The Jazz of Jazz to Jazz with KABASSE and WORK MONEY DEATH

I'm beginning to think this might be a good year for my Jazz collection. And no, you're not disremembering... I've already written about one of these two albums shortly ago in my February Forecast. Since then however I decided that I not only wanted a promo download, but also the actual vinyl - preferably in the limited coloured version. So here we go!

KABASSE - About Sitting On Fences (coloured vinyl LP) (2026)

No, the music doesn't change. But there's no denying that a "real" record, especially if it's a gatefold as thoughtfully designed in classic Jazz style with all the particular usages of font and geometric shapes and of course including elaborate liner notes as this one, it helps enhancing the whole experience. 

As much as I've already enjoyed the wonderfully arranged and produced, vividly storytelling Fusion of this Southern German ensemble, the presentation as a complete work of art makes me appreciate the timeless beauty of this sound even more.

And if you know you know, ordering anything from Kapitan Platte always means getting some quirky nostalgic extra like old catalogue pages, advertisement or record sleeves alongside with the fairly priced object of your desire. Since the color of "About Sitting On Fences" isn't specified I guess it's random. I'm certainly happy with my transparent orange copy with some red splatter in it.

WORK MONEY DEATH - A Portal To Here (2LP) (2026)

Starting with the externals I surely would have prefered the coloured special edition of this double album too, or at least the limited black one, which also has the printed inner sleeves and a die-cut cover. But with all the conversion, shipping and taxes that come with ordering directly from the UK, it would have actually doubled the price in comparison to getting the simplest edition from a retailer, so yes, reason simply won in this case.

But no matter in which vinyl, CD or digital form you purchase it, the music of the fourth Work Money Death album always remains spectacular. The Spiritual Jazz of this group has always been epic and ecstatic, but on "A Portal To Here" you can immediately feel a shift towards something even more profound and real, as Tony Burkill's saxophone oozes with heartfelt expression, soul and pain in the aptly named slow opener "Pain Becomes Prayer And (The) Prayer Becomes (A) Song". (The exact spelling of the the title varies online and on the record sleeve.)

Part of the pain is actually of physical nature, since Burkill had medical issues at the time of recording and suffered from severe pain in his leg, which directly influenced his performance.
Besides this the liner notes from Richard Ormrod, who himself guests on bamboo flute on the album's final track "Sometimes It's Death" leave no doubt that the whole work is a tribute to their friend and ATA Records family member Christopher Earl Dawkins, who passed away in Spring 2025.

So even when the band's sound goes into more upbeat and hopeful places - like with the trilling flute, floating harp and fast handclaps in "Brother Earl" -, it's filled with a sincere transformative catathartic energy that has always been present, but never in this inescapable clarity and intensity.

There are of course few musical styles made as much to convey both mourning and the happiness of memory as maximalist Spiritual Jazz inspired by the greats Pharoah Sanders, Alice and John  Coltrane and the Sun Ra Arkestra, which Work Money Death have aspired to since their debut "The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Resides, Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises" in 2021.

"A Portal To Here" however feels like their defining "Love Supreme" moment, like musicians having gone through a rite of passage and re-emerging with a deeper connection to both their craft and the listener's heart. The result is a masterpiece that could hardly be more powerful.

Artistic expressions like this album are why music exists.

February forecast with BRUECKEN, FARSON, KABASSE and WHATEVER HAPPENS DON'T BE YOURSELF

A new month has begun and even though February is short there are probably more worthwhile releases coming up than any single listener could ever process. Here are a couple of those I'm aware of, starting with great Jazz Fusion coming up next week on my birthday:





KABASSE - About Sitting On Fences (release: February 13th 2026)

Kabasse from Munich are a sextet founded by Sigmund Perner from Carpet, whose addictive Prog Fusion is certainly also present on "About Sitting On Fences". With prominent brass at the forefront and a rhythm section including upright bass being subtly aided by hand percussion and vibraphone (or keys? I'm actually not sure...) Kabasse lean much stronger into Jazz territory though, exploring its dark Experimental regions as well as uplifting Swing and epic modern Fusion storytelling. If you like your instrumental Jazz Fusion as a cinematic experience, which takes you on huge journeys through strange countries and adventures, this germ - released by Kapitän Platte - will certainly make you happy.

Without background information I would probably wouldn't have guessed that this group is from Southern Germany, but rather placed them in the rich Norwegian Jazz Rock scene. Which brings us to the next release...

WHATEVER HAPPENS DON'T BE YOURSELF - Tales Of No Consequences (release: February 27th 2026)

Whatever Happens Don't Be Yourself is indeed a Norwegian ensemble of nine both young and seasoned players from Bergen. Many of the eight mostly rather short tracks have a much stronger Rock influence than Kabasse, with a crunchy electric bass and wild loud drumming. Some stuff reminds me of a less mental version of Matt Gustafsson's The End, some maybe of Aksel Røed's Other Aspects? That would be plausible, since the saxophonoist is also a part of this group. But with "Stormy Nights" there's also time for a laid back Vocal Jazz interlude.

Yeah, these "Tales of No Consequences" cover quite a wild range. If you enjoyed Kronstad 23's "Sommermørket" on El Paraiso Records last year, you'll surely have fun with this Is It Jazz? Records as well.

FARSON - Ein Stumpfes Instrument (release: February 27th 2026)

If you're prepared to really look for it, you'll still find some fragments of Jazz Fusion on this album too, but let's not be delusional: "Ein Stumpfes Instrument" ("A Blunt Instrument"), the new album by Farson from Northern Germany, first and foremost is a brutal Technical Death Metal assault!

Tons of versatile shit are happening in a relatively short amount of time, but you're not left missing anything, since the manic Progressive madness with lots of sick twin guitar action and exciting Blackened and Dissonant Avantgarde flavours will surely leave you as satisfied as exhausted. The thinking man's bludgeoning. Classy!

BRUECKEN - Years That Answer (released: February 27th 2026)

What is more common? Spëëd Metal bands with linguistically nonsensical Metal-Ümlauts oder Northern German Post Rock bands rejecting the umlaut in favour of spelling a vowel in two letters? Ok, the latter probably has no chance, but I know at least two of those.

However, last but not least in this little quadruple feature Moment Of Collapse Records brings us the new album by Bruecken. With influences from other Post genres (mainly Metal) "Years That Answer" presents a very fresh journey through numerous realms of what one could call Pelagic music, even though that's of course another label. Apart from the well-made flow between raw and heavy, delicately atmospheric and grand overwhelming passages, the most striking moments of this albums are delivered, when Bruecken add vocals to their mostly instrumental world. Especially the choir in the eighth and final track "Signs of Spring" are a nice variety.

Not that this work would even need such, because amidst a genre that doesn't make it easy to stand out with an original signature sound, these guys already give you a lot of just great riffs, melodies and arrangement ideas that never give boredom the slightest chance to arise. A wonderful album!