Album review: George Garzone - Themes For Good Friends (Jojo Records)

George Garzone (tenor sax); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Luis Perdomo (piano); Santi Debriano (bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums)

Theme For Ernie: Not sure which Ernie Garzone refers to but it's a plaintive duet between tenor and piano. An attempt (successful) to relate to the proactive energy of John Coltrane and the tonal beauty of Stan Getz. The same instrument yet poles apart in their quest for perfection. Different roads, same destination. Garzone and Perdomo do likewise.

U-Jaama: An Archie Shepp composition that has the whole gang present with Brecker stretching out left right and centre - the sky's the limit. Garzone too hits the spot with every cascade of notes and angular phrases. "Tain" is no shrinking violet either. It's boppier than anything I ever heard Shepp play.

It Will Happen to You: I'm sure you'll work out from the title where this one comes from! More blistering tenor and trumpet pyrotechnics with bass and drums ensuring the whole kaboosh swings - Trane and Dizzy spring to mind.

Alex Clarke with the Paul Edis Trio @ The Wheatsheaf, Tooting, London - Sept. 8

Alex Clarke (alto sax); Paul Edis (piano); Simon Read (double bass); Steve Brown (drums)

A first visit to Paul Edis' monthly jazz night in Tooting. The Wheatsheaf, situated across the road from Tooting Bec underground station, is a big barn of a place with an upstairs function room. The pub's management is happy for pianist Edis to get on with it, in some ways, the ideal arrangement. 

Online advance tickets or pay at the door, Tooting Jazz presents many of the very best working on the London jazz scene. This evening's guest was the exceedingly busy Alex Clarke. Edis' trio, comprising bassist Simon Read and drummer Steve Brown (themselves two of the best around), would provide impeccable support to Ms. Clarke.

Album review: Aria – Rectify

Aria (voice) – See footnote for complete personnel.

I first ran into Aria at the She Write Songs gig at Ronnie Scott’s, and then again, rather unexpectedly, at an after-show party at The Ivy Club following Nicole Zuraitis’s appearance at Ronnie Scott's later that year. At some point, the party turned into an impromptu set, with Nicole and Jo Harrop joining Aria. It was one of those wonderfully unplanned musical moments, but what really struck me was Aria’s versatility. She seemed completely at home alongside two quite different singers, adapting to the moment without ever losing her own identity.

 

Listening to her debut album Rectify, it turns out that versatility is very much the point.

 

Stockport Jazz - Preview: Ken's Favourite Album

This week Stockport Jazz welcomes ‘Ken‘s Favourite Album’ with Ken Marley (double bass), Andrzej Baranek (piano) and Dave Walsh (drums) performing the Christian McBride Trio 2015 album ‘Live At The Village Vanguard’. 

Expect ‘ferociously fast, full-on driving swing and slow heartbreaking ballads’ along with a reflective nod to the history of jazz, insightful knowledge and the joy this album brings to the listener. 

For those who would like to give the album a listen before Sunday, it can be heard using this link: https://open.spotify.com/album/3UJbQf5jRzsa1B6mad1gVB?si=Mf854ifKQmORYBmf8TH3SA&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1&dlsi=dc52277f5bda468a: *

Sunday 13th September 8-10pm 

£5 entry on the door - all welcome

The Moor Club, 35 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport SK4 4PB Paul

* Spotify link doesn't work on my P.C. Lance

Neil Yates Sextet @ Llandudno Jazz Club - Sept. 7

© Richard Morris

Neil Yates (trumpet); Colin Campbell (alto saxophone); Andor Jensen (tenor saxophone);  Andrzej Baranek (piano); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Luke Flowers (drums)

A wonderful sextet assembled for the usual Monday evening of quality jazz at Llandudno Jazz Club. Led by Neil Yates on trumpet (his flugelhorn needed repairing) the band’s horn section was completed by Andor Jensen on tenor sax, a Scouser, now based on the Wirral and a Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Colin Campbell, a fellow Scouser on alto sax. Add to that one of the UK’s top jazz piano players Andrzej Baranek from Chorley and two Mancunians: Luke Flowers on drums and Joshua Cavanagh- Brierley on double bass. Luke is a longstanding member of the Cinematic Orchestra and rarely does two weeks go by without me seeing Joshua playing in the north west of England or Wales.

