Cheltenham Musings 2

Wandering round the town there seems to be more jazz around than in previous years. You could easily have a day’s entertainment flitting between the free stage in Montpelier Gardens and the new free stage in the Brewery Quarter, (we caught singer Josh Hicks and band sound checking, soulfully) not to mention the occasional busker, such as the bloke on a bench near the bogs running through some pin sharp Metheny-isms whilst we queued for the facilities. It does feel like jazz is all around.

As well as the free stuff there are jazz adjacent and non-jazz acts to catch. The big top tends to put on more popular acts which help to pay for much of the stuff I do want to see and there is usually an African act who are always worth catching. Last year it was the formidable Fatoumata Diawara and this year it was the desert blues grooves of Tinariwen. They were listed in the brochure as ‘Guest Curator Pick’ so we can assume that they are popular wherever Corinne Bailey Rae lays her hat and it’s easy to hear why she might like them. I found them hypnotic and irresistible in equal measure and the crowd was in worship mode. Their voices are rich with the experience of hard lives lived in war zones and their guitars weave complex figures, musically circling one another. It all makes sense once you realise that it all hangs on the delicately picked rhythm guitar lines that allow everyone else to explore the space. Most importantly, you have to follow the bassman because he is EVERYWHERE! They seem to have a simple rule to keep the energy levels high – when in doubt add another guitar. It works.

I was disappointed not to be able to buy Joshua Redman’s CD at the festival but money changed hands for albums by Camilla George (Ibio Ibio) and Makaya McCraven (Off The Record) but the most efficient commercial operator I saw all weekend was Yazz Ahmed at the end of her gig as she unwrapped and signed LPs and CDs, took payment and posed for photos on a production line, all so quickly that I assumed she also had a points for loyalty card scheme going on as well.

Final Footnote On Friday and Saturday we had called in at The Kings Head on the way back to our beds for a couple of beers, Match of the Day and the opportunity to hear The Clash and The Waterboys at ear-splitting volume on the juke box. However, on Sunday night they were closing early so we carried on to The Steam & Whistle, near the Station. I bought a couple of beers and the barman told us that they were closing early as well. I explained that we were here for the Jazz festival and only need the one before bed. “Oh,” he said, “you want to go to the session downstairs.” There was a session on downstairs!! In the Cellar!

It was a jam session, by and for the locals but augmented for the evening by Simon Spillett, Tubby Hayes devotee and author, equally adept with reed and quill, and pianist Eddie Gripper (two articles on him in this month’s Jazzwise, folks.) Gripper had played with Alan Barnes a couple of days before. I was told that the space downstairs used to be a skittle alley before it was converted into Cheltenham’s answer to the Cavern Club.

We caught the last 10 minutes of A Night in Tunisia before a singer called Jess came to the stage for My Funny Valentine. She had a lovely voice, good timing and could hold a note. Finally, to close Spillett invited all of the remaining 6 saxophonists in the house on stage for an absolutely storming Tenor Madness. I can tell you now it’s hard to end Tenor Madness when that many people want a go. As Brian Epstein once said of a venue further north, it was a cellarful of noise!

Jazz? It’s everywhere!

Best of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2026

Makaya McCraven, Camilla George, Tinariwen, Joshua Redman, Courtney Pine, Yazz Ahmed, Bill Frisell & Eyvind Kang, Puppini Sisters, Emma Rawicz, Olive Jones. 

And an Honourable Mention to the massed saxophonists on stage for Tenor Madness at The Steamin’ Jazz Club on Sunday Night. Dave Sayer