(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 ›
(Stoney Lane Records) The band line-up is refreshingly different – guitar, alto saxophone, trombone, organ and drums, and the tunes are as well. A couple – Folk Theme and Beginning Of The End – are adapted from the Devon-born, Exeter and… Read More ›
Ben Lee is from Devon, got into guitar playing Blink 182 songs, studied at Exeter College and Birmingham Conservatoire, and graduated last year. Since then he has worked with his Quintet, with Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and other bands, on a cruise ship… Read More ›
Today’s jazz musicians have to have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies in order to survive, and one with more than a few digits in more than a few steak-and-kidneys is drummer Jonathan Silk. He’s not only… 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 ›
(Stoney Lane Records) Young Pilgrims, the gang of horns and drums led by trombonist Richard Foote, has become a bit of a standard-bearer for the vibrancy of the jazz scene in the city of Birmingham. The band is made up of familiar… 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 ›
(Stoney Lane Records) Mark Pringle draws on some time spent in Paris for this album written for a 12-piece ensemble which is something of a jazz sinfonia, with a balanced four horns, four strings, and four-piece rhythm section. Pringle’s piano… Read More ›
Award-winning jazz pianist Mark Pringle is a man on the move. He has a new album A Moveable Feast coming out this month and is currently touring the UK before heading off to Germany. We had a quick email back and… Read More ›
The U.S. of A has its Big Apple that tempts artists and pleasure seekers from around the world with its crisp skin and crunchy flesh; The U. of K. has its own fruity magnet – let’s call it after that… Read More ›
The Mike Fletcher Trio – Mike on saxophones and flute, Olie Brice on double bass and Jeff Williams on drums – have been on tour round some of Europe’s finest concert halls over the past months. It’s all part of Mike’s… Read More ›
(Stoney Lane Records SLR1931) This debut release from Birmingham’s newest label, Stoney Lane Records, couldn’t put the focus on a more deserving player. It features a trio led by one of the most familiar and most dedicated jazz musicians living in… Read More ›
Around us the laptops are glowing, lattes and herbal teas are being sipped, and, in all likelihood, some pretty important cultural and media decisions are being made. The coffee shop at Fazeley Studios in Digbeth – the Fazeley Social to… Read More ›
