Palle Mikkelborg: Light
This is 85-year-old Palle Mikkelborg’s first album in 25 years and it might be his last. Producer Jakob Bro – another hero of the modern ambient jazz scene – encouraged the album into life and adds subtle clouds of synth to back Mikkelborg’s solo piano, trumpet and flugelhorn. The result is an astonishingly beautiful album of ultra-minimalist ambience that demands your full attention. Find a quiet space, a good stereo or headphones and luxuriate in Mikkelborg’s heart-breakingly gorgeous melodies. Highly, highly recommended.
Fabiano do Nascimento: Vila
Rio-based guitarist and composer Fabiano Do Nascimento is prolific. His Cavejaz album came out in November, while Aquaticos with synth maestro E Ruscha V was out in January. This month’s instalment – Vila – might be the best of the lot.
Now – to paraphrase the late great Andrew Weatherall – bossa nova is not for everyone but there is something about the orchestral arrangements that accompany Do Nascimento’s guitar lines that add a springtime movie soundtrack vibe that should soften the hardest of hearts. For this listener it conjures images of Holly Golightly sashaying down the sidewalk – and that surely is an image that should appeal to just about everyone.
Julie Campiche: Unspoken
It starts with a strange soundscape repeatedly quoting Virginia Woolf’s famous line “for most of history, ‘anonymous’ was a woman”. It sets the scene for a record with a message but don’t let the opening weirdness put you off. This is a gorgeous record from harpist Julie Campiche that celebrates female strength with a variety of guests. They create a an uncategorisable record that takes in jazz, modern chamber music, spoken word, ambience, soundtrack and song. You will rarely find music this experimental that is also so beautiful.
Verdo: Gratis Club
In real life, the Chill Out Tent normally emerges from its afternoon nap and into the night-time hours with its party frock on and a spring in its step. This album from legendary Adriatic DJ and producer Verdo is his first and its an absolute banger from beginning to end – a series of storming piano melodies dancing over Italo disco, hi-NRG, and trance riddims. Music to forget all your worries and dance the night away.
Roland Brival: Créole Gypsy
Reissue of the month comes from 1980 and the creative mind of Caribbean spiritual jazz musician Roland Brival. Créole Gypsy is a strange brew indeed – with all manner of Caribbean rhythms underpinning free flowing saxophone, organ and languorous bass. Great cover too.
The Chill Out Tent 
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