Ella Hohnen-Ford - June 20

(Screenshot by Russell)

Ella Hohnen-Ford (vocals); Giacomo Smith (clarinet); Will Arnold-Forster (guitar); Will Sach (double bass) + Kit Downes (piano)

North London, Sunday, 7:30. Ella Hohnen-Ford invited some of the boys over to play a few tunes. The Wills - Messrs Arnold-Forster, guitar, and Sach, bass - were joined by Kansas Smitty's Main Man, Mr Giacomo Smith playing clarinet. Later they would be joined by a special guest.

Album review: The Chris Saunders Band - Dancing with the Widow St. James

Chris Saunders (vocals, cornet, flugel); Ken Cook (piano, organ); Rob Fordyce (elec. bass); Michael Aragon (drums); Luis Carbo (perc.)

An eclectic mix of jazz, soul, funk, blues and tasty covers that's as cool as it gets for those who hang around the spots that are not for the kids or the grandparents although the swing here may be marginally towards the latter ...

Saunders has the kind of laid back voice that defies categorisation and his moments on cornet reveal a lyricism that isn't always obvious in his vocals which have an earthier sound. Together, they complement each other.

Learning and Participation @ The Globe

(Press release)

We would like to reassure you that although the lifting of restrictions has been delayed by the government this will not affect the delivery of Learning & Participation events at the Globe. All our plans have been made under current guidelines, with reduced capacity and staff and volunteers in place to make sure our events happen in a covid secure fashion. We are, of course, disappointed not to be able to release more tickets for our July events as planned but we will be doing our utmost to make sure that your visit is an informative and enjoyable one.

July + programme.

Jazz in the Gardens @ St James' & St. Basil's, Fenham, on Sunday Afternoons

4th July - Keith Robinson leading the Independence Jazz Trio. (American Independence Day, get it?)

18th July - Jude and the Foundry Jazz  Ensemble

8th August  - Mark Williams Standards Trio

29th August - Dean Stockdale Trio

5th September - Alice Grace Trio

3pm start, seating provided, social distancing may be required.

All free entry but ticketing may be necessary according to covid restrictions at the time. This is because if the weather is bad it may be possible to revert to inside the church. Contributions welcome.

Sunday Night Jazz @ The Globe: Knats - June 20

(Photo by Lance)

Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keyboards); Stan Woodward (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums).

Knats (don't ask me where they got the name from!) are a young, mega young, band and this was their first ever indoor gig although they had played an outdoor gig a couple of weeks back which Russell enthused over and which I felt the need to check out. 

There was an understandable degree of uncertainty about the first set but, hey, what do expect? They're treading the boards where many of the UK's premier jazz musicians have strutted their stuff - no pressure then - and it didn't, at least outwardly appear to faze them. Come the second set and they were firing on four!

A Sunday Service at Preservation Hall - June 20

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals)

Preacher Adrian Cox recalled making the first of several visits to Preservation Hall in New Orleans. The fact that the small room isn't air conditioned makes it all the more appealing! The venue and city in Louisiana, USA presented Cox with bountiful material for this afternoon's Sunday Service. Our live streamer offered a potted history of the venue and its many revivalist musicians, from George Lewis to the Humphreys. 

Aycliffe Radio Jazz Time - June 20 playlist

Dave Brubeck.

Upcoming gigs:

Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord; Vieux Carré Jazzmen.

Tony Eales picks 5 tracks with an African theme:

Joe Zawinul; Julian Argüelles; Brussels Jazz Orchestra (Tutu Puoane); Jazz Warriors, Afropeans; Abdullah Ibrahim.

Eddie Condon's Hot Shots; Kenny G.; Chris Barber +Andy Fairweather Low. 

New releases: Kayle Brecher; Alex Martin.

Charles Mingus Sextet - Feat. Eric Dolphy. 

Rico's (Saturday) Popup Louis - June 19

(Screenshot by Russell)

Rico Tomasso (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals); Will Barry (piano)

A Popup Louis on a Saturday? Yes, Rico Tomasso had been working up in Edinburgh for a couple of days and decided to delay his regular Friday evening session twenty four hours. What's more, Rico's journey home was delayed due to all trains south being fully booked...something to do with several thousand Scots descending on London for the little matter of a keenly anticipated sporting fixture. Joining Rico this evening, none other than Kansas Smitty's regular, pianist Will Barry.  

Adam Glasser Band @ the 606 Club - June 19

(Screenshot by Lance)

Adam Glasser (piano, harmonica); George Crowley (tenor sax); Rob Luft (guitar); Steve Watts (bass); Corrie Dick (drums).

