Kasar - Walk On (2014)

Arnold Kasar is a musical jack of all trades: in countless projects around the Berlin based label Sonar Kollektiv, the musician grown in the southern area of the picturesque Black Forest left his traces, among them Nylon, AtomHockey or with Volksbühne-player and latest Internet-Hype Friedrich Liechtenstein („Supergeil“).
However, the trained sound-engineer is also capable of going solo, as he proved with his solo debut „The Piano Has Been Smoking“ in 2012. Now he returned to his first instrument and his timing couldn't be better, since the piano returned to new strength in the music world, as the numerous releases of pianists in the past few years have shown.

Christian Prommer - ÜberMood (2014)

ÜberMood is a very personal travel of Christian Prommer into his roots. Having collaborators with most of his projects for the last two decades, he now debuts with his first solo album: ÜberMood. These 16 songs are a reflection on his musical journey for the past 12 month.
ÜberMood says it all. You need the german Übermut (may be translated as cockiness or devilment) as an artist to go the extra mile out of your comfort zone to tap into new territory. And the mood or atmosphere is something that defines your voice as an artist. This record was written and produced all over the world on the many travels that Christian Prommer took to concerts, studio sessions and DJ shows.

Clara Hill - Walk The Distance (2013)

After a four-year break from recording, Clara Hill returns with "Walk The Distance", which takes her back to her early youth. The unselfconscious sound experiments that have always accompanied her are met here with new inspirations, leading to an album that sounds intimate and incredibly familiar, yet otherworldly.

As a young girl, an East German Triola, a Bulgarian plastic guitar and a small plastic piano formed the basis of her musical world. Throughout her youth, Clara Hill was influenced by music, but her focus was on sound experiments rather than the quest for the perfect composition. The plucking of the strings on her first piano or the melancholic sounds of the bells of a grandfather clock today reawaken formative memories.

Alex Barck - Reunion (2013)

Now, it’s official: Alex Barck is back in his home town Berlin. For a whole year he lived together with his family on the small, remote island La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. To recover from his turbulent life as a DJ, as member of Jazzanova, as A&R manager of Sonar Kolletiv, as one half of Prommer & Barck and as a busy record digger? Far from it! Now with his debut solo album in the luggage he returns back to the party capital of the world.
The island, the ocean, the African influences, the detachment from the hectic club scene must have done Barck especially good. “Reunion“ is a mature club album with harsh pop appeal, lots of soul, a deepness as abyssal as the Sunda Trench and a very unique, characteristic thumbprint.

Till Brönner - Till Brönner (2013)

 by Tom Jurek (AMG)

On his first instrumental album in over a decade, German jazz trumpeter/flügelhornist and pop star Till Brönner offers his own tribute to one of his earliest inspirations: the sound of Creed Taylor's CTI label. Co-produced by the artist with keyboardist Roberto Di Gioia and Samon Kawamura, these 12 tunes employ a crack studio band as well as strings, and evoke memories of the label's arrangers Don Sebesky, David Matthews, and Bob James, but with distinctly modern charts. The mood is relaxed, open, and fluid, and creativity runs high. The production is warm yet crystalline; though attention is paid to detail, nothing feels constrained by nostalgia. These 12 cuts wed hip, soulful jazz-funk grooves to modern jazz, sometimes infused with a subtly cinematic panache. 

Hot Coins - Damage is Done (2013)

An estranged homage to late 70s NYC anti-culture, realized through the eyes of a Scottish born electronic musician living in modern day Berlin.

