We Jazz is a label based in Helsinki, Finland, releasing cutting edge music on the jazz lineage. Founded by DJ/designer Matti Nives in 2016 and based on ever-expanding love for records and the stories they can tell about the music, We Jazz Records initially took shape as a vinyl operation that quickly expanded into other formats, now releasing most of its releases on LP, CD and digital formats, with the occasional tape here and there. The music on the label is curated without geographic boundaries and with the basic idea of pushing things forward on the broad field of "jazz," whether is acoustic avantgarde or mainstream influenced expression, genre-bending futuristic music that's equally at home filed next to abstract electronic music, or some other thing, yet unknown. For We Jazz, the genre shout-out presents a starting point, rather than a conclusion. We Jazz also runs a "sibling label" (Other Power), an internationally distributed magazine and two festivals (We Jazz Festival and Odysseus Festival). Since spring 2023, We Jazz operates Helsinki's legendary Digelius Music record store, originally established in 1971.
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LP
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WJLP 068LP
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$28.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/17/2024
Jonathan Bäckström Quartet is an acoustic improvising quartet based in Helsinki with members from Finland and Sweden. Bassist/composer Jonathan Bäckström leads the quartet and they are set on a mission to navigate and discover the music that is being created in the moment. The quartet's expression consists of minimalistic landscapes and explosive, multi-layered free improvisation and is the result of each musician bringing their individual voices to create a strong, collective statement. The group consists of Bäckström, saxophonists Adele Sauros (of Superposition) and Marcus Wärnheim, and drummer Benjamin Nylund -- each an active member of the vibrant Nordic scene. Jonathan Bäckström says: "There are many ways to approach documenting freely improvised music. At the core, this is music best experienced in the presence of now, so documenting this music raises some existential questions. This is a live-group at heart and having done some extensive touring during the last couple of years, I felt it was time to capture the 'now' based on our raw live efforts thus far. Group improvisation is at the center of our music. Most of the music heard on this album is improvised. One exception is the etude 'White Like Silver,' and while it has a predetermined form, there are still moments of subtle improvisation, too. Interpretation is key, allowing for micro-improvisations within the written music. This is a common thread throughout my compositions, enabling the performer to be spontaneous in their rendition of the music. Spontaneity is something I encourage in all of my compositions. I aim to give the performer the means to make the music their own and not to interrupt it with my own ego." RIYL: '60s early free jazz, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Art Ensemble of Chicago, AACM, Henry Grimes, William Parker, Peter Kowald, Julius Hemphill.
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WJLP 066LP
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LP version. The Swedish quartet Goran Kajfe Tropiques share their new music with We Jazz Records. Tell Us, an album consisting of three long pieces composed by the group, is "slow music" to the bone, a deep body of work utilizing the language of jazz as its core mode of communication but echoing way beyond. The quartet is expanded with strings, adding wings to the music and helping it lift off the ground in a personal, highly engaging manner. The Tropiques quartet consists of Goran Kajfe (trumpet, synthesizer), Alexander Zethson (piano, organ, synthesizer), Johan Berthling (acoustic bass), and Johan Holmegard (drums) -- each a key member in the Swedish creative music scene, with experience from groups such as Dungen, Ghosted, Fire!, Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Oddjob, plus many more, including Goran Kajfe's own Suptropic Arkestra. Their music, groove based and connected to the tradition of "minimalism" has at times been called "hypno-jazz." Tropiques initially came together in 2011 when Kajfe was commissioned to compose and perform music to a performance by the Swedish modern dance company Vindhäxor. Since then, the group has evolved in its own ways and independently from, yet informed by, their origins. That is, the experience of creating music together with a strong sense of movement. All three compositions on Tell Us expand on what the Tropiques have done before, building around their signature style and its spacey texture and rooting the musical narrative in strong melody, rolling groove and their collective limitless urge for sonic exploration. As the opener "Unity In Diversity" goes to show, Tropiques's compositions are like flowers opening slowly, each element and layer growing out of what has come before, in a constantly surprising manner. This music, then, becomes the perfect antidote for the quick-fix eye candy rolling down your smartphone screen. This music will take its time, but it'll also create new dimensions with each second as it unfolds.
