John Fordham
John Fordham is the Guardian's main jazz critic. He has written several books on the subject, reported on it for publications including Time Out, Sounds, Wire and Word, and contributed to documentaries for radio and TV. He is a former editor of Time Out, City Limits and Jazz UK, and regularly contributes to BBC Radio 3's Jazz on 3
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthGrégoire Maret/Romain Collin: Ennio review – emotional, ecstatic Morricone homageHarmonica star Maret and pianist/composer Collin pay homage to Ennio Morricone with drifting church-echo and trancelike sounds
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5 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthCharles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow review – sax legend shows no sign of slowing downThe octogenarian joyfully whispers and warbles his way through sublime tone poems, impassioned tributes and traditional spirituals with an all-star band
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthVijay Iyer/Linda May Han Oh/Tyshawn Sorey: Compassion review – a trio of rare intuitionImprovising around Iyer compositions and numbers by Stevie Wonder, Roscoe Mitchell and more, these musicians foreground openness and receptivity
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthMary Halvorson: Cloudward review – compositions fuse with improv to wondrous ends(Nonesuch)
The Brooklyn jazz guitarist’s seamless, beautifully interwoven tracks are full of welcome surprises
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthPaul Dunmall: Bright Light a Joyous Celebration review – infused with the spirit of ColtraneAs the UK saxophonist turns 70, he juggles abstraction and song forms with a starry cast including Xhosa Cole, Soweto Kinch, Corey Mwamba, Dave Kane and Hamid Drake
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthAngelika Niescier/ Tomeka Reid/ Savannah Harris: Beyond Dragons review – immense improvSeven original tracks of free jazz span fast, jagged pieces and quiet tone poems, with a composer’s ear giving shape, drama and contrast
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US jazz bassist who worked with Van Morrison and Sarah Vaughan and later became a professor of bass at Wisconsin University
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthEmma Rawicz: Chroma review – young British jazz star taking admirable risksAfter the success of her teenage breakthrough Incantation, the saxophonist’s new album continues her warp-speed evolution
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American cellist and performance artist who was a major figure in the European experimental music scene
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5 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthTyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing review – genre-hopping triumph from award-winning drummerStandard-song jazz interpretations by this group, helmed by drummer, composer and improviser Sorey, just don’t sound like anybody else’s
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American singer whose artistry and power earned him hits in the 50s and 60s, and a late career renaissance
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthElina Duni: A Time to Remember review – a unique voice in jazz
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthMichael Blake/Chroma Nova: Dance of the Mystic Bliss review – joyously audacious jazzThe Canadian saxophonist showcases his flair for the intricate and spontaneous on an album that spans funky guitar hooks to Ellingtonesque reveries
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5 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthNaïssam Jalal: Healing Rituals review – cinematic album salutes the natural worldA remarkable artist, the visionary flautist and her skilful partners have created a startling album that draws on techniques from classical, jazz, hip-hop and more
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4 out of 5 stars.Jazz album of the monthChet Baker: Blue Room review – gorgeous unreleased sessions by maestro of drowsy jazzOn previously unheard 1979 recordings for Dutch radio, impulsive improvisations by the trumpeter-vocalist are expressed with his inimitable featherlight phrasing
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Innovative pianist who preferred the term American classical music to jazz, and became a favourite of hip-hop artists
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Jazz musician who worked in star-packed lineups and whose tenor sax suggested tiptoeing stealth in the Pink Panther theme tune
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