Back catalogue:

Review: The Hold Up is the second album from the QOW Trio, which is a fantastic and multi-generational jazz band. Members include the award-winning young saxophone yahoo Riley Stone-Lonergan as well as the decorated British jazz vet Spike Wells on drums, plus some sublime bass from multi-genre maestro and bandleader Eddie Mye. They came together after a chance meeting in Brighton and share an appreciation for big-toned tenors so bring that along with a fine attitude towards fearless exploration on this risk-taking new album which is full of great swing and plenty of serious melodies.

Review: A 1957 release, and the third in a series of albums expanding on Bird's 10" Clef releases from the early 1950s, Now's The Time boasts some of Parker's purest recordings and strongest playing, featuring two different quartets. His lyrical and fluid improvisations on cuts like 'The Song Is You' and 'Laird Baird' are on full display, prime examples of his unmatched genius. Further delights include the original 'Cosmic Rays', a slow bop on which Parker's sax pops out like a virtuosic winged insect buzzing about its relatively quiet flower; and 'Chi Chi' which, by contrast, takes us by the ear and hurls us down an urbane but brisk sonic chute, its confident combination of rhythm section and Bird lead happily skipping away, but never stumbling.

Review: This first outing on the new Jazzybelle label marks the first reissue in 25 years of Quarteto Novo's legendary Brazilian jazz album licensed from Universal Music Brazil. A fusion of northeast Brazilian music, bebop, jazz and folk creates a wonderfully alive and arresting organic sound from the influential group which features Hermeto Pascoal, Airto Moreira, Theo De Barros and Heraldo Do Monte. Quarteto Novo released only one album yet left a significant impact on Brazilian music after originally forming as "Trio Novo" for a live event. They gained popularity through a tour led by Geraldo Vandre in 1966 and this historic album was a real highlight of their early years.

Review: Adrian Quesada is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who featured in the Grammy-winning Grupo Fantasma as well a plethora of other ventures like Black Puma and The Echocentrics. Now he's back with a new solo album which celebrates the funky, psych-licked sound that washed through Latin America in the 60s and 70s. It almost comes on like a library record, so silky is the sound, but there's enough nuance and expression edged into the playing to take it into a more personal sphere. If you dig groove-minded crafters like Quantic, you're going to love the sound of Adrian Quesada.

Review: Released in 1977, this Nigerian rock album remains a hidden gem, rediscovered by a new generation thanks to recent reissues. Produced by Odion Iruoje, the album features a group of college students whose music captures the vibrant, post-civil war Nigerian rock scene. With a sound that blends Western rock influences like The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield and early Genesis with a distinct African touch, the album is a joyful yet melancholic exploration of love and harmony. Tracks like 'Love', 'Be Nice to the People' and 'Mary Enne' showcase the band's signature blend of fuzz guitar and heartfelt vocals. The music resonates with the exuberance of other African bands like Blo and Witch, yet it stands out with its heavy fuzz guitar and English vocals, steering clear of political or social activism in favor of pure, emotional expression. This album, recorded in Kenya, captures a moment in history when African rock was evolving, bridging cultures and sounds. It's a timeless piece, equally nostalgic, fresh and perfect entry point into African psychedelia for new listeners and a rewarding revisit for those already familiar with the genre.

Review: Quill were a Boston-based rock band that gained national attention after performing a standout show at the legendary Woodstock festival in August 1969 despite only having formed just two years before in 1967. The quintet played throughout New England and New York and soon earned praise for their high-energy rock infused with psychedelia, jazz, and elements of performance art. Brothers John and Dan Cole handled most of the songwriting and created complex compositions that fuelled their always dynamic live shows, which often featured heavy audience participation. Quill's innovative approach and unique blend of styles made them a standout act in the late 1960s rock scene and mean this album remains a favourite years on, which his why it now gets a welcome reissue.

Review: Although experimental in nature - most of his music is made from crackling, ultra-atmospheric tape loops - Gareth Quinn Redmond's music is breathlessly beautiful and universally beguiling. He's already proved that on his previous LPs - not least 2019's Satoshi Ashikawa-inspired 'Laistigh Den Ghleo' - but once again confirms it on 'Ar Ais Aris'. He describes the eight-track set as "daydreaming environmental music full of accidental miracles and soothing backdrops", and that's an apt description. Ghostly melodies and enveloping chords, sometimes manipulated for extra wooziness, emerge from dense forests of tape hiss and static, creating becalmed ambient soundscapes that tend towards the poignant and picturesque. There aren't many copies around, so we'd recommend pre-ordering to secure a copy.

Review: Mad About Records officially reissues super rare private press Quintessence's 1981 LP. Surprisingly for the level of talent and production / recording wit that it flaunts, Quintessence was one of many original jazz LPs to remain in private circulation and thus completely wanting of the public ear. Led by Ron Ancrum, with George Sovak, David Gaedeke, Winston Johnson and Steve Muse, the band nonetheless recorded an exceptional slice of artistic pie here, bringing Rhodesy, tritoning sundowners to the then already well-fleshed milieu of 80s jazz, an unmistakably bulbous and gaudy sound to which Quintessence do much justice; our favourite here by far is 'In My Apartment', a tssking blue-jazz suite for boughed double bass and noir piano.

Review: Recorded at Fish Factory Studios in London in April 2021, Abbreviations by Qwalia reflects meticulous editing and post-production that condenses raw recordings into seven intricate tracks. Featuring collaborators Ernesto Marichales (percussion), Miryam Solomon (vocals), and Valeria Pozzo (violin, viola), the album expands on the success of "Sound & Reason," which was championed by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs. Tracks like 'Elevator Company' transform jam sessions around Tal Janes' guitar into lounge grooves with Solomon's ethereal vocals blurring ambient and improvised music. Meanwhile, 'The Spin' dives into trance-like intensity, capturing the band's energy after exhaustive recording sessions.