Nu-Jazz
 

I've always been a bit hesitant of genres that are prefixed with "nu", because last time nu was popular, Fred Durst was one of the biggest minds behind it.

But nu jazz, future jazz, whatever you want to call it, is actually pretty neat. I've been listening to Norway's Jaga Jazzist for a few years now but was unaware of the relative widespread nature of this "nu jazz" scene they're apparently under. Once I did more digging in this I got more exposure to artists like The Cinematic Orchestra, Erik Truffaz, and Nils Petter Molvær. I understand that nu jazz artists have been kinda mainstream for awhile, with guys like BADBADNOTGOOD and Flying Lotus dabbling in it.

Most recently I discovered Dinosaur (not to be confused with the hundred other bands named Dinosaur) from Greater London a few weeks ago. They came out with an album called Wonder Trail back in May and I've kinda taken a liking to it. Like electronica-infused jazz-funk.

Anyone got any other recommendations for bands that fall under this title?

Favourite from my late teens:

My man, this is the exact kind of stuff I was looking for. Sports, Not Heavy Crime is one of the best album openers I've heard in awhile.

Another band I'll add to this is Flanger. I like their first record Templates from '99. Uses a lot of experimental glitch elements which I always found endearing in Jaga, even though Flanger use it a bit more liberally than them.

Recently discovered the wonderful Tied & Tickled Trio and their album Observing Systems.

I’ve just over 3,800 nu jazz / future jazz / acid jazz tracks in my library but I tend to gravitate toward a specific set of Ninja Tune artists and their contemporaries.

The Verve Remixed series was my introduction, and I quickly latched onto Skalpel, Bonobo, Mr. Scruff, Cinematic Orchestra, Hidden Orchestra, Jaga Jazzist, St Germain (so sad he canceled his show in my city!), and stronger works from The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation / Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble’s discography.

I picked up the Future Sounds of Jazz series but haven’t given it much attention. The same goes for the catalog of Jazzanova, or much beyond the mainstays of the genre I’ve mentioned above. I have a few DJ Food LPs and 57 of his albums but I always spin the same five or six of his releases so I should really dive into his Jazz Breaks and Solid Steel sets.

Definitely following this thread for further recommendations.

One of the gems of the Youtube recommendation system. I remember seeing this around when it was uploaded.

We were on the same wave mate.

I've seen Moon Hooch and Too Many Zooz tagged as nu jazz and they're pretty dope.

Tiny Desk Concerts rarely disappoint. I remember seeing a webm or something of them playing in the subway years ago but I never knew their name.

Honestly trying to one-up Xploding Plastix but I have yet to find an artist that tops them. That album is just fantastic and everything I want to hear in a nu jazz release. In the meantime though here's some more recent stuff coming out of Kyoto. They've got a bit of a post-rock vibe to them.