KRUDER + DORFMEISTER | EZRA COLLECTIVE | CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH | TAKUYA KURODA + COREY KING | RICHARD SPAVEN + SANDUNES | ROBERT GLASPER + H.E.R. + MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO | JACKSON MATHOD | JYOTI | ZERO 7 | SNARKY PUPPY

Hello again friends, freaks and fans of Future Jazz.

In the week that a Gloucestershire hair salon had a job advert banned for ‘discriminating against unhappy people’, 45 RPM returns with 10 new jazz tracks that even the most miserable bugger would struggle to not crack a smile at.

This week’s (frankly, heavyweight) Future Jazz Offensive contains new music from Snarky Puppy, Robert Glasper, Ezra Collective, Zero 7, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Takuya Kuroda [pictured] and Richard Spaven.

We’ve also got some songs you might not have heard from an English musician making Afrobeat tracks called ‘India’, an Indian musician making decidedly trippy tunes and some trip-hop legends getting out their, ahem, Johnson.

And so, my friends, if you think listening to any of those would qualify you to work at AJs in Stroud, read on.

And don’t forget, you can hear and subscribe to this blog in podcast form on Apple Podcasts here.

***

RECONNAISANCE

– 00:00 –

KRUDER + DORFMEISTER – JOHNSON

G-STONE RECORDINGS
—
The hugely-respected trip-hop duo drop the first single in promotion of the forthcoming album ‘1995’ (due out 30 October). For fans of Massive Attack, massive bass-y sounds and massive 90s nostalgia.
–
If you like this try Moonshine by Lamb.

– 5:28 –

EZRA COLLECTIVE – SAMUEL L. RIDDIM

ENTER THE JUNGLE
—
An oldie but a goodie from London’s new jazz poster boys, newly released alongside a new piece, ‘Dark Side Riddim’… which I also like. But not as much as this. I mean listen to those droms!
–
If you like this try Nah by PYJAEN.

– 8:40 –

CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH – DIASPORA

ROPEADOPE
—
The New Orleans jazz trumpeter returns with a new album that feels like as much of a celebration of African heritage as it does of humanity in general. On the title track he brings back his old friend, flautist Elena Pinderhughes and allows her to soar.
–
If you like this try Life Sings On by András Dés Rangers.

– 14:25 –

TAKUYA KURODA + COREY KING – FADE

FIRST WORLD RECORDS
—
Not entirely sure I really understand what a ‘woozy banger’ is but I’m pretty sure Fade qualifies. It’s Japanese trumpeter Takuya Kuroda’s second single from upcoming record, ‘Fly Moon Die Soon’ with vocalist Corey King, due out 18 September.
–
If you like this try Dragonball Durag by Thundercat.

– 18:08 –

RICHARD SPAVEN + SANDUNES – TREE OF LIFE

!K7 MUSIC
—
The tantalizing new collaboration between Mumbai-based artist Sanaya Ardeshir (aka Sandunes) and British drummer and producer Richard Spaven (Jordan Rakei, The Cinematic Orchestra, Flying Lotus) brings us ‘Tree of Life’; a swirling mix of drum n bass inflections and odd time signatures (or are they?)
–
If you like this try Hope by 44^th Move + Takuya Kuroda.

– 23:36 –

ROBERT GLASPER + H.E.R. + MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO – BETTER THAN I IMAGINED

LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
—
H.E.R. (known to her mum as Gabriella Wilson) adorns this new track from legendary Houston jazz pianist Robert Glasper with her gorgeous vocals before soul icon Meshell Ndegeocello guests, leaving what sounds like a heartfelt voicemail for a long-lost love. From an upcoming project entitled ‘Black Radio 3’ due out in 2021.
–
If you like this try Morning Matters by Yazmin Lacey.

– 28:25 –

JACKSON MATHOD – INDIA

SELF-RELEASED
—
An English trumpeter and flugelhorn player, who’s been compared to French-Lebanese jazz legend, Ibrahim Maalouf, playing a track named ‘India’, with an Afrobeat rhythm (and larger-than-life personality that shines through every joyous note)… what’s not to love?
–
If you like this try São Paolo by Ezra Collective.

– 32:30 –

JYOTI – THIS WALK

SOMEOTHASHIP CONNECT and EONE
—
On her new album under the Jyoti moniker (a name given to her by the great Alice Coltrane, no less), hipsters’ favourite Georgia Anne Muldrow features her vocals for the first time. On ‘This Walk’ – a meditation on “violence can both ignite and snuff out a voice” – she weaponizes those words to their fullest.
–
If you like this try I’m New Here by Gil Scott Heron + Makaya McCraven.

– 34:58 –

ZERO 7 – SHADOWS

MAKE RECORDS
—
Downtempo heroes Zero 7 return with new EP ‘Shadows’ – their first record in five years. Lou Stone’s intimate delivery works perfectly on the title track, enticing you into its deliciously dark corners.
–
If you like this try Light by Michael Kiwanuka.

– 40:05 –

SNARKY PUPPY – FLOOD (2020 REMASTER)

GROUNDUP MUSIC
—
Michael League’s Puppies are releasing a remastered version of their 2010 opus ‘Tell Your Friends’ later this year. And if you were wondering how a bit of knob-twiddling could make their stuff sound any better than it did first time around, check out this version of ‘Flood’.
–
If you like this try Nikinakinu by Greg Foat.

CEASE-FIRE

You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the Future Jazz Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

Until next time, love and noise.

– SV –