The latest series of Jazz Is Dead, a project by Adrian Younge and Ali of A Tribe Called Quest, has begun! Just like the previous series, the opening bell will ring with a compilation of one t

A dream collaboration that transcends generations, featuring masters of black jazz and rare groove, whose records are sought after by diggers around the world day and night, and The Midnight

Jazz Is Dead, which has become one of the most prominent figures in the LA underground and jazz scenes thanks to the successful completion of its first series of 10 albums despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented the label from hosting its original live events, has already launched its second series. As with the previous series, the opening bell will be a compilation featuring one track from each of the albums scheduled for release in the second series. This year's lineup includes cosmic jazz-funk/fusion pioneer Lonnie Liston Smith, bassist Henry Franklin, who left a lasting impression on Black Jazz as a leader and on numerous classic albums from the label, Jean Carn, a legendary Black Jazz singer and wife of Doug Carn, who also released an album in the first series, and even Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison, founders of the legendary Black jazz label Tribe. This alone would be a dream project for lovers of rare groove and black jazz, but as is typical of Jazz Is Dead, whose appeal lies in cross-genre and cross-generational collaborations, the lineup also includes Tony Allen, Fela Kuti's right-hand man and creator of Afrobeat, who sadly passed away in 2020, and Garrett (Gary) Saracho, whose sole album, "En Medio," released on the prestigious Impulse label in 1973, is still celebrated in the LA neighborhood as a Latin/Chicano jazz masterpiece. Perhaps the hidden gem of the second series, and perhaps the highlight, is the collaboration with Catalyst, a collective gaining attention in the current LA jazz scene. Catalyst drummer Greg Paul has played on numerous releases so far, and their familiarity with the group promises a sound that's a little different from other collaborations with other big names. As with the previous series, the album also ends with a new track by Adrian and Ali's duo, The Midnight Hour.