Album Reviews

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MARK LEWANDOWSKI - Under One Sky

Available from Bandcamp

Mark Lewandowski - bass; Addison Frei - piano; Kush Abadey - drums

Mark Lewandowski is a remarkable bass player: recognition of his outstanding talents as an ensemble player and soloist, equally at home in traditional settings as on the cutting edge of the contemporary, has spread across the Atlantic, and he’s followed in the footsteps of the great Dave Holland and decamped to New York to be welcomed with open arms by the community there. Before leaving the UK he released his debut, ‘Waller’ inspired by his love for Fats, one of the great innovators of the pre-bop era. This new offering is his first as sole composer as well as bandleader and presents him in a contemporary setting with some of New York’s finest. Drummer Kush Abadey is a hot name on the scene ever since his discovery at age 16 by Wallace Roney and can be regularly seen at Smalls with the likes of David Kikoski: Addison Frei may be less well known to UK audiences but is every bit as impressive a performer. While his bio mentions Lewandowski’s mentorship by the legendary Henry Grimes, and there’s a dedication to Andrew Hill, the prevailing mood here is not the gritty avante-swing associated with those players, nor the rumbustious melodicism of Waller, but instead a sophisticated chamber-jazz with all the harmonic complexity and carefully plotted multi-metric rhythms that we associate with a particular stream of US and European art-jazz. Frei has an attractively light, fluent approach, with pastel-shaded chording and a rippling, free-moving right hand: Abadey is sensitive and colourful. “For Paul Bley” has a kind of R&B boogie groove but it’s placed firmly in quotation marks: elsewhere it’s dancing straight eights and intricate unisons on ‘Provavus’, beautifully poised, melodic bass statements in fast rolling triplets on ‘Licks’ , and hushed ballad abstractions on ‘The Same Moon’. ‘Islands’ has a vertiginous descending cycle - ‘Very Well’ deconstructs ‘I Get Along Without You’ - ‘For Andrew Hill’ has a notably emotive bass solo, which is a hard thing to pull off on the outsize instrument: ‘Under One Sky’ develops snaking unison melodies while maintaining a pastoral calm. Impressive.

ALEX MERRITT / STEVE FISHWICK QUINTET - Mind-Ear-Ladder

Fresh Sound New Talent – FSNT 631

Alex Merrit - tenor sax; Steve Fishwick - trumpet; John Turville - piano; Mick Coady - bass; Matt Fishwick - drums

Alex Merrit is a fine tenor player, known for his association with the formidable drummer Jeff Williams, and Steve Fishwick’s impeccable taste, adventurous musicianship and awesome chops are renowned, so the combination of both players with a top-flight rhythm section is a promising prospect. Opening track, the wryly named ‘UHDC (Upper Holloway Dental Clinic)’ places us firmly in the loping, open swing territory explored by Wayne Shorter in his pivotal 1960s recordings: comparisons are odious of course, but nonetheless we are invited to draw parallels between the way Fishwick’s effortlessly high-flying, clear-toned precision contrasts with Merrit’s more earthy tones and the classic Hubbard/Shorter frontline. Compositions are by both leaders in turn, with the opener provided by John Turville, who reinforces his reputation for taste, swing and harmonic invention - listen to him swing on Fishwick’s ‘Dr Wu, What’s Wrong With You?’. Mick Coady’s impeccably grooving bass has the classic gut-string warmth and drummer Matt Fishwick keeps things swinging while ensuring the that temperature remains within a certain restrained range. The soloing throughout is as strong as you’d expect from such a top-flight band and the compositions ring the changes of the most interesting aspects of the Blue Note sixties formulas with integrity and ingenuity - Merrit’s “At St Georges” is a progressive highlight, as is Fishwick’s beautiful ‘Linda’ - so that this never feels like an exercise in nostalgia. A very enjoyable outing from a front-rank band playing my favourite kind of jazz with passion and understanding - catch it live if you can.

