It’s another busy jazz week in the smaller or sometimes novel venues with lots of very exciting homegrown music plus some visitors from elsewhere in the land. Plus there’s a supergroup or two in the Wednesday triple-stretch grand finale. First… Read More ›
(Edition Records EDN1048) It comes from further west, from Cardiff to be precise, but this jazz-soul album has a distinctly Bristol feel to it. Partly this comes from the fact that it is produced by Andy Allan, who has also… Read More ›
mac, Birmingham UK 31-05-2013 Back in the 1950s and the couple of decades following, the US government send their jazz musicians round the world to spread the cultural message about America’s own “classical music”. It struck me, listening to Nikki… Read More ›
When it comes to unsung heroes – or maybe insufficiently sung heroes – jazz, being itself rather an unsung art form, is likely to have a good few. One of this illustrious group’s UK contingent is undoubtedly the pianist Nikki… Read More ›
Ellington In Anticipation (Subtone ST802) One minute and 32 seconds that is worth the price of the CD – that’s not bad going, and that’s before I’ve even heard what awaits me in the other 56 and a half minutes…. Read More ›
The word supergroup is one that’s been bandied around, especially in the rock world, since my youth. If I recall it right, it was first applied to the band Blind Faith, which included Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. Jazz, of… Read More ›
Mirrors (Edition Records EDN1038) Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler provides musical settings of poetry by Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll and WB Yeats, singer Norma Winstone is the featured vocalist and the 24-strong London Vocal Project is the choir, directed by Pete Churchill…. Read More ›
Fortunate is the jazz musician who happens to be born or live in the English East Midland city of Derby.That’s because Derby Jazz is there to care for your well-being and give you the opportunity to realise some of your… Read More ›
After starting out as a disciple of John Coltrane’s modern jazz, Courtney Pine then began exploring his Caribbean heritage, bringing the feel and rhythms of reggae and dub into his music. Now he has turned to the continent of his… Read More ›
Dancing On Frith Street (Lost Marble LM005) First, let me tell you what a pleasure it was to write that headline. To have a new Loose Tubes album to listen to is something I might have hoped for but didn’t… Read More ›
Parliamentary Jazz Awards have this evening gone to: Jazz musician: Mark Lockheart Jazz CD: The Gareth Lockrane Septet No Messin’ Jazz Ensemble: Nigel Price Organ Trio Jazz Venue: Jazz Bar (Edinburgh) Jazz Journalist: Mike Flynn Jazz Broadcaster: Alyn Shipton Jazz… Read More ›
Best wishes to all the nominees for the 2010 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, winners to be announced on the House of Commons Terrace this evening. A reminder of those who are up for gongs: Jazz Musician – Gwilym Simcock, Mark Lockheart, Sebastian Rochford… Read More ›
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 23-04-10 If Dave Stapleton were just a fine jazz pianist, an adventurous composer and a strong bandleader, he would be contributing quite enough to British jazz. But he is much more than that. Together with a… Read More ›
Polar Bear: Peepers (LEAF LC12877) I can still remember so clearly the first time I heard Seb Rochford’s Polar Bear in the Pillar Room at Cheltenham Town Hall during the 2004 Cheltenham Jazz Festival. I’m not sure how long the… Read More ›
If there was an award for staying power, adaptability and unwavering creativity in British jazz – let’s call it the Evergreen Award – a serious contender would have to be saxophonist Mark Lockheart. Back in the 1980s he was a… Read More ›
Talk to the big label bosses in the recording business and you get a lot of hand-wringing and tales of woe. No one buys CDs anymore, everyone’s stealing them from those wicked internet pirate sites, the days of recorded music… Read More ›
Can someone please explain to me why there are no Loose Tubes albums in print and available on CD. I do not count the used copies of Open Letter that are offered for over £60 via Amazon. I think it’s… Read More ›
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