Stonephace Reviews
“Startlingly good” – Phil Johnson, The Independent On Sunday 5 Stars
A Stimulating new project…hits the spot commercially and artistically…brings Brit-jazz muscle to the world of beeps and blips” John.L.Walters, The Guardian 4 STARS
Funk and psychedelia steeped jazzy grooves from Stonephace -- an incredible project from Brit saxophone player and boundary skirting soundscape crafter Larry Stabbins -- adding up to one of the best albums on the always reliable Tru Thoughts label! Avant funk excellence! -Dusty Groove America, Inc.
Idealised, stylised but never sanitised…The three noisemakers combine supremely in an upward, melded spiral of heated sax, beats and ectoplasmic guitar” –David Stubbs, The Wire
Stonephace transcends the limitations of a genre” – Chris Arena, Wax Poetics US
Great, great record and a nice surprise from Tru Thoughts…Larry Stabbins is one of the true greats of British music.” Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio1)
Highly characterised pieces that hook into the mind very quickly and could sit as easily in a club dance room as a jazz festival. This invigorating album begs to be played louder than your neighbours will thank you for, but you really won’t care.
Tony Benjamin Jazzwise Magazine 5 Stars
Top-notch stuff from start to finish.
DJ Mag
Stonephace look likely to blow up … It is a trip” –
Owen Adams, The Guardian
There’s eleven tracks of this stuff and each one’s a treasure. Play it loud- its jazz and it’s proud.
Tony Benjamin- Bristol’s Venue Magazine. 5 stars
Easily the best contemporary album I’ve heard this year! FANTASTIC” –
Sushil Dade -The Jazz House, BBC Radio Scotland
Rewarding mellow jazz, soul, fusion and pulled together by the subtle beats, the sublime cutting-edge electronica - a glow, a warm glow... That experimental feel you get from the more rewarding early 60’s/70’s film soundtracks – Bullet, Lalo Schiffrin... Just a fine fine refreshingly different album that works in all the right ways.
Organ Magazine
This is the way Jazz and Hip Hop should always have been done but there’s never been anything like this recorded before…….. fantastic playing. The production is edgy and quite unique and, well, it’s all just so very fulfilling with it’s big, grandiose soundscapes. Snowboy Blues and Soul Magazine
Advanced modern soul jazz
PhilaFlava Magazine (US)
It’s jazz, all right, but with a hip-hop heart and a groovy soul vibe that sounds like Madlib doing psychedelic porn movie soundtracks. The Crack Magazine
“So chilled out it belongs in the deep freeze … the musical pedigree is never less than astonishing” Clash Magazine
…the album has the potential to transcend its status as a mere recording format and offer listeners an aural adventure. UK Jazz stalwart Larry Stabbins’ group Stonephace fulfil this potential with their debut, a groove-laden journey with special appearances from Portishead’s Adrian Utley and Guy Barker that will appeal to Jazzers and Beat freaks alike.
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