John Parry, Author at Backseat Mafia

Album Review: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band – ‘The New Atomic’: Full powered punk jazz dynamism that refuses to follow the script.

Why is Big Band jazz a proposition that many swerve? Is it seen as too close to trad, too much of a historically significant relic. In truth the Big Band…

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Album Review: Scrimshire – ‘Bring Our Light To Every Corner’: The multi-instrumentalist and friends deliver a soulful, sensitive Spiritual Jazz message.

This feels like an album that Adam Scrimshire, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist has been edging towards for some time now. After the politically-charged ‘Paroxysm‘ in 2022 and the gently introspective…

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Album Review: Orbital Ensemble – ‘Contínua’: A daring fusion of rock, jazz and nu-samba which expands convention.

If last year’s Orbital Ensemble debut was the prelude to the collective’s live-incarnation then ‘Contínua’, its follow up, is very much the main event. It’s an explosive, full bodied realisation…

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Album Review : Blue Earth Sound – ‘The St.Louis Sessions’: Keeping their cinematic soul-jazz fresh and funky.

Blue Earth Sound, a shifting collective which revolves around composer/multi-instrumentalist James Weir, produced one of last year’s surprise album’s ‘Cicero Nights’. It gave Cinematic Jazz a fresh complexion, ruffling the…

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Album Review: Column of Trout/ Partager – ‘Split/Lop’: A fulsome bundle of slow-core and avant-pop that dares to brush with convention.

Here’s the latest release from the ever-resourceful Lewes label Difficult Art and Music, the first in a series of what they describe as a deep dive into “the weirder side…

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Album Review: Beefheart & McQuinn – ‘Midtown Downtime’: Summery sounds and simmering sadness from the indie folk duo.

Taking a break from the indie band merry-go round, singer-songwriters Moby Beefheart and Winter McQuinn release their “quiet is the new loud” debut ‘Midtown Downtime’ on We Are Busy Bodies.…

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Album Review: ODD OKODDO & Ogoya Nengo – ‘Palagoma’: Buchla synths meet Dodo traditions for a scintillating outernational connection.

This third album from the afro-rhythm, world fusion group ODD OKODDO marks a coming together that has been simmering. Joining Kenyan luthier/singer Olith Ratego and German producer/drummer Sven Kacirek’s is…

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Album Review: Near Minerals- ‘The Talking Castle’: A tantalising synth soundtrack to a shape-shifting novel.

Postcards, seed bookmarks, graphic novels, music scores, research magazines, a fully-working record player, a Perspex ice sculpture and an academic thesis have all been components of music released on the…

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Album Review: Penelope Trappes – ‘OPVS NOVUM: A Requiem Reworked’ : A stunning re-imagined collection that shapes its own cathartic soundscape.

Last year we were graced by Penelope Trappes ‘A Requiem’, an album of stunning intensity and gothic shadings which stood out amongst other electronic/ experimental releases because of its sheer…

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Album Review: McCaslin Dahle – ‘MXD’: An irresistable post-progressive, jazz-rock thriller.

Crossing paths on sessions and tours, bouncing musical ideas around online and joining together for live shows has now reached the obvious conclusion for saxophonist Donny McCaslin and songwriter Ryan…

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