Not an easy one to write about as the livestream did have some buffering problems which restricted the flow of the music. It may have been unique to my set-up as no one else complained, although, unlike most streams, the 606 doesn't attract too many sidebar pundits so maybe they suffered in silence.

KSTV: 'Bird' on 52nd Street & John Kirby - June 19

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Giacomo Smith (alto sax, clarinet); Alec Harper (alto sax); Pete Horsfall (trumpet); Joe Webb (piano); Ferg Ireland (double bass); Shane Forbes (drums) + Nathaniel Facey (alto sax); Ella Hohnen-Ford (vocals)

An eagerly anticipated set, Giacomo Smith leading a hand-picked small group playing classic 52nd Street charts by way of John Kirby. What's more, judging the vociferous reaction to the music heard this evening, a good number of Kansas Smitty's patrons were in the building. From the Famous Door to Jimmy Ryan's.

Album review: Andreas Toftemark Quartet - A New York Flight

Andreas Toftemark (tenor sax); Calle Brickman (piano); Felix Moseholm (bass); Andreas Svendsen (drums).

If we had a Jazz Euro 2021 then, on the strength of this miniature (37 mins), Denmark would be well in contention. Toftemark is a new name to me although he studied in New York with such luminaries as Eric Alexander and Joel Frahm as well as performing with Peter Bernstein and Ethan Iverson and that experience shows in this recording made in his homeland.

Jo's Red Mary Janes makes JRR (June 20)

Tomorrow's edition of Jazz Record Requests (Sunday, June 20, Radio 3, 4:00pm) includes Jo Harrop's recently released Red Mary Janes & a Brand New Hat*. Jo is in good company, other artists of note featured on Alyn Shipton's programme include Miles Davis, Nina Simone and Stan Tracey. Russell

*(Read more and listen/buy here - Lance)

Jazzwise in July

Another fine issue of Jazzwise that, once again, is not without a north-east presence. A recent issue had a photo, a feature and an interview with singer, wordsmith and award winning vocalist Zoé Gilby and this July issue has a feature on local heroes Archipelago as well as a four star review of their most recent album - Echoes to the Sky. The fact that the interviewer and the reviewer offered alternative spellings to Faye MacCalman's surname in no way lessened the meaningful observations of either writer. Archipelago, incidentally, along with Faith Brackenbury, can be heard at Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle (8:00pm) on June 25 for the launch of the aforementioned  album as part of a GCT Jazz Club-Jazz North East co-promotion.

Live (streaming) at Joe's - June 19

(Screenshot by Russell)

Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (drums)

Herbie's Tune from Oscar Peterson's session at Zardi's in Hollywood opened this afternoon's Live at Joe's set. Imagine Joe Webb as Oscar P, Dave Archer as Herb Ellis and Will Sach as Ray Brown. Once you've heard these London based guys it isn't such a stretch to see them cutting it on today's American jazz scene. Gershwin's I Was Doing All Right swung along, easy as, bassist Will grabbing a solo. It was shaping up to be another cracking set - thoughts of watching Euro 2020 on the box soon forgotten.

Jazz Jamaica @ Sage Gateshead - June 18

Once upon a time Gateshead Quays was a round-the-clock hive of artistic activity. Baltic's doors were open to one and all showing the best in contemporary visual art and its near neighbour, Sage Gateshead, presented world class performances by folk, jazz, rock, pop and classical musicians. Then, some fifteen months ago, the lights went out. The pandemic struck and, in common with many other sectors, the performing arts came to a shuddering halt. That was then, this is now - Jazz Jamaica are back in town!

Sage One's audience divided into colour-coded zones. Your correspondent found himself in the red zone, all seats socially distanced. All present were obliged to wear a face covering during the one hour fifteen minutes or so Gary Crosby's Jazz Jamaica occupied the stage. It was an odd, if not eerie, experience. MC Crosby recalled the band's first appearance at Sage Gateshead all of fifteen, perhaps sixteen years ago, our man suggesting this was one of his favourite venues. 

Wendy Kirkland/Pat Sprakes Sextet @ Langtoun Jazz Festival One More Time

(Press release)

Wendy Kirkland and Pat Sprakes Sextet will present a lively set of Latin tunes recorded at a venue in Chesterfield.

Videos will be presented free to view on Langtoun Jazz Facebook Page and YouTube channel.

Patrons will be invited to make donations to musicians paypal links if they can.

June 26: 9:00pm.

Fiona Ross @ Langtoun Jazz Festival One More Time

(Press release)

Fiona Ross & her band present a 30 min set of Fiona's original compositions filmed at the beautiful Union Chapel in London.

Video will be presented on Langtoun Jazz Facebook Page and YouTube channel free to view but patrons are encouraged to donate if they can to support these very talented musicians - June 26. 7:30pm.