Electric Piano

National Health – National Health

National Health was a continuation of Canterbury supergroup Hatfield & the North, bringing over essentially everyone from that project, except Hatfield’s bassist Richard Sinclair (Caravan), including Pip Pyle (Gong), Dave Stewart (Egg), Amanda Parsons, and Phil Miller (Matching Mole). Unsurprisingly, the LP is packed with warm, playful virtuosity. Overdriven bass takes the helm for most of the themes, locked in with propulsive grooves and shifting time signatures of Pyle’s drums. The space fills out quite colorfully with harmonious waves of electric piano, woodwinds and Moog synthesizer. When things need to be taken up a notch, Miller comes in with some triumphantly energizing guitar solos. What really makes this album special though are Amanda Parson’s vocals, which work both as a wordless instrument within the polyphonic arrangements, and as a unifying, lyrical force during the album’s most epic moments.

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Exploding Star Orchestra – Live at the Adler Planetarium

featuring Rob Mazurek, Jeff Parker, Nicole Mitchell, Damon Locks, Gerard Cleaver, Craig Taborn, Angelica Sanchez & Mauricio Takara

Style: Cyber-Jazz, Cosmic Big-Band, Jazz Fission

Vibes: Futuristic, Communal, Triumphant, Cosmic, Surreal, Exploratory, Anthemic, Colorful

Musical Qualities: Dense, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Percussive, Progressive, Rhythmic, Spoken Word, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Suite

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Matching Mole

Style: Canterbury Scene, Progressive Pop

Moods: Plaintive, Playful, Lonely, Longing, Melancholy, Dreamy, Eccentric, Tender, Sentimental

Instrumentation: Mellotron, Piano, Drums, Organ, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Electric Piano, Drums, Voice

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Mako Sica – Ronda

Style: Psychedelic Jazz, Free-Psych, Post-Rock

Moods: Ritualistic, Mysterious, Serpentine, Nocturnal, Exploratory, Desert, Moody, Spiritual, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Thematic, Collective Improvisation, Atmospheric, Rhythmic

Instrumentation: Drums, Tabla, Electric Piano, Chants, Trumpet, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Electric Bass, Harmonica, Gong, Cello, Upright Bass, Flute, Organ, Piano, Bells, Teponaztli, Tambourine, Viola

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Miles Davis – On the Corner

featuring Billy Hart, Bennie Maupin, Badal Roy, Mtume, Michael Henderson, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Paul Buckmaster, John McLaughlin, Dave Liebman, Don Alias, Carlos Garnett, Collin Walcott, Khalil Balakrishna, Lonnie Liston Smith, Chick Corea

Style: Abstract Groove, Jazz Fission, Avant-Funk

Moods: Surreal, Urban, Hypnotic, Communal, Groovy, Colorful, Playful, Circular, Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Repetitive, Dense, Improvisation, Instrumental, Studio-as-an-instrument

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Eddie Henderson – Inside Out

Style: Jazz Fission, Abstract Groove, Cosmic Jazz, Free-Fusion

Moods: Cosmic, Propulsive, Exploratory, Adventurous, Spiritual, abstract groove, communal, cosmic, driving, epic, exploratory, improvisation, instrumental, mysterious, rhythmic, thematic, psychedelic,

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Rhythmic, Ostinato, Dub Fx, Thematic

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Beth Orton – Weather Alive

Style: Singer/Songwriter, Chamber-Jazz, Ambient Pop

Moods: Reflective, Existential, Autumnal, Languid, Pensive, Soothing, Peaceful, Nature, Tender, Mellow, Contemplative

Musical Qualities: Lush, Slow, Polished, Atmospheric

Featuring Shahzad Ismaily, Tom Skinner, Alabaster dePlume, and more

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