Impulse 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: In 1971, the harpist, pianist and ultimately multi-instrumentalist jazz musician Alice Coltrane performed at the Carnegie Hall for a special gala benefiting the Integral Yoga Institute. Backed by an all-star group of musicians, Coltrane delivered a captivating set which will now be available in its entirety on vinyl for the first time. The Carnegie Hall Concert, now out on Verve, documents one of the defining moments of Coltrane's career, taking place not long after the immediate positive reception to the release of her spotlit Journey In Satchidananda LP. The concert, which spans both recognisable and unique compositions by Coltrane, ultimately conveyed a uniquely Eastern edge lent to Western spiritual jazz, and came as the first dedicated concert to be themed after the lessons gleaned from recognition of the Hindu god and enlightened state, Satchidananda; it enlisted the aid of two of her closest friends in the circle she'd joined during a formative trip to India that year, Kumar Kramer and Tulsi Reynolds.

Review: Blue World is an album that was never intended for release. It features music commissioned for a soundtrack for a Canadian film in 1964 and showcases a quartet that was at its very best. It's made up of short tracks and alternate takes of early Coltrane material and is utterly vibrant. Catchy little ditties like "Village Blues", stripped down numbers like the title track and the mostly-improvised "Traneing In" are all testament to the enduring brilliance of Coltrane, no matter the setting in which he was playing. The clarity of the recording and richness of the bass playing also add to the overall beauty of this record.

Review: Of all his many albums and live shows, A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle is often said by fans to be one Coltrane's greatest works. Until recently, this was a long lost performance from the iconic saxophonist. Recorded in 1964, it is only the second full live performance recording known after one from the Festival Mondial du Jazz Antibes in France from 1965. The quartet for the original recording of one was made up of McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones next to Coltrane himself, but this recording was boosted by Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax and Donald Garrett on second bass. It's a suite packed with spirit, power and soul.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Blue World is an album that was never intended for release. It features music commissioned for a soundtrack for a Canadian film in 1964 and showcases a quartet that was at its very best. It's made up of short tracks and alternate takes of early Coltrane material and is utterly vibrant. Catchy little ditties like "Village Blues", stripped down numbers like the title track and the mostly-improvised "Traneing In" are all testament to the enduring brilliance of Coltrane, no matter the setting in which he was playing. The clarity of the recording and richness of the bass playing also add to the overall beauty of this record.

Review: In the reams of great John Coltrane recordings, this album surely stands of one of the true gems. Originally released in 1963, this collaboration with legendary baritone singer Johnny Hartman captures Coltrane at his mellow best. Alongside the headliners, the line-up on this album also features McCoy Turner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums and Jimmy Garrison on bass, and the result is an understated, sumptuous listen to lose yourself in. Sentimental and melancholic in all the best ways, this is sensitive musicianship at its finest.

Review: Yusef Lateef's brand of jazz is surely some of the easiest to love. That's not to say it's simplistic in any way, but rather than his affinity for groove and melody is just an instant pleasure - a smouldering mood which takes you somewhere far and fantastic without the need to raise the pulse. 1965 LP Psychicemotus is another masterpiece from a man whose career is nothing but masterpieces, leading in with the winding wonder of the title track led by Late's signature flute and backed up by Georges Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass and James Black on drums. Whether you're a completist filling a gap or a jazz-curious bystander, this album will never let you down.

Review: It's 52 years since Thelonius Monk played the show at a California high school which makes up this new long player on Impulse. It happened after a 16 year old student at the school held a concert to raise some money for its International Club, and some how managed to persuade Thelonious Monk's manager that his charge should be the headliner. Monk obliged and turned up with his quartet, and in this recording you can hear every single detail from the creaks of the piano bench to Ben Riley's swishing hi-hats on 'Ruby, My Dear.' The backstory alone makes this one an essential purchase, while of course the music itself isn't too shabby, either.

Review: The latest title in Impulse's 180-gram audiophile reissue series is the 1969 Pharoah Sanders classic Karma. The record has been newly mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analogue tapes and comes in a deluxe gatefold jacket. The album was the tenor sax master's third record for the label and has since taken on the mantle of being a milestone in the spiritual jazz movement. The A-side is taken up by one track that in particular defines that sound, while the flipside builds on the mood with 'Light of Love' and 'Colors.'

Review: A saxophonist at the pinnacle of his game, Shabaka Hutchings presents 'Afrikan Culture, on which he explores the rich musical traditions of the African continent and combines them with contemporary, self-affirming themes. Remarkably for how well-touted his name is, this is Hutchings' first ever solo LP, bringing it to the masses under the name Shabaka (following on the smash success of Sons Of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming). It's a stunning, existential album which not only pays tribute to the Afrofuturist greats who precede him, but which, of course, looks squarely into the eyes of Afroftuture that will come after him.

Review: Music Message & The Moment has been put together to celebrate 60 years of Impulse Records. All the big hitters like John Coltrane, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson, Pharaoh Sanders, Archie Shepp and a host of other legendary jazz cats all feature. Each of them contributed to Impulse's reputation as the leading, political stand-taking label of the 60s. Togeterh they add up to a strong statement of black power, and musically the compilation take sin a wide embrace of styles and sounds. The stunning four LP box set is housed in a high-quality archival portfolio cast with a museum drop front, and it also comes with a booklet and unique slipmat, so is a real piece of collector's gold.

Review: Continuing to affirm the harp's place within the annals of jazz, Brandee Younger returns with her second album and pays tribute to one of her forebears, the mighty Dorothy Ashby. Mixing her own original pieces with reinterpretations of Ashby's work, Younger infuses her playing with the cultural context of a life raised on hip-hop, rock and pop. It's a subtle amalgamation which guides the rhythm and intonation of her playing, but the results are exquisite and highly individual, placing Younger in the upper echelons of harpists from any era you care to mention.