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WJLP 075LP
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$28.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/3/2024
LP version. Mirror Mirror is the new album by the Finnish jazz legend, pianist/composer Olli Ahvenlahti. Championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson and Kenny Dope, Ahvenlahti is a master of hard-grooving jazz funk. Here, he continues the evolution of his style, much-beloved since the legendary 1970s albums such as The Poet and Countenance. Ahvenlahti's new group highlights some of the best talent on the Finnish scene, including trumpeter Jukka Eskola, saxophonist Joonatan Rautio, bassist Ville Herrala and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen. "I'm always striving to make one more great record," Ahvenlahti says. "I'm 75 years old this year and as the years pass, this goal seems all the more concrete. Thus, Mirror Mirror feels a bit like 'now or never', an album that reflects all of my career and searches for something new at the same time." For fans of the classic Fender Rhodes-driven Ahvenlahti jazz funk sound, Mirror Mirror is manna from heaven. Earlier performances of the current group were billed as "The Poet II," which speaks of Ahvenlahti's desire to continue on the lineage of his classic '70s period, while adding new layers and hues into his signature sound. The present album is a further continuation of the idea, the next step for the band tried and tested on such sought-after performance spots as Helsinki's Flow Festival, Odysseus Festival, and Pori Jazz. Mirror Mirror is a well-balanced affair for Ahvenlahti and group, showcasing both their hard-driving funky edge and Ahvenlahti's knack at composing effortless and melodic "slow music," which strolls along at its own pace. The singles "Paint It Blue" and "Rhythm and Rhymes" drive the groove hard, with each band member bringing their soul into it, while especially on the album's last two selections, an honest form of serenity reigns supreme. Perhaps "honesty" is the key here. At 75, there is no extra effort to gain recognition or short-term goals with Olli Ahvenlahti. This is "simply" beautiful new work from a seasoned artist and a scene legend, whose wisdom extends beyond mere composition and performance into the social workings of a jazz quintet. He knows how to make music where everyone can bring in their core musicianship and also be challenged to top what they knew before getting in. RIYL: Olli Ahvenlahti, The Poet and Bandstand, classic jazz funk à la Bob James, Herbie Hancock, Patrice Rushen, and Mizell Brothers productions.
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CD
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WJCD 066CD
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$16.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/3/2024
The Swedish quartet Goran Kajfe Tropiques share their new music with We Jazz Records. Tell Us, an album consisting of three long pieces composed by the group, is "slow music" to the bone, a deep body of work utilizing the language of jazz as its core mode of communication but echoing way beyond. The quartet is expanded with strings, adding wings to the music and helping it lift off the ground in a personal, highly engaging manner. The Tropiques quartet consists of Goran Kajfe (trumpet, synthesizer), Alexander Zethson (piano, organ, synthesizer), Johan Berthling (acoustic bass), and Johan Holmegard (drums) -- each a key member in the Swedish creative music scene, with experience from groups such as Dungen, Ghosted, Fire!, Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Oddjob, plus many more, including Goran Kajfe's own Suptropic Arkestra. Their music, groove based and connected to the tradition of "minimalism" has at times been called "hypno-jazz." Tropiques initially came together in 2011 when Kajfe was commissioned to compose and perform music to a performance by the Swedish modern dance company Vindhäxor. Since then, the group has evolved in its own ways and independently from, yet informed by, their origins. That is, the experience of creating music together with a strong sense of movement. All three compositions on Tell Us expand on what the Tropiques have done before, building around their signature style and its spacey texture and rooting the musical narrative in strong melody, rolling groove and their collective limitless urge for sonic exploration. As the opener "Unity In Diversity" goes to show, Tropiques's compositions are like flowers opening slowly, each element and layer growing out of what has come before, in a constantly surprising manner. This music, then, becomes the perfect antidote for the quick-fix eye candy rolling down your smartphone screen. This music will take its time, but it'll also create new dimensions with each second as it unfolds.
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CD
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WJCD 075CD
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$16.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/3/2024
Mirror Mirror is the new album by the Finnish jazz legend, pianist/composer Olli Ahvenlahti. Championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson and Kenny Dope, Ahvenlahti is a master of hard-grooving jazz funk. Here, he continues the evolution of his style, much-beloved since the legendary 1970s albums such as The Poet and Countenance. Ahvenlahti's new group highlights some of the best talent on the Finnish scene, including trumpeter Jukka Eskola, saxophonist Joonatan Rautio, bassist Ville Herrala and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen. "I'm always striving to make one more great record," Ahvenlahti says. "I'm 75 years old this year and as the years pass, this goal seems all the more concrete. Thus, Mirror Mirror feels a bit like 'now or never', an album that reflects all of my career and searches for something new at the same time." For fans of the classic Fender Rhodes-driven Ahvenlahti jazz funk sound, Mirror Mirror is manna from heaven. Earlier performances of the current group were billed as "The Poet II," which speaks of Ahvenlahti's desire to continue on the lineage of his classic '70s period, while adding new layers and hues into his signature sound. The present album is a further continuation of the idea, the next step for the band tried and tested on such sought-after performance spots as Helsinki's Flow Festival, Odysseus Festival, and Pori Jazz. Mirror Mirror is a well-balanced affair for Ahvenlahti and group, showcasing both their hard-driving funky edge and Ahvenlahti's knack at composing effortless and melodic "slow music," which strolls along at its own pace. The singles "Paint It Blue" and "Rhythm and Rhymes" drive the groove hard, with each band member bringing their soul into it, while especially on the album's last two selections, an honest form of serenity reigns supreme. Perhaps "honesty" is the key here. At 75, there is no extra effort to gain recognition or short-term goals with Olli Ahvenlahti. This is "simply" beautiful new work from a seasoned artist and a scene legend, whose wisdom extends beyond mere composition and performance into the social workings of a jazz quintet. He knows how to make music where everyone can bring in their core musicianship and also be challenged to top what they knew before getting in. RIYL: Olli Ahvenlahti, The Poet and Bandstand, classic jazz funk à la Bob James, Herbie Hancock, Patrice Rushen, and Mizell Brothers productions.
