2023-05-03 05:00:40
And woosh… April 2023 is also over. These were the highs and perhaps lows in pop and jazz music in the past month.
The most beautiful album of the month?
That just came from the Netherlands, from Amsterdam even: Ask by Altin Gun. The Turkish-Dutch, internationally successful group specializes in psychedelic music as it was made in Turkey in the 1970s. And that music not only sounds mind-expanding, but also very cheerful and exuberant. Read our review of it here Ask van Golden Day.
Heard more beautiful things from your own country?
Of course: Life is so balanced, even when we are not, the belated debut album by singer and rapper Maydien. He is one of those artists whose breakthrough, although it had been in the air for years, still failed to materialize for a multitude of reasons. How nice it would be if it worked out now, Maydien now 37. It won’t be his music. His debut contains a warm-blooded mix of hip-hop and neo-soul. For those who like D’Angelo and/or Anderson Paak. Read here which albums Maydien would take to a deserted island.
The comeback of the month?
For that we have to be with Everything But The Girl, the English duo formed by the couple Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn. For almost a quarter of a century they did not make themselves heard as a duo: the two were active in music separately, but did not record anything together during that time. Comeback album Fuse contains electronic soul like the two made in the nineties. So tasty. Read our interview with Everything But The Girl here.
Metallica made themselves heard once more, right?
And how. First there was the surprisingly strong album 72 Seasons, later the American metal veterans gave two concerts in the Johan Cruijff Arena. The men themselves, now all around sixty years old, were looking forward to it, but at the first performance on King’s Day the audience was a bit flat. And quite strange: at both performances a large part of the upper stand was screened off with black cloth. Read our review of the first concert in the Arena here.
The low point of the month?
The death of Ryuichi Sakamoto, at the age of 71. It was known that he was seriously ill, but his death was still a shock to the whole world. The Japanese became known in the seventies as a member of the synthesizer group Yellow Magic Orchestra, the Asian counterpart of Kraftwerk. He later made a name for himself as a (film) composer. Read our obituary of Ryuichi Sakamoto here.
Have you heard beautiful jazz yet?
The album released this month is highly recommended Blue Room from Chet Baker. Indeed, the American jazz trumpeter who died in 1988 following a fall from an Amserdam hotel window, only 55 years old. In 1979 he was a guest on the Dutch radio program twice Nine O’Clock Jazz (at that time ‘Hilversum’ still played jazz). And man, was he good then, we hear on the now released, long-lost recordings. Read our review of it here Blue Room.
Was there anything to laugh regarding this month?
Donnie came out with a new album. And everything the Amsterdam rapper does, says and makes is funny. He has previously worked with folk singers Frans Duijts and Frans Bauer, op The Kibbeling sound a guest like this comes along in every issue. To be clear: ‘kibbeling sound’ is his flat-Amsterdam answer to the eel sound from Volendam. Read our interview with Donnie here.
About the author: Peter van Brummelen bets The month in music the most important developments in pop and jazz in a row. The best concert he experienced was by D’Angelo at North Sea Jazz in 2000. His favorite Amsterdam acts at the moment are Altin Gün, Benny Sings and The Covids.
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#music #April
