The Listening Guide
🎶 The listening guide: five albums, released during the past twelve months, chosen around a weekly theme 🎶
This week, we have five albums from London-based artists. Trumpeter and composer Mark Kavuma released his latest album Arashi No Ato on his own Banger Factory Records in September. It features his ensemble of the same name—which includes musicians such as David Mrakpor and Deschanel Gordon—and consists of original compositions alongside a few classic covers. The recordings are soulful and beautifully performed, capturing the skill and sensitivity of the ensemble. Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor is joined by Chris Hyson and Seth Tackaberry amongst others on her second album, Bloom. The album’s twelve tracks reflect Rosie’s appreciation for Joni Mitchell’s mid-seventies, but also tap into the subtle rhythms of bossa nova and the warm sonic palettes of pop-folk. Not only does Anthony Joseph’s latest feature contributions from some of London’s finest musicians: including Jason Yarde, Shabaka Hutchings, Rod Youngs and Denys Baptiste, it also hears Joseph—an award-winning poet, novelist, and musician—paying tribute to such greats as the Barbadian poet Kamau Brathwaite and the Jamaican poet Anthony McNeill, through its tremendous poetry and lyrics. Tamar Osborn, Sarathy Korwar, and Theon Cross are three of the artists who join the London-based trio ILL CONSIDERED on their new album, Liminal Space. This is the prolific group’s first ‘fully produced studio album’ but their tenth album in total to arrive since 2017, with saxophonist Idris Rahman an ever-present force in the music. Multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray’s self-produced album Yellow, which was recorded between various London studios and features numerous musicians including Rebekah Reid, Chelsea Carmichael, and Rosie Turton, rounds off the list. You can support all five of these LPs via Bandcamp!
Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory – Arashi No Ato
Anthony Joseph – The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives
Album of the Week
Our NQ Jazz album of the week is the hotly anticipated debut album from visionary vocalist and songwriter Nishla Smith. Released with Whirlwind recordings, it features her fellow Manchester-based musicians Richard Jones on piano, Aaron Wood on trumpet, Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley on bass, and Johnny Hunter on drums. The album plays out over the course of a single sleepless night, informed by insomnia and as well as the difficulties that can shape one’s personality. Nishla’s evocative storytelling and versatile voice draw the listener in wonderfully. You can support the project on Bandcamp!
Classic Album
Our NQ Jazz classic album this week is the self-titled 1978 release from vocalist and pianist Rimona Francis. With seven tunes and a strong fusion flavour, the album features Leszek Zadlo on saxophones, Jasper Van’t Hof on keys, Barry Finnerty on guitar, Frank Tusa on bass, and Buddy Williams on drums. Its pieces use unusual time signatures and arrangement ideas to add interest to gentle ballads and uptempo instrumental pieces alike. You can find the album on streaming services, with physical copies on platforms like Discogs.