Bristol’s jazz month – September 2021

Oh Lordy! Jazz is back in Bristol with a vengeance, and what a month September has laid out before us. Sadly we say goodbye to pop-up venues Breaking Bread and Outer Space but a host of old favourites have emerged, some in new places, and there’s nearly 50 jazz events on offer.

So here goes…

In so packed a month one gig does stand out: the premiere of Comfort In Chaos (1532 Performing Arts, Sat 18) is an astonishing combination of jazz, classical music and spoken word jointly composed by ubiquitous trumpet explorer Pete Judge and the ever-impressive young percussionist Harriet Riley in collaboration with young poets from the 1625 Independent People project in Bristol. The music is ambitious and atmospheric, mixing strings, electronics and acoustic instruments while the poetry speaks of dark and difficult realities facing some young people. The whole thing adds up to a remarkable and spellbinding experience.

The all-star Electric Lady Big Band – photo: Tony Benjamin

If you’re quick you might be able to catch some of the remaining Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival 2021 events (Lakota Gardens, Fri 3-Sun 5) with performances from the dazzling Liane Carroll, Dennis Rollins’ Funky Funk and Denny Ilett’s Electric Lady Big Band among the weekend’s highlights. The following week sees Jazz Stroud return at the Old Goods Shed, Stroud (Sat 4 – Sun 12) with Ayannah Witter-Johnson, Levitation Orchestra and our own Run Logan Run among many stand-out concerts. There’s a feast/fest of electronica at The Cube (Fri 17-Sun 19) as their part in the En Masse festival.

Guitarist Steve Banks – photo: Olivier Burnside

So – welcome back the Bebop Club now comfortably ensconced on Thursday nights in the more spacious Hen & Chicken club room. This month sees guitarist Steve Banks’ very classy quintet (Thur 9) while new face trumpeter  Thom Dalby leads his quartet (Thur 16). Kevin Figes’ new prog-leaning quartet (Thur 23) is followed by  Stag & Hounds jam organiser guitarist Adam Stokes with hot young drummer Alex Goodyear (Thur 30). (If you can’t make Steve Banks’ Bebop gig they are also appearing in Bath’s Widcombe Social Club on Fri 24.)

Vocalist Ian Shaw with Pee Wee Ellis at this year’s Bristol Jazz and Blues Festival – photo: Tony Benjamin

And – also welcome back Fringe Jazz  albeit now relocated to the Bristol Music Club on Queens Road for regular Wednesday sessions, with Sylvie from The Fringe providing a pop-up bar. Opening night (Wed 22) has vocalist Ian Shaw collaborating with Iain Ballamy’s sax and Jamie Safir on piano, with Moscow Drug Club appearing later (Wed 29). Confusingly this month also sees the opening of Fringe In The Round – a new monthly night curated by Nick Malcolm and Alex Merritt actually at The Fringe. The debut gig will feature pianist George Cooper in a solo set, followed intriguingly by Jake McMurchie’s Michelson Morley playing acoustically (Tues 7).

Michel Padron – photo: Tony Benjamin

And the Canteen is in full flight again – hoorah! – with jazz and world music as strong as ever on the menu. September treats include: dazzling vocalist Marie Lister with Dale Hambridge on keyboards (Wed 8), North African groovers Gnawa Blues All-Stars (Fri 10), sizzling Latin vocalist Indira Roman with Aji Pa’Ti (Sat 11) and enigmatic newcomer Funk & Disorderly (Sun 12). Guitarist Guy Calhoun and saxophonist Craig Crofton revive their great Jazz Reggae Sessions project (Fri 17) and the month rounds off with Cuban trumpeter Michel Padron’s Quartet featuring Jim Blomfield on piano (Thur 30). Sister venue Old Market Assembly has some corking Afro-jazz with Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra (Fri 10) and Afla Sackley & Afrik Bawantu (Sat 25).

Meanwhile impressive new venue Strange Brew has quietly become a home for the free-er side of things with improv night Schwet alternating with the Bounce Jazz Jam on Tuesday nights. Schwet nights include ‘rocky notjazz’ outfit The Evil Usses and fearless sax improviser Rebecca Sneddon (Tue 7) followed by the eclectically imaginative Tara Clerkin Trio with unclassifiable ‘omni-musician’ Memo-Coims (Tue 21). Tina Hitchens and Dan Johnson bring another of their Deep Listening evenings to the venue (Mon 27) and free-thinking cornet player Harry Furniss returns with the Iceman Furniss Quartet to headline on Wed 29.

Run Logan Run – photo: Chris Lucas.

Then there’s the Jam Jar which this month offers new African-based electro-jazz project Devils of Moko supported by Hexcut (Thur 9) and (finally!) the launch of dynamic power-jazz duo Run Logan Run’s new album For A Brief Moment We Could Smell The Flowers (Thur 16). Over in Bath The Bell has the return of Uber-brassy funksters Monkey Chuckle (Wed 8) and saxophonist Sophie Stockham’s all-star contemporary quintet Orphic (Mon 20). Or should that be Orfic? Because that’s how they are billed at The Greenbank (Thur 9). The Bell are also home to Denny Ilett and Jim Blomfield’s Santanal band – reviving the Latin-rock fusion of Carlos et al (Sat 25).

Nubiyan Twist – photo: Gregory D’Wode

And then finally there’s a few very interesting visitors coming to town, notably the awesomely talented Nubiyan Twist big band at SWX (Sat 18) and ex-Sons of Kemet tuba tyro Theon Cross at The Exchange (Sun 19) while The Fleece has the renamed SEED (they used to be Seed Ensemble) saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi’s 10-strong supergroup from London’s ultra-hip Jazz Re:Freshed and Steam Down scenes (Wed 29). Those are all hot-ticket jobs so get your skates on.

Main photo: Harriet Riley by Tom Jacob

Read more: The return of Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival

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