John L. Adcock

1 month ago | jazzjournal.co.uk | John L. Adcock

Fabiano do Nascimento was born in Rio de Janeiro and is based in Los Angeles and Japan. The guitarist, composer, arranger and producer is known for his intricately woven, multi-string performances, and this recording captures a live performance from June 2023 in Los Angeles. The music is more New Age, ambient and electronic than it is jazz, but that does not detract from the interesting merger of cultures that shapes Nascimento’s approach to music.

2 months ago | jazzjournal.co.uk | John L. Adcock

This is the follow up to Latham’s 2016 collection of 11 rock pieces that were given the jazz-fusion treatment. This time around, Latham has collected eight songs from the likes of The Doors, Stephen Stills, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and taken them in new directions whilst preserving the sentiment and integrity of the original material. In a way, the album is a loving and respectful tribute to some of the music Latham enjoyed hearing as he grew up in the 1960s and 70s.

Jan 6, 2025 | jazzjournal.co.uk | John L. Adcock

Koo Nimo, a leading 93-year-old highlife musician and apparently the first Ghanaian to release an album of his own music, introduces this fine album with a brief retrospective on how highlife developed. It provides an excellent overview of the music that Peter Somuah explores on his latest album for ACT. More than previously, Somuah reflects on and acknowledges the political context in which he grew up in Ghana.

Dec 5, 2024 | jazzjournal.co.uk | John L. Adcock

Three albums this month that show the sheer diversity of music that comes under the jazz umbrella. Seriously finds three experienced musicians team up for some smooth sounds: bassist Brian Bromberg, guitarist and producer Paul Brown and chart-topping saxophonist Michael Paulo, “three humble dudes” (as the cringe-making publicity notes describes them) who have nothing to prove and just want to make music they enjoy.

Nov 19, 2024 | jazzjournal.co.uk | John L. Adcock

This month’s digest starts with two excellent releases from piano-led bands. After a considerable break, Neil Cowley returns with his trio and a pared back sound that explores the joy of human connection in the digital age. In years to come, cultural historians may well write about the impact the pandemic had on musicians and the work they produced in the years following 2020’s global lockdowns.