Music / Jazz
Bristol’s week in jazz, April 15-21 2019
It’s very much a ‘compare and contrast’ exercise with a trio of h-less jazzy Jonny’s performing in Bristol this week, while some well-established favourites jostle with feisty newcomers in the run-up to Easter.
Bristol-based trumpeter Jonny Bruce has a well-known respect for the ‘greats’, bringing zest and commitment to the music of past jazz masters. His latest project Jonny Bruce’s Skellington Trio (Leftbank, Saturday 20) explores great Duke Ellington compositions, using the small organ trio format.
Jonny is also the person behind the Bristol Community Big Band (Canteen, Wednesday 17), a celebration of ‘the Joy of Swing’ that adds jazz and Latin classics to the great swing numbers. And there’s an update on that vintage sound at The Fleece in the shape of Electric Swing Circus (Thursday 18).
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Vibraphonist Jonny Mansfield’s 11-piece band made a big impact at last month’s jazz festival, with the young player’s contemporary compositions being as impressive as his stick wielding skills. He returns to Bristol with his quartet Crescent (Future Inn, Thursday 18), a smaller combo that allows him a bit more space to stretch out his ideas.
It’s an unfortunate clash of dates with another very bright young visitor, namely saxophonist Nye Banfield (Canteen) making his Bristol debut. His cool, Wayne Shorter-inspired playing is already getting lots of plaudits in London where he is still attending the Trinity Laban jazz course.
It’s been a fair time since trumpeter Damon Brown first popped up hereabouts, probably playing supersmart bebop in the company of sax player Ed Jones, but he’s always been a very welcome visitor. His Damon Brown Quartet (Bebop Club, Friday 19) is a tasty combination of Andy Nowak on piano, Ashley John Long playing bass and Andy Tween drumming that should get nicely hot.
Another guaranteed scorcher will be James Morton & friends (Fringe, Wednesday 17) when one of the Fringe’s favourite saxophonists assembles the very groove-minded combination of Denny Ilett’s guitar, Ian Matthews’ slam dunk drums and our third Jonny viz. Jonny Henderson on full-effect Hammond.
Jake McMurchie’s considerable talents and industry as a saxophonist are beyond dispute but even he can’t be in two places at the same time. While he appears in Bristol with Get The Blessing (Exchange, Monday 15) over at The Bell in Bath his place in Sefrial will be in the able hands of No Go Stop‘s muscular tenor player John Pratt.
And yes, there is plenty of wild side to walk on this week beginning with ‘post-pop’ composer Joe Snapes’ Joyrobix (Cafe Kino, Thursday 18) performing live soundtracks to absurdist films as part of the Slip label’s showcase.
You can catch electronicist Ben Hayes at Crofters Rights on the same night while Good Friday sees another noisy Cacophonous Sarcophagus night at The Exchange. The lineup includes raucous French ‘weird dada no jazz alien’ band Zad Kokar while, in complete contrast, the Centrespace Gallery hosts Sean Addicott’s meditative sound collage installation Tapesleep (Saturday 20 – Wednesday 24).
But if you’d rather dance away the weekend Leftbank is offering Super Bad! (Friday 19), a top class no nonsense jazz funk quintet including LBJB fave guitarist Charlie Allen, as well as power funk trio The Good, The Bad and The Funk (Sunday 21).
In between you can keep the hips well-oiled at Jam Jar with worldly folk-jazzers Solana (Saturday 20) alongside Turkish fusioneers Dila V & The Odd Beats.
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