Smokin' Aces [LP], Bangs & Talbot, Vinyl

Acid jazz founding figure Chris Bangs and former Style Council founding member Mick Talbot return with their new album Smokin' Aces, featuring 12 new tracks, with Bangs & Talbot joined by instrumentalists and voices from all over the world. It follows their acclaimed 2022 duo-billed debut album Back To Business and two rapid sell-out 7" singles "Sumthin' Else" and "K-Jee." Chris Bangs coined the term 'acid jazz' and was a prominent figure on the early scene, before an extensive production and DJ career, alongside the likes of Yada Yada, Quiet Boys and Paul Weller. Mick Talbot is one of the UK's top keyboard players. After founding the Style Council with Weller, he went on to play with Merton Parkas, before embarking on a preeminent session career. Smokin' Aces is an uplifting, contemporary fusion of genres and influence, distilling these sounds to create a timeless Acid Jazz album - "retrophonic but contemporary at the same time," says Talbot.