Sommaire pour November 2023 de Jazzwise

Capital’s clubs and freestages complete EFG London Jazz Festival programme As the 2023 edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival prepares to take over the capital’s venues, clubs and free stages from 10 to 19 November, some late additions to the programme have been confirmed. Chief among the headline shows is saxophonist Nubya Garcia and vocalist ESKA’s appearance as part of the sprawling all-star London Brew band for its debut live performance of their eponymous Bitches Brew-inspired album (Barbican, 18 Nov). The Barbican also packs in some exciting FreeStage performances, including names from Australian jazz scene selected by the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. These include virtuoso pianist Zela Margossian and herTrio, plus this month’s Taking Off piano-powered three-piece, Brekky Boy (all appearing on Saturday 11 November from 12noon on the…

After what has been a bit of a topsy-turvy summer of heatwaves and torrential rain, the autumn leaves are starting to fall and that means that the EFG London Jazz Festival is once again drawing near. And just as perennial as those autumnal hues is the scope of the festival programme, which once again has breadth and depth as well as a vast number of events – which go some way to representing the diversity of jazz today. While there is something for everyone, it’s also a chance to celebrate the music of those who’ve gone from rising prospect to established maestro – such as our cover star, Hiromi – whose new Sonicwonderland album is as joyous as it is impressive. Saxophonist Joshua Redman also returns but with a new…

Leading UK guitarist Nigel Price returns with his new trio album That’s It. Right There, which he self-releases on 20 October 2023, and, following his Wes Reimagined ‘with strings’ set of 2021, goes back to his core trio of Hammond organist Ross Stanley and drummer Joel Barford. Stretching out on tunes dedicated to much-missed jazz greats such as Shirley Scott (‘Hey Shirley’), Pat Martino (‘Kid Gloves’) and Stanley Turrentine (‘Sweet’, a contrafact on ‘Sugar’) among others, the trio celebrate jazz’s heritage while forging its own path. Recorded over two days at MasterLink studio in Surrey, seven of the nine tracks went down on day one, and the session only stopped because Stanley had a gig to go to. Explaining the album title, Price says: “It comes from a comment Joel…

1 A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (1965) “A masterpiece… it’s difficult to choose a record by John Coltrane – for whose work and unique sound I have absolute admiration – it’s so deep and intense and full of great sincerity. The Coltrane Quartet is completely united on this date, it sounds as if there was only one voice. I particularly like the fact that the album is a suite in four movements, like one finds in classical music forms. It has inspired me in my way of approaching some of my own compositions.” 2 Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) by Igor Stravinsky (first performed 1913) “My favourite composer, there is everything I love in this piece: the orchestral colour, the sensitive harmony, the orchestration, the melodies, the rhythm……

In the spirit of Django Reinhardt, the Belgian de Cauter dynasty are devoted to playing gypsy jazz, alongside traditional New Orleans numbers, and atmospheric folk stylings. Koen de Cauter is a guitarist, singer and saxophonist, who began his musical quest in the 1970s. One of his sons is Waso de Cauter, a guitarist who also happens to run two of Gent’s finest jazz venues. The Hot Club Of Gent has been open for nigh-on two decades, while Bar Lume has been presenting gigs during the last four years. Various permutations of the de Cauter clan are, of course, to be found playing regularly at both of these jumping joints. Hot Club Gent lies down a long and narrow alleyway, in the shadow of Gravensteen castle, with a covered bar outside…

Doncaster Jazz Alumni will release their new album, 50 Years (via Ubuntu Music on 24 November), to celebrate the golden anniversary of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra. Recorded at the prestigious British Grove Studios in London last year, the Doncaster Jazz Alumni (DJA) mark the occasion and showcase the enduring legacy of its founder, John Ellis MBE, as well as their own individual and collective achievements. Recorded with the intention to try and help support students at the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DYJA), the album is helmed by musical director Reuben Fowler and features Stuart Wilson, Tom Tait, Gareth Smith, Mike King, Lee Hallam, Dan Jones, Rory Ingham, and Jacob Cooper among others. The DJA aim to donate 'a substantial portion' of the proceeds from the sales of this album…