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LP
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WJLP 066X-LP
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LP version. Blue and red color vinyl. The Swedish quartet Goran Kajfe Tropiques share their new music with We Jazz Records. Tell Us, an album consisting of three long pieces composed by the group, is "slow music" to the bone, a deep body of work utilizing the language of jazz as its core mode of communication but echoing way beyond. The quartet is expanded with strings, adding wings to the music and helping it lift off the ground in a personal, highly engaging manner. The Tropiques quartet consists of Goran Kajfe (trumpet, synthesizer), Alexander Zethson (piano, organ, synthesizer), Johan Berthling (acoustic bass), and Johan Holmegard (drums) -- each a key member in the Swedish creative music scene, with experience from groups such as Dungen, Ghosted, Fire!, Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Oddjob, plus many more, including Goran Kajfe's own Suptropic Arkestra. Their music, groove based and connected to the tradition of "minimalism" has at times been called "hypno-jazz." Tropiques initially came together in 2011 when Kajfe was commissioned to compose and perform music to a performance by the Swedish modern dance company Vindhäxor. Since then, the group has evolved in its own ways and independently from, yet informed by, their origins. That is, the experience of creating music together with a strong sense of movement. All three compositions on Tell Us expand on what the Tropiques have done before, building around their signature style and its spacey texture and rooting the musical narrative in strong melody, rolling groove and their collective limitless urge for sonic exploration. As the opener "Unity In Diversity" goes to show, Tropiques's compositions are like flowers opening slowly, each element and layer growing out of what has come before, in a constantly surprising manner. This music, then, becomes the perfect antidote for the quick-fix eye candy rolling down your smartphone screen. This music will take its time, but it'll also create new dimensions with each second as it unfolds.
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WJLP 063LP
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LP version. Berlin-based Swedish tenor saxophonist Otis Sandsjö returns with his third album Y-Otis Tre on We Jazz Records. Y-Otis Tre finds Sandsjö in close collaboration with his long-time working partner and friend, bassist/producer Petter Eldh, and Dan Nicholls, the keyboardist of the Y-OTIS live band and a solo artist on his own right. Composed by the three and produced by Eldh and Sandsjö, Y-Otis Tre lives up to its name ("tre" means three in Swedish) and stands strong in the continuum of layer-caked liquid jazz, a staple of the Eldh/Sandsjö production duo lauded for their string of releases as Y-OTIS and Koma Saxo. While recognizable in form, Y-Otis Tre adds new dimensions to what has come before. Borne out of hours of tripped-out studio jams by Sandsjö and Eldh, Y-Otis Tre feels natural, neon, 3D, at times laser sharp, at times gooey like jelly, and at all times ripe with ideas that would make albums on their own. Golden riffs are taken, twisted, thrown away, then recycled, and always evolving. Perhaps evolution is key here, as the album reuses and cross-refers its own ideas but never exactly repeats. The music has a mixtape-like DNA, and it seems to be breeding and multiplying at each beat. In color terms, it is more RGB than CMYK -- that is, it might appear unrealistically bright and full of tones not found in the natural world. But when you listen to the music closely, you'll likely find it acoustic to the bone. There's no illusion: hearing the band live tells you what Y-OTIS is all about. It's a live band turned studio tool, morphed back into a live band. Or something like that anyway. Putting a tag onto this music feels a bit like trying to hold a very colorful, somewhat thick liquid substance on the palm of your hand. You can see it, feel it, but never fully pinpoint just what's it made of. But it works, so best just to enjoy the ride. RIYL: Koma Saxo, Y-OTIS 1 & 2, J Dilla, Madlib, contemporary R&B, hiphop, and electronic music-influenced jazz.
