Bristol’s month in jazz – September 2023

Time to put away the tents and get out those pencil cases – the summer’s over and a new term of jazz-related music is about to get into full swing (and groove, bop and improv …). Fringe Jazz and El Rincon might still be on a break but the Bebop Club is back and the Old Duke and Stag & Hounds are reliably active as ever. The end of September also sees the Hotwells Festival (Fri 29 – Sun 1) which includes local faves Moscow Drug Club and Eyebrow plus swingers Trip For Biscuits and skronk-improv duo Brace featuring ex-Pigbag reedman Ollie Moore. Some of the bigger gigs are already sold out, notably Orchestra Baobab and Bristol Reggae Orchestra at St George’s, and GoGo Penguin’s Everything Is Going To Be OK tour has, ironically, been postponed to May 2024. Sadly high-life hero Pat Thomas’ visit to Jam Jar has also been put off until next year.

It’s been a (deservedly) great summer for piano trio Yetii, garnering rave reviews around the UK festival circuit. They return to their Greenbank base (Thur 7) with Waldo’s Gift’s remarkable guitarist and singer Alun Elliot-Williams. The Bebop Club programme kicks off a day early (Wed 6) with a special set from the Jazz Defenders and vocalist Doc Brown to launch their new single Rolling On A High. Then it’s Thursdays as usual, starting with French trumpeter/producer daoud (Thur 14) joined by Dan Newberry’s sax in a contemporary electro-acoustic quintet. Andy Hague’s excellent Quintet appears (Thur 21) followed by alto-sax player (and former Bristol resident) Duncan Anselm’s Mingus Moves tribute to the seminal bass player and composer (Thur 28).

The Stag & Hounds have some great guests to their Sunday sessions including soulful vocalist Victoria Klewin (Sun 3), very up-and-coming sax player Seth Pannifer (Sun 24) and an all-too-rare chance to catch powerhouse reed man James Gardner-Bateman (Sun 17). Tenor player Luke Annesley will be joining S&H regular Adam Stokes’ trio at St George’s (Wed 27) for Re-imagining The Wizard of Oz – a set of movie-themed improvisations, while vocalist Natalie Davis will be celebrating the Great American songbook at the Sundial Kitchen in Totterdown (Fri 22).

Things get pretty cool at the Exchange (Sat 16) with bass player and vocalist Will Collier’s Chet Baker Project, a classy London-based quartet including ace guitarist Rob Updegraff with Robbie Robson taking the all-important trumpet parts. It’s an unfortunate clash with EyeJOWDau (St Ambrose Church, Sat 16) – a triple bill of adventurous and idiosyncratic duos Eyebrow (trumpet/drums), JOW (trumpet, cello) and Dau (all kinds of instruments). And after seeing him in a whole range of diverse new projects since the pandemic it will be good to catch the ever-inventive Kevin Figes playing melodic originals with his Quartet (Canteen, Wed 27).

When it comes to grooving how do you like your swing? Boogie Belgique – aka Belgian producer Oswald Cromheecke – keep the flag flying for electro-swing (Lost Horizon, Fri 22), while St Opia offer swing and funk (The Stable, Fri 8). Well-established Manouche outfit Schmoozenbergs swing in the classic Paris cafe-style (Wardrobe, Tue 19) and the Bristol Little Big Band go for that classic 40s sound (Crafty Egg Fishponds, Thur 14).

For more Latin influences, however, you could try salsa singer Carmen appearing at The Forge (Fri 15) – it’s good to see that venue in action again – and demon guitarist Denny Ilett celebrates Carlos Santana’s Latin-flavoured rock fusion in his Santarnal band (Riff Corner, Wed 6) while Latin-funksters Locomoss Trio appear at No 1 Harbourside (Sat 23). More hard-nosed funk action is on offer from Stone Cold Hustle (The Stable, Fri 1), Dusk Art Rhythm Quartet (Canteen, Fri 8) and the JEM Organ Group (Canteen, Sat 16).

And things get more hip-hoppy at Canteen with the regular sessions of improvising groovers Slapdash (Tue 12) and Bristol Street Music (Tue 26) with the latter featuring Yetii keyboard whiz Alex Veitch. Most intriguing groove gig of the month however must be Finnish flautist Jimi Tenor appearing with the Jack J Band (Strange Brew, Sat 23). An accomplished jazz player of many years Jimi has evolved a unique multi-instrumental dance music blend of space jazz, techno and Afrobeat, while Jack J is described as an ‘ambient dub raconteur’. Make of that what you will.

