Remembering pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams on her birthday

Remembering jazz pianist/composer and mentor Mary Lou Williams with a 1976 interview, a 1978 performance in Nice and more. 

Collector/DJs Jean-Claude & Victor Kiswell return with World Jazz Grooves Vol. 2

Victor Kiswell (above) strikes again with the second volume of World Jazz Grooves – another great deep jazz collection out now!

Here's the scoop...

The collaboration between BBE Music and If Music continues with another excellent compilation in the ongoing If Music Presents series with this second volume in the World Jazz Grooves chapter.

Alongside the A Journey Into Deep Jazz albums in the catalogue, World Jazz Grooves Volume 2 (out now) explores the global diversity of Jazz in its many forms, as interpreted throughout the globe, with tracks from Denmark, France, Brazil, Canada, the USA and Jamaica. The tracklist includes Rosa Mae from Mary Lou Williams, one of the artists in the legendary A Great Day in Harlem photograph and Dakar, a 16 minute opus of a track by Dadje.

With the music sought, sorted and selected by legendary diggers and selectors Jean-Claude and Victor Kiswell World Jazz Volume 2 is also the opportunity to own music that has been painstakingly searched for in flea markets, second hand shops and private collections and would not be available otherwise.

Jean-Claude’s excellent track record of creating and curating compilation albums and rediscovering rare gems and private presses for re-issue follows a philosophy of cross- genre music appreciation.

He has been a mainstay of London’s Black Music scene for some four decades with his record shop, his shows on NTS and Soho Radio, his excellent ‘In Conversation with...’ series of chat shows, his Djing and curation of event stages at We Out Here and Cross the Tracks and, of course, his excellent compilations.

Paris based Victor Kiswell is also a somewhat of a savant in the world of vinyl hunting and discernment with parallel careers as a journalist writing for vinyl bazaar, art director for Radioooo.com, DJ and broadcaster on various stations throughout Europe. Victor's travels around the world, on his vinyl quests, are well documented in his articles in Vinyl Bazaar and he describes himself as an 'adventurer', an 'archaeologist' and someone who enjoys the element of his vinyl hunting where he finds himself going where chance takes him.

Yes, with these two music heads and vinyl hunting experts unearthing the seven absolute gems on this double vinyl offering, If Music presents: World Jazz Grooves Volume 2 really is something you need in your life and in your vinyl rack.  Get a copy via Bandcamp right here if your local vinyl vendor doesn't stock it. 

Check out three tunes following the tracklisting below. 

iF Music Presents World Jazz Grooves, Vol. 2

1. Sylvain Kassap - Marlowe's Back in Tome 05:05

2. Mary Lou Williams - Rosa Mae 04:31

3. Gerardo Bátiz - Aguamarina (a Elis Regina) 03:25

4. Cedric Brooks and The Divine Light - Third World (Afro Beat) 13:05

5. Kahil El'Zabar - Song for a New South Africa 04:42

6. John Tchicai, Strange Brothers - I En Kælder 04:57

7. Colin Wilkie, Shirley Hart, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joki Freund - Ich armes Maidlein klag mich sehr 06:41

8. Dadje - Dakar 16:30

Remembering jazz guitarist Mary Osborne on her birthday

Raising a glass to jazz guitar great Mary Osborne with a few performances and recordings worth checking. 

Jazzman offers a spiritual jazz tour through SteepleChase catalogue

Although nothing shockingly rare is uncovered, the SteepleChase volume is a solid set of uplifting swingers.

Here's the scoop...

Founded in 1972, SteepleChase Records is one of the most significant and prolific European jazz record labels. With a catalogue running to well over 200 titles, the Copenhagen-based imprint has recorded and released music from some of the greatest names in jazz, including Dexter Gordon, Andrew Hill, Archie Shepp, Jackie McLean, Clifford Jordan, Paul Bley, Cedar Walton, Lee Konitz, Horace Parlan, Nat Adderley, Chet Baker and Stan Getz. 

Starting out by recording visiting Americans when they performed at the legendary Café Montmartre, founder Nils Winther was encouraged to start the label by none other than the great Jackie McLean, who was the first artist to release a record on the new imprint. 

From there, Steeplechase rapidly grew into one of the foremost labels to document European jazz with all its distinctive originality and style. With a particular emphasis on recording front rank American artists who had chosen the expatriate life in Europe, Steeplechase was first in line to document the sounds of the greats as they developed in exile. 

Featuring in-demand tracks from the likes of Billy Gault, Johnny Dyani and Khan Jamal, and unearthing deep cuts from greats like Jackie McLean and Mary Lou Williams, Spiritual Jazz 11: SteepleChase pays tribute to one of Europe's most important jazz labels. Have a listen after the track listing. 

Various Artists – Spiritual Jazz 11: SteepleChase

1. Mary Lou Williams - Ode To Saint Cecilie 05:57

2. Billy Gault - The Time Of This World Is At Hand 07:14

3. Sam Jones - Jean Marie 06:56

4. René McLean - Aida 05:32

5. Jim McNeely - Tipe Tizwe 04:25

6. Johnny Dyani - Magwaza 13:07

7. Jackie McLean & Michael Carvin - De I Comalee A 11:42

8. Ken McIntyre - Miss Priss 06:16

9. Khan Jamal - Dark Warrior 06:27

10. Jackie McLean & The Cosmic Brotherhood - Camel Driver (2LP only) 08:54

11. Michael Carvin - Naima 08:28