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WJLP 065LP
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LP version. Amirtha Kidambi has long affirmed that the role of music in the act of protest is pivotal. For an artist and activist who once cultivated community at defunct Brooklyn spaces such as Death By Audio and the Silent Barn, the 2020 protests became a place to publicly amplify the underground. That subversive spirit of collective dismantlement and reassemblage serves as the catalyst for the longform cuts that comprise New Monuments, Kidambi's third full-length recording with her band Elder Ones. As their leader writes in its accompanying liner notes, the title summons the "tearing down of old colonial and racist monuments and vestiges of power, in order to build new ones to the martyrs of struggle." Tracked at Figure 8 Studios above Prospect Park, the album is the work of an artist concerned with numerous interconnected sites of global conflict: among them, the farmers' protests over agricultural reforms in India, the evolution of the Iranian women's rights movement following the death of Mahsa Amini, and the continuous crescendoing call for Palestinian liberation. This time, the Elder Ones collective consists of saxophonist Matt Nelson, cellist Lester St. Louis, bassist Eva Lawitts, and drummer Jason Nazary -- all four of whom contribute their share of electronic textures and electroacoustic treatments. As a document of dissent, these four compositions give proof that improvisation is instrumental in the realm of resistance. Kidambi's voice hovers over a scorched sonic landscape equally informed by Black American liberation music, the devotional fervor of Indian Carnatic, and the unleashing of an inner scream listeners might associate with hardcore punk and harsh noise. The quintet then locks into a polyrhythmic pulse that conjures up the ghosts of free jazz past and present; throughout its runtime, there are flashes of Albert Ayler's love cry, Don Cherry's eternal rhythms, Alice Coltrane's ecstatic spirituality, and the fortissimo fearlessness of Kidambi's late friend and collaborator Jaimie Branch, to whom the album is partly dedicated. Above all, New Monuments is a call to action with nothing left unsaid: it demands that the drive towards change should not only be seen, but heard.
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WJLP 063X-LP
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LP version. Orange color vinyl. Berlin-based Swedish tenor saxophonist Otis Sandsjö returns with his third album Y-Otis Tre on We Jazz Records. Y-Otis Tre finds Sandsjö in close collaboration with his long-time working partner and friend, bassist/producer Petter Eldh, and Dan Nicholls, the keyboardist of the Y-OTIS live band and a solo artist on his own right. Composed by the three and produced by Eldh and Sandsjö, Y-Otis Tre lives up to its name ("tre" means three in Swedish) and stands strong in the continuum of layer-caked liquid jazz, a staple of the Eldh/Sandsjö production duo lauded for their string of releases as Y-OTIS and Koma Saxo. While recognizable in form, Y-Otis Tre adds new dimensions to what has come before. Borne out of hours of tripped-out studio jams by Sandsjö and Eldh, Y-Otis Tre feels natural, neon, 3D, at times laser sharp, at times gooey like jelly, and at all times ripe with ideas that would make albums on their own. Golden riffs are taken, twisted, thrown away, then recycled, and always evolving. Perhaps evolution is key here, as the album reuses and cross-refers its own ideas but never exactly repeats. The music has a mixtape-like DNA, and it seems to be breeding and multiplying at each beat. In color terms, it is more RGB than CMYK -- that is, it might appear unrealistically bright and full of tones not found in the natural world. But when you listen to the music closely, you'll likely find it acoustic to the bone. There's no illusion: hearing the band live tells you what Y-OTIS is all about. It's a live band turned studio tool, morphed back into a live band. Or something like that anyway. Putting a tag onto this music feels a bit like trying to hold a very colorful, somewhat thick liquid substance on the palm of your hand. You can see it, feel it, but never fully pinpoint just what's it made of. But it works, so best just to enjoy the ride. RIYL: Koma Saxo, Y-OTIS 1 & 2, J Dilla, Madlib, contemporary R&B, hiphop, and electronic music-influenced jazz.
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WJLP 065X-LP
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LP version. Red color vinyl. Amirtha Kidambi has long affirmed that the role of music in the act of protest is pivotal. For an artist and activist who once cultivated community at defunct Brooklyn spaces such as Death By Audio and the Silent Barn, the 2020 protests became a place to publicly amplify the underground. That subversive spirit of collective dismantlement and reassemblage serves as the catalyst for the longform cuts that comprise New Monuments, Kidambi's third full-length recording with her band Elder Ones. As their leader writes in its accompanying liner notes, the title summons the "tearing down of old colonial and racist monuments and vestiges of power, in order to build new ones to the martyrs of struggle." Tracked at Figure 8 Studios above Prospect Park, the album is the work of an artist concerned with numerous interconnected sites of global conflict: among them, the farmers' protests over agricultural reforms in India, the evolution of the Iranian women's rights movement following the death of Mahsa Amini, and the continuous crescendoing call for Palestinian liberation. This time, the Elder Ones collective consists of saxophonist Matt Nelson, cellist Lester St. Louis, bassist Eva Lawitts, and drummer Jason Nazary -- all four of whom contribute their share of electronic textures and electroacoustic treatments. As a document of dissent, these four compositions give proof that improvisation is instrumental in the realm of resistance. Kidambi's voice hovers over a scorched sonic landscape equally informed by Black American liberation music, the devotional fervor of Indian Carnatic, and the unleashing of an inner scream listeners might associate with hardcore punk and harsh noise. The quintet then locks into a polyrhythmic pulse that conjures up the ghosts of free jazz past and present; throughout its runtime, there are flashes of Albert Ayler's love cry, Don Cherry's eternal rhythms, Alice Coltrane's ecstatic spirituality, and the fortissimo fearlessness of Kidambi's late friend and collaborator Jaimie Branch, to whom the album is partly dedicated. Above all, New Monuments is a call to action with nothing left unsaid: it demands that the drive towards change should not only be seen, but heard.
