The Invitations

The psych-soul singer summons the confidence and exuberance of childhood on an immersive sophomore album.

By 1996, the pianist, arranger and composer had enough new material to produce his second album "Scratch Blue". 41 musicians, including guitar legend Robben Ford and trombone player Nils Landgren, played a mixture of vocal and instrumental tunes, resulting in invitations to play at international festivals like the "North Sea Jazz Festival" in The Hague.

For over a decade now, legendary film composer Ennio Morricone has resisted the dozens of invitations from labels and artists to remix his original work - until now. Somehow the folks at Reprise were either diplomatic enough with a satisfactory aesthetic approach or had a big enough checkbook to satisfy the artist's concerns (and this writer is willing to believe it was the former). A varied cast of pioneers from electronica's vast frontier was assembled by compilation producers Stefan Rambow and Norman Rudnitzky. The first two cuts are the most obvious. There's Apollo 440's "The Man With the Harmonica," mixed out of the soundtrack for Once Upon a Time in the West. There are layers and layers of keyboards extrapolating the melody - and parts of it - with dub effects and large, deep drums and sequencers…

Art Pepper mostly sticks to standards on this Discovery LP, but he brings out new life in the veteran songs, particularly on such ballads as "Round Midnight," "What's New" and "Besame Mucho." With the assistance of pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Frank Butler, the great altoist (who is heard just prior to signing an exclusive contract with the Galaxy label) is also in top form on such pieces as "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "I'll Remember April." An excellent (if not quite essential) release.

Whirlwind is elated to announce the signing of internationally-acclaimed artist Natacha Atlas and her October 4th release Strange Days. Heralded as one of the world’s most distinctive voices, she’s carved a path synthesising western and middle eastern vocal traditions with mind-blowing dexterity. Natacha’s latest work sees her push vocal and musical boundaries even further by effortlessly weaving jazz traditions into her already unique blend.

Riding the loftiest cirrus of boundary-leaping improvised music, guitar fusion trio Preston Glasgow Lowe follow up their eponymous 2016 Whirlwind debut recording with Something About Rainbows – a prismatic collection of original compositions which combine intricate, thunderous energy with aesthetic, harmonic grace. And while LA-based photographer Josh Rose’s minimal ‘industrial rainbow’ cover art reflects the album’s often darker vibe, guitarist David Preston, six-string bassist Kevin Glasgow and drummer Laurie Lowe also uncover fresher sunlit colours in their latest writing and experimentation.