The Lush Life Blog
Joining the Dots: Brownswood Recordings at 20
In 2006, while major labels were shuttering imprints, Gilles Peterson started a new one. Twenty years later, Brownswood Recordings has helped reshape how the world hears jazz. From pirate radio to BBC 6 Music, from José James' debut to Kokoroko's arena shows, from London to Havana to Melbourne, this is the story of the label, its founder, and the 20 records that define their shared journey.
Joining the Dots: Brownswood Recordings at 20
In 2006, while major labels were shuttering imprints, Gilles Peterson started a new one. Twenty years later, Brownswood Recordings has helped reshape how the world hears jazz. From pirate radio to BBC 6 Music, from José James' debut to Kokoroko's arena shows, from London to Havana to Melbourne, this is the story of the label, its founder, and the 20 records that define their shared journey.
The Melbourne Sound: Inside One of the World's Most Vital Jazz Scenes
Melbourne has more live music venues per capita than almost anywhere in the world, one of the most multicultural populations on earth, and a geographical isolation that keeps musicians inside the local scene long enough to develop something genuinely their own. The result is a jazz unlike any other: technically rigorous, genre-agnostic, and drawing on traditions from all over the globe.
The Melbourne Sound: Inside One of the World's Most Vital Jazz Scenes
Melbourne has more live music venues per capita than almost anywhere in the world, one of the most multicultural populations on earth, and a geographical isolation that keeps musicians inside the local scene long enough to develop something genuinely their own. The result is a jazz unlike any other: technically rigorous, genre-agnostic, and drawing on traditions from all over the globe.
The History of Strata-East Records: Artist-Owned Jazz in 1970s New York
In 1970, trumpeter Charles Tolliver had a finished big-band tape and no label willing to release it. So he and pianist Stanley Cowell founded their own. Over the decade that followed, Strata-East released more than fifty albums that now rank among the most important records in jazz history, built on a simple and radical idea: the musicians owned everything.
The History of Strata-East Records: Artist-Owned Jazz in 1970s New York
In 1970, trumpeter Charles Tolliver had a finished big-band tape and no label willing to release it. So he and pianist Stanley Cowell founded their own. Over the decade that followed, Strata-East released more than fifty albums that now rank among the most important records in jazz history, built on a simple and radical idea: the musicians owned everything.
South African Jazz: A Story of Rhythm, Resistance, and Global Reach
So much of South African jazz was suppressed, banned, or pressed in tiny quantities during the apartheid era. What that history left behind is a catalogue of records that feel urgent in a way that is hard to explain until you hear them. This guide works through the essential recordings, from the Jazz Epistles in 1960 to the present day.
South African Jazz: A Story of Rhythm, Resistance, and Global Reach
So much of South African jazz was suppressed, banned, or pressed in tiny quantities during the apartheid era. What that history left behind is a catalogue of records that feel urgent in a way that is hard to explain until you hear them. This guide works through the essential recordings, from the Jazz Epistles in 1960 to the present day.
Album of the Month: James Brandon Lewis Trio – Apple Cores
Apple Cores, an entirely improvised tribute to Don Cherry and Amiri Baraka. Recorded with longtime collaborators Chad Taylor and Josh Werner, the album chases energy across hip-hop grooves, dub-reggae atmospherics, and spiritual jazz balladry. This is contemporary jazz at its most adventurous and essential.
Album of the Month: James Brandon Lewis Trio – Apple Cores
Apple Cores, an entirely improvised tribute to Don Cherry and Amiri Baraka. Recorded with longtime collaborators Chad Taylor and Josh Werner, the album chases energy across hip-hop grooves, dub-reggae atmospherics, and spiritual jazz balladry. This is contemporary jazz at its most adventurous and essential.
How to Read a Blue Note Label: A Collector's Guide to Dating Pressings
Can you tell a genuine 1950s Blue Note original from a later reissue just by looking at the label? Sometimes. But label text alone has fooled experienced collectors for decades. Here is what you actually need to check.
How to Read a Blue Note Label: A Collector's Guide to Dating Pressings
Can you tell a genuine 1950s Blue Note original from a later reissue just by looking at the label? Sometimes. But label text alone has fooled experienced collectors for decades. Here is what you actually need to check.