In one sense Soweto Kinch has moved perfectly logically from his last project, The Legend Of Mike Smith, to his current one, Nonagram. It’s a natural seven (as in the deadly sins which Smith was working his way through) to… Read More ›
CBSO Centre
Jonathan Silk’s Fragment
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 09-12-16 This event was even more special than I had expected. Such are the difficulties when recording a big band and a string section – getting everyone in the same studio, getting everyone there on the same day… Read More ›
Andrew Bain’s Embodied Hope Quartet
Review and pictures by John Watson CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 12-11-16 “Jazz can save the world – right?” Drummer Andrew Bain posed the question to the audience at his Jazzlines concert. Some of us were nodding hopefully, and he added: “Or maybe… Read More ›
My top five Midland gigs – November 2016
If you are going to try a few gigs in the English Midlands this month, these are the ones I’d choose from first: Saturday 12 Andrew Bain Embodied Hope Quartet Jazzlines, CBSO Centre, Birmingham 8pm, £12.50 The drummer’s Transatlantic all-star band playing Bain’s… Read More ›
Hope embodied in the sound of drums
Andrew Bain, drummer, band leader and senior lecturer at Birmingham Conservatoire, is back on the road. This is the second of year of Andrew’s PhD – have you noticed that academic study is now not just a worthy undertaking in… Read More ›
Enemy
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 15-10-2016 Review and photographs by John Watson When you see the names Kit Downes, Petter Eldh and James Maddren in the publicity for a new trio, you just know this will be a band that cannot fail…. Read More ›
Tord Gustavsen: Hymns and Visions
with Simin Tander and Jarle Vespestad CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 11-03-16 The German-Afghan Simin Tander is the singer Tord Gustavsen has been waiting for all his life. The Norwegian pianist has worked with vocalists before, but none has developed the mix of… Read More ›
That exciting moment when a ‘bunch of wrong notes sound wonderful’
There’s a humdinger of a concert on Saturday at the CBSO Centre. Hans Koller, pianist, composer, arranger, band leader (for Michael Gibbs no less!) and educator, is bringing his ambitious Twelve Re-inventions for George Russell to the stage for its… Read More ›
Malija
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 29-01-2016 The first Jazzlines gig of 2016 augurs well for a strong year: three exceptionally fine musicians familiar to British jazz fans but in a fresh context. Malija is Mark Lockheart (tenor and soprano saxophones), Liam… Read More ›
Tord Gustavsen with Simin Tander and Jarle Vespestad – What Was Said
(ECM) Listening to Tord Gustavsen’s music is like listening to silence. Or rather, one is always acutely aware of the silence, partly because his slow, quiet, highly focused approach ensures there is always a generous helping of it surrounding the notes… Read More ›
Jean Toussaint’s Roots And Herbs
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 11-12-2015 Subtitled The Art Blakey Project, this band is led by a saxophonist who has every right to mine the Jazz Messengers’ legacy because he was a Messenger himself. And just as Art used his band… Read More ›
Jazz – old enough to look back as well as to the future
There are two excellent examples of modern jazz players taking a look over their shoulders in the West Midlands coming up. They both focus on classic jazz albums and are both on Friday night so you’ll have to choose, but… Read More ›
MSJO Residency Quintet
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 20-11-2015 The five members of the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra could have chosen to treat this as a kind of after-show jam, content to take the stand with no prior plans, loosen their ties and unwind in… Read More ›
Music that costs a million but that people want for free
“…self-producing records means that I take on tremendous financial burdens… I’ve worked extremely hard on these recordings for the past 12 years… So it’s fair to say that this is about a million dollars we’re looking at. Now why in the… Read More ›
Andrew Bain’s Player Piano
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 18-10-2015 I’ve heard drummer Andrew Bain many times in other people’s bands but never as a leader. And what a band to lead! On piano was Gwilym Simcock, on bass Steve Watts, on tenor and soprano… Read More ›
Yazz Ahmed – Alhaan Al Siduri
Review by Brian Homer Jazzlines Fellows Concert CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 03-10-2015 This concert presented the music trumpeter Yazz Ahmed composed as part of her time as a Jazzlines Fellow in 2015. Yazz is one of three Fellows this year… Read More ›
Maria Schneider’s band goes small for extra Birmingham date
In addition to the much-anticipated performance by the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra in Symphony Hall in Birmingham on Thursday 19 November, there is now the added bonus of a small combo gig by some of Maria’s musicians the following day… Read More ›
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