Browsing Tag

Ambient Jazz

Slip back to the mid-century with Sam Johnson Trio’s jazz number, Waltz for Taylor

Posted on 27 March 2024

Sam Johnson Trio’s latest single, ‘Waltz for Taylor’, is a temporal gateway to the golden era of mid-century jazz, an introduction to the trio’s commitment to authenticity and an exhibition of their skill in crafting a sound that resonates with the essence of jazz legends like the Vince Guaraldi Trio and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

The easy-listening instrumental score crafted by Sam Johnson (piano), Georgia Johnson (double bass), and James Wood (drums) shuns the lure of bravado and opts for an ambience rich in opulence and decadence, yet remarkably free of pretension. It’s a rare feat in today’s jazz scene.

The heart of this piece lies in its melodious piano keys, led by Sam Johnson. His intuitive play is the cornerstone of the trio’s sound, weaving a soundscape that is both warm and beguiling. The expressive flair of the music is subtle yet profound, inviting listeners into a world of escapism. The cathartic nature of this waltz is undeniable, offering a respite from the chaos of modern life.

This single is a must-listen for jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike, offering a slice of history served with a side of modern flair.

Waltz for Taylor was officially released on March 15th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Martin Packwood wrapped his latest jazz fusion, Moonlight in Paris, in the warmth of the Parisian night

Posted on 15 March 2024

Martin Packwood’s latest single, Moonlight in Paris, is a scintillatingly smooth journey through the streets of jazz fusion, where every note feels like a step along the Seine under a starlit sky. This amorous installation unravels as a sensory expedition, wrapped in the warmth of a Parisian night.

Packwood’s guitar work, reminiscent of the bluesy soulfulness of Eric Clapton, intertwines effortlessly with the jazz keys. The bluesy guitar notes, like whispers of a distant love affair, meld with percussive fills that don’t just give the score structure, they fill Moonlight in Paris with anticipation.  Each progression in the track teases the listener not unlike the narrative arc of a classic romance.

The genius of Packwood lies in his ability to draw from a diverse palette of influences. His style, a confluence of Santana’s rhythmic mastery and the improvisational spirit of jazz, makes Moonlight in Paris a track that transcends mere auditory experience. It’s a piece that paints pictures, evoking the filmic aura of a David Lynch creation.

This release, following Packwood’s consistent contributions to the jazz-rock fusion domain, confirms his place as a sculptor of soundscapes rather than just a musician. Moonlight in Paris is a nocturnal stroll through the heart of jazz fusion, leaving listeners with a longing for just one more night in the city of lights.

Moonlight in Paris will officially release on March 15; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Berlin electro-acoustic originators klanglomerat created a cathartically seductive Jazz IDM amalgam with ‘Fünf’

Posted on 7 April 2023

The Berlin electro-acoustic outfit, klanglomerat, created a beguiling symbiotic relationship between Jazz and IDM in their fifth evocatively ambient single, Fünf. How they succeeded in soaking the instrumentals in so much pensive emotion is just a fraction of the alchemy that will cathartically seduce you; the gentle yet purposeful melodicism knows just what direction to pull your senses in so that you drift with the sweeping bass lines and are cradled within the ardently accordant drum fills.

Artfulness is often associated with inaccessibility but slipping into Fünf is easier than breathing; the progressive single gently rises with the tides from the quiescent intro into the vortex of swirling piano motifs, which ring with a touch of neo-classical flair, while the nuanced electronica synthetics douse the soundscape with a sense of modernism that will aid klanglomerat well as they define the future of ambience in the Berlin scene and beyond.

Immerse yourself in Fünf from April 7 by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Camille Rose soulfully meanders through melancholy in her jazz single, Raining in July

Posted on 1 August 2021

South-East London-born and raised Jazz singer-songwriter Camille Rose’s signature sound is quickly becoming synonymous with arrestingly unique jazz instrumentals that groove and improvise around her soulfully lush vocals.

Before the first verse runs through in her latest single, Raining in July, you’ll find yourself captivated by the mellifluously rich soundscape that flows with such ease and finesse; listening to it is as easy as breathing. For anyone going solo this summer, Raining in July should be a feel-good playlist staple for the way it captures romantic grief but emanates radiant soul despite the wistful sorrow.

Through the influence of Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, the 24-year-old artist started studying jazz performance at Trinity Laban conservatoire to hone in on her craft. Discernibly, she has already mastered the art of weaving narratively compelling lyrics into a melodically cathartic soundscape. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Check out the live recording of Raining in July by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

TG Heath – Mellow Instrumental Gorgeousness with ‘ようこそ (yōkoso)’

Posted on 2 May 2021

Ambient, jazzy piano chords and lo-fi sensibilities mix with bang-on-trend electronica in this, TG Heath’s new single, from his brand new album ‘Transients’, released on the 23rd April. ‘Transients’ is inspired by confessional prayer, the follow-up to his debut ‘Monsoon’ – a twenty-track anthology accompanying his spoken-word poetry show which toured the UK.

Yōkoso is a beautifully atmospheric mellow instrumental piece, gentle drums, a rolling piano part that alternately lulls you into peaceful contemplation then nudges you gently sideways with a discordant lift or drop key-shift, just to keep you on your toes, shifting the feel marginally and adding tension and then release. It’s a delightful piece of work, the keys string-like at times, story-telling and hazy, a narrative soundscape which works hard in conveying Heath’s unique musical voice.