JELLY CLEAVER - The Forever Presence

https://jellycleaver.bandcamp.com/album/forever-presence

Jelly Cleaver - composition, production, guitar, vocals, synth, percussion; James Akers - saxophone; Lorenz Okello-Osengor - piano, rhodes, hammond organ; Katie Moberly - cello, electric bass; Hamish Nockles-Moore - double bass; Tash Keary - drums, percussion

Jelly Cleaver has emerged from the mighty Tomorrow’s Warriors organisation and straight into the media eye: she has received the Steve Reid Award, is a Serious Take Five artist, was nominated for an Ivors Composer Award, and had airplay on JazzFm and BBC 6 Music, with support from Gilles Peterson and Cerys Matthews indicating the crossover appeal of this set of languidly atmospheric songs. Tempos are relaxed, the rhythm arrangements are spacious and flowing: bass and drums set up loose-limbed grooves and Lorenz Okello-Osengor’s tinkling rhodes and Katie Moberly’s cello create washes of atmospheric texture over which James Akers’ attractively acidic tenor is allowed to roam at will. The jewel at the heart is Cleaver’s own clear, limpid-toned but emotionally charged vocals: sometimes, as on the title track, her voice doesn’t emerge until the mood has been thoroughly explored by the band, but she always commands attention. James Aker is joint star of proceedings and ‘Prayer For Rojava’ contrasts his grainy, impassioned attack with Cleaver’s calm stately vocal to memorable effect: ‘We Have Known Love” has a solemnly portentous spoken word manifesto whose exact meaning may elude some listeners, and closing track ‘Black Line’ uses Hammond organ and gritty guitar to shift the mood towards a satisfying prog-psych heaviness. The mood is so relaxed that album seems almost to have been spontaneously improvised in the studio, but the band are switched on and empathetic enough so that it doesn’t seem baggy or over-stretched and Cleaver’s guiding hand is present throughout to create an album with a powerful atmosphere that lingers on after each listen.

MARK KAVUMA & THE BANGER FACTORY - Arashi No Ato

Banger Factory Records – BF001

Will Cleasby - Drums; Michael Shrimpling - Double Bass; Deschanel Gordon - Piano; Reuben James - Hammond Organ/Piano; Artie Zaitz - Guitar; David Mrakpor - Vibraphone; Musshinghi Brian Edwards - Tenor Saxophone; Trevor Edwards - Trombone; Mark Kavuma - Trumpet; Ruben Fox - Tenor Saxophone
Special Guests:
Dylan Jones - Trumpet; Theon Cross - Tuba; Misha Fox - Trombone/Voice; Deji Ijishakin - Tenor Sax
Singers:
Marcina Arnold,Megan Linnell,Livi Graham,Leena Chabula,Felicia Thandie Bhebhe,Misha Fox David Ijishakin Django Booker-Roi Edwards,Ritchie Seivwright,Shayanna Harris

Mark Kavuma returns at the helm of his mighty Banger Factory collective, this time assisted by an expanded cast of fellow like-minded young London musos, friends and family. It’s a fitting representation of Kavuma’s expansive, community-minded approach to jazz music-making,now brought to the public on his own label in keeping with the collective’s pro-active, DIY ethos.

The title track reworks the evergreen Body And Soul changes into a mellow exploration, with the horns languid against lush hammond-and-vibes-enriched backdrop: there are brief but melody-packed statements from saxophones and the leader’s full-toned laconic trumpet. ‘Eluid’ picks up the pace but maintains the mellow feeling with an acid-jazz friendly minor-key swinger that picks up pace and intensity as the band drops away to give Kavuma and drummer WIll Cleasby room to raise the temperature. “Love Will Find A Way” is a gospel-tinged ballad feature for Musshinghi Brian Edwards’ emotive voice on tenor, his full vibrato harking back to an earlier generation of players like Ike Quebec, while Theon Cross demonstrates an unlikely sensitivity on tuba that’s not often heard in his usual raucous Sons Of Kemet environment. Perhaps surprisingly the initial impressions tend towards the mellow rather than the banging: ‘Brother James’ is a relaxed rumba, and while the leader’s brilliant trumpet intervention picks up the pace on ‘Hedz’, which has a song-like Abdullah Ibrahim directness to its theme, and ‘David Danced’ builds up a head of trad-swinging steam under Mrakpor’s vibes, everyone plays with a level of melodic restraint that befits Kavuma’s intended aim of ‘spreading love and good vibes’. The hammond and vocal enriched ‘One More River’ makes a suitably uplifting finale. Ben Lamdin’s recording is full and rich and captures the warmth and directness of the whole ensemble. A fantastic ensemble effort, guided by the leader’s effusive personality to create an album that manages to be simultaneously hip and heartwarming.

