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 ›
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 ›
(Whirlwind Recordings) The third recording on Whirlwind by the American trumpeter now based in London features a sextet and a batch of 10 original tunes, four of them based on poems by Rilke and one with words by Monique Canniere inspired… Read More ›
(Whirlwind Recordings) Twentieth-century classical music provides the inspiration for a few modern jazz players and composers, but whereas for saxophonist John O’Gallagher it’s all about Webern and for trumpeter Dave Douglas it’s both Webern and Ligeti, for the American trumpeter Palmer and… Read More ›
Jazz At The Spotted Dog is busy planning its second compilation album and this one is going to be called Live At The Spotted Dog. It will feature four bands and will capture the great live atmosphere that is generated… Read More ›
Review and picture by John Watson Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham UK 08-10-2015 A wealth of imaginative, engaging jazz has been produced by bands that expertly bridge the styles of free-flowing acoustic jazz and electronic styles, but Michael Janisch’s Paradigm Shift must… Read More ›
If you are in the vicinity of Paradise Forum in Birmingham today, you might be aware of a strange energy in the air. No, it’s not the earth movers closing in on the old Birmingham library, it’s the force field… Read More ›
(Whirlwind Recordings WR4664) Tenor saxophonist Alex Garnett is one of those players who straddles what for want of a better word we can call “mainstream” and also for want of a better word we can call “that modern thing”. Here he… Read More ›
CBSO Centre, Birmingham UK 05-12-2014 This was the third concert in a European tour by the New York-based pianist and four collaborators. The major part of the evening comprised a performance of Authority Melts From Me, Avey’s powerful musical interpretation… Read More ›
The pianist, composer and Thelonious Monk competition winner draws inspiration from Haiti and its troubled history as well as its drumming tradition for his latest album Authority Melts From Me. Back in New York after a string of dates in Dave Liebman’s… Read More ›
(Whirlwind Recordings WR4638) The sound and style of Lee Konitz is an acquired taste, and one that is not acquired by everyone. However, there is a lot more chance of acquiring it if you hear the man in person. And… Read More ›
(Whirlwind Recordings WR4640) When reviewing this trombonist/trumpeter/vocalist’s previous album I said it sounded like a bit of a sampler for his many talents – one minute muscular, funky instrumentalist, the next all faux-Chet cool, heart-hidden-in-sleeve singer – and concluded that… Read More ›
(Whirlwind Recordings WR4641) There are a lot of albums coming out that are full of highly creative music from exceedingly talented musicians that just seem a little too self-conscious, that try too hard in general but specifically try too hard… Read More ›
Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, Birmingham My intentions were honourable. There were three good gigs on the same night and I was going to get to all three. But my game plan was flawed – I… Read More ›
Just as the Friday jazz jam has been eased a little (Ort Cafe no longer has jazz on a Friday though Jazzlines and Birmingham Jazz continue to split the audience) we are now confronted with a three-way Tuesday tug o’… Read More ›
… you wait all year, and then… David Binney is a central player on the New York scene, having released 18 albums in the last 20 years, featuring players like Craig Taborn, Tyshawn Sorey, Ambrose Akinmusire, Mark Turner and Scott… Read More ›
It is billed as “3 days, 18 bands, 86 musicians”, which should be no surprise. Whirlwind is an apt description of the record label’s hyperactive founder, double bassist Michael Janisch, and it’s equally apt applied to the label’s current new… Read More ›
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