What a constantly surprising, constantly evolving city we live in. Rebecca Vasmant is a DJ, musician and force of nature who has been digging deep into global jazz scenes for her various radio shows but has now turned musical director for her debut album, an instant classic of cosmic, spiritual jazz recorded right under our noses. Recorded completely in her home studio in Glasgow using the cream of a vibrant central Scotland jazz scene that to date has been scarcely recorded, it’s a true wonder that’s bubbled up unexpectedly, for us at least.With Love, From Glasgow serves as both an overview of this new, exciting scene and the formidable talents that comprise it and a majestic studio album that paints its native city as a spiritual place far richer musically than it’s known for.

From With Love, From Glasgow uses a over 20 different musicians on traditional, acoustic jazz instruments to weave a sound that would fit quite comfortably in the spiritual jazz lineage: think Phoroah Sanders and the mid-60s Impulse! catalogue married with a more spacious early 70s ECM vibe, Alice Coltrane atmospherics with some stunning virtuoso jazz singing performances from a total of 5 vocalists. One of the many stunning things about this album is the purely DIY aspect of the production, how much atmosphere and tone is generated from a living room in a Glasgow southside tenement. We’re talking, in places, of late 60s Miles spaciousness anchored with gorgeous double bass tripping out into a Mount Florida night, the swaying of trees waving through bay windows as this wonderful music is laid down.

Rebecca Vasmant as the central figure on the album acts as a centripetal force, a focal point directing the band’s energy inward and outward. It’s a beautiful magic trick she has pulled off, to so indelibly put her stamp on a body of work while still allowing the multiplicity of voices to shine through. There’s so many highlights and musical textures that the album’s unfolding feels like being constantly uncovering new treasure. Timing’s End, with it’s looping, loping double bass allows Harry Weir’s saxophone the space to search every corner of the stereo field, Paix (a name new to us) guests with a spoken word narrative on Internal Dispute under swirling synth chords and some beautiful bass playing, Morning (Mourning) uses electronic kick drums and a soulful, weaving vocal performance to alternately question and resolve the chord sequences. Really, the album sounds nothing like the Glasgow a lot of us know, which is probably one of the most exciting things about this release. It’s time to re-consider our preconceptions and dive in.

Aside from the music, her role as a curator and promoter of this nascent scene can’t be overlooked. With Love, From Glasgow is the first release on her new label Rebecca’s Records and it’s just so incredibly exciting to have this whole new rich seam of expression starting to blossom.