Let's talk jazz
In the first of an occasional series, we’re going to talk jazz as we share a quartet of jazz recommendations that we feel will appeal to seasoned veterans of the genre and newer listeners on a voyage of discovery. As a genre, jazz seems impenetrable to many, but not unlike Americana (an obvious RGM favourite), jazz is a many-headed beast that rewards exploration. As I’ve said previously, I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, but I do find much to enjoy. I’ll admit that, occasionally, I do get scared by oddly cacophonous time signatures, but that’s all part of the fun, or so I’m told. So let’s take a listen to a few examples of upcoming releases that highlight the range of the genre, including a new live release from a jazz legend and a trio that are a bit of a favourite here at Red Guitar Music despite their lack of a guitarist (yes, I have to admit a guitarist isn’t always required when the musicians are this good).
First up, we’ve the aforementioned legend in John McLaughlin, a name that should be familiar to all. John’s latest release is a live show from 2022 at the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival, a venue that has become like a second home to John in the many years since his first appearance in 1971. The show will be available on multiple formats, including a rather nice 2CD + Blu-ray combo pack. John’s career can be traced back to the 1960s, and his jazz fusion sound incorporates a wide range of jazz, blues, and world music influences, delivered with trademark guitar virtuosity and amazing tone. Check out the video for ‘Abbaji’ to get a taste.
Press release: John McLaughlin makes his return with “Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2022”.
This essential live album beautifully captures the seamless synergy between John and his longtime band, The 4th Dimension, on audio and HD video.
On July 11th, 2022, John returned to the Montreux Jazz Festival with The 4th Dimension and award-winning special guest Jany McPherson on piano and vocals. Delivering a masterclass in fusion to the audience of Stravinski Auditorium. Performing favourites such as 'New Blues Old Bruise', 'El Hombre Que Sabia,' as well as Pharoah Sanders’ 'The Creator Has a Master Plan.'
John’s history with the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival spans 52 years as a headlining artist and sometime guest performer. Those who couldn't be there now have the chance to see what they missed. Those who had the honor of being there can relive this monumental performance, available as a Blu-ray+2CD Digipak, 2 LP Gatefold and digital download on August 8th, 2025 worldwide via earMUSIC.
“I've said it many times before - The MJF is the greatest Festival in the world. Having played there since 1971, I'm in a good position to make that statement. The night of this particular recording was no exception and we musicians rose to the occasion. This performance is outstanding for all of us. There was joy, virtuosity, and a fantastic collective experience...“ -John McLaughlin
"Abbaji" by John McLaughlin is a deeply emotional and nostalgic piece, dedicated to the tabla maestro Alla Rakha, also known as "Abbaji." The song is a heartfelt tribute, reflecting McLaughlin's profound respect and admiration for Alla Rakha's contributions to music and his personal influence on McLaughlin's musical journey. The track's meditative atmosphere and rhythms bring a deep sense of nostalgia, making it the perfect first single to commemorate John's 2022 Montreux Jazz Festival performance.
John McLaughlin revolutionized jazz, bringing a fusion of world music, jazz, and blues to the mainstream with his Mahavishnu Orchestra and recordings with Santana and The Rolling Stones as well as his groundbreaking “Live in San Francisco” albums with Ali Di Meola and Paco de Lucia.
MATTI KLEIN SOUL TRIO | 2025 photo by JM Jorissen
That favourite we mentioned earlier brings us to Matti Klein and his soul trio (Matti Klein - Wurlitzer, Rhodes Bass, Lars Dieterich (formerly Zander) - bass clarinet, sax, André Seidel - drums). I was lucky enough to catch the guys live on their last visit to London, and they were superb. There’s something about jazz in a live environment that makes perfect sense. Anyway, Matti and the boys have a new record on the way with the snappy title ‘Soul Trio: Bouncin’ In Bubbleverse’ set for September 26th, 2025, with UK dates, as part of a European tour, to coincide. As a taste of what to expect, check out the live video from Aalener Jazzfest - 09.11.2024, which includes the latest single ‘Frontiers (Echo)’ and its companion piece, and first single ‘New Frontiers’. Matti Klein delivers jazz with soul (the clue is in the name).
