Another jazzy session ahead, as I dive into three recent releases on the NuJazz scene from artists at each their corners of this world.
Ian Simmonds – The Falling Tree
First out today is the UK artist Ian Simmons. “Born in the foot hills of Snowdonia”, he comes from a long line of Welsh wordsmiths and artists.
And what he delivers is a quite free jazztronica/future jazz vibe that is pretty spot on my preferennces. Not too high energy level, quite accessible and not too demanding, but being complex enough to be intriguing to pay attention to.
Excellent balance.
Gasoline Monk – Slices of Clouds
We’re continuing in the jazztronica lane with this next one, from the US of A. Gasoline Monk, a Boston native, tells us he “composed these keyboard-centric tunes with one foot in the language of jazz and the other in the future beat world of dusty, broken drums & machine-based psychedelia.”
A pretty good description, if you ask me. A rather chill, yet groovy production is the result, and with a real jazzy vibe. And despite being as electronica infused as this it has that “jazz joint” vibe I seek in the jazz tracks I select for this blog.
A futuristic jazz joint? Cyberunk jazz club? Oh yeah. I’m in on that train of tought.
AZAR AZAR – Inner World
And we round off much inn that same energy level as the one above, but perhaps a bigger soundscape. Quite chill, laid back, cool groove. And this time from a Portugese artist: Azar Azar.
Again that balance of being complex, yet accessible. Excellent keyboard play found here, and that big band vibe it evolves into is just fantastic.
An excellent track to add to any jazz playlist out there.
All three tracks are added to our NuJazz & Jazztronica playlist, where we collect only the finest new jazz releases as we discover them. And this playlist is now shaping into something really quite special, if you ask us. Check it out, and if you like it we do appreciate if you add it to your library. Hit that heart shaped button!