What links an American musician who once played trombone in blackface, with progressive figures such as Fela Kuti and Dizzy Gillespie? Or a teenage trumpeter who accompanied dancer Ken 'Snake Hips' Johnson, with a Pakistani president, Lord Kitchener, and Quincy Jones? Regular readers of this magazine will know how I like to link people and places across time and space. It helps underline the idea that this music we now know as jazz is not something that 'just happened'. To believe otherwise means relegating black music to the realm of ephemeral entertainment, rather than seeing it as a vehicle for carrying a people’s history. But we cannot assume that everyone is aware of that story. Indeed, it dismays me increasingly to notice how fragile this knowledge has become. Despite all…

The Good Life HighNote HCD7352 (CD) EDITOR’S CHOICE George Freeman (g), Joey DeFrancesco (org), Christian McBride (b), Lewis Nash and Carl Allen (d). Rec. 22 May 2022; 23 June 2022 The youngest and last survivor of the famed Chicago-based Freeman brothers, guitarist George worked with the family at first and recorded, live, with Charlie Parker in the early 1950s. He has subsequently made much of his living playing in touring organ combos so the June session here catches him in a favourite setting with just organ and drums, the now-sadly-departed DeFrancesco comping and soloing with characteristic panache. They give ‘If I Had You’ the most limpid of examinations, Freeman more spare than of yore, this hardly surprising as he was then in his 96th year, producer Michael Cuscuna noting, ‘Although…

At Earth School Astral Sprits AS232 (CD, DL, cassette) Nicole Mitchell (f, v) and Alexander Hawkins (p, bells). Rec. 2 October 2022 Cafe OTO in east London has been the scene of countless memorable live sets over the years and this compelling duo formed by American flautist Nicole Mitchell (pictured right) and British pianist Alexander Hawkins is certainly a worthy addition to the lineage. Both established leaders in their own right who, between them, have also played with the likes of Art Ensemble Of Chicago and Anthony Braxton to name but a few, Mitchell and Hawkins – also a member of Mitchell’s trio alongside cellist Tomeka Reid – are nominally avant-garde players but their understanding of a wide range of jazz history and ability to work on the cusp of…

Atlanticus Upstream Union Records The second album from this UK/US organ-sax-trumpet-drums quartet sees the group settling into a hard-swinging funk groove, dominated by Terry Seabrook’s organ, with all tunes written by him and tenor saxman Peter Fraize. Enjoyable. (KW) Roman Bulakhov Surfing Self-release Ukrainian guitar star Bulakhov busts out a wide range of boundary-pushing chops on this set of funky beat-infused fusion originals. Joined by a strong guest cast it’s his dazzling fretwork that’s the centrepiece here, switching between jazzy-tones, prog-metal and contemporary electronica. (MF) Buselli/Wallarab Jazz Orchestra The Gennett Suite Patois On this lavishly-packed double CD, composer-arranger Bent Wallarab attempts to tell the story of one of the music’s earliest labels, the Indiana-based Gennett Records, home to early recordings by Satch, Bix, Hoagy and Jelly Roll; as both…

Four Classic Albums Avid Jazz AMSC1438 (2 CD) Art Farmer (t), Gigi Gryce (as), Hank Mobley (ts), Freddie Redd, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Kenny Drew, Tommy Flanagan (p), Barry Galbraith, Tommy Kay (g), Addison Farmer, Percy Heath, Tommy Williams (b), Art Taylor, Kenny Clarke, Osie Johnson, Sol Gubin, Elvin Jones, Albert ‘Tootie’ Heath (d) and Quincy Jones (arr, MD). Rec. 19 May 1954, 26 May 1955, 23 Nov 1956, 28 March 1957, 24 & 29 April 1957, 21-23 Sept 1960. This may be the first time Farmer has been given Avid’s Four Classics treatment and if so, it’s overdue. That said, Avid’s choices stand the test of time, running to When Farmer Met Gryce (Prestige, 1954-55), Farmer’s Market (New Jazz, 1956), Last Night We Were Young, with the Quincy Jones…

