Jazzaggression Norway Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Continually travelling jazz explorer Greg Foat heads to Finland in search of more kindred spirits to jam with, again hosted by the excellent Scandi jazz label Jazzaggression. Having recently collaborated with Aleksi Heinola and Teemu Akerblom for Gone To The Cats, Foat now teams up with Eero Koivistoinen on tenor sax for a decidedly smooth ride which brings out the best in both players. Captured over a stormy weekend at Jazzaggression's in-house studio, there are considered compositions and improvised moments alike on this infinitely listenable album, which neatly rounds off his trio of albums for the label.

Review: Carol Sawall, Jimmy Ellis, Tyler Mitchell, Usama Pitts and, of course, Paris Smith himself make up the legendary - and much overlooked - The Paris Smith Quintet, and are famed for the infamous Thought Seeds LP that came out on Oracle Records way back in 1983. While they have all done their own thing on the side, this particular album has reached cult fandom in the free-jazz category, and is still referenced by many as the 'one'. Norway's Jazzagression have reissued it in all its glory, and have also put out a single comprised of its tow best cuts, "Thought Seeds" and "Lilith Came". The former is a moody, powerful track with a danceable bassline, while the latter fades the drums and energy into a marvelously placid wave of melodies and harmony. Wonderful.