The man behind Hot Coins, Danny Berman, is best known by his Red Rack’em moniker. A purveyor of the finest club music from hip hop and soul through to house and techno. A DJ/producer who has progressively climbed electronic music’s precipitous ladder of approval. A vinyl obsessive. A party starter from NG to BK.
Quietly working on Hot Coins for the past four years, this very personal project is sonically inspired by Berman’s love of dance music’s fruitful 78-82 period that embraced the cross pollination of emerging post-punk, disco and electro scenes. Goths and futurists in England danced to Kraftwerk and DAF, New York punks and no-wavers danced to ESG and ‘Planet Rock’. Good times…

Re:Jazz - Kaleidoscope (2012)

German band Re:Jazz have just celebrated ten years together and 'Kaleidoscope' is their fifth studio album. It opens in wonderful style with the delightfully soulful 'Don't Push Your Luck' which features vocals from N'Dea Davenport. It's a great throwback to the best of the Acid Jazz years and it's every bit as good as anything that Ms Davenport's erstwhile employers, The Brand New Heavies, have ever come up with. The band's new, "regular" vocalist, Mediha, is out front on 'Wonders Of The World' which offers more of the same vibe.

Sonar Kollektiv 15 Years Of Volxmusik (comp, 2012)

You’ll always find a reason to party if you will. Sonar Kollektiv’s 15th anniversary is more than just another invitation to let one’s hair down though.

Sonar Kollektiv was founded in 1997 by Jazzanova. Designed as a platform for own releases it soon attracted numerous new discoveries and like-minded musicians to lead their trumps right here. Still it was never the intention of Sonar Kollektiv to pursue one specific sound or provide an already existing scene. Each and every release on the label (250 and counting) was at all times meant to illustrate the musical taste of the collective, its flavourful development and recollection of past sounds. The various compilations and label showcases played a big part of it. From the renowed „Secret Love“ compilation (No. 6 has been released in October 2012), the „Computer Incarnations For World Peace“ edition, the „...Boadcasting“ and „....Mixing“-series to the „Romanian Jazz“ label showcase Sonar Kollektiv continuously cares about broadening its own and the horizon of any type of music lovers. 

De Phazz - Audio Elastique (2012)

The freedom of jazz and pop are the ease of the two defining elements of Dephazz. On audio Elastique, the ninth album, there are swinging sound collages between chanson ("Men, the trophies kiss," "Not Sally"), Smash-bits ("The Ball Is My Friend") and classic jazz ("Prelude"). Electro-organic is probably the most apt description for the sound of the 16 songs on audio lastique, coined by Pit Baumgartner's distinctive mode of production: Cut & Glue - audio splitter to cut out from their usual musical environment and stick on another site. Through various filters, effects and audio-rotation yields the elastic atmosphere, sometimes close to the radio play. However, whenever the singer Pat Appleton appear, Karl Frierson, Barbara Lahr or Sandie Wollasch to compress the audio components to groovy jazz or pop rolling. 

Club Des Belugas - Forward (2012)

German nu-jazz project Club Des Belugas drop their sixth album, Forward, with a host of guest singers on board for this silky smooth voyage through jazz hooks and downtempo beats. "Straight To Memphis" for example sees main men Maxim Illion and Kitty The Bill explore a Nina Simone-esque swing, while "Peanut Vendor" evokes the big band bop of exotica artists like Esquivel mixed with a South American bounce. A very enjoyable mix of songs that take in everything from lounge jazz to rootsy, bluesy stomps.

OUT NOW ON CHIN CHIN records 

Jerker Kluge's Deep Jazz - The Meeting (2012)

December 2010: The group “Deep Jazz” is playing a concert at “Studio 2” of the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation, this time in a new nonet formation. Leader and bassplayer Jerker Kluge wrote nine completely new compositions for the group, chose two classics of the genre for a new interpretation and arranged the material for the new exceptional and very special line-up.
Very special indeed are the two voice vocals, the horn section (flute/alto, tenor and bassclarinet) as well as the concert harp. Together with the rhythm section and additional percussion, they form a unique line-up.
Two days later, the musicians enter the Mastermix-Studio in Munich to record the new compositions. The outcome of this studio session is this brand-new CD “The Meeting”! The music of Munich bass player Jerker Kluge is deeply rooted in the jazz music of the 60ies, as released on legendary labels “Impulse” and “Blue Note”.
The core is the spiritual and modal jazz from this era, but of course Kluge´s own musical ideas and influences are added, creating a very own musical cosmos, that is additionally spiced by the individual talents of the involved musicians.

