September round-up

Tenorist Tubby Hayes, who died in 1973 aged just 38, was one of a handful of Brits who could tough it out with 52nd St’s finest bebop galacticos. His legacy has been enjoying a much deserved reassessment recently and so the astonishing discovery of a lost album in Universal’s archive is very timely. And what a find: Grits, Beans and Greens, recorded in 1969, is the real deal. The Little Giant’s fabled last quartet is brought back to swinging, surging life across a programme of Hayes’s punchy bop originals, complete with alt takes and studio chat. The deluxe version comes with copious liner notes from biographer Simon Spillett. (Decca 775 6964 ★★★★★)

The Israeli virtuoso bass player Avishai Cohen is a restless spirit, always trying out different sounds, most recently a regrettable vocal pop album. So it’s a relief to hear he’s back with his excellent touring band performing music more centred in jazz. Arvoles means trees in Ladino (the ancient Judeo-hispanic language) and this romantically inclined set of short, self-penned pieces does have a seductive Latin tinge to it. Upcoming pianist Elchin Shirinov uses repeated motifs to build a framework for the core trio, linking to intricately plotted lines; the addition of trombone and flute brings added vivid colour to the sound palette on four of the pieces. (Razdaz 4619 ★★★★)

Cohen was mentored by the American pianist Chick Corea. Lucky man: the 77 year-old is arguably the most complete player the jazz world has seen, excelling in every genre from fusion to abstract. But Latin music has remained his true love ever since he arrived on the New York scene in 1960. For Antidote, Corea has assembled a stellar group of Latin specialists to delve deep into the tradition, extending to

Afro Cuban and even Spanish flamenco music. Panamanian singer Ruben Blades captivates from the start with his soulful reading of the title track; from there it’s a consistently intoxicating journey, Corea re-visiting some of his landmark albums – like My Spanish Heart

– with the thrilling percussive dance of ‘Armando’s Rhumba’ a standout track. (Concord CJA00144 ★★★★★)

Some jazz artists are made for commissions and young trumpeter Laura Jurd is one such. The turbocharged eccentricity produced by her small group Dinosaur has already showed that she’s brimming with ideas and this project for London’s Kings Place does not disappoint. The new album Stepping Back, Jumping In is simply stupendous.

The 14-piece ensemble, which includes the Ligeti string quartet, a euphonium-driven brass section, with Nordic synths and Iranian hammer dulcimer in the mix, paints a glorious, shifting collage of sound. It’s a credit to the co-composers involved that the six diverse pieces cohere beautifully, while retaining an individual sense of abandon. It’s third stream music that encourages you to go with the flow. (Edition

EDN 1131 ★★★★★)

Pianist Paul Bley, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Paul Motian were avant garde pioneers back in the early ’60s. When Will The Blues Leave, a live recording from 20 years ago, captures the trio in all their free-thinking, elegiac glory. There’s something miraculous about their collective ability to communicate so much gentle energy outside the norms of conventional music making. Simply awesome.

(ECM 2642 774 0423 ★★★★★)