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MAG
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WJMAG 011
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$26.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 4/12/2024
The eleventh issue of We Jazz Magazine, Oni Puladi for Carla Bley. 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers. All articles presented in English. Carla Bley by Stewart Smith, Gondwana Records by Debra Richards, [Ahmed] by Seymour Wright, Amirtha Kidambi by Ayana Contreras, Ruth Goller by Daryl Worthington, Abdul Wadud by Pierre Crépon/David Neil Lee, François Jeanneau by Bret Sjerven, Mette Henriette by Debra Richards, Nduduzo Makhathini by Rob Garratt, Discaholic column by Mats Gustafsson, We Jazz Festival 2023 photo essay by Julius Töyrylä, album and live reviews, plus more.
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WJLP 064LP
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Brooklyn-based artist Jonah Parzen-Johnson returns with the new album You're Never Really Alone. If you look at the label on the LP containing eight intimate compositions for baritone sax and flute, you will find the words, "we made this together." At first thought, this simple phrase may seem out of place on a solo record, but just like the compositions on this album, it was carefully crafted to cut to the core of what this music is all about. You're Never Really Alone arrives in stark contrast to Parzen-Johnson's 2020 We Jazz Records solo debut, Imagine Giving Up. Where Imagine Giving Up was celebrated for Parzen-Johnson's ability to assemble deeply evocative electro-acoustic sound worlds, You're Never Really Alone shows that Jonah can look you in the eye and say "my voice alone is enough." Across eight tracks, Parzen-Johnson, a Chicago native, explores the technical limits of his baritone saxophone and flute without ever making the listener feel like he has something to prove. You will find circular breathing, multiphonics, and explosive levels of sound, but more importantly, you will enjoy every moment of musical storytelling and compositional skill. This album is made for repeat listening.
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WJCD 065CD
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Amirtha Kidambi has long affirmed that the role of music in the act of protest is pivotal. For an artist and activist who once cultivated community at defunct Brooklyn spaces such as Death By Audio and the Silent Barn, the 2020 protests became a place to publicly amplify the underground. That subversive spirit of collective dismantlement and reassemblage serves as the catalyst for the longform cuts that comprise New Monuments, Kidambi's third full-length recording with her band Elder Ones. As their leader writes in its accompanying liner notes, the title summons the "tearing down of old colonial and racist monuments and vestiges of power, in order to build new ones to the martyrs of struggle." Tracked at Figure 8 Studios above Prospect Park, the album is the work of an artist concerned with numerous interconnected sites of global conflict: among them, the farmers' protests over agricultural reforms in India, the evolution of the Iranian women's rights movement following the death of Mahsa Amini, and the continuous crescendoing call for Palestinian liberation. This time, the Elder Ones collective consists of saxophonist Matt Nelson, cellist Lester St. Louis, bassist Eva Lawitts, and drummer Jason Nazary -- all four of whom contribute their share of electronic textures and electroacoustic treatments. As a document of dissent, these four compositions give proof that improvisation is instrumental in the realm of resistance. Kidambi's voice hovers over a scorched sonic landscape equally informed by Black American liberation music, the devotional fervor of Indian Carnatic, and the unleashing of an inner scream listeners might associate with hardcore punk and harsh noise. The quintet then locks into a polyrhythmic pulse that conjures up the ghosts of free jazz past and present; throughout its runtime, there are flashes of Albert Ayler's love cry, Don Cherry's eternal rhythms, Alice Coltrane's ecstatic spirituality, and the fortissimo fearlessness of Kidambi's late friend and collaborator Jaimie Branch, to whom the album is partly dedicated. Above all, New Monuments is a call to action with nothing left unsaid: it demands that the drive towards change should not only be seen, but heard.
