Christian Scott: Breaking Boundaries, Crossing Lines
ALL ABOUT JAZZ: The prodigious trumpeter pulls no punches in a vicious critique of the jazz establishment.
Tim Garland – Libra
The adventurous two-disc Libra features saxophonist Tim Garland heavily entrenched in trio territory. He is joined by rising star Gwilym Simcock on piano and versatile percussionist Asaf Sirkis, with guest appearances from zany guitarist Paul Bollenback and London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Expansive, well-structured pieces are the record’s mainstay, with a tasteful sprinkling of standards. Known...
Moscow City Jazz Festival 2008
City Jazz Festival December 4-5, 2008 16 Tons Moscow, Russia Erik Truffaz December 4 Swiss trumpeter Erik Truffaz, a moderately well-known figure on the international tour circuit, surely counts Russia as a favorite gigging destination. This concert, in a popular pub-cum-music-club called 16 Tons, saw him welcomed by a highly enthusiastic young crowd–a far cry...
London Jazz Festival 2008
London, England November 14-23, 2008 Ken Vandermark, Barry Guy, Mark Sanders The Vortex November 14 In a meticulously unplanned concert, the music often seemed like a sonic battle between these three renowned improvisers. Sporting a black-fitted tee and a hairstyle that could be straight from the Police Academy films, Vandermark was the dominant voice. On...
Manuel Mengis: Freedom First, History Later
The convoluted side lies in how he twists and turns his ideas, viewing and presenting them from a variety of angles. Many of the tunes possess an element of classical complexity–they are structured in movements, sometimes subtly connected and phasing gradually in and out, but often with clearer lines drawn. “For me the music is...
Avishai Cohen – Gently Disturbed
With this release on his own Razdaz Recordz, Avishai Cohen firmly entrenches himself as a frontrunning innovator in the piano trio medium. The Israeli bassist is joined by Mark Guiliana on drums and countryman Shai Maestro on piano – the latter a change in personnel from Continuo (Razdaz, 2006) and Live At The Blue Note...
North Sea Jazz Festival 2008
North Sea Jazz Festival Ahoy, Rotterdam July 11-13, 2008 The 33rd North Sea Jazz Festival was a showcase of epic proportions. Fifteen different stages in the Ahoy Centre played host to 200 artists; venues varied in size from large concert halls like the Amazon, Darling and Hudson to smaller, more intimate spaces and stadiumesque acoustic...
James Carter – Present Tense
James Carter may not yet be forty, but he possesses a degree of instrumental mastery which could easily be a lifetime’s work. At different stages of this record, the versatile multi-instrumentalist plays tenor, soprano and baritone saxophones as well as flute and bass clarinet, all with equal power and precision. This diverse approach to instrumental...
Polar Bear – Ronnie Scott’s, 8/4/08
London’s famous jazz club has been going through troubled times. In December 2007 its artistic director resigned amidst criticism that the venue’s booking policy was veering away from the mainstream, hard jazz it is known for. Considering such complaints, it was surprising to see Polar Bear in the listings. Led by drummer Sebastian Rochford, the...
Robert Mitchell & Omar Puente – St Cyprian’s, 1/4/08
This unlikely duo of acoustic piano and electric violin allows Robert Mitchell and Omar Puente to stretch their considerable abilities beyond the confines of a conventional jazz group. Perhaps more unconventional was the venue, literally a Church of Jazz, tucked away near Baker Street in central London. This was the perfect acoustic for such a...
John Scofield – Jazz Cafe, 29/3/08
How to begin a review of a concert at which one’s musical outlook has been picked up, shaken about, flung around haphazardly and finally set back down in a completely different state? John Scofield has enjoyed a rich and varied career, the nature of which is aptly mirrored in his guitar playing. Material from his...
Acoustic Ladyland – Vortex, 28/3/08
As the act which opened the new Vortex in 2005, Acoustic Ladyland hold a special place in the hearts of many club regulars. The band returned on March 28 to a full house of over 100 people, with the usual table layout abandoned to create an entirely different atmosphere. It is a standing audience which...
