SOUL UNLIMITED Radioshow 624

After a turbulent start to the year, I was in the mood for some relaxed jazz sounds. In this episode, you can join me on a two-hour journey through some fine jazz vinyl releases from 2024.
The first album I’d like to introduce to you comes from Wayne Escoffery. The tenor saxophonist reflects on love, loss and loneliness on his impressive new album “Alone”, which is accompanied by a remarkable all-star quartet featuring Gerald Clayton, Ron Carter and Carl Allen. The music Escoffery has put together for “Alone” is a carefully selected mix of original compositions and well-known standards. It captures the deep richness and variety of feelings that loneliness can evoke. A wonderful album!
The English singer Zara McFarlane has recorded a tribute album dedicated to the legendary singer Sarah Vaughan, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday in 2024. Zara McFarlane has selected 11 songs that were also interpreted by Sarah Vaughan. The versions in Zara’s inimitable style, with their playful swoops and slides, give the music its very own touch. With her silky voice and timbre, she adds emotional depth, attitude and personality to this collection of Sarah Vaughan songs. Magnificent!
Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding have recorded the album “Milton & Espereranza” together. A long-cherished wish of Milton Nascimento and a dream of Esperanza Spalding has come true here. The album includes reinterpretations of some Milton Nascimento classics, other cover versions and songs that Esperanza Spalding wrote for Milton Nascimento. A very good selection of songs in remarkably beautiful interpretations. A fabulous album!
On several vacation trips to France, I had the opportunity to see concerts with the singer, pianist and bassist Valérie Chane Tef. When she launched her new project Tèr Laba together with pianist Flo Vincent in 2024, I was immediately impressed by her debut album “Radio Péï”. The songs on the album are dedicated to Valérie Chane Tef’s homeland: the island of La Réunion. A wonderful album with Creole jazz in a class of its own!
Nicola Conte’s album “Love & Revolution”, which was released on CD in 2011, was also released as a vinyl double album for the first time in 2024. An album that still sounds timelessly fresh even after all these years and it is a pleasure to be able to enjoy this album on vinyl. The double album also contains some songs that were not included on the regular CD version.
The British jazz band Jazz Sabbath has set itself the task, as the name suggests, of covering jazz versions of songs by a band of a similar name founded in Birmingham in 1968. We are talking about Black Sabbath. Jazz Sabbath’s third album “The 1968 Tapes” once again features seven great jazz versions of old Black Sabbath classics. Highly recommended!
Then we continue with some remarkable compilations: to mark Frederic Rabold’s 80th birthday, the crew from Tramp Records have released a compilation with pieces from the musician’s 50-year career. Very nice!
The next compilation has also been released by Tramp Records and on “Peace Chant Vol.7” Tobias Kirmayer has released previously unreleased jazz recordings by bands and artists from Germany. The recordings were made between the mid-70s and mid-80s and are all well worth listening to.
Finally, there is the fantastic compilation “Chakalaka Jazz” compiled by Fred Spider for the Heavenly Sweetness label. It is a varied selection of jazz pieces from South Africa that were created between 1969 and 2003.
Enjoy listening to this episode!

Playlist:

Soul Unlimited – Radioshow Theme
The Jazz Defenders - Fuffle Kershuffle
Wayne Escoffery - The Shadow Of Your Smile
Wayne Escoffery - Moments With You
Zara McFarlane - Inner City Blues
Zara McFarlane - If You Could See Me Now
Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding - Earth Song (feat. Dianne Reeves)
Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding - Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon)
Ter Laba - Lamour Kreol
Ter Laba - Sa Pa In Rev
Nicola Conte - Temple Of Far East (feat. Jose James)
Nicola Conte - Shiva (feat. Melanie Charles)
Cotonete - La Derniere Guitare
Jazz Sabbath - War Pigs
Jazz Sabbath - Into The Void
Frederic Rabold - Spring Feelings
Frederic Rabold Crew - Beatschön
Seelow & Mayer Formation - Soul-In
Big Band „Blechschaden“ - Limestone Knave
The Drive - Zone No.6
The Soweto Boys - What You Say