New Generation Jazz: Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory The Verdict, Brighton Friday 25th October, 2019 It was hard bop twenty first century style when Ugandan born trumpet star Mark Kavuma brought his highly impressive sextet to The Verdict’s monthly New Generation Jazz gig on the last Friday of October. Known as The Banger Factory,…
Carmen Souza The Verdict, Brighton Wednesday 13th November, 2019 Carmen Souza, a Portuguese vocalist of Cape Verdean heritage performed a spectacular tribute to Horace Silver (who shares a similar heritage) and performed a number of his tunes in the distinctive musical styles of Cape Verde, such as morna and funaná. This wasn’t, however, your typical Horace Silver…
Lost in the Vaults Daniel Spicer (Elusinian Press) This is a fascinating and stimulating book. It reprints the complete run of Daniel Spicer’s column with the same title, as published in Jazzwise magazine between 2006 and 2019. Listing over a hundred rare collectables and forgotten gems of 20th century jazz, it brings together a…
Calum Gourlay Quartet New Ears (Ubuntu – UBU0043) Dark hues prevail in this bass-led project, with the higher register of Helena Kay’s precise, clear-toned tenor and drummer du jour James Maddren’s restless, polyrhythmic cymbal patterns providing the upper frequencies over the rich low end of bass and trombone. Gourlay is a mainstay of the London…
Dave O’Higgins & Rob Luft O’Higgins & Luft Play Monk & Trane (Ubuntu UBU0029) Monk and Trane still bestride the music like a pair of colossi. Monk’s reputation as a composer has continued if anything to grow in the decades since his death, and a working knowledge of Criss Cross and Trinkle Tinkle are now…
Jean Toussaint All Star Sextet Live At The Jazz Cafe (Lyte Records LR049) The warmth of the respect accorded to Jean Toussaint, accurately described by Ivan Hewitt as ‘a genial presence on the UK jazz scene for over 30 years’, can be gauged by the warmth of the applause that greets his opening welcome…
BATL Quartet BATL Quartet Live Transplanted Perth-to-London tenor man Brandon Allen is a well respected fixture on the UK scene, sharing with Paul Booth the enviable position of being first-call session player for a host of big names while still preserving an unimpeachable name as an echt practitioner of modern jazz. This album will only…
Maria Chiara Argiro Hidden Seas (Cavalo Records CRMCACD01) Italian keyboardist Maria Chiara Argirò maintains a busy presence around London’s cutting edge of jazz-based musical activities, most recently with Liran Donin’s post-Avishai Cohen outfit 1000 Boats. A formidably accomplished musician, she’s emblematic of the kind of international, wide-ranging scene that’s grown up in London, with musicians…
New York All-Stars Live Encounter (Ubuntu UBU0030) A long-treasured project for Ubuntu boss Martin Hummel, the first All Stars line up featured the veteran and late lamented Harold Mabern on piano. That set was so well received that a follow up was a must, and with Mabern’s health no longer permitting his participation, so top-flight…
Women In Jazz: Yazz Ahmed + Rosie Turton Quintet + Alina Bzhezhinska Thursday 3rd October, 2019 Jazz Cafe, Camden The last ‘Women in Jazz’ night at Jazz Cafe, was a kick ass triple bill from start to finish! Three female instrumentalists getting out of their comfort zones doing cutting edge original music that elevates the music…