Juno Recommends Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz Best of 2019

Review: "This Is What You Are" is undoubtedly Mario Biondi's most celebrated work. He first sung it for original composers Was A Bee in 2004, before re-recording it for his debut album (alongside the High Five Quintet) in 2006. Since then it has been reissued or remixed on numerous occasions. Here it gets reissued on a tidy 7" single, with a punchy radio edit - a swinging, Sunday afternoon style chunk of Latin soul-jazz rich in jaunty grooves, soaring orchestration and smooth vocals - being joined by the "Brazilian Rime" rework. This tasty re-recording re-casts the song as a breezy, samba-fired slab of early 1970s style Brazilian MPB. It's an inspired interpretation and could well become the definitive version of the track.

Review: Small repress of the Modern Sun Records founder and experienced jazz-wise producer Marc Friedli AKA Skymark. A-side "Flying Fantasy" originally appeared on the Spanish producer's 2016 album "Resistance Sonore", but is here featured in instrumental form for the first time. If anything, it's better than the original version, largely because we get to revel in Friedli's mazy Fender Rhodes solos, rubbery jazz-funk synth bass and loose-limbed, West London style broken beats. You'll find plenty more jaunty jazz-funk vibes and liquid electric piano solos on B-side cut "Rhodes E Serenidade", which first slipped out way back in 2015. DJ Support so far from Dom Servini, Emanative,Red Greg,Kevin Beadle, Mike Chadwick,Dynamite Cuts & Rocafort Records so far

Review: With their penchant for off-kilter psychedelic explorations, deep-rooted spiritual jazz excursions and cacophonous, otherworldly workouts, The Comet Is Coming is undoubtedly one of the most groundbreaking and essential jazz combos of recent times. It's for this reason that "Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery" - their first outing on legendary jazz label Impulse - feels like an event release. It is another stunning album, with the inspired trio flitting between sweaty, dancefloor-ready tracks soaked in psychedelic electronics and more melodious, laidback numbers that sail closer to traditional jazz pastures. Throughout, the level of imagination, creativity and uniqueness remains dizzyingly high.

Review: Astonishingly, Boogaloo's re-make of Pharoah Sanders classic "You've Gotta Have Freedom" is now 24 years old. It was originally included on the B-side of the jazz-loving Swedish hip-hop outfit's 1995 EP "Humongous Steps (Back Down To London)", but arguably became more widely known when it was reissued by G.A.M.M. on 12" in 2003. Here it appears on 7" for the first time, with the band's vocal version - a positive, life-affirming delight that brilliantly flits between sections faithful to Sanders' version and rapped section underpinned by live hip-hop breaks - being accompanied by an equally impressive instrumental take. If it's not already in your collection, this edition should be an essential purchase.

Review: Sam Shepherd AKA Floating Points has long been known as a producer, DJ and selector with a staggeringly good record collection. It's for this reason that his edition of "Late Night Tales", a series dedicated to the joys of post-club home listening, has been so eagerly anticipated. The resultant mix is a triumph, with Shepherd showcasing a largely rare and obscure mix of new age ambient, high-grade jazz, sumptuous folk-soul (see Abu Talib's impeccable "Blood Of An American"), psychedelic soul weirdness, intergalactic jazz-funk, Satie-style piano movements and the drowsy, liquid electronics of Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. The set also includes a handful of exclusive tracks, including a wonderful new Floating Points cover of Kenny Wheeler's "The Sweet Time Suite (Part I - Opening)". In a word: essential.

Review: With just a few low-key releases behind him, you'd be forgiven for not being familiar with the work of South London beatmaker Al Dobson Jnr. Such a situation will undoubtedly soon change with Dobson Jnr primed to release album length projects on IZWID and Rhythm Section International, two fledgling labels associated with respected selectors. Before Sounds from the Village Vol.1 drops on the former (overseen by KUTMAH) the man called Al inaugurates the latter label, an extension of the Rhythm Section club night hosted by Boiler Room's Bradley Zero. Despite his status as a South London celebrity, Zero is a steadfast supporter of his local roots and the vinyl format so it's great to see him offering Dobson Jnr the platform to shine. And shine he does on Rye Lane Vol 1, a wonderful 11 track collection that is comparable in execution and mood to Mo Kolour's sublime debut.

