Kira Linn's Linntett, Illusion, Whirlwind **1/2

Baritone saxophonist and composer Kira Linn from Germany also sings on Illusion which is a saxophone heavy sextet affair. The originals split between wanting to head more towards a pop destination and lingering in a more jazz balladic direction particularly on 'Solitude' which features the best soloing on the album. But the whole thing doesn't really hang together enough. Some tracks are coated in a cloudy synth wash, better is the more atmospheric vocal beaming through on 'That Thing'. Linn combines in the front line with altoist Nico Wenger and tenorist Christopher Kunz. Lukas Großmann's synths come more into their own ''underscoring,'' in a dare of a typesetting challenge sense of a tune title anyway, 'Numb_ers.' SG. Kira Linn, photo: cover art detail

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All I wanted to do here was re-create, sadly mission impossible on the time travelling front, being back in Camden at the Jazz Cafe in London hearing Lonnie Liston Smith live at the beginning of the 1990s. As hip as any keyboardist with the exception of Herbie Hancock that I have ever heard live, the vamps were endless - spiritual jazz back then was on the retreat, now it's not - and this new Jazz is Dead album fits the mood far better today. Liston Smith's first studio album in many years, the American's approach takes you on a cosmic trip that is radically different to some of his successors - say ace jazzheads like Joe Armon-Jones here in the UK. Loren Oden's vocals fit well - if you like the UK's Randolph Matthews then what Oden does is for you. But it's the cosmic funk that wins again, just grab your bean bag. SG

Lonnie Liston Smith, photo: via Baxter PR

Kira Linn's Linntett, Illusion, Whirlwind **1/2

Lonnie Liston Smith, JID017, Jazz is Dead ***1/2