Joe Armon-Jones, Pray ****

An after eight listen, innit? Ace in under eight minutes. Vision. Whatever: in electric piano mode here for the first stretch of the song all I can think of is hearing Lonnie Liston-Smith at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town back in the late-1980s. …

Published: 6 May 2021. Updated: 2 years.

An after eight listen, innit? Ace in under eight minutes. Vision. Whatever: in electric piano mode here for the first stretch of the song all I can think of is hearing Lonnie Liston-Smith at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town back in the late-1980s. Swirling in the same sort of cosmic cloud dust that the great Liston-Smith (who was in his earlier career on Sugar with Stanley Turrentine, Karma with Pharoah Sanders and Big Fun with Miles Davis) was prone to float on, the production mists cloaked in astral overdubs disappear and Joe Armon-Jones gets a big solo in later in the track in the process then ''conversing'' with drummer Morgan Simpson. JA-J's backing vocals are a cooing response and these are lullaby sounds that all knead in and work as an overall concoction. (Luke Wynter is on bass guitar, his style reminds me a little of Paul Michael who plays with Byron Wallen). SG. Out on Aquarii. Follow this link, on 10'' vinyl and digital

For more JA-J see this on 'Golden Brown'

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3'Ain track BZ-189 navigates new route

Introducing 3'Ain and their very open middle-eastern sound with smeary, bluesy, achey trumpet and a great bass solo as a feature amid the absorption of a Levantine dance rhythm, the accordion as anchor hints at faraway sounds. On 'BZ-189' it's …

Published: 5 May 2021. Updated: 2 years.

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Introducing 3'Ain and their very open middle-eastern sound with smeary, bluesy, achey trumpet and a great bass solo as a feature amid the absorption of a Levantine dance rhythm, the accordion as anchor hints at faraway sounds.

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On 'BZ-189' it's the bass that quietens things down and then acts as a staging post for the next section of the piece. Part of the Choux de Bruxelles artist collective 3'Ain comprise Ostend-based Yamen Martini (on trumpet) who moved to Belgium from Syria 6 years ago, and who in the band is joined by Otto Kint (double bass) and Piet Maris (accordion). Their name is based on ''ﻉ‎,'' the 18th letter of the Arabic alphabet, according to the band's Bandcamp page. On YouTube the band got off to a good start since putting the video (top) up, since yesterday clocking-up more than 1,200 views. The title of the piece refers to the number on a boat seen in the port of Ostend. The full 3'Ain EP (linked to here) is released on 15 May. Piet Maris (above left), Otto Kint, Yamen Martini. Photo: Bandcamp