Mejedi Owusu with the Francis Tulip Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham - July 18

Mejedi Owusu (trumpet); Francis Tulip (guitar); Tommy Fuller (double bass); Noah Stone (drums)

A third gig in two days for Mejedi Owuso, Francis Tulip, Tommy Fuller and Noah Stone. Half way up Claypath stands Claypath Deli. Sourdough bread, pizza, beverages, a chilled vibe, all on a summer's evening. This evening, here in Durham, Mejedi Owuso, Francis Tulip, Tommy Fuller and Noah Stone were about to open a few eyes and ears.

As at Newcastle's Lit and Phil and Sunderland Minster, the high level musicianship had to be heard to be believed. In the up-close environs of Claypath Deli we (that's everyone) got a great view of what all four musicians were doing. 

Mejedi Owusu with the Francis Tulip Trio @ Sunderland Minster - July 17

Mejedi Owusu (trumpet); Francis Tulip (guitar); Tommy Fuller (double bass); Noah Stone (drums)

A second gig of the day for Mejedi Owusu (NYC), Francis Tulip (London), Tommy Fuller (Basel) and Noah Stone (Oxfordshire). A sold out lunchtime concert at Newcastle's Lit & Phil couldn't have gone any better and it would take something special here at Sunderland Minster to top it. 

The Lit & Phil gig confirmed how we imagined things would go: extended solos, principally by Mejedi Owusu and/or Francis Tulip, supported by the stellar rhythm section of Tommy Fuller and Noah Stone. Three or four numbers each set, their solos works of art, Mejedi firing from the lip with endless invention, Francis cruising in the fast lane, a match for any six-stringer.

Album Review: Jun Iida – Bellflower (OA2 Records)

Jun Iida (trumpet, vocals, composer); Zelda Harris (vocals); Chris McCarthy (piano, Rhodes); Masami Kuroki (guitar); Giulio Xavier Cetto (basses); Jongkuk Kim (drums); Takafumi Nikaido (congas)

With Bellflower, his second album, trumpeter/composer Jun Iida (Joon-Ee-da) presents us with a collage of his musical reminiscences, brilliant tonal statements and sensitive musical observations. It gives us ten original tracks, nine of which emanate from Iida’s pen and all superbly performed by Iida and his cadre of outstanding musicians,  

North York Skies: First play for Ben Crosland's new album on JazzTastic

Stockport Jazz

This week Stockport Jazz welcomes tenor saxophonist Dean Masser with his quartet featuring Richard Wetherall on piano, Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley on double bass and Dave Walsh on drums. 

Sunday 26th July

8-10pm, doors open at 7.30pm

Minimum £5 entry on the door, all welcome

The Moor Club, 35 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport SK4 4PB  (next to the Elizabethan PH).

PS: Stockport Jazz will return on August 6 after Summer break.

Tuba Skinny @ Ronnie Scott's, London - July 13

Shaye Cohn (cornet); Barnabus Jones (trombone); Craig Flory (clarinet); Gregory Sherman (guitar, vocals); Quentin Bardi (banjo); Todd Burdick (tuba); Robin Rapuzzi (washboard) + Ewan Bleach (tenor sax, clarinet) 

A sold out Monday evening second house, the second of four capacity audiences over two days. Getting an audience in excess of two hundred in, then out, in timely fashion could be a nightmare for lesser establishments. Ronnie Scott's staff know the drill, efficiently showing ticket holders to their seats, waiting on tables, then, when the lights go up, things go in to reverse with a couple of hundred punters filing out onto Frith Street, brushing past the second house queue. This evening, Tuba Skinny would be making their debut here at Ronnie's. For bandleader Shaye Cohn it would be a special moment. Daughter of guitarist Joe Cohn, Shaye talked about her grandfather, tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, who, once upon a time, stood on the very spot Shaye was occupying on the stage. 

The Traveling Janes @ The Spice of Life, London - July 13

Ali Affleck (vocals, washboard); Lauryn Gould (tenor sax, clarinet); Emily Asher (trombone); Katie Cavera (banjo) & guest  Richard Pite (tuba, drums, ukulele)

Another sweltering day in the capital, Cambridge Circus as busy as ever. Best to wait for the 'green man' before attempting to cross Shaftesbury Avenue. The Spice of Life's cool (cooler) basement would offer welcome relief from the oppressive heat. 

Ali Affleck was in town with her Traveling Janes, this lunchtime gig the Janes' final date of their European tour. Scots-born Affleck works with a dizzying array of musician/bands. The Traveling Janes is one such outfit. Comprising of bandleader Affleck (washboard and vocals) and three all-American gals: Lauryn Gould (reeds), Emily Asher (trombone) and Katie Cavera (banjo) and, for this Cambridge Circus engagement only, a token male, Mr. Richard Pite (tuba, drums, ukulele and Spice of Life kingpin). 

De Beauvoir Town Jazz Festival: Closing Party @ The Scolt Head, London - July 12

Jack Jules (alto sax); Guilia Marro (clarinet, vocals): Tom Ward (piano); Ben Love (double bass); Luke McCarthy (drums) + Pete Horsfall (trumpet)

The Scolt Head was showing the Wimbledon Men's Singles Final (Sinner v. Zverev)*. Those with little or no interest in the SW 19 sporting climax sat in the pub's beer garden, crammed full under a relentless sun. Fresh from a guest appearance with Joe Webb's 7-A-Side, Jack Jules (aka Jack Murray) joined forces with Guilia Marro (clarinet and vocals) in a De Beauvoir Town Jazz Festival closing party blowout. 

Tuba Skinny @ De Beauvoir Jazz Festival, London - July 12

Shaye Cohn (cornet); Barnabus Jones (trombone); Craig Flory (clarinet); Gregory Sherman (guitar, vocals); Quentin Bardi (banjo); Todd Burdick (tuba); Robin Rapuzzi (washboard)

When Tuba Skinny proposed touring the UK, the level of interest was off the scale. Tens, possibly hundreds, of promoters/venues got in touch with the band. All the way from New Orleans, finally, finally,Tuba Skinny were about to touchdown on UK soil. 

Swing City Brighton got in there first - well done to them. Then, less than twenty four hours later, on a baking hot afternoon, De Beauvoir Town Jazz Festival welcomed the Crescent City superstars to London. East and South East Asian Community Centre (formerly the 'Public Washing Baths' on Englefield Road), placed an order for some Crescent City weather and, sure enough, it delivered (30+ degrees, hot and humid). ESEA (East and South East Asian Community Centre) erected a gazebo which offered relief from a scorching sun, for the band, that is. For all but a handful, the punters were out in the open, as if on an unforgiving parade ground.   

Album review: Anthony Strong - And Then we Kiss (Guaranteed! Records)

Anthony Strong (vocals, piano, perc.); Nick Fitch (guitars); Spencer Brown (bass); Joel Barford (drums) + Brandon Allen (tenor sax tks 2,8,9) Pamina Beroff (vocal tks 5, 12); Tim Piggot-Smith (viokin solo tk 1); Litsah Tunnah (violin solo tk 13); Tom Kemp (Leader, 10 violins, 3 violas, 3 cellos)

Anthony Strong is no stranger to BSH. Over the years we have reviewed the following albums: EP: Delovely (2011); Stepping Out (2013); Me and my Radio (2019) - there may have been more.

In 2015 he guested with SSBB @ Hoochie and in 2024 appeared at the Fire Station in Sunderland with a selection of other artists who had 'previous' with the band. A compilation Album: Strictly Smokin' Big Band and Friends included a track by Strong and this latest release looks to be another winner.