Jazzman Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Arguably slightly overlooked on its 2016 digital download release, the debut album from New York improvisers Amirtha Kidambi and the Elder Ones is undoubtedly one of the most inspired debuts of recent years. It's great to see Jazzman pick it up for a vinyl release, because its unique combination of influences - Indian and South Asian music, spiritual jazz, avant-jazz, modal jazz and freestyle improvisation - makes it one of the most remarkable jazz releases of recent years. There's something particularly arresting about epic A-side "Treta-Yuga", where squally, high-octane horn solos ride a metronomic, seemingly never-ending bass loop and wild drums, though it's the spaced out flipside composition - all droning Indian tones, echo-laden vocals and off-kilter drums - that makes the greater impression.

Review: On his latest full-length excursion, British jazzman Nat Birchall has taken the bold move of replacing a piano with a harmonium. The move is reflective of his growing interest in the drone-heavy sound of Indian classical music, with the Harmonium's wheezing, modulating, held-note sound adding an authentically meditative feel to the album's raga-inspired spiritual jazz movements. Naturally, there are harmonium solos, too, and these dizzying, accordion-esque interludes, combined with freestyle drum solos, Birchall's distinctive sax playing and adventurous double bass parts, help to create a genuinely psychedelic and spiritual mood. It's adventurous stuff, but also hugely engaging and entertaining.

Review: Contemporary jazz saxophonist Nat Birchall prefers to do quality over quantity. The talented instrumentalist first appeared in 1999 but has only released a handful of album to date, with the latest two - including this new album - coming out on London's excellent Jazzman imprint. Birchall really does make that sax scream and suffer, and the opener "Nicha's Dance" has to contain the best sax solo that we've heard in a long while on these charts. "A Prayer For" is moodier but nonetheless brilliant in its execution, while the lead tune "Akhenaten" is funkier and down to earth, leaving "Many Blessings" to deliver the late night G&T vibes. Chapeau..!

Review: The elusive and mysterious Special Release album by the Brief Encounter from North Carolina has eluded many an intrepid record collector over the years and if you did managed to source a copy it might cost you up to L1200! This fantastic re-issued limited edition Jazzman album displays a wide showcase of sublime talent from funky rare grooves, eal soul ("Visions" and "Just One Moment"), boogie ("Get A Good Feeling") and beautiful ballads. Catch it while it's hot!

Review: This is an official first time reissue of Philadelphia musician Ron Everett's 1977 album. With its lack of distribution, unassuming sleeve and DIY ethic, The Glitter Of The City never received the full attention it deserved, but its style of funky and bluesy soul/jazz is a right classic for those in the know and can now reach a wider audience thanks to Jazzman Records. With restored artwork and audio, it includes three extra bonus tracks taken from an unreleased master reel of a subsequent album.

Review: The latest volume in Jazzman's ongoing "Holy Grail" series of reissues is easily amongst the rarest things the lauded label has licensed. Only a handful of copies are known to exist, primarily because the private press album was released to tie in with LaVice Hendrick's ill-fated and poorly attended musical, Two Sisters From Bagdad, which only ran for two weeks at Detroit's Bethel A.M.E church back in the 1970s. Musically, it's a great set, though, with composers E.J Garrison and Rhodia McAdoo realizing Hendrick's vision via entertaining tracks that variously touch on jazz, soul, gospel and, in the case of sought-after standout "Though's Were The Days" [sic], the heaviest funk known to man.

Review: When we first reviewed "Girl & Robot With Flowers" back in 2012, eight-piece combo The Greg Foat Group was still a relatively unknown quantity. Since then, they've gone from success to success, releasing a string of inspired albums. Even so, "Girl & Robot With Flowers" remains one of their most stunning sets, as this re-press proves. It boasts quietly beautiful moments inspired by classic film soundtracks ("Girl & Robot With Flowers Part 3"), straight-up late night jazz movements ("For Breath A Tarry", "Cast Adrift"), and breezy, vibraphone-heavy '60s grooves ("The Girl & Robot With Flowers Part 5"). Throughout, it's beautifully played and lovingly produced, with Foat's impeccable piano playing taking centre stage.

