Review: Raffy Bushman - New Life (Bridge The Gap)

Raffy Bushman breeds 'New Life' into trio jazz with his latest album called, you've guessed it, 'New Life'.

Our introduction to Raffy Bushman was his 2024 album 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow' (see review HERE) that was a "modern fusion of post-bop, trap and hip-hop".  In comparision, 'New Life' has dropped he horns so there's a focus on the trio of Bushman (piano), Alec Hewes (bass) and Matt Davies (drums). 

Which make the slimmed down version of Bushman, bearing in mind his work with his string quintet NuShape Orchestra and Unit 31, strangley more inclusive of his classical and jazz background.

The seven tracks have a big jaunty 'New Life' joy as they evolved/written as the time following the news of him and his partner's first child which leads to the chirpy 'Dream State' as where the piano (and band) interact as if he's walking on air with anticipation.

And like much of the album, there's this Dilla as Thelonious Monk ('Pathos') thinking along with the OST-loopy 'The Leopard' that's just as much post-bop: Blue Note Silver/Hancock period.  Whilst 'Renaissance' manages to take this upbeat to a climax that includes a solo piano build-up before the trio climax!

 

The title track has that classical Debussy 'love theme' and is the only piano piece on the album with "serene refelection" like the title track itself and 'Time For Us', did someone say Bill Evans?  Which brings us back to the opening track, 'Two People' - again setting the tone or even the quite before the storm?

All 3 musicians are on top form and the album has the quality of other modern piano led 'jazz' trio of the calibre of Robert Glasper trio, Robert Mitchell 3io, The Bad Plus (Ethan Iverson period) or even Jarrett / Peacock / DeJohnette so no suprise Bushman's fans include Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Mary Anne Hobbs and Deb Grant (6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) and usual suspects on Worldwide FM and Jazz FM.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: New Life | Raffy Bushman

Artist: Raffy Bushman

Title: New Life

Release date: 5th June, 2026

Label: Bridge The Gap

Catalog Number: TBC 

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Raffy Bushman - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Bridge The Gap)

Raffy Bushman's name might sound like someone from Ned Kelly's gang fused with a 1930s Eton toff, but this guy is serious jazz-bad in a good good way with an EP that's so now and definitely not gone tomorrow.

Expect to hear modern fusion of post-bop, trap and hip-hop in the on reflective new album but what you really need is more of the lead track, 'Fitzcarraldo' - as mad a jazzdance juungle fever as the film (Walter Herzog - kids, it's a "must see" classic).  I'm in advance negotiations as to how we can make this track longer and still keep it perfect. 

There's four other tracks on this EP and you can't help but be seduced by the piano playing of the title track.

Expect all your big head to be on this already; Peterson, Forge, Parnell, Beedle plus Deb Grant (6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) as it's a BedBadNotGood meets Roy Hargrove meets Mike Post meets Ezra Collective and more.

Artist: Raffy Bushman

Title: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 

Release date: 20th September, 2024

Label: Bridge The Gap

Catalog Number: 

Format: Digital / Bandcamp