Music / Jazz
Bristol’s week in jazz, July 15-21 2019
In another fairly quiet week some exceptional jazz piano playing stands out as well as a rip-snorting slice of the New York underground and a taste of New Orleans speakeasy nostalgia.
Ambitious young composer and jazz pianist Olly Chalk (Future Inn, Thursday 18) enlisted the considerable skills of US alto saxophonist John O’Gallagher for his Scathed Citizens album and tour project.
The album reflects Olly’s open-minded approach both to composition and improvisation developed with his regular trio colleagues of Sam Ingvorsen (bass) and Gwilym Jones (drums). John, naturally, brings his distinctive energy and flamboyant style to the mix.
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With his more considered writing style and intensely informed playing pianist Jim Blomfield showcases his recent trio album Strange Beauty at The Fringe (Wednesday 17).
Always a rewarding experience as a live player, this collection has allowed Jim to broaden his palette to include more use of electronic synth and prog-jazz references. You can also catch the trio in more dignified surroundings at the Holborn Museum on Thursday 18.
Orphic in action at Canteen
There’s a couple of chances to catch Get The Blessing trumpeter Pete Judge playing with drummer Matt Brown this week, too.
The pair feature in saxophonist Sophie Stockham’s impressive Orphic project (Canteen, Wednesday 17) with Chris Jones on bass, playing left field jazz classics from Thelonious Monk, Dewey Redman and others.
Then they hook up with bass player Riaan Vosloo for his Uphill Game (El Rincon, Friday 19), with GTB saxophonist Jake McMurchie completing the line up. They’re two quality contemporary jazz quartets, as their membership suggests.
The annual River Town Americana festival doesn’t usually offer much in the way of jazz but The Hot Sardines (St George’s, Tuesday 16) certainly cover the classic pre-war swing repertoire.
Formed in Brooklyn but with an ear for the New Orleans sound the six-piece band is fronted by assured vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol and often boasts the tap dancing skills of A.C.Lincoln.
In a similar vein, our own homegrown swing and jazz diva Ruth Royall hosts The Pocket Sessions at The Social (Sunday 21).
Perhaps it’s because of the impending Harbour Festival (Saturday 20, Sunday 21) but Friday night (19) has a burst of carnival related activity.
No. 1 Harbourside have Carnaval Transatlantico – the only non-Brazilian group to have ever performed in the Rio carnival – while the Old Market Assembly has Brighton’s 35-strong Carnival Collective raising the roof.
There’s (slightly) more restrained Latin exuberance at Canteen, however, with Cuban trumpeter Michel Padron’s Salsa Dura outfit Saoco Collective on the same night.
And among the Harbour Festival’s many jazz treats the splendid jazz meets hip-hop project Phantom Ensemble will be on the amphitheatre stage on Saturday night (20).
And finally, while they have done their obligatory busking stint at New York’s Union Square subway station the sax and drum power trio Moon Hooch (Fleece, Sunday 21) are clearly a musical level higher than that suggests.
Using smart electronics and a tightly woven writing style their driving grooves and sharp interactions provide an ear-catchingly diverse sound.
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