Category: Reviews of New Releases
Superb violinist and singer Seonaid Aitken’s latest album Chasing Sakura 🌸🌸 is an absolute delight. Here’s a review FM (of Scottish Jazz Space) did for London Jazz News.
https://londonjazznews.com/2022/05/04/seonaid-aitken-ensemble-chasing-sakura/
‘Set Me Free’ an album by Keyna Wilkins: and Jalal Mahamede: a review by Scottish Jazz Space’s FM. This beautiful album for Doobeedoobeedoo NY, highlights the iniquitous detention policy of the Australian government, where refugees can remain imprisoned for over 9 years. Hopefully our government here in the UK will understand that such a policy is not to be copied here.
https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2022/04/03/cd-review-keyna-wilkins-and-jalal-mahamede-set-me-free-musical-improvisation-to-the-poetry-of-a-refugee-in-detention-in-australia/ For further information about Keyna Wilkins there is a feature written by FM, in Jazz in Europe.https://jazzineurope.mfmmedia.nl/…/keyna-wilkins…/?fbclid=IwAR3JYO_7D70bj_vPW0WEjJnRGy73ADDSvf6sqzQ8k8WsfPhj4FUEOKIXz_k
Jemima Thewes’ debut album ‘Calling’, due out this July, is dark and delicate Scottish avant-folk – except for the final track which would sit wonderfully well in Cafe OTO! Here’s our review for New York-based Doobeedoobeedoo and a YouTube of one the tracks, ‘Moon’.
https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2022/03/09/album-review-jemima-thewes-calling-dark-scottish-avant-folk-from-the-uk/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzOjUyuVLXk&ab_channel=JemimaT
Evelyn Laurie’s latest, completely charming album My Scottish Heart is a beautiful fusion of jazz and Scottish folk song. Here is Scottish Jazz Space’s review in US music zine Doobeedoobeedoo NY.
https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2021/12/25/cd-review-evelyn-laurie-my-scottish-heart-scottish-jazz-folk-from-the-uk/
Ill Considered must be one of London’s most interesting bands, syncretizing so successfully jazz idioms with West and North African ones. Here is a review of their latest (and greatest so far?) album, ‘Liminal Space’ written for LondonJazz by Scottish Jazz Space’s FM. One is minded of that other beautiful musical blending that occurs here in Scotland: jazz, with our traditional, roots idioms.
https://londonjazznews.com/2021/11/18/ill-considered-liminal-space/
Charlotte Keeffe is a prolific English trumpeter who is especially renowned in improvisation circles. One day it is hoped she will collaborate with like minds here in Scotland! For now, here is a review (written by Scottish Jazz Space’s FM) of her recent, excellent album ‘Right Here Right Now’, together with two samples of her work. 👍👍
https://jazzineurope.mfmmedia.nl/2021/11/charlotte-keeffe-right-here-right-now/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyMOcsh1zo&t=7s&ab_channel=TheCockpitTheatre https://vimeo.com/385480399
ALBUM REVIEW By Scottish Jazz Space’s Fiona Mactaggart – for LondonJazz. Wonderfully off-piste guitar/ electronics improvisation from Italy. Any free gig spaces at The Glad Cafe..? 😀👍
https://londonjazznews.com/2021/09/30/andrea-massaria-new-needs-need-new-techniques/
Roberto Bonati / Tor Yttredal – Some Red Some Yellow: An album of understated beauty.
The UK having now departed the European Union, it feels more important than ever for those of us here in…
Extrovert composer-trombonist Alex Paxton has recently been running, with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, workshops for young composers. However, he is equally at home in the jazz idiom; would that he might some day collaborate with jazzers here in Scotland.. Here is SJS’s (under my name FM) review in London Jazz News of his latest, completely marvelous album, Music For Bosch People.
https://londonjazznews.com/2021/07/01/alex-paxton-music-for-bosch-people/
Scotland continues to produce great albums that successfully meld Jazz and Scottish Trad idioms. Fergus Hall’s debut album ‘Shores’ – which as a bonus features words of revered Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean – is one such. Here is Scottish Jazz Space’s (under my name, FM) review of ‘Shores’ in London Jazz News. 👍😀
https://londonjazznews.com/2021/05/08/fergus-hall-shores/