Music / Jazz
Bristol’s week in jazz, October 22-28 2018
You don’t often get the chance to see a jazz harmonica player, so Adam Glasser’s visit to the Bebop Club is an interesting highlight over the next seven days.
This week that also sees fellow South Africans BCUC rock the boat at the Thekla, some interesting rising star visitors and a new quartet from saxophonist/composer Kevin Figes.
Adam Glasser’s dexterity with the chromatic harmonica has seen him work with a range of great musicians including Hugh Masakela and Joe Zawinul – he even depend for Stevie Wonder on occasions.
is needed now More than ever
His music springs from the joyous Township style of South African jazz and was a great hit at this year’s Brecon Jazz Festival. He appears with the Adam Glasser Quartet at the Bebop Club (Friday 26).
There’s a core of Township music in BCUC’s fusion with Afrobeat and funk (Thekla, Sunday 28). Hailing from Soweto, the band call their rolling modal music ‘Africangungungu’.
Earlier in the week there’s a celebration of that distinctive funky sound of the Horn of Africa in a double bill of The Scorpios and Tezeta at the Lanes (Monday 22).
The Scorpios are a Sudanese music outfit from London with an international membership to their full 10-piece line-up, while Bristol’s Tezeta make a fine authentic sounding jazz interpretation of Ethiofunk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMHESD86VT4
All those African grooves and more figure in the eclectic upbeat sound of Snazzback who launch their debut album at Crofters Rights (Tuesday 23).
Called Hedge, it’s a collection of the kind of sizzling rhythms and solos that have established them as a crowd-pleasing favourites around the country – as witnessed by their UK tour this month.
Saxophonist Kevin Figes has been a major figure on the Bristol and UK jazz scene for many years, with ambitious projects including the Resurrection Big Band and library music orchestra Underscore as well as long-running small groups showcasing his own compositions.
The Kevin Figes Standards Quartet is a new project he brings to the Fringe (Wednesday 24) sees him work with the ever-impressive piano of Dave Newton in arrangements of some of the great jazz tunes from the standard repertoire.
A younger generation of musicians comes to Future Inns on Thursday (25) in the shape of Fabled a contemporary quintet led by saxophonist Sam Rapley and featuring the compelling guitar of Alex Munk. Sam’s original tunes are interestingly original, lyrical with a light classical touch.
Rising sax star Josh Schofield
Rising stars from the Birmingham and Leeds scenes visit the Hen & Chicken (Sunday 28) in an Emerging Talent showcase put together by the jazz promoters Network and featuring Brum-based Josh Schofield Quartet and Leeds’ power trio Morpher. Both bands have excellent credentials and it promises to be a splendid evening.
If you aren’t checking out Adam Glasser’s gig on Friday night (26) there’s a plethora of choices still open to you. The fleet of foot (and very determined) music lover could even take in three gigs at once by flitting between Gondwana Records soul-jazzers Noya Rao at Canteen, psychedelic jazz-funkers Prudent Primate over the road at Corner 77 and electro-jazz merchants Hippo just up at Leftbank. Or there’s acid jazz stars the James Taylor Quartet down in The Tunnels. Or – the quietest option – acoustic folk-jazz trio Quijada de Burro in El Rincon.
And, finally, Stroud’s wonderfully unpredictable Mermaid Chunky pitch up in Bristol at Canteen (Wednesday 24) with their playful multi-instrumental mix of songs and improvisation that may even include an appearance of their robotic cat.
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
