All That Jazz ...

[acemachine26]

Are there any artists in you collection that you own nothing but live albums by? Roy Brooks is one of those for me.

Yesterday marked 20 years since the passing of this enigmatic jazz figure and drummer extraordinare. The Detroit native's work as a sideman for the likes of Horace Silver, Sonny Stitt, Yusuf Lateef, and Chet Baker is well-documented, but it's his live performances, often featuring collaborators like Woody Shaw, Cecil McBee, and George Coleman, that showcased his explosive style best.

It's not often that jazz drummers got to record their own sessions as leaders. Add to that Roy's declining mental health, erratic on stage behaviour and a fading jazz scene in Detroit, all of which make these live recordings invaluable, capturing the essence of one of jazz's unsung heroes, whose career was cut short by personal struggles.

 

[Nikhil]

Are there any artists in you collection that you own nothing but live albums by? Roy Brooks is one of those for me.

Thanks for the recommendation! Listening to this album right now ...

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[coaltrain]

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Cobham the composer. Impressive indeed.

Pretty cool to hear Cobham dabbling in Konakol!

I’ve been listening to a pretty awesome drummer, as well: Akira Ishikawa.
African Rock, as the name would suggest, is more groove-centric; while Electrum is pure tripped out fusion.
Both albums benefit hugely from the presence of keyboardist and funkmeister Hiromasa Suzuki. Electrum also features Masahiko Sato, another great keys man.

 

[Analogous]

Fish Water Blues: Mustansir Dalvi’s poem about Mumbai’s jazz age​

Fish Water Blues: Mustansir Dalvi’s poem about Mumbai’s jazz age

A poem written to commemorate 100 years of Art Deco globally and celebrate the richness of Mumbai’s Art Deco.

scroll.in

 

[Nikhil]

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[Nikhil]

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[coaltrain]

Kazumi Watanabe in fusion mode. Stellar cast includes Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Peter Erskine, and others.

 

[Hiten]

 

[Nikhil]

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[acemachine26]

Great deal from Matsuli Music if you want to add some top-tier South African jazz to your collection:

"3 for 33 Bundle" - Celebrating 15 Years of Matsuli Music

 

[acemachine26]

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Probably the first Trane record I added to the collection. One of my absolute favs.

 

[Nikhil]

Probably the first Trane record I added to the collection. One of my absolute favs.

Also one of the rare jazz vocal albums on here where we tend to lean towards instrumental jazz.


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[coaltrain]

Of all the albums the Mizell Bros produced for Donald Byrd, this is the one that usually gets overlooked. Just sample Lansana's Priestess for a taste, and you’ll be hooked.

 

[himadri]

Great compilation.

 

[coaltrain]

View attachment 94130
Great compilation.

Superb GG albums! I think Nigeria was released recently on the Classic series.
The jugalbandi between Green and Blakey on It Ain’t Necessarily So is simply brilliant.

 

[acemachine26]

Since we're coming to the end of 2025, what are everyone's favorite jazz albums from this year?
Here are a few that stood out to me:

Tarun Balani - Kadahin milandaasin
Starting off with an Indian artist, we have a drumming extraordinaire from New Delhi and his quartet with a record that has quite an interesting theme. As quoted from the Jazz Times "Balani explores his Sindhi heritage and his grandfather's journey from Pakistan to India during the tumultuous partition of 1947". This one has a very ECM vibe to it, which makes it right up my alley.

Sinsuke Fujieda Group - Fukushima
What stood out about this recording by the Japanese sextet is the inclusion of Fumiko Takeshita on violin, which gave the album a very unique sound:

Yazz Ahmed - A Paradise in the Hold
This British-Bahraini trumpeter has been on a roll lately, and her latest full-length album is a great blend of Arabian folk music and jazz. The ensemble consisting of bass clarinet, vibraphone, violin, and more, are on fire.

 

[Nikhil]

Saturday night listening with a nice whisky alongside ...

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[coaltrain]

Tarun Balani - Kadahin milandaasin

What an incredible album!
Also, this is the second time in recent months that I’ve heard Adam O’Farill with a unique band. Need to check out more of his work.

 

[coaltrain]

Finally got my hands on the film based on the book.
While the story is simple, the animation is stunning and the music is powerful. Saxophonist Tomoaki Baba, drummer Shun Ishiwaka and pianist Hiromi deliver some brain-melting performances. The visualization of these music sequences really capture the fire and fury of jazz improvisation.
A beautiful film that will appeal to anyone who is moved by music.

 

[Nikhil]

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