Music / Jazz
The week in jazz – July 11 – 17
What with Bristol’s own Dakhla Brass appearing at the prestigious Montreal Jazz Festival and hip publication Jazzwise featuring two local acts in its latest edition there’s no doubting that the Bristol jazz scene is making waves out there this month. The Jazzwise picks were local sax favourite James Morton talking about his funk-packed CD The Kid and a plug for Jake McMurchie’s electro-acoustic Michelson Morley project, now touring their second critically-acclaimed CD Strange Courage. Naturally we get to hear the latter first, however, with a launch at the Wardrobe Theatre (Sun 17) also featuring ambient duo Eyebrow and live visuals, but it’ll be Strange Courage’s rich mix of ideas and textures that dominates proceedings. It’s a busy night, however, with Russian saxophonist Zhenya Strigalev also bringing his international Never trio to the Hen & Chicken. The band includes the excellent bass of Michael Janisch and Strigalev’s improvised music is unpredictable and surprising.
Earlier in the week another saxophonist arrives with a new improvising trio joined for the night by trumpeter Nick Malcolm. Ed Jones has long been popular in these parts but Ed Jones’ Bad Ash (Fringe, Wednesday 13), with Mark Lewadowski on bass and improv drum legend Mark Sanders might surprise (and impress) some fans. More predictable pleasures are on offer at Colston Hall the next night (Thursday 14) when soul-jazz guru Quantic (aka Will Holland, pictured) brings the 1000 Watts tour to town and throws in the Hot 8 Brass Band as a bonus. Fans of Quantic might also be interested to know that Richard Blair’s Colombian Sidestepper are at the Harbour Festival on Saturday evening,
The Canteen hosts an intriguing new trio on Wednesday (13) – the Brandt/Padron Project joins producer and multi-instrumentalist Pete Brandt with Cuban trumpeter Michael Padron and drummer Justin Fellows in a mix that adds up to some promisingly unpredictable chemistry. The next night (Thursday 14) sees Senegalese pianist Ibou Tall and his Jazz Mates bring some African-influenced modern jazz to the same venue. Lovers of classic jazz singing, however, may well prefer the assured combination of Bath-based James Lambeth (pictured) and Grammy-nominated Becki Biggins at Future Inns that evening.
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