10 Essential and Diverse Jazz Records to Start Your Collection
Starting a jazz collection is easy, but how can you bring diversity to the mix? Jazz music has evolved since its birth and is still progressing today, this triggered the development of various styles and subgenres. I am calling out ten…
Music Documentaries You Must See to Believe
Have you ever heard a life story that was too powerful to believe? Below you can find five biographical documentaries that challenged the truth and caused controversy and disbelief among the public. Amy 2015 / Asif Kapadia (director) “A sad,…
Spotlight on Coltrane: 5 Diverse Albums
John Coltrane started his musical journey in 1949 under the spell of Charlie Parker and later Dizzy Gillespie. In 1954, he joined The Miles Davis Quintet where he was encouraged to think more harmonically. During the second half of the…
Jazz Album Covers That Inspire – Part 3
What attracts me to an album apart from the music, is the sleeve design. Here are again five designs that inspired me. The artwork is stunning and at the same time, it contributes to the story of the recording. Bring…
The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2021
How was 2021 for jazz musicians? Let’s reflect back and list out what were, according to me, the five best jazz albums released during the year. Dear Love – Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force September 2021 / Empress Legacy…
Digging the Archives: Previously Unissued Jazz Recordings
There are various reasons for record companies to decide not to release an album. Labels such as Blue Note recorded more than they could release and had to prioritize. Sometimes recordings remained unfinished and would be completed when the time…
Jazz Album Cover Designs That Inspire – Part 2
Once again, I dove into my collections in search of inspiring designs. Here are five more record sleeves that tell a story. Mulatu Of Ethiopia – Mulatu Astatke 1972 / Worthy Records 1020 / photo uncredited / Matt Thame (design)…
How Pixar Portrays Jazz in Their New Movie ‘Soul’
Pixar’s new animated movie Soul, directed by Pete Docter (Up) and Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), is a unique collaboration between filmmakers and musicians. Pixar Animation Studios has delivered a long list of outstanding movies. They stand out when it comes…
The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2020
2020 wasn’t a great year for culture. Luckily, we still had jazz music and its ability to adapt to any situation. A new generation of musicians emerged and they are blending jazz traditions with spoken word and contemporary sounds. It looks…
Jazz Album Cover Designs That Inspire – Part 1
My record collection is growing every day and what attracts me to purchasing an album apart from the music is the sleeve design. For this article, I dove into my collection and hand-picked my favorite jazz covers. Giant Steps -…
Introduction To 45 rpm Record Collecting
As a deejay and music collector, I purchase as many 45’s as I buy LP’s. Columbia Records copyrighted the term LP (Long Playing) so, let’s use the word ‘album’ going forward. You can say that there is more sense in…
Comparing the Sound – Mono vs. Stereo
The mono (monaural) vs. stereo (stereophonic or binaural) sound is an important aspect to take into consideration when purchasing a record. But what does it mean and what influence will it have on the music experience? Let’s start with an…
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