Beautiful Rising

Jasmine Myra's second album builds on the success of her breakthrough album 'Horizons' (2022) to deliver a major statement from one of UK jazz's rising stars.

Over the past few years, I've unexpectedly got a bit into astrology. Many songs on this album, and even the title, refer to it. Actually, this is something that for half of my life I disregarded as nonsense, even anti-science. However, personal experiences, encounters with special people over the years, and personal observation in this field, have made me let go of this prejudgement. I came to realize that it is a very old tradition which is rooted in centuries of observing patterns. It simply sees us humans, not as detached from the universe, but as an interconnected part of it, and puts our lives in relation to the cosmos around it. It seems that only the detached, modern and egocentric human mind is willing to see itself as this free-willed individual that can’t possibly be influenced by the time, the place, by all of the circumstances present, when it came into existence.

Phoenix Rising is the 18th solo album from Robert Fox and also his first non soundtrack studio outing in 6 years. The music is emotive and melodic with a dream like quality that flows over the listener in warm layers of deep, gentle ambience. This album is actually, at its heart, a very laid back album. But that said, it contains some of the most beautiful, involving music from Robert Fox in many years.

Jasmine Myra's second album builds on the success of her breakthrough album 'Horizons' (2022) to deliver a major statement from one of UK jazz's rising stars. Produced by Matthew Halsall and mixed by Greg Freeman (Hania Rani, Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet), 'Rising' delivers a confident and vibrant follow up that joins the musical dots between Myra's influences Kenny Wheeler, Bonobo and Shabaka Hutchings while delivering something unique, beautiful and profound.

For her fourth album, Half Moon Rising, the North Yorkshire-born country singer-songwriter headed to San Diego for an eight day session, mostly recorded live, the magic evident from the get go with balladeering soaring opening track ‘Heart and Soul’, a straightforward supportive love song (“I’ve danced with your demons/Now I live with all these feelings/Only I can ever save you”), leading into the pedal steel keening ‘A Love Like That’, another ballad reflecting on a love of similar devotion (“My old friend where have you been/Still out there searching for someone/What I’d give for a love like that… My dreams have been and passed/Through the eyes of my child I live now”).

For her fourth album, Half Moon Rising, the North Yorkshire-born country singer-songwriter headed to San Diego for an eight day session, mostly recorded live, the magic evident from the get go with balladeering soaring opening track ‘Heart and Soul’, a straightforward supportive love song (“I’ve danced with your demons/Now I live with all these feelings/Only I can ever save you”), leading into the pedal steel keening ‘A Love Like That’, another ballad reflecting on a love of similar devotion (“My old friend where have you been/Still out there searching for someone/What I’d give for a love like that… My dreams have been and passed/Through the eyes of my child I live now”).

A beautiful journey through Canada’s Atlantic Coast—from the pastorals of Prince Edward Island to the wilds of Newfoundland—celebrating the region’s rich culinary community, and the innovative chefs and producers who make it.

Over the past few years, I've unexpectedly got a bit into astrology. Many songs on this album, and even the title, refer to it. Actually, this is something that for half of my life I disregarded as nonsense, even anti-science. However, personal experiences, encounters with special people over the years, and personal observation in this field, have made me let go of this prejudgement. I came to realize that it is a very old tradition which is rooted in centuries of observing patterns. It simply sees us humans, not as detached from the universe, but as an interconnected part of it, and puts our lives in relation to the cosmos around it. It seems that only the detached, modern and egocentric human mind is willing to see itself as this free-willed individual that can’t possibly be influenced by the time, the place, by all of the circumstances present, when it came into existence.