jazz

helsinki’s we jazz records launches a new series of live recordings, the -we jazz live plates-, offering a closer look into the label’s live activities. the first installment of the series is a recording from berlin captured in october 2017. the six-tracker features black motor, bowman trio and jaska lukkarinen trio offering two potent slices of raw live jazz each. all of the compositions herein are previously unreleased or new arrangements.
the album -berlin 27.10.17- was recorded at club monarch located in berlin’s kottbusser tor during the second annual scope festival (a collaborative effort of berlin’s xjazz and we jazz). the dense atmosphere of the packed club is present in the recordings which showcase three major acts from the vibrant finnish scene. musically, the album ranges from the undeniable swing of jaska lukkarinen trio’s -roger- and bowman trio’s -the hillary step- to the scorching updated version of black motor’s -branches-, subtitled here as -berliner musik-.
the -we jazz live plates- series offers an easy access into the label’s live productions via simple yet elegant lp packaging in plain cardboard sleeve with a postcard featuring the full download added inside.

the passage ep brings together two of the chief champions of far reaching sounds in aybee, and lars bartkuhn. bartkuhn best known for his work with his iconic (needs) imprint, and aybee for his boundary pushing ethos at (deepblak). a project spawned of mutual love, and respect the two met at an impromptu jam performance at the xjazz fest where the seeds were planted for further collaboration. committed to stretching out beyond tight parameters they sought to capture the spirit of the dance. as the astral walkers- they set out to combine the fearless freedom of the jazzfunk era with the endless possibilities within electronic music