Here is a feature piece I wrote for The Birmingham Post – it was in their edition of 16-22 March: Composer and band-leader Sid Peacock is presenting the first of a new kind of arts festival. It’s called Surge In… Read More ›
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All change at thejazzbreakfast as the head chef migrates
Welcome to 2017 and to a farewell of sorts – not so much a goodbye as an au revoir. I’ll be keeping this site going as an occasional pop-up for personal reflections and the odd jazz review (as well as its… Read More ›
Some of the 2016 CDs that nearly got away
These are just a few of the many CDs released in 2016 that thoroughly deserved a review but didn’t get one on this site. Well, not until now, and in brief… Nils Petter Molvaer – Buoyancy (Okeh Records): The trumpeter continues… Read More ›
Kurt Elling – The Beautiful Day
(Okeh Records) This is subtitled Kurt Elling Sings Christmas, and it’s as classy a set of seasonal songs and arrangements as you would expect from one of the classiest singers in the world. Familiar songs like We Three Kings and… Read More ›
2016 Festive Fifty – 10-1
My ten favourite CDs from 2016: 10 Jakob Bro Streams (ECM) Review HERE 9 Herlin Riley New Direction (Mack Avenue) Review HERE 8 Dinosaur Together, As One (Edition) Review HERE 7 Jasper Høiby Fellow Creatures (Edition) Review HERE 6 The… Read More ›
2016 Festive Fifty – 20-11
My second favourite group of 10 CDs from 2016: 20 Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano Heritage (Qwest Records/Membran) Review HERE 19 Birmingham Jazz Orchestra Rough Boundaries (Jacky Naylor) Review HERE 18 Wolfgang Muthspiel Rising Grace (ECM) Review HERE 17 Renato… Read More ›
2016 Festive Fifty – 30-21
Here are my third favourite 10 CDs from 2016: 30 Yellowjackets Cohearence (Mack Avenue) Review HERE 29 Yelena Eckemoff Quartet Leaving Everything Behind (L&H Production) Review HERE 28 Donny McCaslin Beyond Now (Motema) Review HERE 27 Ingrid & Christine Jensen… Read More ›
2016 Festive Fifty – 40-31
My fourth favourite 10 CDs from this year: 40 Theo Croker Escape Velocity (Okeh) Review HERE 39 Phronesis Parallax (Edition) Review HERE 38 Steps Ahead & WDR Big Band Cologne Steppin’ Out (Jazzline) Review HERE 37 Andrew Cyrille Quartet The… Read More ›
2016 Festive Fifty – 50-41
Well, here we go again. A reminder that these lists are subtly different from those “best of the year” ones. These are my favourites from this year’s releases. You will have different ones. And who’s to say which – or… Read More ›
These boots were made for… listening
He digs, ya dig? And we’re not talking just jazz here. Who is Garry Corbett’s latest Stolen Moments subject? Find out HERE.
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 ›
Tom Haines & Birmingham Jazz Orchestra
Stratford Jazz Stratford Arts House 07-12-16 Tom Haines has written some strong music over the last few years and he wanted to get it all down on a recording. What better way than to get a crowdfunder campaign together, employ the… Read More ›
Christmas music to help everyone to a drink
The band is Bare Brass, and they have an EP of music with Christmas in mind and a good cause at its heart. The EP is called Brandy Snaps and the charity it supports is Water Aid. The brains behind… Read More ›
Wolfgang Muthspiel – Rising Grace
(ECM) Full marks to the guitarist for his choice of band members. He leads Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass and Brian Blade on drums. Now you would have very high expectations with such… Read More ›
Liberation Music Orchestra
Review by John L. Walters EFG London Jazz Festival Cadogan Hall, London 20-11-2016 Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra was a product of the cultural moment outlined in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s current exhibition You Say You Want a Revolution?… Read More ›
Jonathan Silk – Fragment
(Stoney Lane Records) This is the most ambitious release yet from the young Birmingham jazz scene, and quite possibly from any Birmingham-based jazz musician. Drummer Jonathan Silk has expanded his big band to 20 players and then added a 13-piece… Read More ›
Jazz Migration
Pantin, France 11-16 Last week I attended the showcase concert for the French Jazz Migration scheme at La Dynamo club in the Pantin suburb just outside Paris. The Jazz Migration scheme is a brilliant scheme run by the national organisation… Read More ›
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