Bristol’s month in jazz – May 2022

Things are definitely (and seasonably) Springing into action now, and the first rash of festivals is on the horizon: if you’re quick you might be able to catch gigs by Mulatu Astatke, Gary Bartz, Laura Jurd and others (including the great Bristol-based Electric Lady Big Band) at Cheltenham Jazz (Sun 1/Mon 2). Then there’s the all-experimental chocolate box of the Bristol New Music festival (Thur 5 – Sun 8) and the no doubt highly groovy JFS Spring Ting weekender (Sat 7/Sun 8). The month begins on a sadder note, however,  with the recent passing of Bristol sax veteran Roger Yates, a much-loved and multi-talented character and player as well known for his all-weather busking on Pero’s Bridge as his many collaborations around the Bristol scene. There will be a gathering to celebrate his life at the Star & Garter (Mon 2).

There’s a few big name visitors coming through town this month, starting with multi-instrumental legend Hermeto Pascoal (St George’s, Mon 2, pictured at top), one of the most important names in Brazilian music since the 70s. Cool and jazzy US vocalist Lady Blackbird comes to Trinity (Tue 3) with a great live reputation and St George’s welcomes the return of Tord Gustavson’s quintessentially Scandinavian piano trio (Thur 19). The chaotically groovy George Clinton and his mighty Parliament/Funkadelic take over the O2 Academy (Thur 26). Top pick, however, may well be vibraphonist extraordinaire Orphy Robinson MBE who will grace the Bristol Beacon’s Foyer (Sun 15).

It’s an eclectic month at the Bebop Club, beginning with drummer Rod Oughton’s London-based Tomorrow’s New Quartet, featuring rising star saxophonist Helena Kay (Thur 5). Local guitar hero (and Stag & Hounds main man) Adam Stokes Quartet (Thur 12) brings Dan Newberry, another impressive young reeds player, while Bebop main man Andy Hague’s trumpet will play alongside the very well-established pianist Dave Jones. Dave’s Unfinished Sentences project (Thur 19) revisits work he developed back in the 90s when he worked with the likes of bassist Herbie Flowers. In a complete contrast the club rounds off the month with fusion-flavoured contemporary guitar trio Candytime (Thur 26).

The well-established Iain Ballamy and Jason Rebello Quartet return to Fringe Jazz (Wed 4) after their last well-received Christmas-themed event in December. Expect classy revisitations of the classics and interesting originals and then, the following week, expect the unexpected with irrepressible drummer Tony Orrell’s Big Top (Fringe, Wed 11) a high-energy quintet driven by two drummers and the bass of Riaan Vosloo. Riaan returns the next week with an absolute powerhouse Riaan Vosloo Octet (Wed 18), a tribute to the UK’s massively influential South African ex-pat scene of the late 60s and 70s. His band is a real who’s who of top local improvising jazzers and this should be a gig to remember. And then the return of a very popular combo: the Matt Hopkins and Dave Newton Quartet is the core of Music of Pat Metheny, a tribute to Matt’s earliest influence as a guitarist. This smaller line-up (May 25) will feature some of those Metheny arrangements amongst other great jazz standards.

There’s a momentous milestone in Bristol’s world of improv music when EP/64 reach The Grand Final at the Arnolfini (Fri 27/Sat 28). It’s not the end of a talent competition however but the culmination of a project by frenetic vocalist Dali de Saint Paul and freeform drummer Dan Johnson to deliver 64 Extemporary Performance events (see what they did there?). They’ll be joined by a variety of improv alumni, many of whom will also have been party to the Improv’s Greatest Hits All-Dayer at The Cube (Sat 21). The day starts with a workshop at 11am, with live performances running from 3pm to goodness knows when.

The ever exploratory saxophonist Jake McMurchie, bass player Will Harris and drummer Mark Whitlam provide an El Rincon sized version of their Michelson Morley  (Thur 5) – a rare sighting of a great contemporary jazz project. Equally hip and happening events include dub-jazz groovers Red Snapper and the mighty Run Logan Run sharing the bill at the Jam Jar (Wed 4), pianist Alex Veitch’s band Yetii joined by vocalist t l k for a session of Bonobo reworking (Greenbank, Thur 5) and Tru Thoughts label’s Nikitch & Kuna Maze (Jam Jar, Wed 11). Neo-soul and jazz vocalist/performers Allysha Joy and Hollysseus Fly are a double bill at Strange Brew (Thur 12) and nu-soul sax/vocal duo Oli Morris & Chrissie Huntley are at the Gallimaufry (Tue 17). The month ends with the spectacular contemporary big band arrangements of The Abstract Orchestra (Trinity, Tue 31) playing their tribute to the late (but ever-influential) hip-hop genius J Dilla.

And if African flavoured grooves are your thing there’s a host of opportunities this month, ranging from Awesome Tapes From Africa’s veteran Ethiopian accordion legend Hailu Mergia, appearing with Tezeta’s Daniel Inzani (Jam Jar, Fri 27) to the remarkable homemade percussion ensemble Fulu Miziki from Kinshasa (think Konono No 1 unplugged …). In between there’s Senegalese pianist Ibou Tall & Jazz Mates (Canteen, Wed 11), the North African Gnawa influenced Electric Jalaba (Old Market Assembly, Fri 13), Nigerian Afrobeat sounds from keyboard player Dele Sosimi’s Quintet (Old Market Assembly, Fri 20) and a fascinating double bill of Africa-Caribbean fusion jazzers Waaju  and Moroccan Gnawa virtuoso gimbri player Majid Bekkas (Strange Brew, Thur 19).

For those who love to get involved the jam session scene continues to flourish with weekly sessions Bounce Mondays at Strange Brew and Tuesday nights’ Donut Filler Jam at Mr Wolfs. Wednesdays get a look in too: Canteen has a couple of sessions – the monthly regular Canteen Jazz Session hosted by saxophonist Craig Crofton (Wed 4) and the funk-focused Stone Cold Hustle session (Wed 18) with members of the LBJBs reviving memories of the lamented Leftbank jams of yore. Old school styles are the focus of the Hare on the Hill’s Hot Jazz Jam (Wed 11). And then Strange Brew also has the monthly Connection Sessions (Sun 22) which is a multi-genre gathering of spontaneous creativity from all manner of fields.