The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook the World is an exclusive 100-page definitive guide to the most important and influential jazz albums that have gone on to change and shape the course of the music from the 1920s to the present day. Edited and conceived by Jazzwise’s editor-in-chief Jon Newey, this premium quality, print-only bookazine is the first time a fully annotated top 100 jazz album countdown from 100 to No.1 has been published in book form. It features newly commissioned editorial on each album from Jazzwise’s acclaimed team of writers plus in-depth features on the making of the top three albums, a look at the albums that almost made the cut and a guide to buying the featured titles, whether it’s a wallet breaking first vinyl pressing or a…

BBC RADIO 2 88-91 FM and DAB Jamie Cullum show (Tues, 9pm) BBC RADIO 3 90-93 FM and DAB J to Z (Sat 5pm) Concert highlights from French jazz saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-bart, plus Canadian composer Darcy James Argue shares his inspirations (28 Oct) The best in jazz - past, present and future (4 Nov) J to Z Late: live from the London Jazz Festival, with sets from some of the most exciting acts on this year’s bill (live on air 11pm to 1am - 10 Nov) The best in jazz - past, present and future (11 Nov) London Jazz Festival Highlights (18 Nov) The best in jazz - past, present and future (25 Nov) Jazz Record Requests (Sun, 4pm) Freeness with Corey Mwamba (Sat, Midnight) BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC DAB…

Get to know Zbigniew… The [Polish Jazz] article in the September issue of Jazzwise brought to mind the Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet’s landmark gig at Newcastle’s New Orleans Club in the early 1960s. This concert came about via an exchange deal with the Polish Jazz Federation, which was no doubt brokered by the club’s Polish owner. In return, Newcastle supplied the Phoenix Jazzmen. That evening is still talked up by those North-East English fans of a certain age. In Newcastle’s jazz folklore, it will forever be carved in stone. Namyslowski’s group recorded an album for Decca, Lola, which was as good as anything going around at the time. This was hard-bop as seen in Europe. If you can’t find the album, it is on YouTube but, just as you don’t want…

The December/January double issue of Jazzwise will be a special one, focussing on one of jazz’s most important and iconic figures, Duke Ellington, ahead of what will be the centenary of the formation of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra (originally known as the Washingtonians). With contributions from Jazzwise’s expert writers and some leading musicians, as well as a 'lost' interview, this is shaping up to be an eye-and-ear opening special issue. Also inside will be the eagerly-anticipated results of our Albums of the Year Critics Poll and the issue comes with our popular free wall calendar for 2024. Visit www.jazzwise.com/subscribe now to order your copy or call 01722 716997…

NAME: MADELEINE INSTRUMENT: Keys/synths and vocals EXPERIENCE AND INFLUENCES: MADELEINE is an emerging player in the nu-jazz and UK soul scene. Having grown up in a musical family, she was exposed to a wide range of fusion genres during her childhood. This led her to experiment with vocals and piano, which later developed into synthesis during university. Having recently released her latest EP, Sun Daughter, she has also played keys for critically-acclaimed artists such as Arlo Parks, Poppy Ajudha, and Kwaku Asante. THIS FUTURE MOVER SAYS: “After touring over the last few years, I’ve really found that the freedom to improvise is so important to me in discovering my sound. Exposing yourself as a musician to work with different line-ups, in different spaces, can be so beautiful because it’s always…