Review: British pianist, composer and arranger Greg Foat has long perfect this own unique take on jazz, and one in which he draws on both the classic sound next to inventing his own new language. This was true a decade ago when he put out his Dark is the Sun album. Recorded in Sweden with classic scoring techniques, it references luminaries like Bruno Nicolai, Michel Legrand and Serge Gainsbourg as well as UK jazz cats Michael Garrick, Keith Mansfield and Alan Hawkshaw. Hugely listenable, full of emotional highs and lush in sound, it remains an essential jazz record

Review: Since first pitching up on Jazzman in 2011, eight-piece psychedelic jazz combo The Greg Foat Group has caused something of a stir. This second album for the crate-digging specialists is every bit as good as their debut full length, Dark Is The Sun. At times, it sounds like Ennio Morricone and Harold Budd making loose jazz-breaks, at others an almighty freak-out in the company of Afro-busting Blaxploitation detectives. There are quietly beautiful moments ("Girl & Robot With Flowers Part 3"), straight-up late night jazz movements ("For Breath A Tarry", "Cast Adrift"), and breezy, vibraphone-heavy '60s grooves ("The Girl & Robot With Flowers Part 5"). Throughout, it's beautifully played and lovingly produced, with Foat's impeccable piano playing taking centre stage.

Review: 'Music Of My Heart' is the fourth installment in Jazzman's 'Holy Grail' series, and they're proud to present Sacramento multi-instrumentalist Johnny Heartsman's hopelessly obscure self-pressed double LP of top grade funky jazz & soul from 1977; carefully repressed on CD and vinyl (limited to 1000 vinyl copies only). Now get this: the original LP has recently hit over $5000, twice, at online auction. Now it's available in its original format with original artwork, but be quick as all of the previous releases in this series have all sold out, fast. An unbelievably rare private press album that's chock full of all kinds of funky femme soul, cool 'n' groovy organ/flute/guitar jazz and a good ol' dose of the blues. John Heartsman is known as the guy who played on a thousand R&B hits. From the mid '50s to the late '60s he recorded countless sessions, backing up the likes of Jimmy McCracklin, Lowell Fulson, Sugar Pie DeSanto, and many, many more. Then in the early '70s, exhausted from constant touring and seedy late night gigs, he took up a low-key residency at a small Sacramento jazz club. Here, Heartsman finally got to do his own thing. And his thing went down so well with the local audience that he decided to record some material and offer an LP for sale. The album was quickly snapped up by the Basin St West regulars, and very few escaped the local area. A couple of decades later - and sadly a little while after Heartsman himself had passed away - a couple of copies surfaced on the funk collectors scene in LA and whispers and rumours began slowly circulating of a set of sustained quality funky soul and jazz. Very few copies have appeared since, making the LP almost as legendary as the long and hidden career of the man himself. And here it is: the full double LP, never before reissued and seldom before heard, in its original design with double gatefold sleeve. In addition, the CD contains extensive notes, pictures and background history on the LP and John Heartsman himself.

Review: After several years of extensive work and painstaking research the latest in explorations into regional US funk obscurities is finally here. Has the wait for 'California Funk' been worth it? Well, let's see what we have: 21 of the finest, rarest and most desirable funk recordings from the Sunshine state, put together for the first time with the personal blessing of each and every artist represented herein - shoddy bootleg this is not! The LP contains in-depth sleeve notes detailing the history of funk and R&B in California and the social conditions which led to the funk explosion of the late 60s. In addition there are thoroughly researched notes for every individual track, revealing for the first time the hidden stories behind such revered and enigmatic artists as Leon Gardner, Arthur Monday and Delores Ealy. The double LP is presented on two pieces of 180g virgin vinyl, lavishly housed in a double gatefold sleeve with full colour inners, label scans and extensive liner notes featuring many previously unseen photos of the bands and musicians involved. Whereas the musical profiles of cities such as Detroit and New Orleans are well established and much celebrated, the vast cities of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have been mostly skimmed over and not given nearly enough attention. The black music from California of the 60s and 70s is especially under-appreciated, seemingly unable to stamp its own musical identity on the world. Yet during this time, many artists were busily plying their trade at a grass roots level in LA and the Bay, releasing 45s literally by hand or through small independents. Today many of those very 45s fetch hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds at online auction with lovers of real soul and funk desperate to get hold of them. Following on from our previous funk collections of Texas, Florida, the Midwest and the Carolinas, we applied ourselves to what proved to be our most ambitious and far-reaching project yet - to source and compile the best vintage funk that California had to offer. From the rugged street funk of Arthur Monday to the Latino flavours of Enrique Olivarez; from the soulful jazz grooves of blues legend Johnny Heartsman to the aggressive politicising of King Solomon, there is real diversity on offer - these aren't mere JB sound-a-likes but talented individuals who brought their own voice to the funk sound. Putting together an album like this is no easy task. It has certainly taken a while to come to light, but you can be confident that California Funk, with its divergent sounds and intriguing avenues, will not disappoint, and indeed we hope that it will help raise the standing of California in R&B, soul and funk circles from here on.After several years of extensive work and painstaking research the latest in our explorations into regional US funk obscurities is finally here. Has the wait for California Funk been worth it? Well, let's see what we have: 21 of the finest, rarest and most desirable funk recordings from the Sunshine state, put together for the first time with the personal blessing of each and every artist represented herein - shoddy bootleg this is not!

