Expert, ecstatic, technicolour disco from the Orlando Riva Sound.

Top-notch vocal-harmony roots and tough dub, produced by the legendary engineer Sylvan Morris.

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 singer Yu Ji-suk, with a 10-piece ensemble of choir and percussion, performing the Seodo Sori repertoire of the north-west provinces. Nostalgic, dynamic folk songs, rooted in everyday life.

The celebrated three-hour set of this close collaborator of Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamarr.
Two drummers, two bassists, two keyboardists, trumpet, trombone and vocals, plus string orchestra and full choir.
‘The music reflects many inspirations — John Coltrane, Horace Tapscott’s Pan-African People’s Arkestra, Azar Lawrence’s Prestige period, Donald Byrd’s and Eddie Gale’s jazz and choir explorations, Pharoah Sanders’ pan global experiments, Afro-Latin jazz, spiritual soul, and DJ culture… It challenges the cultural conversation about jazz without compromising or pandering’ (AllMusic).

Armenian sacred music from the fifth to nineteenth centuries — chants, hymns and sharakans — in settings for choir and piano.
‘Extraordinarily beautiful… Hamasyan uses the characteristic, Eastern-hued Armenian modes to summon up an ancient world. It’s very different to Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble’s million-selling Officium, but if you like that, you’ll love this’ (The Independent).

The Armenian pianist in a quartet setting, meditating on ancient folk melodies (including a couple of compositions by Komitas), between jazz and ambient.

An album of American standards… by Richard Rodgers, Charlie Parker, Jerome Kern, and others… plus one improvisation. With bandmates Matt Brewer on bass, and drummer Justin Brown, and guests including Ambrose Akinmusire, Joshua Redman, and Mark Turner.

‘Hamasyan puts so much emphasis on mood and melody that it’s easy to miss how virtuosic the playing is’ (DownBeat).
‘Tigran has found a way to keep improvisation fresh and lyrical. Other jazz musicians would be wise to take note’ (Guardian).
‘There are many brilliant and perfectly finished young jazz pianists around, but Hamasyan stands out because he has something important and urgent to say’ (Daily Telegraph).

“I love these compositions and melodies so much that, to me, it’s like Armenian folk music.  As an immigrant – an Armenian-American – I relate to these composers and musicians from various backgrounds who have that kind of history, a dark history, but managed to succeed in an embodiment of freedom. In that way, I feel like I want to be part of this, to find something in the tradition of where I came from.”

Representing every Chess artist recording at Muscle Shoals, 1967-69. The likes of Etta James, Irma Thomas, Laura Lee, Bobby Moore and Mitty Collier, in the era of the studio’s second great rhythm section, the Swampers. Plenty of unfamiliar glories, and throwing in three instrumentals by Charles Chalmers and crew.

Three albums recorded on his brother’s farm in Accokeek, Maryland, in the early 70s. Quite different to his previous releases, the music remains raw and basic, but with vocals and acoustic guitars, mandolins, dobros and piano. ‘An organic blend of downhome music… imbued with a primitive spirituality. There is an unpolished, spontaneous feel to the music which sparks it greedily into life, and the Accokeek earth seems to be ground deep into every groove. You can even hear the frogs croaking outside the shack.’

Ruff, rugged, hypnotic, spiritual roots from this startlingly Swiss studio and label, with Half Moon, early Pablo, and stark Upsetter amongst its ancestors.