Rising star US bassist and composer Logan Kane is set to release his new album Floor Plans via LA imprint Ghost Note Records on 20 October. Earning his stripes with such high profile figures as Chris Potter, Becca Stevens, Nate Wood, Justin Brown, Edward Simon, Peter Erskine, Joel Ross, and Steve Lehman among others, Kane has also studied with Ambrose Akinmusire and lauded composer Vince Mendoza. The 26-year-old now leads his own band of David Binney on alto sax, Mark Turner on tenor sax, John Escreet and Paul Cornish on keys/piano, Jon Hatamiya on trombone and Benjamin Ring on drums, all of whom are showcased on Kane’s hard-driving, progressive style of jazz, which features shifting time signatures, heavy riffs and high-octane solos. Ghost Note Records' label boss Steve Markarain comments:…

Earlier in his career, Joshua Redman had described his creative process as, “preserving my roots while extending my branches”. Fast forward to 2023, and little has changed. Redman might be into the autumnal period of his jazz life, but the recent album release where are we is something of a new departure for the 54-year-old saxophonist-composer. It’s his first-ever recording as leader that features a vocalist. Redman has arguably spent more time in recent years preserving yet also reinvigorating his roots, rather than extending his branches: both his 1990s-formed acoustic quartets have recorded again, including the high profile reunion of Moodswing alongside Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade, and an exhilarating tribute project Still Dreaming honouring the Ornette-inspired legacy of his distinguished father Dewey. On where are we Redman…

“I’d have chosen two records! But if it has to be just one, it’s Broadway – Blues – Ballads, Nina Simone, which I adore. [The other was Lady In Satin, Billie Holiday]. I went to a local vinyl shop in Virginia when I was about 10 years old with a friend of mine; and going through the crates, the cover stood out because it’s bright yellow. (I actually used the same yellow on my album Grace, because it’s so powerful.) So I got the record – I think it probably cost about 12 dollars, not too expensive – and when I got home and started listening to it, I really liked it immediately. It has a lot of musical theatre in there, and I went to school for musical theatre;…

Solo Rattle Records (CD, DL) EDITOR’S CHOICE Tania Giannouli (p). Rec. 2023 "Alone onstage, one is compelled to be truthful, not to hold anything back or fake anything, to allow yourself to be vulnerable," writes Greek pianist Tania Giannouli in the liner notes to this, her fifth album on New Zealand’s Rattle Records. The acclaimed instrumentalist and composer has spent several years training for this quite astounding piece of musical soul-baring, peeling off from her trio work with double bassist Daniele Roccato and percussionist Michele Rabbia, and her duo projects with pianist Nik Bärtsch and trumpeter Arve Henriksen, for a series of solo concerts in Europe. The confidence duly garnered is palpable throughout all 24 tracks, their clever sequencing heightening the feel of a cinematic narrative, of stories within a…

John Scofield Uncle John’s Band ECM 27962/97 (2 CD, DL) EDITOR’S CHOICE John Scofield (g), Vincente Archer (b) and Bill Stewart (d). Rec. August 2022 This double CD set is the ECM debut of the latest version of John Scofield’s trio, with Vincente Archer in Steve Swallow’s stead. It’s his most absorbing and compelling album for a long while, simply because it captures the freewheeling let’s-see-where-the-music-takes-us ethos that characterises Scofield’s playing in live performance, set loose in a variety of compositional moods that all have groove as their bottom line. Part of the reason is the galvanising effect Archer brings to the group; gone is the watchmaker’s precision and craftsman’s logicofSwallow’slines, andinits place the everyone-sit-up-and-take-notice energy of Archer’s playing as he tramples over any comfort zones that may have been…

Landmark Recording Excellent Good Average Disappointing Louis Armstrong Louis & The Good Book 20th Century Masterworks 350247 (LP) Louis Armstrong (t, v), Trummy Young (tb), Billy Kyle (p), Dave McRae, Edmond Hall, Hank D’Amico (cl), Nick Tragg (org), George Barnes, Everett Barksdale (g), Mort Herbert (b), Barrett Deems (d), Sy Oliver (cond) plus choir. Rec. 4, 6 and 7 February 1958 Here’s an oddity in a discography peppered with all manner of strange twists and turns: the defiantly secular Satchmo tackles a dozen gospel songs and spirituals with the help of his All-Stars and a gospel choir led by Sy Oliver; the comic interludes make it even more of a head-scratcher. But it works, thanks to Satch’s charisma, enthusiasm and the sheer force of his musical personality. His voice –…