The LP contains in-depth sleeve notes detailing the history of funk and R&B in California and the social conditions which led to the funk explosion of the late '60s. In addition there are thoroughly researched notes for every individual track, revealing for the first time the hidden stories behind such revered and enigmatic artists as Leon Gardner, Arthur Monday and Delores Ealy.

The double LP is presented on two pieces of 180g virgin vinyl, lavishly housed in a double gatefold sleeve with full colour inners, label scans and extensive liner notes featuring many previously unseen photos of the bands and musicians involved.

Review: The selection represents the diversity and vibrancy of Florida itself - a state that is half Havana and half dirty south, but 100% funky!

Review: Even without the vintage hardback book, bonus tracks and booklet, this is a great addition to any collection... Exploring a relatively recent but hugely rich period in American music history, Jukebox Mambo is an extensive window into the fusion of Cuban and Latin music and R&B and jazz during the 50s. Some of it barely gives a nod to R&B at all (Dave Bartholomew's "Shrimp & Gumbo" and Fay Simmons' "Big Joe Mambo") while others deftly combine the jazz swing and energetic arrangement of R&B with mambo rhythms perfectly. Highly collectable whichever way you look at it.

Review: Even without the vintage hardback book, bonus tracks and booklet, this is a great addition to any collection... Exploring a relatively recent but hugely rich period in American music history, Jukebox Mambo is an extensive window into the fusion of Cuban and Latin music and R&B and jazz during the 50s. Some of it barely gives a nod to R&B at all (Dave Bartholomew's "Shrimp & Gumbo" and Fay Simmons' "Big Joe Mambo") while others deftly combine the jazz swing and energetic arrangement of R&B with mambo rhythms perfectly. Highly collectable whichever way you look at it.

Review: Despite selling hundreds of thousands of copies in its native South Africa, Mankunku Quartet's 1968 album Yakhal Inkomo - the title is a veiled reference to the Apartheid-era violence of the period - has never before been release outside of the African continent. Happily, Jazzman has finally decided to right that wrong. Listening for the first time, it's clear that saxophonist Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi is the undoubted star. Yet his fantastic soloing receives ample back up from his sidemen, including brilliant pianist Lionel Pillay, resulting in a quartet of fine cuts that sit somewhere between hard bop and modal. The album has been likened to Coltrane's A Love Supreme, and we can think of no finer praise than that.

Review: The Jazzman Holy Grail series continues here with a new edition of Dedication Of Love, the 1976 album by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces. This album was a critical flop upon original release through their own Phinal Sound label, a marked contrast to the huge success the band achieved with their 1965 single "Searching For My Love" which was a million selling chart topper. Listening to this Jazzman edition it's hard to quantify why exactly Dedication Of Love flopped, it's brimming with heartfelt soul, street funk and down home funky blues. This probably explains why the handful of original copies of the LP are listed for a quite pretty penny on the rare soul market. The detailed liner notes explaining the bittersweet story behind the band with founding member Bobby Moore Jr make this reissue all the more compelling.

Review: Turning your hand to the catalogue of a jazz colossus like Yusef Lateef would be beyond most contemporary jazz musicians, but then Nat Birchall is currently one of the best saxophonists in the business. Alongside his quartet and with the aid of some unusual instruments from around the world - something Lateef was famously fond of doing - Birchall has delivered a set of covers that breathe breezy new life into some of the American multi-instrumentalist's most admired compositions whilst retaining some of the original flavour. Our favourites include the droning North African brilliance of "Mashariki", the sun-baked afternoon breeze of "Ringo Oiwake" and the piano-powered bliss of "Willow's Walk".