NISHLA SMITH - Friends With Monsters

Whirlwind Recordings WR4780

Nishla Smith - vocals; Richard Jones - piano; Johnny Hunter - drums; Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley - bass; Aaron Wood - trumpet

Nishla Smith is an Australian singer, relocated to Manchester via Berlin, and it is tempting to ascribe her poised introspective delivery to the Northern climes of the former city and the hipness of the latter. Backed by an excellent band of young Manc talent, she sings her own original songs with a predominantly nocturnal feel, telling personal tales interspersed with some highly original imagery bordering on the whimsical. She has a knack for melody - ‘Twilight’ has the direct accessibility of a childrens’ song, while the title track deploys her very Blossom Dearie type delivery to compelling effect over a smoky midtempo minor key. Aaron Wood’s contributions on trumpet are nicely judged to emphasise the mood without overpowering Smith’s precisely pitched and articulated but fragile sounding delivery: the rest of the trio, led by Richard Jones’ admirably paced piano, show an impressive grasp of texture and dynamics, as evidenced by the yearning ‘Julia’. “Midnight’ is a wonderful duet with bassist Joshua Kananagh-Brierly - elsewhere tracks like ‘Home’ and ‘Starlight’ have a pop directness that will surely invite comparisons with Norah Jones and similar crossover singers, though the level of musicality and occasional adventurous harmonic excursion remind us that we are in the company of jazz players. To underscore this, ‘3am’ is a super-hip duet with drummer Johnny Hunter and ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ demonstrates Smith’s poised, breezy facility with the standard repertoire. An impressive debut from a new talent worth watching.

ALEX HITCHCOCK - Dream Band

Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT-627

ALEX HITCHCOCK saxophone; CHERISE ADAMS-BURNETT voice; CHRIS CHEEK saxophone; DAVID ADEWUMI trumpet; DESCHANEL GORDON piano; FERG IRELAND bass; JAS KAYSER drums; JASON BROWN drums; JOE DOWNARD bass; LUISITO QUINTERO percussion; MIDORI JAEGER voice/cello; NOAH STONEMAN piano; SHANE FORBES drums; WILL BARRY piano; WILL SACH bass

This latest release from Hitchcock is an ambitious and stunningly realised project that justifies the continuing support he’s received from the tastemaking Fresh Sound New Talent imprint. With an impressive cast list that features old colleagues from his quintet, quartet, and the AUB project, new kids on the London block (Gordon, Kayser, Stoneman) and some visiting American superstars (Cheek, Brown, Adewumi), in ways it feels like a summary of his recorded career so far. One might be forgiven for thinking that Hitchcock wasn’t able to choose which band he wanted to work with next so decided to work with all of them at once, but in fact the album has a striking coherence thanks in part to the unifying presence of the two vocalists and Hitchcock’s own assertively modernistic, superbly controlled saxophone playing. Part of the fun is guessing who plays what: Jason Brown’s unmistakeable polyrhythmic attack shines out on ‘Yeshaya’, Will Barry and Shane Forbes build up a mighty head of steam on ‘To Love Itself’ alongside Cherise’s clarion wordless vocal: she returns alongside Chris Cheek and David Adewumi on the album highlight ‘FTSL’ - Hitchcock holds his own with fellow Fresh Sound artist Cheek for tonal control across all the registers, harmonic and melodic ingenuity and rhythmic accuracy. The compositions are modernistic with plenty of emphasis on rhythm and surprise metric and harmonic twists but remain eminently listenable: Midori’s cello and vocals provide the perfect complement to Hitchcock’s writing, simultaneously introspective and robustly assertive. A triumph.