Trios Lightyear 0069450704 (CD, 2 LP) Buddy Rich (d), Barry Kiener (p), John Burr and Tom Warrington (b). Rec. 1976-77 There’s quite a story here. Alan Gauvin, the Rich big band’s lead alto throughout the 1970s, often taped their live dates and has already produced albums based on his recordings. He explains that Rich would often give the band a break and play a trio interlude at their concerts. It’s a selection of these, taped at various venues that Gauvin has now had tidied up and collected this time. He makes the point that Rich only plays brushes with the trio, this a far cry from his usual full-on, bombastic style with sticks when powering the big band, and has ensured that he can be clearly heard. Even more to…

Latin Percussion recently released these two Tito Puente Signature Limited Edition Centennial sets. The 14” and 15” x 6-½” timbales are based on LP’s Tito Puente Steel Timbales and have a retro feel with rolled out bottoms and a special Green Badge reminiscent of LP’s original timbales. Coming in a run of 200, each stainless steel shell is numbered and carries Tito Puente’s laser engraved signature. The set includes a heavy-duty stand, cowbell bracket, timbale sticks and a tuning wrench. LP have also released the Tito Puente Signature Cowbell set. The set contains the two preferred cowbell models played by Puente throughout his career. The 7-½” model has strong middle overtones and was Puente’s signature bell and sound. To run alongside this, LP have produced the 5” chrome-plated Deluxe Black…

While there was some positive coverage on the recent 60th anniversary of the Martin Luther King-led March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the media seem to have kept quiet about an event less than three weeks later – the KKK bombing of Montgomery, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church, a King organisation stronghold, which left four young girls dead and many more injured. John Coltrane, while undoubtedly suffering the daily hurts and indignities of being black in the USA, was in a highly successful stage of his career. His quartet with Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner and, more recently, Jimmy Garrison, had been established for three years, and an unusually beneficial contract with Impulse! enabled a series of influential albums. Connoisseurs praised Africa/Brass, Chasin’ The Trane, Impressions and one simply called…

• RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED FOR NEW NORTHERN PROMOTER SUPPORT SCHEME Jazz North has awarded bursaries to 10 promoters across the North of England to develop emerging talent as part of their programmes that include Hulljazz, ParrJazz, Footprints Jazz Club, Live @Union Lane, Jazz Club at the Grayston Unity, Melodic Distraction, JazzLeeds, Discontinued, No Such Thing Records and The Wombat Jazz Club. Jazz North CEO, Chris Bye, commented: “The 10 promoters that make up the New Northern roster show just how thriving the northern jazz scene is. Every name on this list has demonstrated an absolute commitment to both their locality and the next generation of artists that represents the future of northern jazz.” Jazz North will share gig dates and spotlight features on each promoter over the coming months. For more…

Eddie Gripper lives in Cardiff, and plans to stay there. He has an intriguing theory: that it’s possible to make a living as a jazz musician without spending much time in London. This is because Wales and the West and Southwest of England, an area roughly encompassing Cardiff, Bristol, Oxford and Exeter, can be treated as “a London in itself. It might take you an hour and a half or two hours to drive between locations, but it might also take you that time to drive across London.” And if you’ve ever travelled by car from South West London to play a Friday night gig in Greenwich, you’ll know exactly what he means. Gripper will be doing a fair bit of driving in the first part of 2024, since he…

