'Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores' by Kenny Wheeler Legacy, featuring the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra and Frost Jazz Orchestra, has received critical acclaim across several publications after its release on Greenleaf Music in January. Here is a round-up of the reviews so far:
5-star review in The Times 'Best jazz albums of 2025 so far':
'These young musicians, who are incredibly good, are joined by several older ones... Wheeler’s legacy is safe.'
4-star review in The Financial Times:
Until now, these 11 compositions only existed as one-off broadcasts. Fifty years on, they remain fresh.
One Jazz's 'Album Of The Week':
'The result is a triumph and a truly worthy addition to the canon of Wheeler’s recorded music.'
Review in Jazz Views:
'The real magic of Some Days are Better comes from the energy and depth the young musicians of the Academy and Frost ensembles bring to the table. Their passion, commitment, and feel for Wheeler’s music infuses these scores with fresh life.'
5-star review in Marlbank:
'Nothing short of a remarkable... All these tracks from Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores by the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra and the University of Miami’s Frost Jazz Orchestra have a great many merits.'
Review in Papatamus Redux:
'Some Days Are Better is a showcase for the versatility and excellence of the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra, the Frost Jazz Orchestra and the soloists... Ten years after his death, the music Kenny Wheeler wrote earlier in his career is as fresh and vibrant as it was when it first aired on BBC.'
Review in Paris Move:
'For me, this album is both an essential document and a masterpiece. When you hear the passion with which each musician imbues their performance, the least one can do is place this recording among the ranks of “Indispensable Albums.”'
