Music / British jazz
Bristol’s week in jazz November 12 – 18
Well they say good things come in threes, and for many jazz lovers the piano trio is the embodiment of that cliché. However, when piano trios come in threes then it’s a different matter and this Thursday sees a regrettable collision of excellent threesomes across Bristol. Happily for fans of the format there’s a fourth (and equally earworthy) choice on Friday and, if it all seems like too much hassle. there’s a couple of deeply relaxing ambient music events to chill out with, too.
Regarding Thursday’s congestion it might be that local band the Jim Blomfield Trio (Fringe, Thursday 15) gets top billing for sheer jazz credentials and the chance to hear one of Bristol’s finest jazz players and composers in the ‘up close’ context of the Fringe’s back room. Jim’s breadth of musical invention embraces classical and Latin influences as well as jazz, and this solid trio has worked together for many years to develop their distinctive contemporary voice.
By comparison, young Leeds trio Treppenwitz (Canteen) might be newer kids on the UK block but their reputation as exploratory acoustic improvisers is growing fast. If the subtlety of their music survives the Canteen’s hubbub it could be a very rewarding listen.
is needed now More than ever
And then, of course, there’s GoGo Penguin (SWX), more hip than whom it is hard to be. Part of Manchester’s massively popular Gondwana stable it’s likely their fusion of ambient minimalism and modal jazz will attract a hefty crowd whatever the competition.
Happily for the excellent Sam Leak Trio (Bebop Club) their Friday date has no such rival attractions, though it’s likely this really classy young band would have come out on top, whatever. Arguable taking a more retrospective view of the piano trio – that is, before the great Scandinavian innovations of EST and others – Sam’s playing and composition nonetheless have the fresh immediacy of someone fully immersed in the jazz tradition yet concerned to move it forward. He’s greatly helped by Will Glaser’s highly responsive drumming and Simon Read on bass.
No pianos are involved in Dakhla Brass of course, and their expanded line-up including the unbrazen Riaan Vosloo’s double bass gets its recording debut with the release of Murmur at an event in The Wardrobe (Sunday 18) which also features a support set from the splendid neo-classical Spindle Ensemble. There’s a chance to catch a preview of that event at The Bell in Bath (Monday 12) which also offers Monkla, a similarly piano-less tribute to Thelonious Monk by a quartet from the band.
Al Swainger
There’s a tribute to another legend of the keyboard at Future Inn (Thursday 15) when the bass-led Al Swainger Quartet play their Biophosmos set inspired by Chick Corea. This is very much a re-imagining project, using smart electronics and a fearless improvisatory approach to update Chick’s Latin-influenced original fusion material and the Biophosmos album that launched the band has received a great critical response since its launch at The Fringe earlier this year.
If you haven’t got a ticket for the Ezra Collective gig on the Thekla (Tuesday 13) then you’re too late as it’s sold out. Seekers after originality might do well to visit the Brunswick Club that night, however, to catch the remarkable vocal/percussion improviser Limpe Fuchs. However much of her hand-made set-up they will squeeze into the room there – and she has promised a new instrument made of 40 specially tuned iron tubes – her dextrous use of sonic texture and rhythm is a phenomenon in itself. Similarly the post-Arabic acoustic improvisation duo Jerusalem In My Heart should captivate in the highly atmospheric church setting of St Thomas The Martyr, with live projections from Charles-Andre Coderre.
And, finally … relax. If you’re after a cool compress in an overheated world then head down to The Cube (Saturday 17) for an ethereal audio-visual experience courtesy of Eno-esque electronicists Marconi Union or Cafe Kino (Thursday 15) for their Silencio evening of ambient music. The name of the latter does not refer to a series of improvisations based on John Cages 4’33”, however, but to the expectation of audience behaviour during this programme of subtle acoustic and electronic performances.
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