Back in stock: Jazz

Review: Chris Bangs' varied and eclectic musical journey is a key reason he was chosen to curate a compilation for Ace. With a background ranging from space rock with The Mighty Om to DJ residencies across London, Bangs' career spans numerous genres, from jazz, funk, to soul. Bangs' DJ sets and parties - in such time-honoured venues as Special Branch in Brentford, London - were seminal in the evolution of the acid jazz genre alongside Gilles Peterson, where "acid jazz was never meant to be more than a pisstake". His foray into production, such as the proto-acid jazz classic 'Psychedelic Jack' with Peterson on vocals, cemented his legacy, but it's curation highlights such as this that really get our gears going. Hold tight as we scour early acid jazz brilliants from Gunky to Vera Cruz to Brazilian Skies to Jubilation.

Review: Brazilian Jorge Ben, you could say, is a musical equivalent to football superstar Pele. He is known around the world, is hugely prolific and had a style all his own. A Tabua De Esmeralda is the 11th album the great singer-songwriter and guitarist recorded and it came back in 1974. It was soon lapped up by fans and critics alike for its timeless blending of samba rock with his unique alchemy and sonic satire and found Ben redefined the vocal style he has showcased on previous work Forca Bruta. This time his vocals occasionally go off-grid and sit behind the beats to make for an alluring effect, while the album was also the last to use guitar quite as extensively.

Review: New York outfit The Budos Band return with their first full-length release on Diamond West, the new label founded by band members Tom Brenneck and Jared Tankel. VII was produced by Brenneck and engineered by Simon Guzman and has plenty of their signature taut, groove-driven tracks that blend Afro-soul, doom rock and 70s psychedelia. They were all recorded in California and feature the percussionist Rich Tarrana, who adds his own fresh texture without detracting from the raw, hypnotic MO of the band. As usual, this is music that is equal parts cinematic and visceral and is perfect for nocturnal drives and deep immersion. Now more than two decades in, The Budos Band are still able to surprise and compel.

Review: Master drummer and producer Alexander Flood debuts his rhythmic first record on Atjazz, following up the sumptuous first single 'Life Is A Rhythm'. A truly exciting record on foliate green vinyl, this LP packs a production paradox, bringing both boomy bodyweight and a shape-cutting, 2-stepping sense of ease at the same time. With extra layers of perc in the rhythm section, with Brazilian percussionist Aduni on congas and Cuban percussionist Alexander Scull Castillo on bata, it's actually really the dance-flooring production that grabs us here, heard best in the plum chords and erratic pianos of 'Don't Wait For Me', and/or the live bruk ghost dance 'Sidestep'.

Review: This double LP compilation from Jazzman Records unearths a wealth of spiritual jazz gems from the SABA and MPS labels, spanning the 1960s and 70s. Showcasing a diverse array of international artists, the collection features American heavyweights like Elvin Jones and Nathan Davis alongside European innovators like Pedro Iturralde and Jef Gilson. The music traverses a wide spectrum of styles, from soulful ballads and fiery modal explorations to avant-garde excursions, reflecting the labels' commitment to releasing exciting and innovative jazz. Highlights include the adventurous sounds of the Joachim Kuhn Group, Nathan Davis's soulful 'Evolution', and Pedro Iturralde Quintet's 'Veleta De Tu Viento'.