You can hear yōkoso on Spotify; follow TG Heath on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Sav Izzi – Mad Chill: avant-garde jazz funk-fusion

Posted on 26 February 2021

Modern avant-garde jazz funk-fusion probably isn’t a formal genre, but it certainly needs to be on the basis of Sav Izzi’s ‘Mad Chill’, the title track from his debut album ‘Mad Chill Sessions’.

A graduate of the famed Musicians Institute in California but hailing from Chicago, Illinois – the home of Chess Records and that perfect blend of blues, funk, and Motown known as Chicago Soul – and playing with the funk band BabyBrutha, Izzi presents us with a multi-instrumentalists delight, gorgeous mellow piano melding with jazzy guitar, snappy rim-shotted drums, and a smouldering collection of brass and woodwind, to create a mind-bending soundscape, part Louisiana parade, part smoky soul club. There’s a collective of some of Chicago’s finest young musicians here with some serious groove and chops. Overall ‘Mad Chill’ is a delicious, compelling look into the full ‘Mad Chill Sessions’ album itself.

You can hear ‘Mad Chill’ on YouTube, and check out Sav Izzy here or on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Ramiro Pinhiero breaks the monocultural mould with their sweet jazzy serenade ‘Quatro Ventos’

Posted on 1 January 2021

‘Quatro ventos’ – or ‘Four Winds’ – is the latest track from prolific Brazilian-born guitarist Ramiro Pinhiero; beautiful, jazz-influenced Latin-American, the product of Argentine and Brazilian parents and a musical education including time spent in Barcelona and the United States, Pinhiero lists an impressive back catalogue of recordings and collaborations with some of the greatest names in Spanish and Latin guitar.

From new album ‘Sentido’, ‘Quatro Ventos’ mixes those same Brazilian and Argentine leanings with European influences and instrumental jazz, the guitar itself providing a vaguely Maracatu rhythm to the track, Pinhiero’s masterful fingerstyle intertwining with jazzy clarinet courtesy of Gabriel Amargent (in turn mildly reminiscent of D’Rivera or Valdez) and the stunning rhythm section of acoustic bassist Horacio Fumero and drummer Nicolas Correa. It’s at once sultry, sexy, and subtle and moody and hot, the lead instruments of Pinhiero and Amargant dancing around each other over that sublime backbeat, each bringing their passion before teasingly wheeling away once more. Like dancers in a samba, it’s a masterful blend.

Hear ‘Quatro Ventos’ on Spotify now; follow Ramiro Pinheiro on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Martin Mayer – ‘Carol Of The Bells’: Cinematically Prodigal Jazz-Laden Piano Pop-Rock

Posted on 14 November 2020

The Beijing Times describes Canadian pianist and composer Martin Mayer as “Canada’s Prince Of The Piano”, and with ‘Carol Of The Bells’ – a soaring, shifting, ringing three-minute eighteen-seconds instrumental track of rolling drums and searing piano melody – Mayer is certainly doing everything to prove himself worthy of that title.

An instrumental fusion of pop-rock, smooth mellow jazz, and strict classical discipline, ‘Carol Of The Bells’ rings and chimes its way through key shifts and tempo switches, alternately lifting and dropping  through the full dynamic range to produce an explosive, energetic track.

Mayer’s most recent album, ‘Unbreakable’, was listed as one of the top 25 New Music Critiques of 2018 by Music Connection Magazine, whilst Canada’s National Post predicts that Mayer is “Poised to take over the world stage”. On the basis of ‘Carol Of The Bells’, that truth is close to undeniable.

Hear ‘Carol Of The Bells’ on Spotify; follow Martin Mayer on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Dion Kerr showcases their experimentalism with “Cosmos”

Posted on 19 September 2020
https://bacerecords.bandcamp.com/track/cosmos

Kicking in with some proper old style TR808 drum sounds before a set of mildly discordant piano and brass chords, ‘Cosmos’ by Dion Kerr is nine minutes of jazzy instrumental, a series of repeating motifs, moving through arrangements and phrases, alternating saxophone and experimental guitar courtesy of collaborator Jeff Parker.

Here using an original composition from his days at the Manhattan School Of Music, Kerr deconstructs and recasts the piece into an improvisational modern big band arrangement, marrying old school drum machine beats, cassette tape saturation, and experimental modern jazz.

‘Cosmos’ is from Kerr’s new album ‘Ivy’, available to preorder from his Bandcamp page.

Review by Alex Holmes.

Yoni Mayraz – I used to think about God

Posted on 18 September 2020

Starting off with a subtle piano-and-drum part before the pulled back distorted vocals and mellow saxophone kick in, Yoni Mayraz’s ‘I used to think about God’ is a chilled-out, jazzy deep-cuts style wander through anger and acceptance, a cry to revisit a simpler, more peaceful time when the beauty of home and comfort had yet to be superseded by the fear and confusion of the last few months.

Noam Darvish’s vocal is pulled masterfully back in the mix, the track carried instead by Matan Vardi’s freeform jazzy sax, a three-minute paean to love and acceptance, the lead single from Mayraz’s new ‘Rough Cuts’ EP.

You can hear the full EP on YouTube.

Review by Alex Holmes