Verdict November Programme Brighton’s Verdict jazz club has an extensive programme of music throughout November, with three or more gigs per week, including Benn Clatworthy, Miguel Gorodi, Laura Jurd, Alison Rayner, Carmen Souza, Calum Gourlay, Loz Speyer and Mark Cherrie amongst others. Owner Andy Lavender, who books the Fridays, said “Thanks to Roxanne it’s our […]
I had the good fortune to see Terry Pack’s Trees again last month as part of the regular Big Band @ Brunswick Sunday evening programme. As before, it was a slimmed down version, with just four brass, eight reeds and woodwind, a single voice, keyboard, bass and drums. There was some new material as well […]
This June saw the sad passing of the universally respected British music executive, columnist, record producer and radio DJ Tony Hall. Hall’s achievements span across the whole spectrum of post-war popular music: anyone whose name can be positively linked to figures as diverse as Ronnie Scott and Black Sabbath deserves a special place in the […]
R***** S***** It had to happen sometime. I set foot in the hallowed jazz institution Ronnie Scott’s after years of working in Soho but being far too intimidated to set foot in it. A boozy dinner followed by a boozy couple of drinks of booze and we were ready to go in, armed with my […]
There are some places that resonate with you, sometimes for reasons you can’t explain. They just do, and always have, almost instinctively in fact, as if they seem for whatever time you’re in them to be just the right spot on earth for you to be. Travelling around the UK as a working musician over […]
Bassist Calum Gourlay is currently touring the UK ahead of the release of his debut quartet album, New Ears, on 6th December. The tour includes an appearance at The Verdict in Brighton on Saturday 16th November. His impressive band features saxophonist Helena Kay, trombonist Kieran McLeod and drummer James Maddren. Calum was always interested in […]
New Generation Jazz: Rosie Frater-Taylor The Verdict, Brighton Friday 27th September, 2019 It was ‘all change’ at the Verdict for this month’s gig in the New Generation Jazz series. Gone were the heady improvisations of the ‘Nu Jazz’ to be replaced by the wonderfully sublime vocals of the delightful Rosie Frater-Taylor. Catgorised by many as […]
Skinny Pelembe Patterns, Brighton Thursday 17th October, 2019 Skinny Pelembe has had a great year since releasing his 2018 EP Sleep More, Make More Friends which saw him team up with Hejira, Yazmin Lacey and Emma-Jean Thackray and this year he released his new album Dreaming Is Dead Now and has appeared at Love Supreme […]
Barnacles And so we begin (Cheeba Cheeba Records CCR003) Brass bands are an enduring part of the British musical tradition, and it’s fascinating to see how that tradition has morphed into the current popularity for funky updates on the wind and rhythm sound, from the consciously retro-named Hackney Colliery Brass Band on outwards. Barnacles bring […]
PYJÆN PYJÆN (Bandcamp self-release) For the past few years now jazz has undergone a change of face and sound. In 2015 Amercian saxophonist composer Kamasi Washington wowed audiences worldwide with his debut release The Epic, which gave its listeners a new approach to what we class as ‘jazz’ music. Since then the face of jazz […]