In the early 70's a band named Catalyst was formed in the heart of Philadelphia. The core of the group was Odean Pope, Sherman Ferguson, Eddie Green and Al Johnson (who was replaced by Tyrone Brown after their first album). The band drew from a wide range of musical styles; jazz, funk, R&B, avant garde and fusion all found their way into the creative sonic tapestry of Catalyst. With the given talents of Catalyst they could have and should have been bigger but sadly they found themselves with little promotion or recognition outside the proximity of Philadelphia. Thankfully Catalyst were able to leave behind four extraordinary recordings that will appeal to both jazz heads and those in the hip hop community.

It is the perfect sequel to "Reflections and Odysseys", their highly acclaimed debut that spawned an equally acclaimed series of live performances. The trio have taken the dynamics, textures, moods, and perfect blend of subtle detailing and big sonic gestures to new levels, and have picked up new elements of 60s psychedelia and punk energy along the way. If you ever wondered what would happen if a Krzysztof Komeda score for a Polanski movie collided with Fugazi, look no further; if you need to know what Chopin writing doom metal might sound like, you might just find the answer you seek. The prog and fusion elements you already know and expect are still here, but with different colours and markings. If "Reflections and Odysseys" was a first expedition into earth orbit, "Spacesailors" goes far beyond. This just might be their "moon landing" album.

Two years after they recorded Friday Night in San Francisco, John McLaughlin, Al di Meola and Paco de Lucía reunited for another set of acoustic guitar trios, Passion, Grace and Fire, If this can be considered a guitar "battle" (some of the playing is ferocious and these speed demons do not let up too often), then the result is a three-way tie. This guitar summit lives up to its title.

For his first solo project after replacing Dickie Betts in the Allman Brothers Band, 23-year-old Derek Trucks pushes the stylistic envelope even further than on his last diverse release. Prodding into Latin, Indian, and fusion jazz, this stylistically varied effort exudes enough blues and funky R&B to keep the Allman Brothers Band fan's attention while expanding their boundaries – sometimes radically – beyond what the typical Southern rock fan might expect or even tolerate. It's a brave and largely successful experiment, due in part to the vocals of his guest stars, since Trucks himself does not sing. Opening with the title track, a funky Meters-style bubbler that employs a gospel chorus to frame Trucks' searing slide work, it sounds like the guitarist is working within borders he established on his two previous albums.

Hedvig Mollestad must surely be one of the hardest working musicians on the Norwegian music scene at the moment, with "Tempest Revisited" being her third album in a mere 18 months, all at a consistently high artistic level.

LEVERKUSEN 2010, the fifth and latest release in the continuing series of classic live recordings by Allan Holdsworth, is due November 5 from Manifesto Records.

Unlike almost any other modern musician, Pat Metheny remains uniquely unpredictable. A new Metheny record could be almost anything as the only musician to have won twelve of his twenty Grammy awards in twelve different categories. His recent recording Road To The Sun caused a sensation in the classical music world for its intricate and emotionally satisfying chamber music compositions. At the same time, its immediate predecessor From This Place was Downbeat magazine’s Jazz Record of the Year as an expansive and timeless large-scale work.

Once Upon A Time Live in Avignon, recorded at Avignon’s Théâtre des Halles in August 1994, presents Eberhard Weber’s unique approach to the solo recital. The album sees the bassist balancing compositions from his albums Orchestra and Pendulum with a vibrant rendition of “My Favorite Things” and his own “Trio for Bassoon and Bass”, revealing fresh aspects of his distinctive musical diction. Reviewing one of the bassist’s live shows the year this album was recorded, the Financial Times marvelled at Weber’s musicianship, insisting that “it is hard to imagine that anyone else could play what Weber plays“. Condensed into a concise programme, Once Upon A Time Live in Avignon captures the essence of Eberhard Weber’s solo performance.

Mike Stern's debut as a leader mostly features the high-powered guitarist heading a sextet also including tenor saxophonist Bob Berg, keyboardist Mitch Forman, bassist Mark Egan, drummer Dave Weckl and percussionist Dr. Gibbs. Altoist David Sanborn makes a guest appearance on "Goodbye Again," while "Mood Swings" features the quartet of Stern, Berg, electric bassist Jaco Pastorius (with whom Stern had worked in the Word of Mouth Orchestra) and drummer Steve Jordan. The guitarist wrote or co-wrote all six selections, which generally have viable chord changes. The playing mostly fits into the genre of funky fusion, with Stern's passionate guitar heard throughout in fine form.

A milestone in the discography of Larry Coryell. Remixed and remastered by sound engineer Winnie Leyh exclusively for the Deluxe Edition from the original tapes. Leyh has played a major role in the excellent sound of numerous IN+OUT releases.

Riding the momentum of 2016's groundbreaking, critically heralded release, "Pasar Klewer" – an album awarded a 5-star review by Downbeat, All About Jazz, and numerous others – MoonJune Records is proud to present the phenomenal new album by the iconic keyboardist, composer and producer, Dwiki Dharmawan. Drawing from both his extensive jazz influences and his rich cultural heritage, the Indonesian maestro delivers yet another spellbinding masterwork!

BasBadNotGood return with their highly anticipated new album, Talk Memory, a psychedelic jazz record that explores balance and harmony through musical improvisation. Collaborators include legendary composer Arthur Verocai and contemporary icons such as Terrace Martin, Karriem Riggins and Laraaji.

In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans (Dance Dance) brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

Lionel Loueke, one of the jazz world’s most searingly original and sought-after guitarists, has devoted the bulk of his output to original music. But Close Your Eyes, originally released on vinyl by Newvelle in 2018, found the Benin-born Loueke focusing entirely on standards and canonical jazz classics.