Realise / PART-TIME HEROES

Part Time Heroes - Meanwhile (2008)

The first full album from Part Time Heroes -- a group who've done some remixes and singles over the past few years, but who really step forward strongly with this set! There's a depth here we never would have guessed from their clever cuts before -- a fuller, richer sound that draws from jazzy roots, but also inflects them with some soundtrack-like influences too -- putting things together in a careful blend of acoustic instrumentation and electric elements -- often with a warm feel that's strongly soulful. Keyboards really shine on the set -- there's a lot of Rhodes here -- but there's also work on trumpet, flute, and tenor that stands out too -- not used in straight jazz ways, but to inflect some organic colors on the tunes. Vocals are by Laura Vane, Jono McCleery, Liane Carroll, and Bridgette Amofah -- but a few of the tracks are instrumental too. Titles include "Stop Fade Blur", "Realise", "Shadowlands", "Sun Will Shine", "Method", "What's The Noise/What It Could Be", "In My Soul", and "Angels Fly".

Part Time Heroes @ MySpace

Part Time Heroes @ Last.fm

special thanks & deep respect to Jazzin blog

Jazzanova - Of All The Things New (Verve, 2008)

Mentored by Giles Peterson, the six member Berlin-based DJ collective Jazzanova has created a compelling fusion of musical genres on their 2008 studio album, Of All The Things. Jazzanova has built a strong and loyal following among DJs, musicians, and music fans around the globe. They have leant their talents to a diverse roster of artists including Lenny Kravitz, Common, Azymuth, and Calexico. Jazzanova set out to compose an album that is interconnected, composing each track, recording live vocals and instrumentals, selecting and creating samples from tracks already created for this album. Featured vocalists include Leon Ware, Dwele, Phonte, Paul Randolph, Ben Westbeech, Jose James, and more. Jazzanova is: Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jurgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer.

Probably the release of the year...

(text from the defuct blog ExtraMusicNew)

http://www.myspace.com/jazzanovask

Bird - Double Chance (2003)

Bird is one of Japan’s biggest names in jazz. Her fusion of jazz, R&B, bossa nova, swing, and house has won her a fanbase all her own. She began doing folk-type music in 2002, but after almost a year of hiatus, her single Warabigami was released. This time bird went for a reggae feel. With her latest single Sparkles, she has gone back to her jazz roots but has mixed in disco as well.In July 1999, her debut album was released and sold 700,000 copies. bird was given the Japan Gold Record for newcomers. Months later in October, her first national concert bird tour 1999 live! was sold out.Double Chance is Bird's fourth album released on October 8th, 2003. It was produced by Takao Tajima and features songs by Earl Cooper, Jesse Harris, Ivan Lins, and Daisuke Kawaguchi. Inside the case is a multi-colored color pencil of which you can color the booklet with. The cover of Double Chance is an outline of bird's 16th single Chance, also featured on the album.

(as mentioned at the excellent AcidJazzy blog)

Nicola Conte - Rituals (2008)

"Rituals" decant the artist's love for jazz overseas, witnessed by the presence of large American guest list including Greg Osby, Michael Pinto and crooner Jose 'James, and for the European attended by Till Bronner, Timo Lassy and Teppo Makkinen.As with the previous year, this new disc and 'the fruit of a work that looks with admiration to the jazz of the sixties, but confirms once again the successful meeting between tradition and modernity' musical, which has always characterized the production of Nicola Conte , One of the best Italian jazz artists' estimated abroad.To compose the group of instrumentalists who study in order Nicola Conte are Fabrizio Bosso, Gianluca Petrella, Gaetano Partipilo, Daniele Scannapieco, Lorenzo Tucci, Pietro Ciancaglini, Pietro Lussu, Sandro and Dario Deidda, Mario Corvina and John Amato. It is also important to notice the presence of female voices like Kim Sanders, Chiara Civello and Alice Ricciardi. "Rituals" also marks a major step in the growth of artistic Nicola Conte, who also signed the text on the disc, drawing a few literary references to him dear, such as in "Like Leaves In The Wind", first single extract from 'album, inspired by some poems by Dylan Thomas. An complete disc, "Rituals", expressing in music the artist's many passions Bari, as the auteur cinema, soundtracks, the romantic and existentialist literature, Brazil and jazz, drawing a profile of great aesthetic taste and artistic, and everything Italian.

(text from Hefiorels eclectic music)

The Return of the Red Snapper

You probably know it already but doesn't hurt repeating it. The magnificent RED SNAPPER R BACK and Twisted Jazz is really excited...Here 's what our friend Hefiorel has to say about it in his great blog of eclectic music:


" Red Snapper return from the outer reaches to bring you six brand new tracks and once again they are a rocking 3 piece with firing saxophone. And once again it’s impossible to define the sound they make…afro jazz, krautrock, rockabilly, hip hop and funk all bubble in their dub melting pot. The album was recorded live in concert with Darius Kedros on mixing /dub duty and live in the studio with Tim Holmes of Death In Vegas. New sax (and clarinet) man Tom Challenger brings back the edge to make these recordings truly sizzle. Anyone who has caught them live will know what a unique and powerful live band they are. A Pale Blue Dot is both document and mission statement. The album also features radical new re-interpretations of 2 of the tracks, one apiece by Kelpe and Subway, stretching the future jazz vibe riiiiight out. So there you have it an album that feels so good, so right, so now. "

Red Snapper MySpace page

http://www.last.fm/music/Red+Snapper