KINETIKA BLOCO - Legacy

Banger Factory Records BF002

Kinetika Bloco are a phenomenon - over the last twenty years the percussion and horn heavy collective have evolved their own irresistible version of carnival music, drawing on the many traditions of the Black Atlantic, while acting as a hothouse for talent development for generations of young London musicians. Notable alumni include Claude Deppa, Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross, Sheila Maurice Grey, Artie Zaitz, David Mrakpor, Reuben James, and trumpeter and bandleader Mark Kavuma, who returns to support his old mentors by putting out their debut album on his Banger Factory label, newly founded for the express purpose of supporting this fertile scene. Proceedings start off with a bang - their version of ‘Caravan’ re-invigorates the jam session warhorse with the propulsive dembow groove and punchy horns you’d expect from contemporary carnival but with swirling organ added to expand the palette. Things really lift off when ‘Remedy’ presents a tuba and percussion driven reggae groove with lush horns, steel pan and some cutting solos that captures the energy of the collective beautifully and makes their London-to-Caribbean roots explicit, ;’Commander’s Call’ evokes the spirit of soca, and ‘Papa Fox’ adds more hammond and guitar for an uplifting gospel feel. There’s some spoken word inspirational exhortations in ‘The Ted Williams Villanelle’ reminding us that Kinetika Bloco are a registered charity and their good works are manifest, but there’s nothing didactic or self-consciously worthy about this release - it’s a truly joyous recording that captures the spirit of young London and demonstrates why it’s such a wellspring of creative musical talent.

HARVEY / O’HIGGINS PROJECT- That’s The Way To Live

Ubuntu

“The musical landscape that the Harvey / O’Higgins Project inhabits is neither innovative nor fashion led” claims the accompanying press release, and this is not intended as either an excuse or an apology. Graham Harvey is one of the UK’s finest exponents of the bop piano tradition, and his solo on I Wish I Knew is a masterpiece of Wynton Kelly-esque poise and swing, while his block chording on Chlo-E would have delighted Red Garland; Dave O’Higgins is justly renowned as a player, composer and educator in the field of bebop and its successors, and his big, centered tone, melodically inventive imagination and sure sense of swing and thematic development, rooted in Dexter Gordon but with plenty of original character as well, have made him a firm favourite on the national club scene. Add such eminently simpatico elements as Jeremy Brown’s deep, woody tone and impeccable swing

and the crisply tasteful ride and crackling snare of Josh Morrison and then sit back and enjoy the results: an albums worth of beautifully rendered standards and originals, all shot through with hints of the blues, sitting squarely in the pocket. Special mention must go to the warm, thoroughly organic sounding recording capture as well.

Eddie Myer

Graham Harvey, piano; Dave O’Higgins, tenor sax; Jeremy Brown, bass; Josh Morrison, drums.

KEVIN FIGES - Wallpaper Music

Pig Records

Kevin Figes, alto sax, flute; Brigitte Beraha, vocals; Jim Blomfield, keyboards; Ashley John Long, bass; Mark Whitlam, percussion.

The UK jazz scene underwent some fascinating mutations from the late 60s onwards as a new generation of players started to redraw the boundaries of the music. Freed from subservience to the declining bop idiom and rejecting the hegemonic influence of the USA (often from political as much as artistic motivations), they drew inspiration from such diverse sources as the homegrown prog rock scene and the European avant-garde to develop a sound that was very distinctive, if hard to categorise. Kevin Figes was taught by Elton Dean, the Soft Machine saxophonist whose recorded legacy typifies the free- wheeling, no-boundaries approach of that generation, and this album reframes their unique sound for 2021. There are proggy, twisty unison passages, (as on opener More Equal Than Others), odd time signatures aplenty and some lovely

textural work from Figes’ full-toned flute and Jim Blomfield’s array of vintage-sounding keyboards, and Figes’ writing for the well balanced band is constantly full of surprises. But the dominant voice throughout is Brigitte Beraha’s - deploying the full range of her formidable technique she goes from Art Bears or Henry Cow style pastoralism to Ivor Cutler whimsicality to free-improv squeals and whispers, often all in the same tune. There are echoes of Zappa in his 1960s Mothers period but the overall sound is very much from the British arm of the European progressive movement: this unique record is packed with character and imagination and effectively reframes a fascinating musical legacy for the 21st century.

Eddie Myer

JELLY CLEAVER - Forever Presence

Bandcamp

Jelly Cleaver, composition, production, guitar, vocals, synth, percussion; James Akers, saxophone; Lorenz Okello-Osengor, piano, rhodes, hammond organ; Katie Moberly, cello, electric bass; Hamish Nockles-Moore, double bass; Tash Keary, drums, percussion.