Review: We hear on the grapevine that there could be some seriously desirable Global Communication vinyl reissues on the way in 2020. To tide us over until then, Far Out has decided to reissue one of the legendary West Country duo's most celebrated and sought-after remixes: their 1996 "Space Jazz" remix of Azymuth classic "Jazz Carnival". Pritchard and Middleton's version is a spacey deep house epic of intergalactic proportions, with subtle elements of the Brazilian band's loose and languid '90s re-recording of the track (the B-side "LP Mix") weaving in and out of a warm, rich and hypnotic groove. It's one of the most dancefloor-friendly of all Global Communication remixes - many were straight ambient or downtempo rubs - but also one of Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton's finest.

Review: South London pianist and composer Ashley Henry is a versatile musician who can move between all niches within his musical realm: hip hop, broken beat, jazz and fusion flows from his finger tips and all characterise his expansive and expressive new album "Beautiful Vinyl Hunter". Stellar collaborators Makaya McCraven, Judi Jackson and MC Sparkz amongst others all help enrich this album as it flows from post-bop to classic jazz to neo-soul in thrilling fashion. Rooted in tradition but with a distinctly London edge that soars to new heights, this record sets a new benchmark for the contemporary scene.

Review: In our eyes, 2000 Black lynchpin Dego can do no wrong. You'll therefore be unsurprised to hear that we're huge fans of the 4Hero founder member's latest solo album, a belated follow-up to 2015's "The More Things Stay The Same". It is, of course, superbly soulful, slicky produced and wonderfully paced, moving from the heady soul sweetness of "A Strong Move For Truth", to the deep jazz-funk/broken beat vibes of "My Standards Are (Not) Too High" via 12 other warm and seductive cuts of an equally high standard. Highlights include the summery bruk-soul bliss of "Remini Dream", the toasty boogie revivalism of "Unknown Faults" and the Clavinet-sporting brilliance of Lady Alma hook-up "Just Leave It".

Review: Yadava made a sterling debut appearance last year with the fully realised "It Rains Here" album on Church, and now he's following up that strong start with this equally excellent four tracker for Ad Hoc. The Manchester-based artist leads in with the natural bump and flex of "Grapefruits" and his jazzy chops are plain to hear throughout. "Heart Strings" lets spiritual strings and plenty of reverb shape out a misty mood that it's impossible to resist, while "Camomile Samba" brings a more uptempo feel to his honey-coated production. "Go Slow" finishes the record off on a supremely mellow beat down for those oh-so-sweet chill moments after the party.

Review: Stunning stuff here from the mysterious but utterly intriguing West Loop Chicago, an outfit only known for two previous releases on City Volt and nothing else. Taking cues from the broken beat and jazz scenes, this new record is a force to be reckoned with, not least as "The Serpent" comes wheeling in with a skittering drum funk and bugging synth lines to send you pinging into the cosmos. On the flip, "Divinity" has a more organic feel with Rhodes keys and piano dancing across the rhythms - these aren't specifically billed as edits, but given the project's background in disco re-rubs it's safe to assume these are two soul jazz bombs buffed up for your wild card spinning pleasure. There's even bonus beats for each track included - how considerate!

Review: Since he's such a prolific collaborator and creator of bands, it's easy to overlook the fact that Will Holland hasn't released a solo album as Quantic for almost five years. "Atlantic Oscillations", then, is a welcome return - particularly since Tru Thoughts boss Robert Luis thinks it's Holland's "most cohesive and intricate album to date". It's certainly a strong collection, with Holland wrangling multiple styles, tempos and musical influences to create cuts that defy easy categorization. While there are downtempo moments, "Atlantic Oscillations" includes more bona-fide club cuts then he's delivered in recent years, with sun-kissed disco cut "September Blues", Cuban disco-funk workout "Atlantic Oscillations" and Afro-Latin house bumper "Motivic Retrograde" standing out.

