On 31 October 2000, Cuban jazz pianist Omar Sosa gave an extraordinary concert at Bremen's Schlachthof with a magnificent band, including US rapper and hip-hopper Sub-Z. Sosa's musical work covers an enormous range. Of course, his music is characterised by his musical roots and his Cuban origins, but the basis is formed by Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms as well as traditional North African music, which he likes to combine with elements of merengue, salsa, soul, funk, classical music and even hip hop. In other words: Omar Sosa is always exciting, especially live. This was also ensured by the superb backing band that accompanied Omar alongside Sub-Z at this concert from the Bremen Schlachthof: saxophonist Sheldon Brown, bassist Geoff Brennan, percussionist Gustavo Ovalles and drummer Elliott Kavee.

BRASIL, the new album by Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin is a showcase for the unique talents of two of the most successful and influential musicians of their generation - It has been an enduring friendship and collaboration, from playing the famed Baked Potato in Los Angeles in the 70s, to collaborations on Dave's records and films and Lee's albums, plus years of touring together on the biggest stages

With RIVER, the band The Human Element, founded in 2016 and existing in this form as a working trio since 2020, releases a profound musical statement that authentically and passionately summarises the intensive joint work of recent years. The three virtuoso improvisers Gero Schipmann (baritone guitar), Johannes Ludwig (saxophone, FX) and Alex Parzhuber (drums) embark on an exciting search for the essence of their songs with blind understanding. An improvising post-rock band that is more oriented towards songwriters than the jazz idiom, they play their songs and pieces with the raw energy of a teenage garage rock band and the unconditional honesty of an aged country singer.

Inside Out is an album by the Chick Corea Elektric Band, released in 1990 through the record label GRP. The album peaked at number six on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

This Is British Progressive Jazz (Remastered) is a captivating album released by British Progressive Jazz. Featuring a collection of tracks from various artists, this remastered edition offers a unique blend of jazz influences with progressive elements. Listeners can expect to be taken on a musical journey filled with intricate melodies, complex rhythms, and innovative improvisations. The album showcases the diverse talent within the British jazz scene, highlighting the creativity and skill of the musicians involved.

Elton is a central figure both in the development of the British jazz scene through the '70s and beyond, and in the rock scene at the time. Known to wider audiences through his connection to the Soft Machine, his sinuous, post-Coltrane lines on alto and the rare saxello appear in many progressive contexts in the period. His compositions were strong too, reflecting an interest in melody and lyricism, and this band is a showcase for the strength of his music. It also demonstrates Elton's abilities as an arranger - the unusual line up extracts gold from these already fine pieces in it's ensemble sonorities. Of course, the band is top-notch, featuring the finest UK saxists of the time, with a wonderful rhythm section. Tony Levin in particular is an undersung hero of the drums.

Gambian kora virtuoso Dawda Jobarteh and Danish master drummer Stefan Pasborg join forces to release their exhilarating live album, ‘Live In Turku’. A captivating fusion of traditional West African sounds and contemporary improvisation, the record is set to release on April Records on May 17th.

2019 saw Led Zeppelin - the 70’s iconic rockband - celebrate the 50th anniversary of their debut album. That release - as well as all their subsequent albums - dazzled and litterally shook the world of music, and created a whole new direction in rock’n’roll. Their music is now being revisited by a band consisting of some of the most in demand players on the Danish and European jazz scene.

In February of 2015, Grammy Award-winning band Snarky Puppy recorded Family Dinner Volume Two in front of a live studio audience with guest instrumentalists and vocalists from all over the world. A companion piece to the monumental album, this documentary/concert-film features exclusive candid interviews and acoustic performances from the guest artists. The project is a true testament for showing first-hand how music can be a bridge between diverse cultures from countries from all over the world to create a unifying musical statement for the average listener or the devout music-connoisseur.

Keeping a band together, particularly among the mercurial community of jazz musicians, is no small feat. Other gigs beckon. Life outside of making art takes precedence. It’s a reality that makes the continued existence and progression of Portland quintet Blue Cranes feel so momentous. The ensemble — saxophonists Reed Wallsmith and Joe Cunningham, drummer Ji Tanzer, keyboardist Rebecca Sanborn, and bassist Jon Shaw — has been working together in a variety of formats since 2004, creating a solid body of work that has connected them to both the traditional sounds and the future-minded artists of their chosen genre.

Odd Brew is an idiosyncratic Finnish band, collecting elements from a diverse range of musics, such as Top 40 pop songs, classical tunes, Finnish folk, West African music, progressive rock, 80s fusion, and smashing them all into a blender full of jazz. Arranging and original compositions are penned by the bandleader Santeri Kaipiainen.

Guitarist Mike Stern, best-known for playing rock-oriented fusion and in more commercial settings, surprised many listeners by recording an album dominated by standards. Actually, there are three originals included among the 11 pieces, but Stern also digs into such songs as "Like Someone in Love," "Moment's Notice," Chick Corea's "Windows," and "Straight No Chaser." Among Stern's sidemen on this fairly straight-ahead but adventurous set are trumpeter Randy Brecker, Bob Berg on tenor, and keyboardist Gil Goldstein. This little-known release is well-worth acquiring.

This is where Miles Davis turned funk into jazz, rock into soul, and chaos into Beauty. With a rotating cast of bands featuring keyboardists Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea, guitarist John McLaughlin, percussionist Airto Moreira, saxophonists Gary Bartz and Wayne Shorter, and myriad other explorers, Davis kept up with the times…and surpassed them. He rocked harder than Sly, got funkier than J.B., and turned jazz inside out, slicing the music open till blood spilled on to the floor. More focused than Bitches Brew, which is all the more surprising since it's actually a piecemeal recording from various dates and venues–some in the studio, some on stage, but all very much l-i-v-e.

How ‘bout another film? After Rollin', here’s Truffaz again with Clap!, the second installment in his cinema stories, repeating the miracle of substituting his own images for those conjured up by the original soundtracks. Or, as director Bruno Nuyten puts it: “Beyond the memories of the films that are mentioned, Erik Truffaz’s interpretation opens the imagination to other films that have never been made”. Nicely put.