Jim Abrahams

Extended guitar hero Oren Ambarchi returns with Shebang, the latest in the series of intricately detailed long-form rhythmic workouts that includes Quixotism (2014) and Hubris (2016). Like those records, Shebang features an international all-star cast of musical luminaries, their contributions recorded individually in locations from Sweden to Japan yet threaded together so convincingly (by Ambarchi in collaboration with Konrad Sprenger) that it’s hard to believe they weren’t breathing the same studio air! Expanding on the techniques of these past works, intricate themes and variations build upon the staccato rhythms via expansive improvisations from BJ Cole, Sam Dunscomb, Chris Abrahams, Jim O’Rourke and Julia Reidy. The ensemble surges through a slow series of harmonic changes before the whole shebang dissolves into a delirious synthetic mirage.

Beau Williams has enjoyed his greatest commercial success as a gospel singer; some people in the Christian market don't even know that he once recorded secular music. But in fact, Williams did record some secular albums for Capitol in the '80s (before he decided to concentrate on gospel exclusively), and one of them was 1984's Bodacious.

Neil Cowley Trio - Spacebound Apes (2016) {Hide Inside Records HIDECD002}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 196 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 107 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 128 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Hide Inside Records | HIDECD002
Jazz / Modern Jazz / Beyond Jazz / Progressive Jazz / Piano

The pop-aware UK jazz pianist Neil Cowley – frequently a thinker outside boxes – has not only spent three years developing this Arthur C Clarke-inspired concept album, but is releasing the results as a sheet-music “single”, an interactive website, a graphic novel and more. His hypnotic music has often resembled a soundtrack to visuals, but there’s more than enough distinction in this 11-piece tracklist to consider it a musical advance, not just a platform-extending conceptual one. Cowley and his regular jazz trio (assisted a little by Brian Eno FX artist Leo Abrahams), deliver a characteristic programme of sonorously looping song-hooks, pounding rock-piano patterns and baroque counterpoints, but this time in a more laid-back and low-lit manner.

A massive, 2-disc compilation featuring cover versions of virtually every Peter Green song written during his Fleetwood Mac period, and a few drawn from his mid-80s solo period. While there are some weaker moments in this 39-track collection, the majority of the interpretations feature blues guitar, piano and vocal at their very best. Rather than simply pay tribute to Peter Green by faithfully imitating his material, the artists have chosen to re-interpret these songs and in most cases the results are superb. The power of Green's influence is felt all the more deeply when so many artists use his music as a jumping-off point. A must have item for blues guitar fans.