Jelly Cleaver has emerged from the mighty Tomorrow’s Warriors organisation and straight into the media eye: she has received the Steve Reid Award, is a Serious Take Five artist, was nominated for an Ivors Composer Award, and had airplay on Jazz FM and BBC 6 Music, with support from Gilles Peterson and Cerys Matthews indicating the crossover appeal of this set of languidly atmospheric songs. Tempos are relaxed, the rhythm arrangements are spacious and flowing; bass and drums set up loose-limbed grooves and Lorenz Okello-Osengor’s tinkling rhodes and Katie Moberly’s cello create washes of atmospheric texture over which James Akers’ attractively acidic tenor is allowed to roam at will. The jewel at the heart is Cleaver’s own clear, limpid-toned but emotionally charged vocals; sometimes, as on the title track, her voice doesn’t emerge until the mood has been thoroughly explored by the band, but she always commands attention. James Aker is joint star of

proceedings and Prayer For Rojava contrasts his grainy, impassioned attack with Cleaver’s calm stately vocal to memorable effect; We Have Known Love has a solemnly

por tentous spoken word manifesto whose exact meaning may elude some listeners, and closing track Black Line uses Hammond organ and gritty guitar to shift the mood towards a satisfying prog-psych heaviness. The mood is so relaxed that the album seems almost to have been spontaneously improvised in the studio, but the band are switched on and empathetic enough so that it doesn’t seem baggy or over- stretched and Cleaver’s guiding hand is present throughout to create an album with a powerful atmosphere that lingers on after each listen.

Eddie Myer

SEAN GIBBS - When Can I See You Again?

Ubuntu Music – UBU0083

Sean Gibbs - trumpet; Riley Stone-Lonergan - tenor sax; Rob Brockway - piano; Calum Gourlay - bass; Jay Davis - drums

Sean Gibbs grew up in Edinburgh playing with ensembles such as The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra and The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland, graduated from the jazz course at Birmingham Conservatoire with first class honours in 2015, and is thoroughly involved with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra both as a player and as a composer, so you’d expect him to be something of a whiz at contemporary jazz: and this debut album swiftly confirms those expectations. Gibbs works out of the tradition established by the Blue Note sound of the 1960s, as the foundations of hard bop were being stretched, thoroughly updated for contemporary relevance. “Internal Conflict” has a hip 12/8 groove and a minor key bluesy modal feel that reaches back to the sound of Lee Morgan’s later records, and Gibb’s soloing is as confident and assured as you could wish for. He combines an attractively light tone with superbly accurate articulation, and a certain poise and restraint that tends more towards the Miles school and contrasts with tenor man Riley Stone-Lonergan’s explosive assertions. ‘Happy Hour’ has an Abdullah Ibrahim township lilt, and ‘Mary’ is a beautifully delivered ballad that contrasts Gibbs’ clear, emotive delivery with the dark woody tones of Calum Gourlay’s bass to enchanting effect. Jay Davis provides exemplary support on the driving post-bop of ‘The Grand Parade’ as Stone-Lonergan demonstrates his effortless ability to distil advanced harmony into memorable melody - his soloing throughout is consistently ear-catching, as are the comping and concise solo contributions from Rob Brockway. “When Can I See You Again” combines a gospelly uplift with Gibb’s innate melancholy to provide a bittersweet comment on the human connections we’ve all been missing. Altogether a delight.

BENJAMIN CROFT - Far And Distant Things

Ubuntu Music – UBU0082

Benjamin Croft - keyboards; Andy Davies - trumpet; Gareth Lockrane - flute; Henry Thomas, Flo Moore - bass;
Tristan Mailliot and Laurie Lowe -drums; Helen Vollam - trombone; Carter Arrington - guitar
With:
Randy Brecker, Allen Vizzutti - trumpet; Frank Gambale, Barry Finnerty, Mike Miller - guitar; Chad Wackerman - drums

