumpet and Morgan Burr on guitar. Freaking, hiphop-inflected jazz-funk, with its roots in Weather Report, Return To Forever and early Earth Wind And Fire.

By themselves on the first record; for the second, joined by Evan Parker and Byron Wallen, harpist Tori Handsley and tabla player Sarathy Korwar, and drummer Yussef Dayes. Both sessions were recorded completely live, straight to tape, consolidating the ‘incandescent immediacy’ of the playing. The duo’s ‘soulful tenor sax sermons plus earthily funky drumming, fusing jazz, hip-hop and grime… winningly mix dark, classic Coltrane raptures, infectious hook-rooted rockers and Sonny Rollins-like calypsos. The larger group sets up thrilling rhythm textures merged from Parker’s seamless soprano lines and a chatter of snare drums and tablas; there are atmospheric guitar-like harp figures, and dramatically spontaneous two-tenor tussles’ (The Guardian).
‘CD of the year so far’ (London Jazz News).

The debut duo recording of Londoners tenor saxophonist Binker Golding and drummer Moses, with its roots in experiments between soundchecks and gigs while on the road with Zara McFarlane’s band. ‘Over time these initial ideas and jams have become templates for improvisation; with their echoes of late period Coltrane and Charles Lloyd, as listenable and memorable as they are full of invention, passion and surprise.’ Beautifully recorded; warmly recommended.