Have you ever desperately searched for detailed information or complete discographies of certain artists, albums or labels? Have you ever wanted to know for exaple which productions Wayne Shorter was involved in (except his own of course)? The music platform »Discogs« offers exactly this service. more...

The current album »Egis« of keyboarder and trumpeter Sebastian Studnitzkyand and his trio is a complex and compelling album which easily bridges the gap between jazz, electronica and - for example - trip hop. Studnitzkys fellow musicians on Egis are Paul Kleber (bass) and Sebastan Merk (drums). The album was published by Herzog Records in 2010. more...

As bassist of the wonderful Björn Svensson Trio (E.S.T.) Dan Berglund reached world fame. Now, one and a half years after Svenson’s tragic death, Berglund has gathered a group of musicians around him and has recorded his debut album »Tonbruket« with them. The swedish word »Tonbruket« actually describes a large workshop in which sounds are produced. more...

„Three Wishes: an Intimate Look at Jazz Greats“, published by Reclam in 2007 is a very impressive book, which gives intimate insights into the lives of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century. more...

Usually musicians only briefly mention their musical role models or the artists influencing their work. Often these influences and idols change in the course of their career. Not so with Frank Zappa. more...

In his 30 year long jazz career Freiburg based bassist Dieter Ilg has repeatedly proven his broad musical perspective, which goes far beyond a mere jazz approach. Especially his own productions, many of them published on his label »Fullfat«, are an impressive example of this. more...

I have been asking myself for quite some time what is actually going on in Britain’s jazz scene. And I have to admit that apart from the really great magazine »Jazzwise«, the »Jazz-Café« in London and the musicians Dave Holand and John Surmann not much came to my mind. But now, as I have luckily heard, there are great newcomers approaching! more...

The British label Soul Jazz stands for high quality and carefully designed publications. Over the past ten years the label has released a great number of compilations and albums from many different non-mainstream genres. Together with London DJ legend Gilles Peterson, Soul Jazz boss Stuart Baker has now compiled a fantastic book on the subject. more...

I first came across Rusconi through the TV station Deluxe Music. Apart from the really funny, uncoventional and artful video for the song »Point of no return« the very concise chords completely captivated me. Their album »One Up Down Left Right« was quickly bought and a new Rusconi fan born. more...

Being successful with a non-mainstream label these days normally implies having to submit to current trends, make compromises and develop ingenious marketing strategies. Or is it the opposite way round? For more than 15 years the London label »Soul Jazz« has stood for continuity and quality. more...

At last a new album from world class drummer Manu Katché! For his third album »Third Round«, the 51 year old french musician has assembled an excellent quartet. Together with Jason Rebello (piano), Pino Palladino (Bass) and Tore Brunberg (saxophone) he recorded Third Round in southern France in December 2009. The album was published on the Munich superlabel ECM. more...

The German jazz trio Trioscence is headed by Pianist Bernhard Schüler who was born in 1979. Together with his two fellow musicians Matthias Nowak (bass) and Stephan Emig (drums) he can already look back on a highly impressive career. more...

1958 seems to have been a very good year in Newport. Amongst others, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Chuck Berry, Thelonius Monk or Jimmy Guiffre celebrated their get-togheter on the Rhode Island coast in July 1958. In the afternoon of July 6th , American pianist Horace Silver and his quintet gave a 45-minute performance, which has now – more than 50 years later – been released on Blue Note. more...

There are rather few instruments you won't find in jazz music. The harp for example is one of these, it is more likely to be found in classical or new age music. Accordingly, you will not find a jazz artist easily who is directly linked with the harp. But there was one musician who became quite popular in the late 1950s and primarily in the 1960s because of her innovative harp-playing – the talk is of Dorothy Ashby. more...

In November 2008 I came across the following article: »On Dec. 1st 2008 at 4.30pm the grand opening of the Jaco Pastorius Park took place in Oakland Park, Florida (www.jacopastorius.com). There was a free gig performed by close friends of Jaco Pastorius from 6pm as well as a performance by percussionist Bobby Thomas (Ex-Weather Report), Steel Drummer Othello Molineau and many more.« more...

It has finally been released, the debut album A Strange Arrangement by US-soulmusic-sensation Mayer Hawthorne. The white wunderkind from suburban Detroit/Michigan is presenting an album full of unbelievably superb soul music, in fine tradition of Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield. Exactly these artists plus Smokey Robinson and Lamont Dozier were named by the 29-year-old as his biggest influences. more...

In the year 2000 I worked in a big record store in Münster. At that time, I was in my early 20's, I slowly started to really get involved with jazz, funk and soul music. It were this music's amazing grooves, terrific basslines and – of course – the nonchalance and mellowness that caught me right from the beginning. more...