Croft’s 2019 release, 10 Reasons To…., was a gloriously eccentric confection of unabashed prog and fusion interspersed with spoken word references to a host of UK cultural touchpoints from Dylan Thomas to Dr Who. Stylistically it harked back to the high-octane supercharged studio sound of the late 70s and early 80s, when the intersection of advances in music tech and busy, highly-paid studio schedules created an elite of session superheroes who in turn created some very accomplished, delightfully over the top fusion records. For this next instalment Croft went straight to the source and approached some of his personal transatlantic heroes in the genre to participate: the fact that all of them agreed indicates an acknowledgement that Croft himself certainly belongs in this exalted company. The eleven original compositions here provide ample opportunity for everyone to shine, and part of the fun is in guessing who plays what - the impossible drum breaks in ‘Tudor Job Agency’ can surely only be by Wackerman, sweep-picking maestro Gambale must have contributed to the superbly bombastic title track and ’S&R Video’ sure sounds like Brecker’s clear tone and crisp attack. However the contributions from the Brit contingent are so uniformly excellent that it’s sometimes hard to tell. Henry Thomas on bass has some particularly compelling solo contributions (or is Flo Moore responsible for some?), and Gareth Lockrane tears it up on ‘Brock 1644’. Croft himself makes full use of the entire range of keyboards ancient and modern at his disposal: ‘Thank You, That’s What I Wanted’ is the nearest thing to an introverted moment: in general it’s an epically scaled, all guns blazing affair, but carried off with such aplomb, coupled with an all-important sense of good-natured humour, that makes for a hugely enjoyable ride.

BENN CLATWORTHY - The Pursuit

BCQCD101

Clatworthy has been a fixture on the LA club scene since he moved there in the 1980s and caught the ear of Horace Silver, one of the music’s great talent spotters. His roots, however, lie in Hastings, where he was born, and this recording captures him on one of his regular trips to the UK, checking in with those roots by joining forces with some South Coast mainstays. The latest iteration of Clatworthy’s UK touring band spent a day in David Beebee’s Seaford recording studio; Donaldson and Thorpe are both Hastings-based and currently form the nucleus of the popular Hexagonal project, and drummer Beckett has relocated to Brighton from NYC, so it’s a local affair, but the music itself is thoroughly international both in conception and in quality. Clatworthy is known for his thorough assimilation of the stylings of late 50s/early 60s Coltrane, at the period when the master was breaking out from the confines of bop and heading for the expansive freedom of modal exploration, and the title track puts us squarely in this territory with the kind of uptempo minor key piece that defined this

classic era. Clatworthy’s tone has exactly the kind of keening bite required, his command of the language is as exemplary as ever, and the quartet are in perfect sympathy - Donaldson is renowned for his facility with all things pentatonic and Tyner-esque, and Thorpe and Beckett mesh perfectly to provide the requisite drive and swing to power things along. Ugly Beauty gets a superbly sensitive ballad reading, Just Another Addiction is a loping blues with a hypnotic bass groove, handing Beckett a chance to show his unimpeachably hip transatlantic chops, This One’s For Celia is a rare outing on flute that provides an effective contrast in pace, and Donaldson’s beautiful Louisa’s Song has a similarly calming effect. It’s the burners that really allow this band to shine, though - Space 22 is a wonderfully knotty theme with an extended breakdown passage that lets the rhythm team show their creativity, with a notably virtuosic contribution from the big- toned Thorpe, and Bolivian Odyssey flies aloft on a magic carpet of flexible swing climaxing in another coruscating solo from Beckett. This is top quality jazz, with plenty of space for everyone to stretch out, but with the innate taste and mutual respect of the players preventing any sense of over-indulgence. The recording sounds great too, and Strayhorn’s My Little Brown Book is a perfectly judged album closer.

