Today is International Jazz Day and it’s the perfect opportunity for you to get out and support independent jazz music from around the world. What better place to start than with our own family of artists.
Here we have selected for you some essential jazz music from the catalogue…
Colman Brothers – Self-titled debut album
The debut from the Colman Brothers has gained so much support over the last 3 years that we’ve started to think of it here at Wah Wah as a classic album. The brothers blend their latin, brass and modal jazz influences with a unique flare that at once gives it a 60s big band era power, whilst cleverly avoiding simply sounding like a retro jazz album. With album number two on it’s way for 2015, this is an essential starting point for any Wah Wah 45s jazz lover.
Henri-Pierre Noël – Piano
A surefire classic here. We re-issued ‘Piano’ in 2012, the original album a hard-to-find gem going for upwards of €100 a copy and loved by the likes of Kon and Amir to name a few. We are hugely proud to bring this album back to the world and to introduce a wider audience to the incredible Henri-Pierre who joined us last summer for a storming Jazz Café debut.
In July we will follow this release with the equally sought-after ‘One More Step’. But for now acquaint yourself with the percussive performance style of HPN with the debut ‘Piano’. All the tracks are mixed anew from the original multi-tracks and remastered beautifully for heavyweight wax.
Hackney Colliery Band – Inner City Life
Hackney Colliery Band have a very modern take on the traditional colliery band as well as bringing several more international jazz influences; from those of the classic marching bands of New Orleans to quite distinctly South American latin-jazz sounds in arrangements like ‘Pygmy Goats’. But it’s here in their version of Goldie’s ‘Inner City Life’ that they really evoke some classic jazz sounds. To me this immediately reminds me of a Quincy Jones Ironside soundtrack.
Inner City Life is below – check out the full 2nd album it features on: ‘Common Decency’ here.
Bev Lee Harling – Private Life Of A Puppet
Bev’s influences are many and diverse, which can clearly be heard on her debut album for Wah Wah 45s ‘Barefoot In Your Kitchen’. From blues to electronica, Bev has an incredible talent for blending styles effortlessly while retaining a keen ear for hard-to-forget songwriting. ‘Private Life Of A Puppet’ brings a slice of bossa nova and kitchen implements that we really love at Wah Wah.
Check out the full album here: ‘Barefoot In Your Kitchen‘
Stac – All Or Nothing
Stac’s debut album ‘Turn That Light Out’ was full of jazz influences and even opens with a trumpet solo from one of the UK’s most important jazz musicians/arrangers Matthew Halsall. In particular though I’ve selected you the grand-piano led, deep, beautiful jazz/soul of ‘All Or Nothing’. Truly stunning.
Listen to the entire of ‘Turn That Light Out’ here.
Scrimshire – Springtime
From the debut album ‘Along Came The Devil One Night…’ ‘Springtime’ is a celebratory jazz waltz featuring the drums of Jack Baker (Bonobo, Alice Russel, Lea Lea) and vocals from Claire Laurent. This seemed appropriate for an April International Jazz Day selection. Also check out the Gilles Peterson favourite ‘A Promise Was All It Was‘.
And if you’re still after more great jazz, start with some of our favourites Matthew Halsall and his Gondwana record label. As well as the exceptional music of Greg Foat.
Colman Brothers’ 30 minute mixes
Once you’ve got through that lot – be sure to make yourself a regular listener to the Colman Brothers’ Influences Mix series on Mixcloud. Volume 13 right here:
Influences Mix Vol. 13 by Colman Brothers on Mixcloud