Words…Jennifer Left
I have worked at The Hand in Hand on and off for over the last ten years. I first came here when my friend said that he knew of a little place that sold Cherry Beer, and being fresh of the train from Newcastle, I hadn’t really heard of Cherry Beer before…but by god it […]
Big Band Scene (Oct. 2018)
Summer is officially over, with the final concert in the series of Thursday evening Big Band Sounds events on Eastbourne bandstand. The fine weather ensured good attendances, with audiences averaging well over 200. Hopefully these will continue in 2019. Autumn brings plenty of indoor big band gigs to look forward to. Among these are the […]
Jazz News (Oct. 2018)
Charlie Anderson rounds up the latest jazz news. Claire Martin OBE and Pete Long have started a new jazz podcast, entitled Croydon Omelette, which aims to be both informative and fun. Last year they presented the Christmas show on Jazz FM, and previously Claire was a regular host on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line […]
Preview: Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival
SJM editor Charlie Anderson preview the Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival, 2018. Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival returns this year with a programme of varied music that embraces free jazz, minimalism and contemporary jazz at four different venues across Brighton. The festival begins on 4th October at The Verdict with a performance by British saxophonist Trevor Watts, […]
Live Review: Pete Hill Quintet at The Verdict
Pete Hill Quintet The Verdict, Brighton Friday 31st August, 2018 Drummer Pete Hill made a name for himself on the Brighton scene as an experienced, contemporary drummer and since moving to London he’s continued to develop both his playing and the variety of bands he performs with. Performing as part of the excellent New […]
Live Review: Peter Ind at 90 at The Verdict
Peter Ind at 90 The Verdict, Brighton Friday 14th September, 2018 “When I was younger, if I said ‘fuck’ it would be the end of the world. It no longer is, and I love saying it. Fuck!” -Peter Ind Peter Ind’s career began in 1949 when he travelled to America as a […]
Album Review: Camilla George – The People Could Fly
Camilla George The People Could Fly (Ubuntu UBU0015) Saxophonist Camilla George, who released her acclaimed debut album Isang early last year, often surrounds herself with musicians of a similar high calibre; pianist Sarah Tandy and bassist Daniel Casimir are regulars in her quartet. Likewise, for her new album the opening track, Tappin the Land […]
Album Review: Joel Lyssarides – Dreamer
Joel Lyssarides Dreamer (Naxos PCD178) Peering out from the corner of the rich musical tapestry of Scandinavia, we encounter Swedish-born pianist and composer Joel Lyssarides and the release of his debut album The Dreamer, an interesting work with unique influences making themselves present on this album. While we do get an occasional glimpse […]
Hilary Burt’s Blue Calluna at The Brunswick
Hilary Burt's Blue Calluna The Brunswick, Hove 9th September, 2018 Occasionally you see something new, not Turner Prize new for the sake of new, but in-the-tradition new. Rhythms and harmonies you know and love; movingly, excitingly new. People seemed to know something was coming. The Sunday night jazz slot at The Brunswick on September […]
Gary Crosby Interview
In 1951, Jamaican-born music lover Lee Gopthal, part of the Windrush generation, arrived in England and, frustrated by the lack of Jamaican music in Britain, opened up a chain of record stores. In 1968 he joined forces with Chris Blackwell (of Island Records) and set up Trojan Records as a way of distributing Jamaican music […]