Hugh Nini

Music has been present in Hugh Laurie’s career in some form or another since the days of Fry & Laurie, even working its way into House, the American television series that turned him into an international star in the 2000s. Without House, Laurie would never have been granted the opportunity to record an album like 2011’s Let Them Talk, a full-blooded immersion into American blues via New Orleans, shepherded by acclaimed roots producer Joe Henry and featuring such Big Easy heavy-hitters as Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, and Irma Thomas. To his enormous credit, Laurie never sounds like a dilettante among this group; he holds his own, working his way into the marrow of the songs, playing credible piano throughout the record.

On his new album "Night Trippin' (Tribute to Dr. John)", singer and Parisian-by-choice Hugh Coltman joins guitarist Matthis Pascaud for a joint tribute to the legendary jazz, blues and rock 'n' roll singer Dr. John. The American musician and six-time Grammy Award winner was considered the most important and almost the only representative of "Voodoo Rock" and was strongly influenced by the folklore of his hometown New Orleans.Together, Coltman and Pascaud explore the works of the early Sixties period of the legendary pianist and singer from Louisiana. With "Night Trippin'" they dive deep into the world of voodoo blues and reach the roots of jazz and rock.

Released as a double LP on Chisa/Blue Thumb in 1972, Hugh Masekela's Home Is Where the Music Is marked an accessible but sharp detour from his more pop-oriented jazz records of the '60s. Masekela was chasing a different groove altogether. He was looking to create a very different kind of fusion, one that involved the rhythms and melodies of his native South Africa, and included the more spiritual, soul-driven explorations occurring in American music at the time on labels like Strata East, Tribe, and Black Jazz as well as those laid down by Gato Barbieri on Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman imprint. The South African and American quintet he assembled for the date is smoking. It includes the mighty saxophonist Dudu Pakwana and drummer Makaya Ntshoko, both South African exiles; they were paired with American pianist Larry Willis and bassist Eddie Gomez, creating a wonderfully balanced, groove-oriented ensemble.

Hugh Masekela kicks off the 70s with this wonderfully bold statement - a record that's light years from the shorter, simpler instrumentals of his earliest American years - and which really shows Hugh trying to reach out for a new groove! Masekela sings a bit on the set - often with this raspy tone that echoes his slight grimace on the cover - and instrumentation includes lots of work from other LA electric jazz giants, including members of The Crusaders - with Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes, Monk Montgomery and Wilton Felder on bass, Arthur Adams on guitar, and Larry Willis on piano.

Recorded at Delta Studio in Canterbury (date unspecified) and released in 2007 on the fusion/prog label Moonjune, Numero d'Vol is an inspired improv session between famous Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper, avant-garde jazz sax player Simon Picard, jazz keyboardist Steve Franklin, and drummer – and This Heat mastermind – Charles Hayward. The album's title is French for "Flight Number" and, yes, inspiration flies high in this music.