Review: Recorded just three years after Johnny Cash startled the wardens at Folsom Prison, convict Reynard Birtha was given a rare chance to head an ensemble and record this unique four track LP. Released privately it saw a stupendously limited release - until Jazzman came along and did what they do best. Long, drawn out jazz jams, allowing each of the imprisoned instrumentalists to shine, it's a curious blend of tight funk and spiralling grooves. And the story behind the creation of the album is really interesting too...

Review: Originally released in 1973, Prof James Benson's seminal album, The Gow Dow Experience is a project that has an amazing story accompanying it. An entirely self-released project, Prof Benson's intention was to record these sessions so that his students at Cal Poly in California would have a special memento of what they had achieved together. Taking inspiration from their recent trip to Africa and blended with the radical jazz emerging from Black American artist's in the 70s, it was a momentous achievement for him and his young protegees. Jazzman's re-release also includes four tracks from the recording session that, until now, have never been released - they're well worth the wait, we promise!

Review:  Another highly anticipated reissue from the vaults of the legendary 70s label TSG here that has already been put out late last year by P-Vine Japan. But Reality's unknown classic Disco Party is always going to sell out quick so we're certainly happy about another pressing. Almost nothing is known about the band apart from their association with TSG, the label had a divine touch in picking out the best unknown musicians from New York's bustling funk and soul scene. Their music is full of vibrant riffs and funky bass and cannot fail to detonate in the club.

Review: "Sketching The Unknown" is a terrific name for an album, particularly for a deep modal jazz set that aims to draw maximum influence from "the folk and modal music of ancient Greece". We're not knowledgeable enough on Greek musical traditions to say whether or not saxophonist Sokratis Votskos and his quartet have successfully accomplished that aim, but we can confirm that "Sketching The Unknown" is superb. Brilliantly arranged, played and produced with surprises around every corner, it's one of the boldest and inventive jazz sets we've heard for some time. There's no fusion antics, sampled hip-hop beats or modern studio trickery, just five high quality jazz cuts that sound like they will last the test of time.

Review: The hushed-tone discussions and bleeding-knuckle crate digging lengths people have endured to own this super-rare $1500 LP are commendable. It's not hard to hear why; early 70s funk doesn't come much more extensive or exciting; fusing jazz with gospel, soul and funk, it's a timeless adventure into the most emotion-stirring sounds. From the honey-coated harmonies and muted sax on "Come On & Stay" to the unique sung-spoken word sermon of "Babylon", it's a stunning album that should've enjoyed much more exposure. Complete with the story behind this unique Bronx band, an interview with the producer Mario Sprouse and the tax-evading nature of its original label Tiger Lilly, copies of this 1000-pressed vinyl-only album are likely to end up as a rare as the original artefact itself!

Review: Over the last few weeks, Jazzman's ongoing "Holy Grail" reissue series has focused on obscure but in-demand albums from the Fable Records catalogue. The latest to get the deluxe reissue treatment is Steamheat's "Austin Funk", a 1975 set that's notably harder and funkier than the Texan label's usual jazz-funk fare. Of course, there are still plenty of jazz-funk flourishes to be found amongst the soulful vocals, crunchy clavinet lines, fast-tempo grooves and heady horn lines. Our picks include the low-down deep funk headiness of "Radiator", the fizzing brilliance of "Body Talk", the harmonic jazz guitar, horn and electronic piano solos of "Ghetto Tool" and the eyes-closed, in-the-zone madness of closing cut "Frozen Tundra Lady".

Review: While music has been one of the most poignant methods for unleashing his creativity, Senegalese artist Mor Thiam is a much deeper character than just your everyday Afrobeat musician. Aside from being a magnificent drummer, the man is also a cultural historian, and has been heavily involved in the wider entertainment industry since the 1970s. Dini Safarrar (Drums Of Fire) is his debut album from '73 and, until Jazzman did us this beauty of a favour, has been a sort of mirage for many record collectors, making this an even more special reissue to have on our shelves. Much like the works of Sun Ra, this album has everything; from fiery, psyched-out ballads, to deeper and more jazzy moments, it really is a work of rare breed. What we love most about it is its haziness, a subtle coating of distortion and rawness that completes every sound, every horn, and every drum roll - the latter being the most prominent and singular aspect of this album. A very special and highly recommended release - be quick!

