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Legendary Milanese combo Calibro 35 continue their journey into the world of cinematic jazz-funk with their new album Exploration. Set for worldwide release in June 2025, Exploration marks their return to independent label Record Kicks after their last studio album "Nouvelle Aventures" released on Universal Music in 2023. The band picks up from their latest EP, "Jazzploitation," released on Record Kicks last October.

Exploration is a deep dive into the universe of cinematic jazz-funk, showcasing both the band's reinterpretations of timeless classics such as Roy Ayers’ “Coffy” or Bob James “Nautilus” and original compositions by the band such us the lead single “Reptile Strut”, the jazz-funk stormer “The Twang” and the soulful cinematic number “Pied De Poule”. An exploration and a new journey for the Milanese combo that a long its way pays homage to artists such as Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible), Herbie Hancock (Chamelon) Italian Maestro Piero Umiliani (Discomania and Gassman Blues). — (via Label)

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Calibro 35 – Exploration album review: An infectious celebration of cinematic jazz-funk.

Cinema and music have always gone hand-in-hand, from the old days of silent films and their orchestral accompaniments, to the funky scores of 1970s exploitation flicks. For the legendary Milanese outfit Calibro 35, that relationship between cinema and music has provided a consistent source of inspiration. Although the group have explored countless avenues of cinematic inspiration since their formation back in 2007, their latest album, Exploration, might just be their finest record to date.

One of the first things to note about Exploration is just how indebted the record is to the work of Italian composer Piero Umiliani, who recorded countless soundtrack albums and library LPs back in the 1960s and 1970s. It should go without saying that Calibro’s cinematic jazz-funk sensibilities are owed to their adoration of Umiliani’s work, but Exploration takes those influences one step further. The album was recorded in the late composer’s studio, using the same vintage equipment that brought those countless film scores to life all those years ago.

Inevitably, therefore, the tracklisting of Exploration is consistently imbued with an endlessly stylish retro sound which harks back to the golden age of library LPs and B-movie soundtracks. At the same time, however, Calibro 35’s innovative quality shines through on this record, creating a bizarre mix of sounds which can only be described with the oxymoronic tag of vintage futurism. The band’s reinterpretation of Umiliani’s classic track ‘Discomania’ is a prime example of this fact, retaining the retro groove of the original while driving its sound forward into bold new areas – something which is achieved over and over again as the album progresses.

Other highlights on the album include the band’s expansive reimagining of the late Roy Ayers’ anthem ‘Coffy Is The Color’, from the iconic 1973 Pam Ayers film, and their take on Azymuth’s ‘Jazz Carnival’. Calling these tracks ‘covers’ doesn’t seem to do them enough justice; they are completely new, genre-defying interpretations of the originals, which add entirely new layers of appeal, drawing upon everything from bossa nova to funk to improvisational jazz. What’s more, the band’s original material, such as the album opener, ‘Reptile Strut’, forms some of the most engaging and exciting moments on the album.

Exploration culminates in a feeling that Calibro 35 are operating in a time bubble, isolated from the outside world and trapped somewhere between the stylish surroundings of the past and the otherworldly sounds of the future. It would not be an egregious claim to suggest that they are the most skilful and innovative instrumental outfits on the face of the planet right now, and this new album certainly supports that claim. — (via Far Out Magazine)

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Label: Record Kicks 
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Released: 2025
Genre: Jazz, Funk/Soul
Style: Jazz-Funk, Funk, Soul-Jazz

File under: Jazz 
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