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WJCD 063CD
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Berlin-based Swedish tenor saxophonist Otis Sandsjö returns with his third album Y-Otis Tre on We Jazz Records. Y-Otis Tre finds Sandsjö in close collaboration with his long-time working partner and friend, bassist/producer Petter Eldh, and Dan Nicholls, the keyboardist of the Y-OTIS live band and a solo artist on his own right. Composed by the three and produced by Eldh and Sandsjö, Y-Otis Tre lives up to its name ("tre" means three in Swedish) and stands strong in the continuum of layer-caked liquid jazz, a staple of the Eldh/Sandsjö production duo lauded for their string of releases as Y-OTIS and Koma Saxo. While recognizable in form, Y-Otis Tre adds new dimensions to what has come before. Borne out of hours of tripped-out studio jams by Sandsjö and Eldh, Y-Otis Tre feels natural, neon, 3D, at times laser sharp, at times gooey like jelly, and at all times ripe with ideas that would make albums on their own. Golden riffs are taken, twisted, thrown away, then recycled, and always evolving. Perhaps evolution is key here, as the album reuses and cross-refers its own ideas but never exactly repeats. The music has a mixtape-like DNA, and it seems to be breeding and multiplying at each beat. In color terms, it is more RGB than CMYK -- that is, it might appear unrealistically bright and full of tones not found in the natural world. But when you listen to the music closely, you'll likely find it acoustic to the bone. There's no illusion: hearing the band live tells you what Y-OTIS is all about. It's a live band turned studio tool, morphed back into a live band. Or something like that anyway. Putting a tag onto this music feels a bit like trying to hold a very colorful, somewhat thick liquid substance on the palm of your hand. You can see it, feel it, but never fully pinpoint just what's it made of. But it works, so best just to enjoy the ride. RIYL: Koma Saxo, Y-OTIS 1 & 2, J Dilla, Madlib, contemporary R&B, hiphop, and electronic music-influenced jazz.
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WJLP 060LP
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LP version. The Swiss trio divr debuts on We Jazz on with their new album Is This Water. divr is Philipp Eden on keys, Jonas Ruther on drums, and Raphael Walser on bass, and they play largely acoustic improvisations which loops without ever quite repeating. Their music swings, but never feels like it's doing so in response to a fixed, single pulse. The new album is mixed and post-produced by Dan Nicholls (of Y-OTIS). Their music is elegant in its intricacy while covering a wide dynamic range. Opener "As Of Now" begins with languid chords on the piano, bass and drums skimming over the surface offered by Eden. Later comes a rush of energy, the piano briefly switching into more jagged terrain before peeling back. From there the album journeys through different intensities, rising and falling in smooth arcs. Is this Water presents a band who's heading into a direction of their own, crafting pieces out of improvising together and tapping into a natural brand of instant composition. Nicholls' edits and post production give the music another layer, one drawing from field recordings and layered textural ideas. Together, the elements form a sound that feels personal, organic and forward-reaching at the same time. RIYL: The Necks, Dan Nicholls, Joona Toivanen Trio.
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MAG
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WJMAG 010
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The tenth issue of We Jazz Magazine, Dominoes for Donald Byrd. All articles presented in English. Donald Byrd by Andy Beta, Lonnie Liston Smith by Anton Spice, Charles Gayle by Seymour Wright, Anoushka Shankar & Arooj Aftab in conversation by Debra Richards, Billy Harper by Bret Sjerven, Anni Kiviniemi by Wif Stenger, Kenneth Jimenez by Andrey Henkin, Sun Ra by Francis Gooding, Muffins by Marc Medwin, Discaholic column by Mats Gustafsson, Vogel Records by Lander Lenaerts and reviews and more 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers.
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WJCD 060CD
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The Swiss trio divr debuts on We Jazz on with their new album Is This Water. divr is Philipp Eden on keys, Jonas Ruther on drums, and Raphael Walser on bass, and they play largely acoustic improvisations which loops without ever quite repeating. Their music swings, but never feels like it's doing so in response to a fixed, single pulse. The new album is mixed and post-produced by Dan Nicholls (of Y-OTIS). Their music is elegant in its intricacy while covering a wide dynamic range. Opener "As Of Now" begins with languid chords on the piano, bass and drums skimming over the surface offered by Eden. Later comes a rush of energy, the piano briefly switching into more jagged terrain before peeling back. From there the album journeys through different intensities, rising and falling in smooth arcs. Is this Water presents a band who's heading into a direction of their own, crafting pieces out of improvising together and tapping into a natural brand of instant composition. Nicholls' edits and post production give the music another layer, one drawing from field recordings and layered textural ideas. Together, the elements form a sound that feels personal, organic and forward-reaching at the same time. RIYL: The Necks, Dan Nicholls, Joona Toivanen Trio.
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WJLP 058LP
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LP version. US based Finnish pianist Anni Kiviniemi debuts her trio featuring bassist Eero Tikkanen and drummer Hans Hulbaekmo (from Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra and Moskus). The new album Eir is an introspective, moody, yet swinging trio set comprising of eight Kiviniemi originals. Modeled for a classic jazz piano trio, Kiviniemi's music reaches far beyond, bringing together influences from classical music, Norwegian musical tradition and North African music. Of her compositional process, Kiviniemi says: "I always gravitate towards the unknown in music and, I suppose, in life. If I hear an unusual melody or a bizarre chord that I don't immediately recognize, I need to jump on the piano and figure out what it is. Then I play around with it a bit, making sure I understand it and that I'm able to use it in a different context in the future. I always set strict limitations on myself as a composer, but give my fellow musicians the complete freedom to interpret my music in their own way. If they want to change something, they're free to do so. I love being surprised as a bandleader. It teaches me a lot, which is always fun. I'd say the album is 95% improvised but when we play live, we edge towards 99%." Named after Kiviniemi's daughter, who was born after the recording of the album, but before its release. This also highlights the nature of the record, which is highly intimate, pulling the listener in for the finer details, while flowing along with the overall sound.
