Announcement – Music

Falling under the recurring conversation topic of Labels We’d Like To See Show Up On Bandcamp, I’m excited to announce that Schema Records has begun uploading their catalog to a Bandcamp label page.

Based in Milan, Schema Records releases all kinds of different music from the various scenes in Italy (and elsewhere).  Along with modern jazz, there’s plenty of nu-soul and rock and pop and funk and electronica to suit your needs.

It appears they are adding both old and new releases, which will hopefully culminate with the label’s entire catalog.  Because of Bandcamp’s functionality for limited streams of the recording, it means you’ll get to just wander through their store and hit the play button of anything that looks interesting. And when you find something you like (and I guarantee you will), you’re already on the page to buy it.

Here’s a few recommendations of albums now on their Bandcamp page:

Mighty Mighty – See the Light

Half 1960s Hard Bop heat, half 1970s electro-fusion groove, the Mighty Mighty sextet offer up two halves of goodness with their 2014 release See the Light.  Led by pianist Kari Setälä, the sextet conjures up something of a period piece, opening the album with a set of Hard Bop tunes straight outta the sixties, then a track hinting at the transition period from the bop era to when spiritual jazz got its hooks into the scene, before moving into the subsequent decade, when fusion molded a new kind of groove for Jazz, melodies took on a shiny veneer, and keyboards were jacked into the nearest outlet.

You can read a full write-up on Bird is the Worm (go read it).

Check it out on the Schema Records Bandcamp page.

Alex Puddu – In The Eye Of The Cat

It’s pretty easy to slide into the cinematic imagery conjured up by multi-instrumentalist Alex Puddu.  The Italian movie genre of giallo is his inspiration for this set of tunes, and Puddu gives In The Eye Of The Cat all the frenetic action, ominous danger, and suave personality that this particular style of storytelling demands.  This 2016 release sinks into a groove any chance it gets, ranging from a relaxed and casual motion to something much more focused and intense.  But that’s not all it has to offer.  There are some thick melodies to grab hold of, and they exert an hypnotic influence over the music that results in plenty of vivid imagery.

You can read a full write-up on Bird is the Worm (go read it).

Check it out on the Schema Records Bandcamp page.

Alessandro Scala Quartet – Viaggio Stellare

This is a hopping set of post-bop from saxophonist Alessandro Scala, who leads a quartet augmented by guest spots from trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso and trombonist Roberto Rossi.  The ensemble throws heavy punches from the opening bell, and as to tempo, they keep to a gallop throughout.  And while the hard-charging tunes reflect this album’s personality, when the musicians settle into a groove that’s more about swing than speed, like on the catchy “Jazz Club,” it offers up an appealing, new facet of this recording.  Plenty here to like on this straight-ahead set released back in 2014.

Pretty sure this was an eMusic/Wondering Sound Jazz Pick, but I’m not finding anything.

Check it out on the Schema Records Bandcamp page.

That’ll get you started.  So, start digging through their catalog on Bandcamp.

(Take me there)