JOHN LAW CONGREGATION - Configuration

Ubuntu UBU0036

John Law has long been a maverick performer on the scene: Verdict regulars will recall him asking for the lights to be completely extinguished on one of his memorable visits to the club in order to allow him to generate the requisite vibe in total darkness. This latest offering moves away from his knotty classically influenced compositions in favour of a lighter, more accessible sound, so that the intro to And Them almost sounds like lo-fi hip hop to chill/study to, though Law’s virtuosity soon reasserts itself in the cascading solos. There’s a commendable attempt to engage with pop sensibilities while maintaining a high level of musical integrity, and the band are certainly well selected to deliver on both fronts: Roller Trio sax man James Mainwaring delivers the kind of forcefully melodic approach and big chewy tone that attracted the interest of fans and critics alike to his outfit, bassist Ashley John Long shows his impressive high-register chops on Configuration and his arco skills on the impressionistic Through A Glass Darkly, and drummer Billy Weir gets full rein to display his versatility in adapting to the stylistic medley - the moody synth-textured Scandi-jazz of Lullaby, the Bach reworking of Disfigured Bass, the free/funk mash-up of Complex City and the jaunty reggae-to-swing Processional. This may sound like an overkill of diversity but actually it works very well and this album is a lot of fun to listen to.

TOM OLLENDORF - A Song For You

Fresh Sound New Talent

Tom Ollendorf - guitar; Conor Chaplin - bass; Marc Michel -drums

Ollendorf won a Yamaha scholarship in 2015 and has proceeded to build himself a reputation as one of the most comprehensively accomplished young musicians emerging onto the UK scene. His careful, flawlessly articulated, understatedly melodic approach has earned comparisons with Gilad Hekselman, and Hekselman graciously acknowledges the similarity with an endorsement for this set of recordings… READ MORE

ROY MOR - After The Real Thing

Ubuntu Music – UBU0081

Roy Mor – piano & Fender Rhodes; Amos Hoffman - oud & guitar; Myles Sloniker, Marty Kenney & Joel Kruzic – bass; Itay Morchi Peter Traunmueller & Jeremy Dutton - drums; Davy Lazar - flugelhorn

“Looking back, I guess ‘going after the real thing’ for me was perhaps leaving a secure position with Microsoft in Israel and moving to New York to pursue my dream of being a musician in New York City, the mecca of jazz.” says Roy Mor in the press release for this debut collection of originals and standards… READ MORE

FERG IRELAND TRIO - Ferg Ireland Trio

Mondegreen Recordings

Ferg Ireland - bass; Nathaniel Facey - alto sax; James Maddren - drums

Ferg Ireland’s big tone, sure rhythmic sense, adventurous musicality and lightning fast chops have earned him a place as first-call bassist for a wide range of different musical situations across the London jazz scene, from in-the-tradition mainstays Kansas Smitty’s to regular appearances with the likes of Soweto Kinch and Ashley Henry… READ MORE

ALEX WESTERN-KING - Sideslip

Ubuntu Music – UBU0086

Alex Western-King - tenor sax; James Copus - trumpet; Sam Leak - piano; Johnny Wickham - bass; Jay Davis - drums

This is the debut release by hotly-tipped young London sax player, working very much within the modernist tradition. ‘Make Way’ sets out his stall - a mid-tempo swinger with very faint echoes of the old chestnut ‘Tangerine’ hovering somewhere in its DNA… READ MORE

JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA - Tales From The Jacquard

Whirlwind Recordings WR4774

Julian Siegel - tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, composition, arrangements; Nick Smart - conductor;
Tom Walsh, Percy Pursglove, Henry Lowther & Claus Stötter - trumpets; Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires & Harry Brown – trombones; Richard Henry - bass trombone, tuba; Mike Chillingworth - alto saxophone; Jason Yarde - alto & soprano saxophones; Stan Sulzmann - tenor saxophone; Tori Freestone - tenor saxophone, flute; Gemma Moore - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Mike Outram - guitar; Liam Noble - piano; Oli Hayhurst - double bass;
Gene Calderazzo – drums

Julian Siegel’s dad, as well as being a jazz fan, also owned a Nottingham lace factory, and the whirring and clattering of the machines made a deep impression on the young Seigel, alongside his dad’s record collection… READ MORE

SAMARA JOY - Samara Joy

Whirlwind Recordings – WR4776

Pasquale Grasso - guitar; Ari Roland - bass; Kenny Washington - drums

Samara Joy won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019, and her tone and phrasing on the opening tune ‘Stardust’ are uncannily reminiscent of the great Sarah herself: the wide vibrato is turned down a bit and the delivery is more microphone-intimate than big-band bravado, but her rich tone and confident delivery show an astonishing maturity for someone who was only 21 when these cuts were recorded… READ MORE