Review: Fresh from delving into his ambient side on the pastorally-enhanced "Loom Dream" album for Whities, Leif revives his self-manned Tio Series with another double-shot of delicate but impactful cuts outside the conventional slipstream of modern techno. The rhythms fall crooked, the synths trickle, bubble and cascade around the groove and the atmosphere remains humid and heady, especially on ear-snagging B-side "Rumex". "Montpelier" sports more explicit dubby flourishes and a spread of sonic flora and fauna in the middle distance that truly brings the track to life.

Review: After offering up EPs titled "Hard Times" and "Changing Times" in 2017, Kaidi Tatham returns to First Word to complete the trilogy with "Serious Times". Of course, the music contained within the EP's tightly packed grooves is as joyous, rich as intricate as ever. Check, for example, "Don't Cry Now", a samba-soaked, sun-kissed affair that wraps harmonic freestyle vocals, twinkling electric piano lines and darting jazz-funk bass around a seriously shuffling groove. Tatham's much-discussed jazz-funk influences are once again given an airing on "Sugar", while his fine piano work takes pride of place on instrumental hip-hop head-nodder "Zallom". Best of all, though, is opener "Cost of Living", which emphatically weaves together all of these strands and more besides.

Review: Blacks & Blues is a new name to 2000 Black, but the people behind the project are label stalwarts: Dego, Kaidi Tatham, Matt Lord (AKA Lordamercy) and vocalist Obenewa Aboah. With such talent on show, it's unsurprising that opener "Spin" - a cracking slab of broken-beat/soul fusion rich in military style drums, jazz-funk keys and summery vocals - is rather good. While dancefloor-friendly, the track feels loose, languid and tailor-made for outdoor parties. "Don't Know Why (Chant For Love)" is an even more lo-fi broken soul excursion (very Fatima), while "You Know The Feeling" recalls the jazz-funk-fired soulful club cuts of early 2000s broken beat heroes Bugz In The Attic.

Review: This tasty release is the first instalment of BBE and Soul Clap member Eli "Bamboozle" Goldstein's "House On 45" series. The basic idea is to offer up rare and hard to find house cuts that have only ever been released on seven-inch singles. To kick things off, Goldstein has selected Derrick Carter's 2017 "DC Nu Vox Dub" of his 2002 classic "Squaredancing In A Roundhouse", an insatiable version of a killer cut rich in bluesy samples, bumpin' beats and scat vocals. Equally as impressive is George Alexander and Big John Whitfield's 2009 cover of Joe Smooth classic "Promised Land", a warm and musically expansive affair that adds superb new flute and electric piano parts to one of house music's most celebrated songs.

Review: Rob Luis clearly enjoys an unlikely but inspired cover version; over the years, his Tru Thoughts imprint has served up surprisingly good funk, jazz, reggae and brass band covers of everything from Roni Size's "Brown Paper Bag" and Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", to Max Sedgley's "Happy" and the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army". It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that Luis snapped up this vibrant South American cover of the Kaiser Chiefs' "I Predict A Riot" by Brazilian MPB revivalists Carolina Lins and Os Plantos. It's truly brilliant, with Lins' bold Portuguese vocal simply soaring over the band's samba-soul groove and fuzzy horn lines. As cover versions go, it's a bit of a doozy.

Review: Despite not releasing all that much in 2018, Canadian nu-jazz combo BADBADNOTGOOD's reputation continued to rise. That was in no small part due to their eye-catching collaboration with Little Dragon, which resulted in the digital release of "Tried" back in September. Now the track has been given a deserved seven-inch single release by Ninja Tune. With LD lead vocalist Yukimi Nagano doing her best to channel the spirit of Minnie Riperton, "Tried" has a similarly languid, jazz/folk/soul fusion feel as some of the best works by Rotary Connection. BADBADNOTGOOD's admiration of the Charles Stepney-produced band comes through loud and clear through the choice of instruments and arrangements. For further proof, check the accompanying flipside instrumental mix.

