Album Review: Levitation Orchestra – Inexpressible Infinity
Levitation Orchestra Inexpressible Infinity (Astigmatic Records) A noteworthy feature of the recent upsurge of young London-based jazz musicians has been their re-engagement with the brief and critically rather overlooked era of experimentation that took place in the early 1970s, as jazz artists sought to modernise by incorporating all manner of contemporary influences, from rock rhythms […]
Album Review: Lakecia Benjamin – Pursuance: The Coltranes
Lakecia Benjamin Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope) The grand tradition of reinterpreting and bringing to life the music of famous composers past has indeed been done countless times in the history of recorded jazz. Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington springs to mind, Monk’s reimagining of classic big band tunes arranged for a simple trio have since […]
Album Review: Ian Shaw/Iain Ballamy/Jamie Safir – What’s New
Ian Shaw/Iain Ballamy/Jamie Safir What’s New (Silent Wish SWRCD1) A simple proposition, simply delivered – a programme of evergreen standards performed by the UK’s leading specialist in such matters, backed by his regular accompanist and, for good measure, further enriched by one of our most acclaimed tenor players. Shaw and Ballamy are very well matched: […]
Album Review: The Goods Project – My Left Hand Man
The Goods Project My Left Hand Man (Richman Music) UK listeners may not be familiar with Richie Goods’ name, and more shame them, as he’s amassed a truly remarkable CV that includes work with everyone from Milt Jackson, Russell Malone, Vincent Herring, the Manhattan Transfer and Walter Beasley to Brian McKnight, DJ Jazzy Jeff & […]
Album Review: Alabaster DePlume – To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Alabaster DePlume To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 (International Anthem IARC0030) London-by-Manchester and spoken word-by-jazz musician Alabaster DePlume visits a collection of instrumentals from various settings and situations. It’s aspirational music, in the sense of breathing in and out – arrangements are loose but by no means sloppy, and the compositions are largely unhurried […]
Jazz News (March 2020)
Emergence Festival Returns to Hastings Emergence Festival returns to St. Mary in the Castle, Hastings between Thursday 23rd and Sunday 26th April. The line up announced so far includes London collective Steam Down, Jason Yarde Trio, Edifice Dance, James Beckwith Band, Jessica Lauren and Hastings-based sextet Hexagonal. Love Supreme Line Up Announcement Added to […]
Big Band Scene (March 2020)
The Big Band@Brunswick programme for 2020 is now well under way. Last month it was the Brighton Big Band with Dave Williams occupying the slot. On the first of this month it is The Brighton Jazz Mafia, and on 5th April, look out for Big Band Sounds. If you get there by 7:30 pm, you […]
Preview: Moses Boyd at Patterns
Drummer Moses Boyd won his first MOBO award in 2015 as part of the duo Binker & Moses following their impressive debut album, Dem Ones. More awards followed in 2016 as Binker & Moses won two Jazz FM awards for Breakthrough Act and Best UK Jazz Act, and Best Newcomer at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. […]
Jazz News: Love Supreme Line Up Announcement
Love Supreme Festival have announced an additional 30 artists who will be performing at the 2020 festival which runs from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July. The festival begins on Friday 3rd July with appearances by Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Yazmin Lacey, Jazz Morley, and Danish pianist/composer/arranger Kathrine Windfeld’s Sextet. Saturday main stage artists include […]
Album Review: Terry Pack’s Trees – Into the Woods
Terry Pack’s Trees Into The Woods (New Leaf NL 001) For those of you who are unfamiliar with ‘Trees’ Big Band it is a contemporary jazz orchestra led by bassist, composer, arranger and orchestrator Terry Pack containing some of the finest jazz musicians from South East England and beyond. Back in 2017 they launched their […]