Aver & Move 78: Sanctuary

A lovely cut here from Aver & Move 78, taken from their forthcoming EP. I really am no expert on jazz, I just know what I like and this falls very much into that category. Unsurprisingly really, as Aver has always been one of my favourites from Village Live’s ever-impressive roster. The full EP is available to pre-order on vinyl now, with the shipping date set for 19 April onwards.

Ella Mae Sueref: Take Some Time

Blissful bit of soulful, jazzy nourishment here,  as Village Live release their latest Live & Direct single. This time it’s Ella Mae Sueref in the cut, as she teams up with Pawcut for Take Some Time. The track is also available to stream from the usual spots.

Aver & MOVE 78: Middling

New music from Aver and MOVE 78, the Berlin jazz band, with whom the Village Live producer has collaborated with in the past. Last year they released Housecat together and now they’re back with Middling, which is due for a 7″ release on 30 October. In the meantime, you can stream it now in all the usual places.

Pan Amsterdam: Debtors Skyline + LP News

Debtors Skyline is the latest single from the forthcoming Pan Amsterdam album, which is due for release in October. The album is the creative culmination of Leron Thomas’s touring as Iggy Pop’s bandleader, and features some of the artists and musicians he met along the way. There will be contributions from Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods fame, as well as Jimi Goodwin from Doves. The album is due out on 2 October via Def Pressé, with pre-orders available now over on Bandcamp. You can also hear Debtors Skyline below.

Pan Amsterdam ft. GUTS: Carrot Cake

The funk flows free in the latest release from Pan Amsterdam, as he teams up with producer, GUTS, for Carrot Cake. For those unfamiliar, Pan Amsterdam is the alias of Leron Thomas, who blends his acclaimed horn playing with often left-field lyrics, to form songs which I always find strangely alluring; Carrot Cake being no exception. The track is also available to stream now and stay tuned for a new Pan Am album landing in October.

Kamaal Williams: Mr Wu

New music from Kamaal Williams and his most recent album, Wu Hen. The London producer has delivered a sophomore album which escapes the all too real curse that plagues a lot of second offerings. Assists from Miguel-Atwood Ferguson, Lauren Faith and Quinn Mason help boost the allure, with Williams’ amalgamated brand of jazz sounding as strong as ever. You can listen to lead single, Mr Wu, above, with downloads available on Bandcamp.

Raw Poetic, Archie Shepp & Damu the Fudgemunk: Tulips + LP Stream

Beautiful sounds from Raw Poetic and Damu the Fudgemunk, as they bring us a new video from their recent album, which they made alongside jazz legend, Archie Shepp. It’s basically a jazz album, but with the added energy of Raw Poetic’s lyrics, which are delivered over a series of improvised recording sessions. Tulips is one of the gems to be found on Ocean Bridges, and you can hear the remainder of the album below. It’s also available to download and stream.

Telemachus ft. Jerome Thomas: Greed

Another stunner from the forthcoming Telemachus album, as he treats us to the second single, Greed. The production is like a jazzy dreamscape, sparse but refined, and with the added beauty of Jerome Thomas’s vocals gliding effortlessly through it. The video was made by This & That Media. Boring & Weird Historical Music is out on 22 May.

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Jazz Is Dead 001 (Stream)

Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have been working on more new music together, following on from the success of their Midnight Hour collaborations over the last couple of years. Jazz Is Dead 001 is the first in a series of albums that the duo have been working on over the last year. Enlisting the talents of many other great musicians, they have created what looks set to be one of the most promising series of releases in some time, if this first session is anything to go by. Featuring support from the likes of Roy Ayers, Doug Carn and Marcos Valle, the album is a heady trip through jazz’s many areas of influence. You can hear the joys for yourself below and there are downloads, plus a whole bunch of merch bundles, available via Bandcamp.

Oscar Jerome: Sun For Someone

I can’t get enough of this latest single from Oscar Jerome. Sun For Someone is exactly the sort of joyful distraction we need right now, driven by the funkiest of basslines and its hopeful hook, the track provided me with exactly 4 minutes and 13 seconds of escape from the current climate of fear and confusion. Co-produced by Oscar and Beni Giles, the track is strengthened further thanks to the innovative dance related video from Sonder. Sun For Someone is out now.