Review: Headed up by jazz-man and broken beat hero Mark de Clive-Lowe, Tokyo's Ronin Arkestra is an all-star collective that includes members of some of Japan's leading jazz and electronic music outfits. We shouldn't really be surprised, then, that debut album "Sonkei" is rather special. It features some suitably grandiose and epic contemporary jazz workouts - see "Onkochishin", the wonderfully spiritual and dancefloor-friendly "The Art of Altercation" and loose-limbed closing cut "Tempestuous Temperaments" - but the influence of other forms of music (most notably dub, ambient and electronica) is evident throughout, often in subtle and surprising ways. In other words, it sounds like a future jazz classic in the making.

Review: Here's a heavyweight package for jazz-loving tech heads to get inspired by. Billy Cobham, surely one of the greatest jazz fusion drummers of all time, gives his excellent Drum N' Voice series over to some scene-leading electronic innovators to remix, rework or simply pay untold respect to. You can sense Ricardo Villalobos and Max Loderbauer were in full reverential mode when they delivered their stunning, viscerally live version of "Stratus". Lexx brings the smooth funk to "Sensations", MCDE drops some feel-good vibes on "Shining Sun", and Khidja gets nicely wigged-out over "Psychologic". What's not to love about a fusion project like this one?

Review: It's been almost four years since Ed "Tenderlonious" Cawthorne launched the Ruby Rushton project alongside a slew of musician pals, including Yussef Kamaal drummer Yussef Deyes and Mo Kolours man Joseph Deenmamode. In that time, they've released a trio of fine albums, two of which - "Trudi's Songbook" volumes one and two - are here reissued on one double-vinyl set. If you missed out first time around, it should be an essential purchase. Both albums offer a superbly imaginative and entertaining fusion of jazz, soul, hip-hop, salsa, Afro-jazz, freestyle improvisations and punchy jazz-funk epics, with Cawthorne's smart, unfussy production allowing the quality of the band's performances to really shine.

Review: Dance music's most famous tea lover and cartoonist Mr Scruff truly broke through with his 1999 album "Keep It Unreal". 20 years on, it is still a fine example of sample mastery and musical playfulness with tracks about marine life, electro swing cuts built on snippets of Moondog material and plenty of weird and wonderful downbeat, breakbeat and broken beat gems in between. Our picks: "Midnight Feast" which recalls the intimate late night sounds of Portishead, rich and sweet "Honeydew" as it should be given the title and "Cheeky" - a timeless bit of deep house from the Manchester man. If only we all aged as well as this album.

Review: Although he never stopped delivering breezy and evocative blends of hip-hop, soul and jazz, Adam Scrimshire hasn't offered up an album in almost six years. That's one of the reasons that we were so excited about "Listeners", his new full-length excursion. Happily, we can confirm that the Wah Wah 45s affiliate has hit the spot with his more jazz-focused set yet. While it's not "pure" jazz in the traditional sense - there are odd electronic noises, differing rhythms, soulful vocals and trips into ambient, broken beat and hip-hop soul territory - it features a wealth of talented jazz players, some inspired vocalists and the kind of soft-touch production that rewards repeat listens. In other words, it's his musically intricate set to date.

Review: Javonntte went from unknown to unmissable in a short space of time. The US producer and vocalist has linked with only the finest deep house labels from NDATL to Sistrum Recordings to Skylax and now puts out his first album on Ten Lovers Music. It's a classy, jazz laced affair with the sort of cosmic key playing and Sun Ra style synths. The beats range from deep and loungey to more house in nature, and the whole album glows with a richness and romanticism that really stirs the soul. This is a hugely accomplished statement that fits right in with the renewed global interest in contemporary jazz.