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WJLP 057X-LP
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LP version. Green color vinyl. Finnish drummer/producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his alias The Stance Brothers. Lauded by the likes of Kenny Dope and Gilles Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation has been visible on the 7" format during the recent years. Now, Mäkynen is back with a full LP, the project's first in more than 10 years. Duktus is a treasure-trove for everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James and CTI, but this is no retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep than ever before. At the same time, the crunch and the breaks are there when you need them. The basic core of The Stance Brothers is to be solo studio vehicle for Teppo Mäkynen to experiment across a varied instrumentation and musical ideas. After the project's celebrated first album, The Stance Brothers took to the stage as well, creating one of the most beloved live outfits of recent history in the Helsinki scene. Now, after more than 10+ years of time spent in releasing one hard-hitting 7" after the other, The Stance Brothers are back, both on the record and live on stage. Whereas the Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal-clear vibraphone melodies, the new album sounds broadens up into a more synth-heavy, "postmodern" realm, taking its space in a form resembling a mixtape. The funk is there, but Mäkynen is sensitive to the fact that an LP is not a 7", and the ideas take their shape accordingly. Guest voices float in and out of the mix, blending in anonymously, true to the low-key spirit of the studio operation. RIYL: Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Cesar Mariano, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Madlib's Mind Fusion Mixtapes.
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WJLP 051LP
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LP version. Brooklyn-based bassist/composer Kenneth Jimenez presents his new work Sonnet to Silence on We Jazz Records. Consisting of seven original compositions by Jimenez performed by his quartet including pianist Angelica Sanchez, drummer Gerald Cleaver, and saxophonist Hery Paz, Sonnet to Silence echoes the original fire of New York free jazz while stepping into a terrain of its own, boldly forward-thinking. Jimenez, originally from Costa Rica, has a knack at composing pieces that breathe naturally and take fight on the wings provided by the first-rate quartet, joining scene stalwarts and newcomers together as a coherent unit. "Since I was a kid I've had this reoccurring dream of running towards the edge of a mountain and suddenly discovering myself flying down to the valley, feeling weightless and fearless," say Jimenez. "This record is the materialization of that dream. The uncompromising voices in the band and our shared desire to explore the unknown make this music live and breathe. It feels that the possibilities become endless when creating with these master improvisers, and the only thing that matters is to take that initial jump into the abyss." The opening track and first single "Dos Tazas" is a fine example of what the quartet can achieve. It sneaks up on the listener, drawing you in from the first moments, before revealing its melodically adventurous nature in its fullest. As a whole, the album lets the band loose at times, while the music maintains its natural flow. With Sonnet to Silence, Kenneth Jimenez establishes himself as a composer and bandleader with remarkably strong presence.
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WJLP 057LP
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LP version. Finnish drummer/producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his alias The Stance Brothers. Lauded by the likes of Kenny Dope and Gilles Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation has been visible on the 7" format during the recent years. Now, Mäkynen is back with a full LP, the project's first in more than 10 years. Duktus is a treasure-trove for everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James and CTI, but this is no retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep than ever before. At the same time, the crunch and the breaks are there when you need them. The basic core of The Stance Brothers is to be solo studio vehicle for Teppo Mäkynen to experiment across a varied instrumentation and musical ideas. After the project's celebrated first album, The Stance Brothers took to the stage as well, creating one of the most beloved live outfits of recent history in the Helsinki scene. Now, after more than 10+ years of time spent in releasing one hard-hitting 7" after the other, The Stance Brothers are back, both on the record and live on stage. Whereas the Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal-clear vibraphone melodies, the new album sounds broadens up into a more synth-heavy, "postmodern" realm, taking its space in a form resembling a mixtape. The funk is there, but Mäkynen is sensitive to the fact that an LP is not a 7", and the ideas take their shape accordingly. Guest voices float in and out of the mix, blending in anonymously, true to the low-key spirit of the studio operation. RIYL: Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Cesar Mariano, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Madlib's Mind Fusion Mixtapes.