Album review: ALG Trio - In Between The Vistula and the Hudson (Aesthetiko)

Gilad Atzmon (alto sax, clarinet); Piotr Lemanczyk (bass); Adman Golicki (drums)

It's always a thrill to hear Gilad Atzmon. I've heard him in many situations and he never fails to deliver. The last time was as part of Organology feeding on Ross Stanley's harmonics to guide him. This time, as the front man of the ALG Trio he has only Lemanczyk's bass to point the way. Does he need a musical map? I don't think so. He could solo unaccompanied and the result would be no less pleasing.

Nevertheless, the presence of bass and drums do serve to make for a fuller sound. If you have added your initial to the trio's name then you deserve an equal share of the pie.

Munch Manship Quartet @ the Moor Club, Stockport - Sept. 6

© Jeff Pritchard

Munch Manship (tenor/sop sax, flute); Richard Wetherall (keyboards); Dave Lynane (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums)

After a summer break it was a full house for the Munch Manship Quartet with Eryl Roberts standing in for the absent Dave Hassell. Not sure why, but well done Eryl who did a great job on all the tunes which included items by composers  such as Hank Mobley, Cole Porter, Lee Morgan, Tom Harrell, Sigmund Romberg and Johnny Griffin. 

Album Review: Jeff Colella and Putter Smith – Between Friends (The American Jazz Institute/Capri Records)

Jeff Colella: (piano); Putter Smith: (bass)

It has been twelve years since pianist Jeff Collella and bassist Putter Smith released their first duo collaboration; Lotus Blossom (Capri, 2014). Now with Between Friends the duo delivers ten extraordinarily performed selections - a trio of originals from Smith’s pen, a handful from pianists Bill Evans, Kenny Barron, Thelonious Monk and Billy Strayhorn, a Ralph Towner effort, and a fine Colella original. In this deeply engaging effort the pair confirms that they are simpatico musically, texturally and probably telepathically.

Sunday night @ the Globe: Nils Kavanagh Trio - Sept. 6

© Russell

Nils Kavanagh (keys); Ursula Harrison (bass); Sam Green (drums)

Back in the day, a phrase popular with weather forecasters was "All four seasons in one day".  Another much used quote in jazz circles is Whitney Balliett's "The sound of surprize".

Last night at the Globe, both phrases came to my mind during the course of an intriguing couple of sets by the Nils Kavanagh Trio that wasn't your  average piano, bass and drums gig. Far from it! We had tranquility, thunder, pathos and mayhem all rolled into one.

Apart from a standard (I'll be Seeing You) thrown in perhaps as a sop of appeasement to pacify anyone bemused by the sounds produced by these three creative musicians, the material was all composed by Irish/Danish pianist Kavanagh and, in the main, drawn from his album No Expectations. The title track making its appearance in the second set.

Adrian Cox Trio “The Wonderful World of Bechet” @ Bollington Arts Centre - September 5

© Richard Morris

Adrian Cox (clarinet); Honey Boulton (guitar); Alex Gilson (double bass)

The trio’s second concert of a tour that took in the UK, Sweden and Belgium centred around Sidney Bechet, born 14 May 1897, died 14 May 1959, is one of Adrian Cox’s favourite clarinetists. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Bechet’s life and music which was demonstrated by his introduction to each song. Bechet left a huge canon of brilliant tunes composed by him as well as recording great versions of songs by other composers. The Adrian Cox Trio must count as one of the best exponents of Bechet’s music world wide. 

Alex joined the trio at the beginning of 2025 and already they have performed numerous concerts. They have also recorded an album of their own tunes which will be released in 2027. Adrian is one of the world’s leading clarinetists having played with some of the current top musicians such as Wynton Marsalis among others. Honey, born in New Zealand and currently based in London, is also a bandleader and one of the most active musicians sometimes playing up to eleven concerts a week. Alex is an in demand double bass player from France now based in New York.