Fabrizio Bosso & Javier Girotto Latin Mood - Vamos (2012)

Founded by trumpetist Fabrizio Bosso and saxophonist Javier Girotto, Latin Mood features a bunch of great artists.
Tango, milonga, chacarera, candombe, everything springs and sparkles under the jazz banner. Born for the 2006 edition of Brianza Open Jazz Festival, the quintet has two leaders: on one side Turin native Fabrizio Bosso, on the other argentinian Javier Girotto, italian by adoption. Bosso’s hard bop meets Girotto’s latin world on the fruitful soil of improvisation.
Original tracks by Javier Girotto, Natalio Mangalavite – he couldn’t be anywhere else but here –  and Fabrizio Bosso. At electric bass we have Luca Bulgarelli; Tucci’s drums and Marcozzi’s percussions complete the ensemble.
Latin jazz has been influencing jazz and other music genres since years. Just remind the ‘Spanish Tinge’ by Jelly Roll Morton or Tito Puente’s orchestras or  Stan Getz’s great commercial success with bossanova.
Boppers also, from Charlie Parker and Bud Powell – with his classic ‘Un Poco Loco’ – to other great musicians (like Mingus, Dorham, Joe Henderson, just to name a few) approached with love, curiosity and respect latin world and its themes.

OUT NOW ON REARWARD - Sample The Album Here

Micatone - Wish I Was Here (2012)

Micatone's new album, ”Wish I Was Here“, has just been completed. For the first time, singer Lisa Bassenge and her band recorded the new pieces entirely live. The recording sessions took place in a studio of their long-time friend and audio engineer Tobias Seitz, situated in the new bohemian area of Berlin - Neukölln. After three successful albums, which were recorded as part of Jazzanova's label Sonar Kollektiv in the spirit of the Berlin electronic music scene, the band is now turning to a more back- to-the-roots way of making music. This is also due to the bands constant desire to play their music live and in front of audiences. The bands members Lisa Bassenge (voc), Paul Kleber (bass), Boris Meinhold (guitar/production) and Sebastian Demmin (piano/keyboards) have all been long-time friends and their satisfaction to be on stage as much as possible and be on tour together have bonded them even stronger.! ”Wish I Was Here“ is the pure essence of Micatone; the sound is deep and mature. Already on their last album the band had started to sacrifice some of their electronic emphasis for a larger musical horizon. The music on the new album has integrated elements of soul, surf, beat and blues. Surfing Guitars, Beatles Bass, funky mono drums, Hammond organ and antique synthesizers are comple- mented by Disco style strings, Harp and French horn.

Kinny - Can't Kill a Dame with Soul (2012)

The new LP finds this self-proclaimed ‘freestyle improv vocalist’ channelling her trademark impulsive, freeform stylings into a more reflective set of deeply personal songs that explore escalating struggles with mental instability and identity.

Kinny’s captivating power and range of vocal expression, her diverse cultural heritage (a mix of Jamaican, Native Canadian and Swedish), and the twists and turns her life has taken all feed into the music; and her richly emotive sound never shies away from a dancefloor-filling groove or a stream-of-consciousness lyrical flow. The warm, immersive and soulful soundscape created by Norwegian producer/musician duo Souldrop (who also produced two tracks on her first album) provides the perfect cocoon for Kinny’s crystal-edged voice, the eclectic sonic palette ranging organically from big bassy beats and keys to acoustic instrumentation and percussion.

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Barry Adamson - I Will Set You Free (2012)

Barry Adamson has had a long and storied career in music, as a member of Magazine, The Bad Seeds, and as a solo artist. On February 14th he adds yet another chapter with the release of his tenth solo studio album I Will Set You Free.
Adamson has accumulated many an influence over the years. His broad experiences lend themselves well, helping to create a unique musical montage.
The album kicks off with "Get Your Mind Right", an amped up pop rock number that sounds like Honey's Dead-era Jesus & Mary Chain covering INXS, if you can imagine that.
The maelstrom of the Bad Seeds is reflected in "The Trigger City Blues", a song that lulls you before exploding into near-sensory overload. A dynamic, almost funky rhythm mesmerizes you on "Black Holes In My Brain". Adamson uses tension masterfully on the dark, ominous "Looking To Love Somebody", a remarkably sexually-charged track.
Garage rock is what Adamson may do best however. And that's exactly what he does on the energetic, if straightforward, lead single "Destination".
Not everything works on the album. "The Power of Suggestion", for instance, is a mid-tempo piano and drum machine number that feels oddly conservative. On the other end of the scale, "If You Love Her" takes the drama a little bit too far, venturing into schmaltzy territory.
The ship is righted in the end as Adamson caps things off with the supremely confident "Stand In". And after all, why shouldn't Adamson sound confident. He's been successfully making music on the fringes for more than three decades.

Ivana Parnasso - Spirograph (2012)

Ivana Parnasso is a young artist born in Marsala (Sicily-Italy), devoted to art sculptor and painter grew up in a family where there is much of music and art, in his childhood thanks to the father (drummer) grows in a world of notes and harmonies, sounds that will influence in his artistic career. Percussionist and composer is also equipped with a fine voice, begins its first steps in music at the age of 18, playing the drums and percussion in various groups and musical genres, subsequently she contaminates with genres such as BossaNova and Funky.
As composer his music have an elegant approach to a mix of genres correlated with each other, the musical influences found in his compositions have a taste of BossaNova, Funk, Soul Jazz, Drum ‘n’ Bass and Trip Hop, a research for a sonority Lounge/Chillout with a style of great taste with seventies reminiscences. Her debut in the world of music is the album “Pick!” (2010, Sobra)
His first album have had great positive feedback throughout Europe bringing to public attention the music of the young and talented Italian artist. Her first song “Never Worry” (original version) be included on the compilation “Tropicalismo Vol.1″ (Sobra) and the alternative acoustic version on the compilation “Tropicalismo Vol.2″

Her great 2nd new album “Spirograph” (2012, IRMA) is a special mixture of Bossa Nova, Funk and Jazz all electronically mixed by an artist/composer that has much talented to create the right elegant atmosphere of the Lounge Music.

Worldwide Awards 2012

LeFtO Films: Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards 2012 from Lefto on Vimeo.




Session of The Year

1. Michael Kiwanuka
2. Raphael Saadiq
3. Nicolas Jaar
4. Austin Peralta
5. Mo Kolours

Track of The Year

1. Adele – Rollin In The Deep (Jamie XX Remix)
2. Africa Hitek – Out In The Streets
3. Julio Bashmore – Battle For Middle You
4. Stee Downes
5. Bjork – Crystalline (Omar Souleyman Remix)
6. Jamie xx – Far Nearer
7. Flako – Attempting Cry
8. Lana Del Ray – Video Games (Joy Orbison Remix)
9. Stubborn Heart
10. Virgo 4 – (Caribou Remix)

Album Of The Year

1. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
2. Dimlite – Grimm Reality
3. Thundercat – The Golden Age Of Apocalypse
4. James Blake – James Blake
5. Stepkids – The Stepkids
6. Little Dragon – Ritual Union
7. Machinedrum – Room(s)
8. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
9. DJ Shadow – The Less You Know The Better
10. DRC Music – Kinshasa One Two

Jazz Album Of The Year

1. Matthew Halsall
2. Austin Peralta
3. Tigran Hamasyan
4. Massa Sextet
5. Greg Foat

Label

1. Brainfeeder
2. Numbers
3. Hotep
4. R&S
5. Young Turks


John Peel Play More Jazz Award

Machinedrum

Lifetime Achievement Award

Idris Ackamoor