Review: This latest volume in Jazzman's occasional Spiritual Jazz series is, predictably, a fascinating beast, offering an unlikely glimpse into the sound of underground European jazz throughout the 1960s and early '70s. It's a refreshingly eclectic beast, moving from choir-laden German modal (see Herman Gehlen's bonkers "Kyrie") and folksy oddities (Jeff Gilson's excellent "Untitled"), to formidable Scandinavian deepness (the Binder Quintet), Eastern European classics (Crescendo Quintet) and typically wild Balkan freestyle (Dusko Goykovic's brilliant rendition of the "Macedonian Fertility Dance"). With detailed sleeve notes joining the dots and filling in the gaps, Spiritual Jazz 3 is a real eye-opener for those schooled on American jazz classics.

Review: There's a reason that it's taken a while for Jazzman to deliver the third volume in the popular Jukebox Mambo series: curator DJ Liam Large has been digging extra-deep for inspiration. It's certainly paid off, though, because this could well be the best volume in the series to date. As with previous instalments, it's packed full of obscure, little-known American rhythm and blues records that are in some way inspired by Latin music (in particular Rumba and Mambo). This limited edition version stretches 28 heavyweight tracks across six 10" singles, all housed in a custom book. While the packaging is unique and naturally superb, it is of course the consistent quality of the music that resonates.

Review: 2016: the year the world outside of Belgium finally recognized the cult of popcorn, a subculture that began in Antwerp where soul fans would seek out the rarest and finest big band style soul cuts from the 50s and 60s. Covers, rarities, b-sides... Just like northern soul but the sexier jams. The second big compendium to celebrate the genre this year, Jazzman have curated a fantastic package that ranges from the jazzy swing of Bellino's "Boss Bossa Nova" to the burlesque sultriness and sexy humour of Bobby Hendricks' "I Want That" by way of the really roomy reverberated finish on Johnny Guitar Watson's "Wait A Minute" and Early Grant's organ-blasting twist on "Fever". A great snapshot into a cult scene that resonates with anyone who enjoys soulful music. Pass the popcorn!

Review: For their latest full-length exploration of the world of spiritual jazz - the label's seventh, in total - Jazzman has decided to focus on artists and performers whose Islamic faith influenced their work. Given that many jazz greats were early converts to the spiritually charged Ahmadiya school of Islam - Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, Ahmad Jamal and Yusuf Lateef included - there's plenty of fine material for Jazzman to explore. Highlights naturally come thick and fast, with standouts including the Persian jazz-fusion of Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim's "Kalamari Suite", the haunting flutes and intoxicating bongo rhythms of Sabu and Sihab Shahib's "Nus", and The Lightmen's celebratory epic, "All Praises To Allah (Part 1 & 2)".

Review: There are few areas of jazz as invigorating and accessible as spiritual jazz, and now here's a perfect primer to get you started if you're new to this wonderful corner of the culture. There are plenty of big hitters on here, from Yusef Lateef and Moondog to Idris Muhammad and Gary Bartz, but there's equal space for some new discoveries too. Take a trip with the wonderful Ahmed Abdul-Malik or Roy Haynes and you'll find yourself equally swept away. This is jazz with all the hopes for a brighter tomorrow expressed through powerful yet tender playing - satisfaction and enlightenment guaranteed.

Review:  While previous instalments of Jazzman's essential Spiritual Jazz series have focused on killer cuts and rare gems from the past (specifically material recorded between the 1950s and '80s), the thirteenth volume shines a light on what's happening right now. It's stretched across two double-albums, with this first part hitting spot from the word go. The collection's greatest strength is how it manages to represent the many different directions that spiritual jazz has gone in the 21st century. For proof, compare and contrast the drowsy, bluesy and smoky 'Lizard Waltz' by Benjamin Herman, the jazz psychedelia of Idris Ackmoor and the Pyramids' 'An Angel Fell', the Latin lounge-jazz flex of Jimi Tenor and Kabukabu's 'Suite Meets' and the low-down, bass-driven brilliance of Gnawa' by drummer-turned-beatmaker Maya McCracken.

