‘There’s a stretch of mid-1960s Blue Note LPs – albums like Blue Spirits, Grass Roots, Mode for Joe – where the players are feeling their way towards free jazz but don’t stray too far from the pocket. These are the records I think of when I hear Saafir.’

From the blog: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/ma...

Just seen the current trade price of the 4LP reissue of Mellon Collie by the Smashing Pumpkins. Not the RRP, the price that shops have to pay to get a copy in. It's £84.50. With VAT that's £101.40. £25 per disc *for a shop* to buy in. They really must want the vinyl bubble to burst.

Today’s post looks at the early musical history of Sun Ra, and his excellent 1962 record The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra. #jazzsky

Genuinely the most tense, gripping sporting contest I've seen all year. Great sportsmanship at the end too 👏🏾

"And once you come to this conclusion you cannot remain silent."

Location: Parliament Square, London (sound on)

youtu.be/WMwqhdVV5as

Turner Prize 2024 Jasleen Kaur youtu.be/6RoLMAf37qY?...

As an antidote to all the year-end lists that are starting to roll out, this week's BA newsletter is a list of 50 great jazz albums from 1974. Most are on streaming services, but some are not. Enjoy the search!
burningambulance.substack.com/p/50-great-j...

All the greats in this clip youtu.be/jWXEgJgh9zo?... #jazz #jazzsky

Excellent review of this great record. I have the Analogue Productions reissue which sounds wonderful youtu.be/3gpSxzaKWJc?... #jazzsky #jazz

(been saying it to anyone who will listen) Watch this film. An extended musical riff around the story of the murder of Lumumba: on decolozination, neocolonialism, the UN, Third Worldism, CIA, jazz and so much more. Incredibly inventive formally and so powerful. Was left stunned at the end of it!

I've been thinking about this poem by Langston Hughes recently and although it was published in 1931, it remains relevant as ever.

#books #reading #booksky #poetry

SONG OF THE DAY!
open.spotify.com/track/1bCQVI...

The late great Billy Higgins talks Jackie Mclean, Cedar Walton, Lee Morgan and Islam youtu.be/ngEOx_j4uX8?...

#jazzsky #jazz #music

Curtis Amy "Katanga" with the elusive Dupree Bolton on trumpet. Absolute 🔥🔥🔥 www.youtube.com/watch?v=514E... #jazz #jazzsky

It’s mostly white people who talk about echo chambers. Maybe you need the internet to meet people with different ideas but the rest of us do not. We know what the “other side” thinks because we deal with it every day! Everywhere! We’re fine. Carry on. Happy Saturday!

One of the most thrilling films of the year is a 2.5 hr documentary about the Cold War and central Africa: Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat review – superb study of how jazz got caught between the cold war and the CIA

youtu.be/7LLu9itis3A?...

Bembeya National Jazz -Petit Sekou

One of the greatest pieces of music ever recorded

Real nice to have a place to post that doesn’t suppress links. In light of that, here’s my review of Alice Coltrane’s The Carnegie Hall Concert. This was published earlier this year and I was so grateful to be able to expand on it for Uncut’s Review of the Year issue. www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/alic...

youtu.be/SWafVcbpZag?...