Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Iconic recordings from 1959 blessed with s a fresh, vibrant energy. The opener, with its elegant trumpet lines and meticulous rhythm section, feels like a masterclass in restraintibuilding from delicate intricacies to full-blown, fluid improvisation. As the album progresses, each track shows Davis's intuitive connection with his bandmates, effortlessly weaving complexity into accessible melodies. The slow-burning 'Blue in Green' stands out, with its haunting beauty and rich, emotive depth. Throughout, the album is a showcase of Davis's transformative approach to jazz, fusing cool jazz elements with the raw emotional power that defined his later work. A definitive, timeless piece.

Review: April 10, 1970. Miles Davis, fresh from his Jack Johnson sessions and with a new face in the band, soprano saxophonist Steve Grossman, take the stage at San Francisco's Fillmore West and set about sparking a revolution in jazz by fusing it with rock and funk elements. Captured on Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West, this performance is one for the agesifull of explosive improvisation, raw energy and a palpable sense of transformation. The album, finally reissued on vinyl after years of being locked away in Japan, is a time capsule of a moment in jazz history where tradition was discarded and a new frontier was being built. With his usual crewiGrossman, Chick Corea on keys, Dave Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto Moreira on percussioniDavis steered the ship into turbulent, unpredictable waters. It's all about the groove, the shifts in rhythm, and the untamed trumpet blasts that echo through the room like firecrackers. Tracks like 'Miles Runs the Voodoo Down' - from the milestone Bitches Brew album, which had come out a mere month before - and 'It's About That Time' tear apart the old jazz playbook, plunging deep into rock territory while still holding on to the open-ended freedom of improvisation. This is the raw, unfiltered jazz that would come to define the electric period of Davis' caree - a live-wire snapshot of a jazz legend finding new possibilities in real-time.

Review: As it is the month of love - or another overbearingly capitalist instruction to treat people for the sake of it, depending on your viewpoint - why no indulge in some loved up jazz from Miles Davis? My Funny Valentine captured delicate ballads and was met with immediate critical successes. It is an album that demonstrated profound emotion with minimal fuss and represents a high point in Miles Davis' early 1960s career, capturing the excitement and sound of a road-honed group at its peak. Herbie Hancock's piano intros, George Coleman's melodic tenor, Ron Carter's steady bass, and Tony Williams' unexpected drumming contributed to an unforgettable collective sound.

Review: Miles Davis' On the Corner was released in 1972 and was initially dismissed by jazz purists for its unconventional style but over time its visionary approach has been rightfully given the respect it deserves. Davis' boldest and most controversial album in a discography full of them, On the Corner shifted jazz's focus to groove and bass-heavy funk and reshaped the genre and pioneering techniques that anticipated remix culture and electronica by over a decade. This special pressing, sourced from the original master tapes and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, enhances the record's deep basslines and intricate studio techniques to offer a vivid and immersive listening experience that underscores its groundbreaking influence.

Review: Rhino's new premium vinyl series promises the pinnacle of sound and packaging for classic albums. Mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed by Optimal on 180-gram vinyl, these limited-edition releases feature high-quality covers and "tip-on" jackets. The series aims to deliver consistent sonic excellence, setting a new standard for reissues. Miles Davis' Tutu (1986): Often dismissed as 'pop-fusion', Tutu defied expectations and remains relevant. Produced by Marcus Miller, it features a tapestry of electronics, including bass guitar, bass clarinet, electric violin, percussion, and synths. The album reflects the 80s with its bright tonalities and a crisp sound akin to the Fairlight era. Davis' brooding brass blends with Miller's harmonically rich backdrops, reminiscent of black popular music of the time. The result is a work of engrossingly fraught atmospheres, proving Davis' enduring relevance and ability to captivate without sounding dated.

Review: Miles Davis' A Tribute to Jack Johnson stands as a pinnacle of jazz-rock fusion, blending slashing rock and aggressive funk with an astounding lineup. Mastered from the original tapes, Mobile Fidelity's reissue captures the music's aggression and immediacy like never before. Guitarist John McLaughlin delivers a nasty edge and vicious streak, bridging the gap between rock and jazz with his slashing style. Davis' trumpet solos sizzle with exuberance, surrounded by urgent backbeats and knifing riffs. An amazing degree of instrumental separation and imaging allow you to focus on singular musicians and the roles they play. The album, often overshadowed by Davis' other works, serves as a personal manifesto, saluting boxing legend Jack Johnson. Producer Ted Macero seamlessly assembles sessions, resulting in a lean, guitar-heavy sound that hits with brutal force and graceful elegance. A Tribute to Jack Johnson remains a monster album, demanding to be experienced in all its ferocious glory.

Review: Spiritmuse Records presents Journey to Nabta Playa, the dialogic result of Angel Bat Dawid and multidisciplinary artist Naima Nefertari, as they team up to honour the ancient Nubian astrological site of the same name. An ancient Neolithic site in Egypt's Nubian Desert predating Stonehenge, Nabta Playa incorporates a stone circle whose lithic configuration aligns with celestial events. Fittingly, then, this clash-of-titans record astrologises celestial electronics and divines ancestral predestinations, sewing a starry sonic tapestry - in Bat Dawid's terms "this is not just an album, it's a constellation". Picking up where Don and David Ornette Cherry left off with 'Bishmillah', and carrying out such further original, summative sonic burial and resurrection rites such as 'Black Stones Of Sirius' and 'Procession Of The Equinox', we hear a dance of featuring flute, clarinet, and vibraphone, and enraptured voice.

Review: Tilt your shades down and settle into some of the smoothest songs money can buy courtesy of Ned Doheny on this reissue of his 1988 album Life After Romance. He might be best known for 'Give It Up For Love', but Doheny has a catalogue overflowing with silken cuts and this, his fourth long player, gathers together some of the finest. From the slinky 'Whatcha Gonna Do For Me?' to soft rock masterclass 'Follow Your Heart' this is a sophisticated listen for those who value true song craft, and it sounds better than ever on this reissue courtesy of the good folk at P-Vine.

Review: Jazz audio arborist Dr Tree is itself a multi-branched organism, having first emerged from the (urban) forests of New Zealand as the inosculated union of session musicians Frank Gibson Jr. and Murray Macnab. After catching the attention of EMI, the pair released the eponymous Dr Tree in 1976, which came as an all-instrumental prog excursion into territories already settled by the likes of Weather Report and Return To Forever, yet not fully developed until Dr Tree's prognosis. These roots hold a tight grip; star album cuts 'Transition', 'Affirmation' and 'The Drum' demonstrate a complete, master musicianship, and combine this with studio trickeries of the weirdest and most arcane ilk, making for an unforgettable prog magnolia of minimally treated sound, but still grandly impressive proportions.