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WJCD 051CD
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Brooklyn-based bassist/composer Kenneth Jimenez presents his new work Sonnet to Silence on We Jazz Records. Consisting of seven original compositions by Jimenez performed by his quartet including pianist Angelica Sanchez, drummer Gerald Cleaver, and saxophonist Hery Paz, Sonnet to Silence echoes the original fire of New York free jazz while stepping into a terrain of its own, boldly forward-thinking. Jimenez, originally from Costa Rica, has a knack at composing pieces that breathe naturally and take fight on the wings provided by the first-rate quartet, joining scene stalwarts and newcomers together as a coherent unit. "Since I was a kid I've had this reoccurring dream of running towards the edge of a mountain and suddenly discovering myself flying down to the valley, feeling weightless and fearless," say Jimenez. "This record is the materialization of that dream. The uncompromising voices in the band and our shared desire to explore the unknown make this music live and breathe. It feels that the possibilities become endless when creating with these master improvisers, and the only thing that matters is to take that initial jump into the abyss." The opening track and first single "Dos Tazas" is a fine example of what the quartet can achieve. It sneaks up on the listener, drawing you in from the first moments, before revealing its melodically adventurous nature in its fullest. As a whole, the album lets the band loose at times, while the music maintains its natural flow. With Sonnet to Silence, Kenneth Jimenez establishes himself as a composer and bandleader with remarkably strong presence.
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WJCD 058CD
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US based Finnish pianist Anni Kiviniemi debuts her trio featuring bassist Eero Tikkanen and drummer Hans Hulbaekmo (from Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra and Moskus). The new album Eir is an introspective, moody, yet swinging trio set comprising of eight Kiviniemi originals. Modeled for a classic jazz piano trio, Kiviniemi's music reaches far beyond, bringing together influences from classical music, Norwegian musical tradition and North African music. Of her compositional process, Kiviniemi says: "I always gravitate towards the unknown in music and, I suppose, in life. If I hear an unusual melody or a bizarre chord that I don't immediately recognize, I need to jump on the piano and figure out what it is. Then I play around with it a bit, making sure I understand it and that I'm able to use it in a different context in the future. I always set strict limitations on myself as a composer, but give my fellow musicians the complete freedom to interpret my music in their own way. If they want to change something, they're free to do so. I love being surprised as a bandleader. It teaches me a lot, which is always fun. I'd say the album is 95% improvised but when we play live, we edge towards 99%." Named after Kiviniemi's daughter, who was born after the recording of the album, but before its release. This also highlights the nature of the record, which is highly intimate, pulling the listener in for the finer details, while flowing along with the overall sound.
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WJLP 050X-LP
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LP version. Gold vinyl. Berlin-based Swedish bassist and producer Petter Eldh returns with a new Koma Saxo album Post Koma, out on We Jazz Records. The title Post Koma aptly describes the vibe of this one: The Koma Saxo sound continues its evolution, morphing into a holistic vision of jazz now and soon, where live instrumentation and repurposed sampling lose their boundaries. Post Koma is a culmination of Eldh's sonic study, resulting in a music vision that never second-guesses throwing tasty hooks and everlasting melodies out the window after a mere bite of them. But fear not: there are even more new ideas just around the corner. Eldh's compositions and ideas merge together in a way that just flows. There are quality musicians in the mix, including Koma Saxo live band members Sofia Jernberg, Jonas Kullhammar, Otis Sandsjö, Mikko Innanen, Maciej Obara, and Christian Lillinger, but that's like saying that a cake includes flour and sugar. This music is not about playing, it's essentially about how the music is and how it takes its shape, so you quickly lose track of who did what, and that's all in the benefit of encountering this music as an entity that is constantly challenging itself while moving forward. The musicians are valued contributors, and an integral part of what's here, but this is far from traditional jazz playing where a band sits in a room playing takes after takes of compositions on sheet. That being said, this is jazz to the fullest. That is, music that understands its past but always moves forward, and is never afraid of taking risks. Petter Eldh uses jazz as a starting point, not the end goal. This gives his music edge and mobility beyond what can be contained on one album. In a way, an album, then, becomes a snapshot of a creative process in constant flux and evolution. It feels like an ending, and also like a new beginning. RIYL: Art Ensemble Of Chicago, J Dilla, Don Cherry, Madlib.
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WJCD 057CD
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Finnish drummer/producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his alias The Stance Brothers. Lauded by the likes of Kenny Dope and Gilles Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation has been visible on the 7" format during the recent years. Now, Mäkynen is back with a full LP, the project's first in more than 10 years. Duktus is a treasure-trove for everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James and CTI, but this is no retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep than ever before. At the same time, the crunch and the breaks are there when you need them. The basic core of The Stance Brothers is to be solo studio vehicle for Teppo Mäkynen to experiment across a varied instrumentation and musical ideas. After the project's celebrated first album, The Stance Brothers took to the stage as well, creating one of the most beloved live outfits of recent history in the Helsinki scene. Now, after more than 10+ years of time spent in releasing one hard-hitting 7" after the other, The Stance Brothers are back, both on the record and live on stage. Whereas the Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal-clear vibraphone melodies, the new album sounds broadens up into a more synth-heavy, "postmodern" realm, taking its space in a form resembling a mixtape. The funk is there, but Mäkynen is sensitive to the fact that an LP is not a 7", and the ideas take their shape accordingly. Guest voices float in and out of the mix, blending in anonymously, true to the low-key spirit of the studio operation. RIYL: Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Cesar Mariano, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Madlib's Mind Fusion Mixtapes.
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