Review: While previous instalments of Jazzman's essential Spiritual Jazz series have focused on killer cuts and rare gems from the past (specifically material recorded between the 1950s and '80s), the thirteenth volume shines a light on what's happening right now. This second part (of two) successfully showcases the best of the contemporary scene, showcasing cuts from around the world that neatly encapsulate the breadth and diversity of 21st century spiritual jazz. The plentiful highlights include the exotic, Eastern-tinged spiritualism of Wildflower's 'Flute Song', the futurist jazz-funk deepness of Steve Reid's 'For Coltrane', the layered vocals and acoustic instrumentation of Angel Bat Dawid's 'What Should I Tell My Children Who Are Black' and the sparkling, sun-soaked positivity of 'Nova' by Menagerie.

Review: Jazzman Records proudly presents "Sister Funk Volume Two". A full five years in the making, the follow up to the hugely popular first volume finally sees the light of day, bearing with it the fruits of compiler Ian Wright's inexhaustible quest to unearth some of the world's toughest, most elusive and undeniably funky female 45s.

Review: Jazzman Gerald & N.Carolina obsessive record collector Jason Perlmutter
have selected 22 rare & unreleased slices of heavy funk from the Carolinas
to show how the gospel according to James Brown reached out into even
the most bucolic and remote arenas.

Review: The title of this one alone is enough to just about give you the creeps. Fortunately, the music within this brand new series from the Jazzman crew is hella enjoyable: it is a fine collection of " the lowest of the lowball schlock n' roll 45s never known to exist" all of which have been pillaged from the endless musical reverse of Greasy Mike who has finally opened up his caverns. Mike's own top Halloween tunes are included such as 'Zombie Walks', 'Night Sweats,'' The Chiller,' 'Prowler' and 'Screaming Vampire.' It's a left-of-centre but essential rock and roll collection.

Review: Jazzman recently served up a big and freaky old collection of Halloween themed jazz sounds from Greasy Mike. Now the venerated digger and collector opens up his archives once more for another deep dive, this time under the heading of 'Shipwrecked On A Tropical Island.' As such these are Afro-tinged jazz sounds with shimmering steel drums and gently breaking waves. There are Afro-Cuban spinners like Phyllis Branch's 'Babalu' and samba shufflers full of soul. An epic and escapist collection that takes you to another world.

Review: A remarkably sleazy new compilation from the digger's delighter known as Greasy Mike, who has generously opened up his 'vinyl dungeon' for the purpose of letting us in on just a small slice of his wax "harem". Ah yes, the sensual and voluptuous pleasures of Middle-Eastern jazz on wax. Unmatched. The choice cuts on this comp, one of many from Mike, this time catalogue the works of Middle Eastern jazz unknowns, championing their work starting from the genre's inception.

Review: Master compilation maker Greasy Mike is back with a fourth volume of his characterful selections. This one once again is another action packed and full flavour array of wigged out rhythms and psyched out funk sounds. The label calls it "14 Frantic Flippers Fraught with Frivolous Fun-Filled Frolics" and the tunes sure do have big personalities, wild laughter, sleazy low slung grooves and big steamy horns. Names like Adolphus Bell & The Up Starts, The Fabulous Continentals and Bobby Bunny & The Jackrabbits feature amongst many more niche jazz-adjacent sounds from the 50s and 60s.

Review: Last year acclaimed harpist Amanda Whiting made a big impression with her Jazzman debut, a fantastic mini album called Little Sunflower. Here she expands on that, channelling the spirits of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane on a set that combines her fluid, versatile and expressive harp playing with dusty jazz grooves and nods towards Afro-cuban jazz, soul-jazz, more cinematic compositions and, of course, the kind of rubbery, late-night jazz that most associate with smoke-filled basement bars and backstreet concert halls. The range of sounds that Whiting manages to get out of her harp is simply stunning, with the expected twinkling, slo-motion motifs being joined by plucked, jazz guitar style solos and even the odd flamenco-esque flourish.

Review: Amanda Whiting released her first music back in 2007, but it's been in recent years the accomplished UK harp player has developed a working relationship with Jazzman. N doubt a response to the rude health of UK jazz, 2020 saw the release of Little Sunflower and last year she delivered After Dark. Now Whiting makes it a hat trick with Lost In Abstraction, a stunning release which shows off her gift as a performer and composer across 10 vignettes. There's a mellow mood to the music on offer here, and if you have a weakness for the lilting sound of the harp in a jazz context, be sure not to miss this exquisite album.