Interesting that Time, a magazine that in 1964 put Thelonious Monk on its cover, picks the clubby DJ-friendly Turn to Clear View by Joe Armon-Jones among a top 10 that includes a bunch of big name pop, hip hop and rock acts.
Armon-Jones was first on the marlbank radar when the Old Etonian pianist played with Gary Crosby and Denys Baptiste in their version of A Love Supreme we reviewed back in 2015. Here is how Time and writer Andrew R. Chow describe their decision, their pick of the new London scene:
''This year, the standout release from the scene came from Ezra Collective’s keyboardist, Joe Armon-Jones. Turn to Clear View moves effortlessly between jazz, R&B and hip-hop without diluting any of the three art forms; the songwriting is sharp but leaves plenty of open spaces for fiery improvisation, particularly from Armon-Jones himself and Garcia on saxophone. Diverse, inspired appearances from the Los Angeles singer Georgia Anne Muldrow, the Nigerian-British Afrobeat star Obongjayar and the London rapper Jehst all serve as testaments to the flourishing breadth and intensity of the music of the modern black diaspora.'' Via Time read the Full list. Inclusion on the radar of this globally renowned mass market magazine's list should illuminate Armon Jones' profile Stateside that bit brighter without a shadow of a doubt.
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