Bristol’s week in jazz, October 28 to November 3

With plenty of interesting reed work and stylish piano playing on offer this week it could still be a local trumpet demon that steals the limelight with the release of his latest album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE-rw70ywmg

Despite regular touring stints with bands like Kasabian trumpeter and bandleader Gary Alesbrook has been a conspicuous player on the local scene for many years. Best known for his Nu Soul band Duval Project he surprised many with the 2018 release of Jazz in Movies, a decidedly upbeat and retro album of classic film music. It was a sign of things to come, it seems, and now he’s unveiling The Stories We Tell Ourselves, a collection of original tunes and songs all of which echo back to earlier jazz times. It’s a remarkable piece of work, with Gary’s assured trumpet bolstered by a great rhythm section and guest vocalists including Raul Midon and Elliott Cole. The latter will be on hand for the album’s Bristol launch party at Future Inn (Thursday 31).

Hopefully the album will create the same stir for Gary that 2019’s Peaceful King did for pianist Rebecca Nash and her 5-piece band Atlas (Canteen, Wednesday 30). The balance between Rebecca’s great compositional work and the fine solo deconstructions of Nick Malcolm on trumpet and Tom Seminar Ford’s guitar (as well as Rebecca herself) rightly caught the national ear, with strong endorsement from the likes of Jazzwise magazine.

Another great pianist appears at St George’s (Thursday 31) as half of acoustic jazz duo Courtney Pine with Zoe Rahman. This pairing, featuring Courtney Pine exclusively playing bass clarinet, emerged through Courtney’s album Song. That largely downbeat collection of diverse standards was as much about the interaction of two accomplished musicians as the material, and Zoe’s rich and responsive piano was splendidly to the fore the last time the pair played in Bristol.

And more classic piano jazz can be found tucked away at The Bristol Beer Emporium (Thursday 31) when the Tim Funnell Trio play there. Tim moved to Bristol having learned his trade at the prestigious Prins Claus Conservatoire in the Netherlands but it is the influence of American masters like Bill Evans that most clearly shows in his style.

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Courtney Pine (CBE) may have moved away from the tenor sax but there’s always plenty of young saxophone talent emerging, not least through London’s jazzre:freshed scene. Chelsea Carmichael is one such, both as member of Mercury-nominated SEED Ensemble and in her own right as composer and bandleader. She’s thus a very welcome guest at the Gallimaufry’s Waldo’s Gift residency (Wednesday 30), not least as she’s also joined by World Service Project drummer Harry Pope. Alto player Sophie Stockham revealed herself as another reed-switcher when she launched Orphic (Bebop Club, Friday 1), a chordless quartet featuring her on the tenor sax. With Pete Judge playing flugelhorn alongside, the band’s mellow harmonics and full-toned sound give it a distinctive voice. Ben Vize’s fluent tenor is one feature of PYJAEN (Mr Wolf’s, Tuesday 29), another highly-rated young band to have emerged from the Trinity Laban hothouse. Finally, Brighton-based tenor player Ollie Angelkov Cummings will be adding his brand of pizzazz to the Leftbank Jam Session (Tuesday 29).

Those in search of an instrumentally-assisted upbeat night out have a good week, as usual, with one highlight being Worm Disco’s presentation of Mauskovic Dance Band (Fiddler’s, Thursday 31). The Dutch collective’s highly original good-time Latin-Psychedelia sound is the definition of ‘festival friendly’. More urban(e) grooving can be had from the Abstract Orchestra (Trinity, Tuesday 29), a hip-hop big band famed for jazz-enriched renditions of classic numbers from J Dilla, The Roots and other dance legends. It’s a shame the gig also clashes with the Donny Hathaway tribute Doin-it-Thataway (Gallimaufry, Tuesday 29). That’s an ambitious reworking of the great man’s legendary live album, with all kinds of guest vocalists joining a cracking 5-piece band. And of course there’s always the splendid cabaret swing sound of Moscow Drug Club (Fringe, Wednesday 30).

And then there’s the wild side … with sound artist Sean Addicott due to be announcing location details for a ‘secret’ performance of his ambient-somnolence piece Tapesleep sometime before its Thursday (31) date. The next night sees cornet improviser Harry Furness return to the Old England supporting Newcastle’s unpredictable trio Archipelago and the equally spontaneous Bristol 8-piece Giantess. Or you could head round the corner to Cafe Kino (Friday 1) where ‘double noise’ duo Saltings x MG are one of a few improv acts supporting Brighton’s Knifedoutofexistence.

Los Clandestinos – on the road

And, finally, it’s always good to see a band going out on tour. The unassuming piano/trumpet duo Los Clandestinos has long been known as something of a house band at Southville mini-venue El Rincon but this week it seems they’re on the road – a full 200m or so – to appear up at the Tobacco Factory (Sunday 3). Let’s hope their Satnav doesn’t let them down.