Press release: Frontiers (Echo)' is a dubbed-out, slowed-down companion piece to ‘New Frontiers’, released in mid-May as the first single from a forthcoming brand new album by Berlin-based keyboard virtuoso Matti Klein and his highly acclaimed Soul Trio. Born from late-night studio jams and a desire to explore the space between breathing funk and floating groove, both tracks have seen the trio continue to push soul-jazz boundaries and kick off what promises to be a vibrant, groove-infused musical journey that blends classic soul-jazz and playful funk with contemporary hip-hop flair.
‘Soul Trio Bouncin’ In Bubbleverse' sees Matti Klein and his trio continue along the successful path they have followed since issuing two albums in the early 2020s, which were promoted with 400+ club and festival dates around Europe, Asia and South Africa, reams of positive reviews, plus airplay on major BBC and German radio stations. The release of the new album coincides with a European tour that includes several UK dates:
23.10.25 MANCHESTER Matt & Phreds Jazz Club
24.10.25 NOTTINGHAM Peggy’s Skylight
26.10.25 NORTHAMPTON The Garibaldi (afternoon)
26.10.25 NORTHAMPTON The Lab (evening)
27.10.25 LONDON Pizza Express Soho
More shows to be confirmed
Klein earned his reputation as one of the best young German jazz players with his former band Mo' Blow, releasing three albums on the renowned ACT Music label, while also acting as musical director for Brazilian jazz giant Ed Motta. His passion for vintage instruments such as the Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes Piano Bass and groove infused compositions are the main inspiration for his Soul Trio, which includes the expressive playing of Lars Dieterich (formerly Zander) on bass clarinet/tenor sax and the rhythmical, highly flexible André Seidel on drums.
Born in France, but now based in New York, Guillaume Muller is a guitarist with an appreciation for the history of the genre and how studying the greats has influenced his development as a musician. Guillaume holds a Bachelor’s degree in Composition from Berklee College of Music (2016) and a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from New York University (2019). More recently, Guillaume was also awarded the Q.C.A. New Work grant (2021) and received an honorary mention from the ISC in 2022 so he’s not afraid to put in the hard graft to further his understanding and technique. For his latest release, Guillaume focused on the music of Horace Silver, and I’ll let Guillaume explain how ‘Six Pieces Of Horace’ (release date June 27th, 2025) came to be.
“This project started during the pandemic in 2021. At first it wasn’t meant to be a solo guitar record. All I wanted to do at the time was to study Horace’s discography chronologically covering the 50’s and the 60’s and develop my own language as a musician. Then, I hand-picked my favorite songs from those records and transcribed each instrument. At this point I had narrowed it down to about 20-30 tunes, and this is when I started arranging them for solo guitar and playing around with them. I eventually trimmed it down to those 6 tunes that I am presenting to you today.
Through this project, I was able to put together two things that I love very much, which are solo guitar and Horace Silver’s music. The music was recorded in a recording studio in New York with a sound engineer. I specifically wanted to record it this way in order to “perform” on a given day, within a given time limit. I wanted the music to come out as organically as possible and be an honest representation of my playing in this specific moment.
Lastly, you may have noticed that the title of this record “Six Pieces of Horace” as well as the artwork of my album, are a reference and homage to “Six Pieces of Silver,” one of my favorite albums from the man himself. I hope you enjoy listening to “Six pieces of Horace”!”
TORSTEN GOODS | 2025 photography by Michael Romacker
Anyone lucky enough to hear ‘Soul Searching’, the 2023 album by Torsten Goods, will be well aware of his talents. The German singer and guitarist marries impressive jazz guitar technique with a smoothly soulful vocal delivery that bears comparison to George Benson. Fans of Benson, funk, soul, and the West Coast, jazz-influenced sounds of Steely Dan will find much to enjoy on a Goods record. For his latest single ‘Rocket Girl’, Goods and his excellent band are on top form and at their most upbeat (fans of Level 42 should check this out), which bodes well for the ‘Soul Deep’ album set for a September release with tour dates to coincide.