There’s more unclassifiable stuff across September, of course. The month starts off with two superb veteran vocal improvisers, namely Maggie Nichols (The Cube, Fri 1) and Phil Minton (Cafe Kino, Mon 4). Maggie is appearing in a Brunswick Club Calling Calling event of ‘experimental expanded vocal performances’ alongside sound poet Hannah Silva and vocal dance artist Jo Hellier. Phil is taking part in the South West Improvisers Group which meets at Kino on the first Wednesday of every month. Many of the SWIG players will also be at Elmer’s Arms improv night Byrfyfyr (Sat 9). There’s a couple of outings for another compelling improvising vocalist (and guitarist) Paul Bradley who appears with drumming sibling Mark as The Bradley Brothers (Tobacco Factory, Sun 10) and the following week in his duo Athea with formidable drummer Emma Holbrook (Canteen, Sun 17). Equally formidable and exploratory drummer Dan Johnson will be ending his residency at the Arnolfini with an Ecstatic Drum Beats event (Sat 9) and workshop (Sun 10). The Saturday performance will also feature saxophonist Andrew Neil Hayes.

Minimalist contemporary composer Erland Cooper previews his upcoming environmentally-focused album Folded Landscapes with his ensemble at the Redgrave Theatre (Sat 16) with support from rising star jazz cellist and singer Midori Jaeger. Intriguing electro-minimalists Ex-Easter Island Head bring their unique sound of prepared guitars played with drumsticks to The Cube (Sat 16) – comparisons to both Steve Reich and Glenn Branca are justified. And there will be two remarkable audio-visual performances, the first coming from electro-ambient AV duo Matekoi (Thur 7) who will be exploiting Dareshack’s 360-degree d&b soundscape system with ‘avant-pop trickster’ Biped. The second utilises Squidsoup’s interactive light sculptures currently installed at Propyard for a live performance by electronica producer Christian Löffler (Propyard, Fri 29).

There’s no doubting Afrobeat has become a worldwide phenomenon, with bands from Chile to Japan giving their regional flavour to its compelling polyrhythms. Flammer Dance Band (Jam Jar, Sat 2) hail from Oslo and there’s a certain Scandic-cool clarity to their take. It’s still remorselessly danceable, whatever. And those disappointed by high-life legend Pat Thomas’ postponement can still catch the spirit of contemporary Ghanaian club music when Burland and Zongo Abongo come to Jam Jar (Fri 8) with Busy Twist. Master musician Ben Baddoo will bring more traditional Ghanaian roots to Canteen (Sun 24). Voyages is a great all-day garden party at Trinity (Sun 10) that includes Azula Bandit’s highly hip and happening Amapiano sound as well as classic Gambian kora from Suntou Susso and much more.

Manchester-based Kabuntu (Jam Jar, Wed 20) have developed an intriguing blend of African traditions with western classical and folk that somehow manages to be tightly composed without losing the vigour of its sources. Tamsin Elliott’s harp and Tarek Elazhary’s oud (Wardrobe, Tue 5) achieve a similarly successful fusion of Middle Eastern and Celtic roots thanks to the high degree of musicianship possessed by the two musicians. Jam Jar also features Malawian duo The Madalitso Band (Wed 6) whose lively and engaging sound is driven by the single-string babatone bass, while Canteen offers Afro-Latin sounds from Marakafoli (Sat 2), Latin-meets-fusion jazz outfit Los Gusanos (Wed 13 – also Barrelhouse Sat 16) and Cumbia-meets-Balkan grooves from Bomo Swing (Sat 9).

And, finally, the jam scene gets ever more complex and popular. This month the Fringe offers Hot Club Jam (Mon 4), Peanut Butter Jam (Mon 11), Jazz Rapport Jam (Mon 18) and Stomping Jam (Mon 25). Canteen has its Latin Session (Wed 6 & Wed 20), Stone Cold Funk Jam (Tue 5 & Tue 19) and its Canteen Jazz Session (Wed 6). There’s the weekly Bounce Jam (Strange Brew, Mondays), Family Business Hip-hop Jam (Gallimaufry, Sundays) and Donut Filler Jam (Mr Wolf’s, Wednesdays). Plus there’s an open gathering of hand pan enthusiasts at Meridian Studios (Sun 3) and the self-explanatory We All Play Synths at Dareshack (Thur 14).