OUT NOW ON PERFECT TOY records

Renegades of Jazz - Hip To The Jive (2011)

Wass Records are very proud to present Renegades Of Jazz with their debut-album “Hip To the Jive”. This album is brimming with dance floor shakers, raw break beat and a touch of Big Band Jazz.
David Hanke is the German brainchild of Renegades Of Jazz and has been making big waves since his first 12”single Karabine was released on Wass Records in 2010 creating a big impact amongst avid vinyl collectors and music fans alike.
Hip To The Jive album is a journey through heavy Big Band Jazz swing, an onslaught of massive break beats, exotic samples, wild and wonderful bass tones, B-Boy breaks and beautiful downbeat rhythms. Twelve raw tracks packed tight with energy and heavy production skills.
Played by the likes of Craig Charles (BB6 Music) and Pete Isaac (Jelly Jazz) the Renegades Of Jazz sound has found a lot love and support worldwide. Through the huge success, Renegades Of Jazz is already taking shape to become a nine-piece live band set to take to the stage in 2012.

Hip To the Jive is released on limited vinyl (500 copies only) and digital download on Wass Records.

Hip To The Jive by Renegades Of Jazz

Various Artists - The Instrumental Session (2010)

The Sonar Kollektiv label is an interesting one for us – the music we love at Meme Magazine has big funky grooves at one end of the spectrum and deep electronica at the other – Sonar Kollektiv sits right in the middle of this, bridging our diverse tastes. And this is no more obvious than when listening to the latest compilation from the boys from Berlin. Entitled ‘The Instrumental Session’, this is a collection of tracks showcasing the extensive talents of the label’s artists, from the jazzy vibe of DJ Ghe to the heavy bass lines of D’Stephanie, with all songs having a strong emphsis on those beats (in fact some tracks, such as ‘L.O.V.E. Beats’ is made purely from drum paterrns). Apart from the ‘instrumental’ theme (and two of the tracks do have vocals, so that’s not particularly true), this did, on first impressions, just seem to be ‘another label compilation’. Luckily for us all, the quality of the music is very high indeed – and it becomes almost a lesson for all in how to do instrumental music really well. Highlights for us include ‘D-D-D-Dance’ by Micatone and ‘Obviously’ by Stee Downes, but the important thing, as with any compilation, is that the whole thing hangs together, and this one certainly does. ‘The Instrumental Session’ is available now on Sonar Kollectiv.

MEME magazine

The Bahama Soul Club - Rhythm is what Makes Jazz Jazz (2009)

Following the smashing success of ´The JuJu Orchestra´, the creative team around Oliver Belz has come up with the next step ... A delicious clash of SOUL, JAZZ and BOSSA NOVA with that unique vintage feel. So what do you expect from one of the brains behind the Juju’s brilliant ‘Bossa Nova Is Not A Crime’? … ´Right´, you’ll get an impressive demonstration of the latest defining of superb dancefloor-jazz which makes this music welcome to DJ’s worldwide.

MySpace page - FB group - on Last.fm - Amazon

[Re:Jazz] Live in Yokohama (2008)

A really great live set from Re:Jazz -- one that's got an even more soulful feel than some of their previous studio work! The performance features a small core group -- acoustic piano from group leader Matthias Vogt, mixed with guitar, bass, and drums -- plus a range of saxes and flute from Oliver Leicht, whose contributions here really deepen the sound! The lovely Inga Luhning sings on a number of tracks -- with a warmly soulful feel that's great, and much more unified than the mix of singers you might have heard on the earliest projects from the group -- continuing the great sound she brought forth on the Expansion record. Re:Jazz have moved way past their initial gimmick by this point -- and the album has them working as a really tight ensemble who mix together jazz and soul for a contemporary audience -- recorded here with a beautifully crisp feel. Titles include "Cupid & Orlando", "Style", "Keep On Movin", "All Over", "Written In The Stars", "Can You Live", "Torch Of Freedom", and "People Hold On". Also features a bonus DVD, in PAL format -- with a 90 minute documentary "Re:Jazz In Japan" -- plus 30 minutes of bonus material that show the group recording with Alice Russell!