Landmark Recording Excellent Good Average Disappointing Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang Last Two Inches of Sky Punkt Editions/Jazzland 377 9551 (CD, LP, DL) Eivind Aarset (g, elec, el b), Jan Bang (elec, sampling), Nona Hendryx (v), Tim Elsenburg (v, ky, p), Erik Honoré (elec), Gianluca Petronella (tb), Audun Erlien (el b), Adam Rudolph (perc) and Anders Engen (d). Rec. date not stated When it’s good, listening to jazz electronica can be like one of those high-end tasting menus offering a cavalcade of original tasting morsels. Intelligent and creative sound design might serve up a compellingly resonant plonk, a hollowed-out whoosh, a grumbling murmur… sounds to be savoured for their freshness and judgement. Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang are, without doubt, master chefs in this respect and this latest album offers…

For Mahalia With Love Tao Forms TAO13 (2 CD, 2 LP, DL) EDITOR’S CHOICE James Brandon Lewis (ts), Kirk Knuffke (ct), William Parker (b), Chad Taylor (d) and Chris Hoffman (clo). Rec. 2022 If his auspicious 2014 debut Divine Travels brought to light the gospel roots of saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, then this ecstatic work signals a logical growth. Playing a repertoire associated with Mahalia Jackson, arguably the greatest exponent of the Negro spiritual tradition, Lewis captures the intensely emotive character of timeless standards such as ‘Let My People Go’, but most importantly, has found a personal route into this very specific vocabulary. On one hand his unerring commitment to melodic richness is a defining feature of the session, as he and trumpeter Kirk Knuffke conspire to sing and hark…

Veronica Swift Mack Avenue MAC1202 (CD, LP, DL) Veronica Swift (v), Adam Klipple (ky), Randy Waldman (p), Philip Norris (el b), Alex Claffy (b), Chris Whiteman, Samson Schmitt (g), Brian Viglione (d), James Sarno (t), Troy Roberts (ts), David Leon (bs), Benny Benack III (t), Ludovic Bier (acc), Antoine Silverman (v, vla), Pierre Blanchard (v), Carolynne Framil (bv), Antonio Licusati (b), Felix Maldonado (elec b), David Mann (reeds), Javier Nero (tb), Austin Patterson (v) and Luisito Quintero (perc). Rec. 21-22 November 2022, 20 January 2023 Veronica Swift’s professional destiny was never in much doubt: daughter of jazz singer Stephanie Nakasian, who toured with Jon Hendricks, and top-drawer bebop pianist Hod O’Brien, she was honing her vocal chops long before she recorded her debut album aged just nine. Since then her…

Complete Oblivion Soul Bank SBM025 (6 CD, 6 LP) Brian Auger (org, p, ky, syn, v), Jim Mullen, Jack Mills (g, v), Barry Dean (el b, v), Clive Chaman (d), (fl), Robbie McIntosh, Steve Ferrone, Dave Dowle (d), Godfrey MacLean (d), (perc), Lennox Laington, Mirza al Sharif (perc), Alex Ligertwood (v), (g), (perc). Rec. November 1970-March 1975 Even in his 80s, Auger still has the energy to light up a chunk of LAwhich has been his home since the late 1970s, which is when this run of Oblivion Express albums essentially takes us to. All six studio albums are captured, the eponymous debut, A Better Land, Second Wind, Closer To It, Straight Ahead and Reinforcements. The two volumes of live material are not on board. In marking a break from…

Thelonious Monk Brilliant Corners Craft Records Small Batch CR00502 (LP) Thelonious Monk (p, celesta), Sonny Rollins (ts), Ernie Henry (as), OscarPettiford, PaulChambers(b), MaxRoach(d) with Clark Terry (t). Rec. 9 and 15 October, 7 December 1956 Although they're now regarded as minor classics, Thelonious Monk’s early albums as a leader, made for Blue Note and Prestige, met with mixed reviews and sluggish sales when they were released. Contemporary listeners probably found his playing and composing too quirky; he seemed an artist destined for little more than cult status. All that changed in 1957, when his breakthrough album, Brilliant Corners (his third LP for Riverside), was released. It garnered universal praise and was – by jazz standards at least – a strong seller. It’s of course since achieved distinction as one of…