Category: jazz
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makaya mccraven – these times
‘These Times’ has been lovingly made with a torrent of textures. Through the labyrinthine motions, McCraven and his entourage stay relentlessly kinetic with an unusual level of calm. That is a genuinely great aspect of this record: it is testing, but it works for you, with you. The liquidus quality of the marimbas, flute, and […]
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blossom dearie – blossom dearie (1957)
Margrethe Blossom Dearie died in 2009, aged 84. It is strange to think that the voice we hear on this record, so precisely alive and sweet, could ever be anything but. A lover of jazz and bebop, Dearie was widely admired in return by figureheads such as Gil Evans, Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. Her […]
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maria rita – desse jeito (EP)
After her intimate 2003 debut, Maria Rita’s music has often been delivered with an unnerving level of precision that belies her carefree vocals. Desse Jeito returns to the same tidiness, but with as much personality as the singer has ever shown. There’s a slight fracture in Rita’s voice, singed with emotion, that paves a deeper […]
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joyce moreno – brasileiras canções
Considering her unquestionable talent and light-hearted appeal, Joyce Moreno holds a relatively low-profile in Europe. It’s a shame: Brasileiras Canções is as lovely a summer soundtrack as any artist will produce this year. Crucially, at no point does Moreno indulge in her swoop and soar vocals, which possess a range capable of aimless loop-de-loops and […]
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joe armon-jones, mala – a way back
On a fascinating collaboration, Joe Armon-Jones and Mala play with their lighter sides without sacrificing the undercutting darkness of dub. It’s central pitfall is that it works with the odds: the stakes are low and the payoff is expected. But it would be rude to say too much more—this is a gently titillating listening experience […]
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