Review: Audrey Powne - Bodies Of Water (BBE Music)

Those that know Audrey Powne will recognise that the Melbourne trumpeter, vocalist, keyboardist, composer and producer is special and her sophomore album out on BBE, 'Bodies Of Water' is further proof that she is a heavyweight in soul-jazz-funk ring with 'Bodies Of Water'.

Added to the We Out Here Festival (20-23 August) along with Thundercat, Peven Everett, James Alexander Bright (and loads more) like the very best of past trumpeters before her like Miles Davis and Roy Hargrove, she's got the abiltiy to fuse jazz, bop, hip-hop, soul, funk, bruk, pop and dance into a glorious whole of 8 tracks in a fluid 'Bodies Of Water'. 

Don't forget, back in 2024 there were remixes of Ms. Powne's 'From The Fire' (see review HERE).along with the Atjazz and Musclecars remix 12" (see review HERE) and.'Souled Out' remixed by Joe Claussell (see review HERE).

The title track itself is part gospel, part spirtual, part baptism of soul - it's beautiful and then there's a vocal and instrumental version of 'Swollen' that both show off her vocal talents and her trumpet 'Hargrove' expertise as the river bursts its musical banks with a Dilla-esque march into flood planes. 

Whilst you 'Stay Awake' reminds us of the power of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat horns to get us to move our feet as Powne leads the line.  And it's not just Powne that shines on the recording that took 2 days at Brooklyn's Electric Garden Studios as acclaimed New York-based rhythm section bassist David “DJ” Ginyard and drummer Jonathan Barber are a powerhouse; or could that be a Pownehouse (Ed. save that one for the remixes).

'Stay Awake' is the rally call for us all this summer as is 'Two Sides.  And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, 'Broken Record' is another track that absorbs all the elements, including some clever lyrics, that makes this album such a pleasure to listen to; especially when it slips into a bit of a Lonnie Liston Smith meets Chuck Mangione dub at the end (Ed. let's have more of this).

And what is it with ladies from Naarm/Melbourne (thinking Ella Thompson and Allysha Joy in particular) to get 'soul' like on 'Creeds' here and the spiritual 'Karma' and 'RYV'.

You'll recall Bruce Lee's famous quote, "Be like water" and it's often said that the human body is 90% water - here's the missing 10% to feel whole after the debut, 'From The Fire'; seen by many as 'Jazz Album Of The Year' in 2024, 'Bodies Of Water' will wash all competition away this year - don't miss out!

P.S. There's a BBE listening party in London with musclecars & Toribio tells your friends.

BBE Album Listening Party Listening Party September 22, 2026 at 9:00 PM GMT+1

BUY LINKk / PRE-ORDER: https://orcd.co/apbodiesofwater

Artist: Audrey Powne

Title:  Bodies Of Water

Release date: 25th September, 2026

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Gatefold Vinyl LP / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Audrey Powne - Souled Out (remixed by Joe Claussell) / Feed the Fire Remixes (remixed by Atjazz & musclecars) (BBE Music)

Just a quick reminder that Audrey Powne not only had one of the debut albums of the year but also some heavyweight remix 12s, out on BBE.

This is a good time of the year to catch up with top albums of 2024 like Ms. Powne's 'From The Fire' (see review HERE).along with the Atjazz and Musclecars remix 12" (see review HERE).

Not only that, there's a three tracker of 'Souled Out' by legend Joe Claussell as a Cosmic Arts Interpretation mix, Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm version and a deep version.  Claussell has been the top man for all spiritually deep dubbiness and this is him at his best.

Apparently, the album is being touted as 'Jazz Album Of The Year', definely debut or even drop the 'jazz' - BBE is due a gong too!

Artist: Audrey Powne

Title:  Souled Out (remixed by Joe Claussell) / Feed The Fire (Atjazz & Musclecars Remixes)

Release date: 4th October / February, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE753SDG / BBE753ELP

Format: 12" x 2 / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Audrey Powne - From The Fire (BBE Music)

We've had the single of 'From The Fire' by Audrey Powne and now the long awaited album is out and it's red hot!

The title track sounds even more impressive than before (if that's possible, see review HERE) with deeper strings that gives it a be cinematic vibe and 'Feed The Fire' remixes (see HERE).

And this talent who sings (prepare yourselves for the track 'Sleep') and wrote the lyrics also plays the piano, Rhodes and organ on the album.

So why do fans like Gilles Peterson reference 'golden era' Dwele/Roy Hargrove/Alicia Keys - and lets add Alice Coltrane.  Well, not only can she sing with soul ('Souled Out' is amazing), she can play the trumpet too!  'Feed The Fire', 'From The Fire' and 'Interlude 1'; 'Interlude 2' is her piano 'scratch pad'.

Her talents have been previously used on sessions/backing band but this album is going to put her front of stage; and literally as there's a launch concert at London's Jazz Cafe (07.04.24) and if you've got the chance to see her live, do it - I don't think she'll be at such small venues in Camden Town for very long.

I'd heard people say, "wait 'till you hear the album", and now I have, I urge you all to hear it too - it's in excess of stunning!

Artist:  Audrey Powne 

Title: From The Fire 

Release date: 26th April, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE753

Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Audrey Powne - From The Fire + Instrumental (BBE Music)

Edging ever closer to the album release, this single of 'From The Fire' with the instrumental goes to show what a talent BBE have discovered with Audrey Powne.

This track is a perfect mix of R&B/Soul, Herbie Hancock inspired jazz and Roy Hargrove hip-hip - much in the same ways as the equally 'Feed The Fire' (see review HERE with Atjazz and musclecars remixes).

Still no news on the Audrey Powne remix of musclecars as yet bit if half as good as the tinged-dub style of the instrumental of 'From The Fire', I can't wait.

Artist:  Audrey Powne 

Title: From The Fire + Instrumental  

Release date: 16th February, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE753SDG2b

Format: Digital  

Review: Audrey Powne - Feed The Fire (Atjazz & Musclecars Remixes) (BBE Music)

The next cab of the Melbourne musical rank of excellence is Audrey Powne and the fires are being fed with this single that brings the heat.

Ozzie heat in the case is not Damon Heta or the Australian Open but multi-instrumentalist Audrey with her composition and title track of the forthcoming album, 'Feed the Fire' that's a soul-jazz reflection on the bushfires that have plagued her homeland of late and the resistance of the powers that be to associate the problem with the climate crisis.

She's caught the ear of the likes of Gilles Peterson and Masta Ace in the past and BBE haven't been slow to spot the potential: and just to make sure she gets even more attention, the ever present master remix veteran Atjazz and NYC's musclecars have jumped at the chance for some mega remixers.

We're always in awe of the dancefloor skill of Atjazz (in this case, a set of remix, instrumental and the monster "Deeper" remix with instrumental) but last year you'll recall Jazzanova's 'Beyond The Dream' got a "remingination" by musclecars (see review HERE) which then got us excited about their work with Brandon Markell Holmes (see review HERE) and their single, 'Shelter (Building It, Still)'.

BBE don't let you down and if the album is as good as this single, we're in for a fantastic 2024; and just to set it up a bit more, the next single on the label is a musclecars' own single, 'Running Out Of Time' (what odds on a Audry Powne remix?)

Artist: Audrey Powne

Title:  Feed The Fire (Atjazz & Musclecars Remixes)

Release date: 2nd February, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE753SDG

Format: Digital / Bandcamp