The hugely-talented and enterprising saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes created a festival without musical boundaries called Emulsion, and she is bringing it to Birmingham in January. She already has substantial backing for the project to go ahead but she wants… Read More ›
(Stoney Lane Records/Impossible Ark Records vinyl) There are three LPs of music in this beautifully produced limited edition package, and all the music is available to download as well, though it would be a pity to miss out on the… Read More ›
Birmingham Jazz Orchestra is playing this evening at the Actress & Bishop in Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, and among their ranks will be two older men, alto saxophonist John O’Gallagher and trombonist Hans Koller. They will be playing arrangements by Koller. The band, which… Read More ›
The Jazzlines commission from pianist and composer Hans Koller, Twelve Re-inventions for George Russell, which had its world premiere at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham on Saturday as part of the Frontiers Festival, was a really successful coming together of… Read More ›
BBC Radio 3 has officially announced its presenters and opening line-up for the programme that replaces Jazz On 3 from the beginning of next month, and it’s a racey affair. They’ll be celebrity presenters on the studio couch, product reviews, masterclasses… Read More ›
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 ›
The Bavarian pianist and composer Hans Koller has been living in the UK for over half his life and has become a vital and much-respected figure both on the stage and in the classroom. He divides his time between London… Read More ›
Various venues 17/18-03-2015 A very full couple of days’ listening began on Tuesday at The Jam House for the monthly Jazzlines gig in that venue. Tom Hill and Ian Palmer were leading a new band that also featured alto saxophonist Chris Bowden and guitarist Lee Jones. Both Tom and Ian combine… Read More ›
There’s something extra special happening down in Digbeth this evening. That “extra” is crucial because, such is the excellence of the programming at Jazz @ The Spotted Dog and at Fizzle‘s Lamp Tavern sessions that “special” has been turned into… Read More ›
Today at 4.30pm in the Symphony Hall cafe bar a Thelonious Monk tune will be played. Sometime late on Thursday evening another Monk tune will be played. In between them, all the other tunes Monk wrote – about 70 in… Read More ›
“With Monk you have to start all over again, almost every day, re-learning to place, re-place, and shift and re-shift each note like a physical object in space and time. That’s why trying to learn his tunes can feel like… Read More ›
It’s hard to believe, but one of British jazz’s most innovative and distinctive bands is ten years old. Polar Bear, led by drummer Sebastian Rochford, has toured extensively over this decade and released its fifth recording at the beginning of… Read More ›
Richard Foote is on trombone, Adam Jackson on alto, Rob Anstey on bass and John Lowrie on drums, but with all the young Birmingham Conservatoire grads is current Conservatoire tutor Hans Koller on piano. Koller is a fabulous player, always… Read More ›
Play Gil Evans (Whirlwind Recordings WR4639) This project and this recording says so much about the modus operandi currently operating to such fine effect in this country’s jazz community. In January last year Jazzlines, in its previous incarnation as Birmingham… Read More ›
The week starts and ends with outstanding German pianists, and in between them are a couple of English pianists, an Italian saxophonist, a Scottish trombonist and an American bass player. First up is pianist Hans Koller with his international band… Read More ›
In these dreary days at the arse end of January, here are some reasons not just to be cheerful but to be downright ecstatic. The first big names have been revealed for this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival (1-6 May), and… Read More ›
Guest writer Tony Dudley-Evans, jazz producer for Birmingham-based Jazzlines, which presents jazz gigs in the area, chooses his most memorable gigs of the last 12 months. These are ten gigs that I either helped with the promotion or just attended…. Read More ›
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