Press release: Torsten Goods is a successful German jazz guitarist and jazz-pop/soul singer. His prodigious skills won a scholarship to study jazz guitar in New York while in his teens, subsequent to which he won several awards for albums primarily released on the ACT label. In the UK, he was reviewed by the Evening Standard as having “talent galore. Inspired by George Benson, he sings winningly and plays the guitar superbly,” while songs from his 2023 album ‘Soul Searching’ were featured on the Jazz FM playlist.
2025 sees Goods return with ‘Rocket Girl’, a first single from a new album entitled ‘Soul Deep’ that will be released in September. Its upbeat groove sets a new direction, marking a transition into the realm of neo-funk/jazz artists such as Dirty Loops, Cory Wong, Snarky Puppy and Vulfpeck. A funky horn section hints at Tower Of Power, while Goods explains that "the lyrics celebrate a girl lost in a party lifestyle who actually craves love and security. She meets someone and they groove and fall in love together. It’s based on a true story….”
Soul is what defines a person – their innermost being, their essence. The deeper, the better. "My soul has grown deep like the rivers," wrote the poet Langston Hughes, in the spirit of Goethe, who had stated that "Man's soul is like water."
German soul singer and guitar maestro Torsten Goods pours his very soul into our ears in similar fashion with his brand new album ‘Soul Deep’. Far more than a mere follow-up to 2023’s ‘Soul Searching’, twelve new songs (mostly self-composed but two co-written with Bluey Maunick of Incognito), present him as a mature artist, heavily influenced by soul, but also jazz, blues and the summery West Coast/AOR sounds of late '70s California. As virtuosic, polished and well-produced as the music and sound of his voice is, it touches the soul of the listener. A balm and enrichment, both profound and intense, it really is ‘Soul Deep’.
’Soul Deep’ also deals with Goods' visual transformation due to alopecia (a sudden and persistent hair loss), but with love hovering above everything. It is a very personal album in which the now 44-year-old musician chronicles stories from his life and his relationship with his soul mate, by now his wife. These include the yearning ballad ‘Summertime Heartache’ (featuring strings and saxophone by rising star Jakob Manz), the Steely Dan tribute ‘Summer Rain’, the beautiful ‘Live by the Heart’ (a duet with Kim Sanders), plus the dance-inducing new single ‘Rocket Girl’.
A Soul Deep tour beginning in autumn 2025 will take Goods through Germany, as well as Austria, Switzerland, the UK and Ireland (his mother's birthplace). As usual, he will be joined by Jan Miserre (keyboards and piano), Felix Lehrmann (drums) and Björn Werra (bass), all absolute masters of their craft who have been performing together for 16 years. New songs, recent fan favourites from ‘Soul Searching’ and the rest of Goods’ back catalogue will ensure that each show is a feel-good feast.
In addition to his solo work, Goods is musical director for the successful German artist Sarah Connor, performs with trumpeter Till Brönner and trombonist Nils Landgren, while he is also artistic director of two jazz festivals in southern Germany.
So there we have it, a quick look at four artists who demonstrate some of the many styles and intricacies of the jazz genre. The RGM inbox tells us we could do this again very soon so watch this space.
Firstly, I’d like to get the elephant in the room out of the way. I would never claim to be an expert on jazz. There, I’ve said it. I thought I’d start with this sweeping statement to enable lovers of the genre and those who consider themselves experts in the field to look away now (I won’t take it personally). So please don’t expect in-depth examinations of structure or time signatures as I ramble on about who knows what. Although Matti did mention at one point, in that relaxed way of his, that the trio had played a tune, complete with extended solo breaks in 11/4 time, so there you go. I’m a casual fan of the genre, by which I mean I’ve some Miles, Kenny Burrell and a few other odd things in my collection and plenty of stuff that’s jazz adjacent in Joni, Steely Dan etc. There won’t be too many mentions of the technical abilities of the players here just an appreciation of great music, in a location integral to the UK jazz scene for decades.