Text from Dusty Groove

Official Site - Doc Trailer - MySpace page - On YouTube - Last.Fm page

Clara Hill

Clara Hill is a musician born in Berlin, Germany. She has collaborated with artists like Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer ( Jazzanova / Extended Spirit), Dixon, Georg Levin, Marc Mac (4 Hero), King Britt, Vikter Duplaix, Atjazz, Charles Webster and more. Clara Hill recorded three studio albums: Restless Times, All I Can Provide, and Clara Hill´s Folkwaves: Sideways. All Lp's on Sonar Kollektiv.

At seventeen, Hill founded the acid jazz band Superjuice, together with her friend Funès. In the early nineties, at the height of acid jazz, the band toured through Berlin clubs and Germany, gathering a high-profile reputation. During these years, Clara made her first steps in live music. During one of her shows, she met DJ Alex Barck from Jazzanova, who was spinning records as a support DJ. In 1998 he introduced her to the producers of Extended Spirit (2/6 of Jazzanova): Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer, that produced a few tracks with Clara. And with Stefan Leisering the song "No Use" was composed which later appeared on the first Jazzanova album "in Between".
In the meantime Clara sang in another band: Stereoton. A band that was rooted in hip hop but played with jazz elements. With Stereoton, a 12" on Sonar Kollektiv was recorded and eventually an enduring cooperation with Jazzanova emerged cause later they produced her first album "Restless Times". Besides Jazzanova, Clara Hill though also was working with Berlin based house-producer DIXON and singer-song writer GEORG LEVIN. On his hit "(I Got) Somebody New", that was remixed by Masters Of Work, her voice can be heard alongside Georg Levin.
Clara Hill also worked with several musicians and producers like King Britt, Marc Mac(4 hero), Vikter Duplaix, Atjazz, Charles Webster, Sandboy, Slope, Volker Meitz, Rivulets.

(Text from Wikipedia)

Official Site - MySpace Page - On YouTube - Last.Fm page -

Bohren und der Club of Gore

Founding BOHREN - members Thorsten Benning (Drums) Robin Rodenberg (Bass) Reiner Henseleit (Guitar), Morten Gass(Guitar/Piano) started playing music together in 1988 . They were friends from school and they shared a common taste for all kinds of extreme music like Grindcore, Hardcore, Death- or Doom Metal. Driven by the idea of a more unique style of music, they formed BOHREN (german word for drilling) in 1992 to play, as they called it, „ doom ridden jazz music“.
In autumn 2008 the new BOHREN-CD DOLORES appears on the belgian label PIAS. “With DOLORES Bohren’s habit of making music which often makes the listener feel like he or she is stuck in some dark room in which the oxygen is slowly and mercilessly being extracted has changed.When listening to DOLORES, listeners are sure to get feeling that – after all these years – the shutters are being raised, the windows thrown open, fresh air and sunlight are flooding into the room. Quite by chance, the most natural thing in the world, cool, crisp and brazen.”

Official Page - MySpace Page

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

Jazzanova - Mwela, Mwela (Here I am)

German nu jazz collective Jazzanova redefined the 'nu jazz movement' with the excellent 2002 lp 'In Between'. In 'Mwela, Mwela' they recruit fellow London jazzheads Valerie Etienne and Rob Gallagher (both in Galliano and 2 Banks of 4) with extraodinairy results...