Yazz Ahmed: Livestreamed from Kings Place, EFG London Jazz Festival - Nov. 19.

Yazz Ahmed (trumpet/flugelhorn); Ralph Wyld (vibes); Martin France (drums); Dave Manington (bass). 

(Review/screenshots by Amy Sibley-Allen) 

British-Bahraini composer, trumpeter and flugelhorn player Yazz Ahmed’s star is rapidly rising and what a shining light it is. The livestreamed concert from Kings Place is testament to that. Ahmed’s nuanced psychedelic mix of jazz and electronics with Arabian rhythms and influences is captivating.

Album review: Joanna Berkebile - Love me or Leave me

Joanna Berkebile (vocals); Leslie Maclean (piano); Tim Brewer (bass); Jerry Pollock (drums).

These songs, Joanna says, are “fresh imaginings of some of my favorite tunes. I have a rather curious mind so I love to play around with all the angles of a subject. Romance has TONS of angles! Each tune in “Love Me or Leave Me” contains a completely different personality and perspective, just none of that straightforward lovey-dovey stuff.” Each piece, she says, has the quality of meeting a person and getting their candid take on the whole complicated love subject.

Miles, a British 625 & live streams all night long (Friday)

Once again the Beeb has come up with the goods. A very British Jazz 625: the British Jazz Explosion (photo shows Nubya Garcia) presents the best of the new, contemporary bands making a name for themselves (BBC 4, 9:00pm) and at 10:30 there is a repeat showing of Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool. First aired on BBC 2 in March, Stanley Nelson's documentary film also enjoyed a limited release in independent cinemas. Definitely worth watching. And if you missed Oliver Murray's film about Ronnie Scott when it was shown recently there is an early morning (12:30am) repeat of Ronnie's: Ronnie Scott and his World-Famous Jazz Club. 

Andy Davies Live stream from Ronnie Scott's, EFG London Jazz Festival - coda

Further   to   yesterday's   review  of  Andy  Davies' EFG gig at Ronnie's Ken Drew has sent us this magnificent screenshot collage.

Lance

Andy Davies Quartet live streaming from Ronnie Scott's - Nov. 19

Andy Davies (trumpet); Rick Simpson (piano); Daisy George (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums) 

This was a session and a half! Choice material played by four great musicians. Welshman Davies certainly can play but he didn't hog the limelight, far from it, giving equal space to his band mates - Guisborough's Rick Simpson,  the brilliant Daisy George and the new kid on the block, the fabulous Jas Kayser. 

Album review: Jim Rattigan - When

Jim Rattigan (French horn); Nicki Iles (piano); Michael Janisch (bass) James Maddren (drums) + The Tear Quartet - Julian Tear, Alison Gordon (violins); Nicholas Barr (viola); Nicholas Cooper (cello).

The French horn, despite its lovely dry sound has rarely been a jazz voice since the days of John Graas out on the West Coast back in the 1950s. Possibly it's because of the instrument's lack of tonal variants compared to other brass instruments - French horn players please put me right if I'm wrong - its forté seems to be purity of sound of which Rattigan demonstrates most admirably.

Birmingham all the way

The big event in Birmingham yesterday was the Zoomed launch of Cormac Loane's excellent book Improvising on a Theme which traced the history of the Birmingham Music Service.

We stay with Birmingham today having received the news that guitarist Francis Tulip (pictured) has been awarded the Bmus Jazz Performance prize after successfully  completing his degree  at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. It was awarded for the highest mark of the year group in his final recital (marked by Iain Ballamy and Gareth Williams).

Congratulations Francis.

A Very Special Evening of Festive Jazz at Cadogan Hall, Dec. 19, 2020

(Press release)

Hampstead Jazz Club in association with Jazz FM proudly presents a very special evening of exclusive festive jazz performances at London’s Cadogan Hall on Saturday December 19, 2020.

Hosted by Jazz FM’s Nigel Williams, A Very Special Evening Of Festive Jazz will take place in front of a socially distanced audience and will be streamed live around the world, showcasing a perfectly mixed cocktail of classic jazz with a twist of festive favourites from an eclectic array of artists including Carroll Thompson, Jo Harrop, Tara Minton and Paul Lee. Plus some special guest appearances to be announced.

Album Review: Living In Shadows – Living In Shadows

Zoë Gilby (vocals); Andy Champion (bass, cello, keyboards, drums, programming); Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Edis (piano) + Graeme Wilson (ten sax track 1, bari sax track 7); George Milburn (mandolin track 2); Emma Fisk (violin track 5)

These performers are well known and much loved by many of us here in the North East (and beyond) but not in the shape of this band, Living In Shadows. This fine album began life in 2016, when Andy and Zoë decided to expand their creativity by making music 'that is in our hearts without concerning ourselves with what pigeon hole it needs to fit into' said Zoë. The result is an album of 8 original songs, influenced by pop, rock, and progressive rock, and just a tinge of jazz.

Album playback: Money Jungle @ Kansas Smitty's - Nov. 18

Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (bass); Jas Kayser (drums)

A great session  tempered not just with a note of sadness but with a ten fingered chord of sadness. The sadness being that Kansas Smitty's legendary bar in Broadway Market will not reopen - the pandemic has made it no longer viable to reopen if and when anybody is allowed to reopen. Smitty's, I fear, is only the tip of the coolberg.