Andy Bey
Shades Of Bey

We Jazz Records: ...Helsinki duo Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen present strong body of work on their new LP which updates the sound of an acoustic sax+drums combo in a highly inspiring way. Lassy plays sax, Mäkynen plays drums and handles production duties. Consisting of 13 focused tracks each clocking in at around three minutes, the album's sound ranges from spiritual-tinged free playing all the way to delicious 4/4 groove hard-hitters, showcasing producer "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen's love for electronic music. That being said, the sound here is that of an acoustic jazz band, placed left of the timeline and thinking ahead of what this instrumentation could achieve. The overall sound is warm and inviting, with the various delicious details inspiring repeated listening.

The Roundtable: ...Following the critical acclaim of the 2020 compilation Pyramid Pieces, The Roundtable return with a second offering of modernist jazz from Australia. Another vital document further examining the nation’s jazz scene during the late 1960s and 70s. A fertile period that witnessed the birth of an independent movement and the development of a distinct Australian jazz sound. While continuing to focus on the modal forms explored in Volume 1, this second edition shifts direction slightly, this time also surveying other post-bop modes representative of the scene including soul jazz, avant-garde ballet music and Eric Dolphy-inspired free jazz.Again featuring tracks from the esteemed independent imprints Jazznote and 44 Records, the collection also offers never before published pieces from less obvious Australian jazz groups. Compositions by internationally renowned musicians including Bob Bertles (Nucleus/Neil Ardley), Bruce Cale (The Spontaneous Music Ensemble/Prince Lasha) and Allan Zavod (Frank Zappa) alongside pillars of the local scene, Charlie Munro and Ted Vining plus the lesser-known yet formidable free jazz unit ‘Out To Lunch’. Pyramid Pieces 2 is another timely insight into the evolution of the incredible yet obscured Australian modern jazz movement.​

Mekbuda, translated from Arabic is the "lion's folded paw" as well as a star in the constellation of Gemini and in this case Russia's preeminent entry into the burgeoning contemporary jazz scene with their debut album Convincing Delusional. Residing on the spacier and cosmic side of the jazz spectrum, the quartet consists of Roman Zyryanov on drums, Dmitry Rubanov on bass, Alex Petrov on Rhodes and keys, rounded out by Igor Shilov on trumpet. Informed by the UK's jazz and electronic scene, spiritual and modal jazz, along with ambient and a tinge of hip-hop, Mekbuda's sound is a heady brew of instrumental soundscapes. The 6-track album seamlessly crescendoes from uptempo drum and bass to dubbed out rhythmic excursions, all layered within a brooding and hypnotic atmosphere.