Music / Jazz
The week in jazz – June 27- July 3
As the Glastonbury dust/mud settles back down for another year one headline treat from that festival comes through Bristol, namely Ernest Ranglin (Colston Hall, Friday 1). The pioneer guitarist of Jamaican jazz, his career began in the 50s swing band days but notably flourished as part of Jamaica’s evolving ska and reggae scene before developing his trademark Caribbean jazz style. Now aged 84 he’s finally heading for retirement and celebrating with an ‘& Friends’ tour that’s genuinely all-star, including Afrobeat drumming legend Tony Allen, Senegalese singer Cheikh Lo and UK sax hotshot Soweto Kinch.
Bristol’s sax hotshot returns to the Fringe on Wednesday 29, too, in the popular shape of Andy Sheppard’s Pushy Doctors‘ stylish blend of irony and musicianship, while further reed-based virtuosity pulls into Future Inn when the Simon Spillett Quartet comes by on Thursday 30. Greatly influenced by the late Tubby Hayes, Spillett’s blistering bop sax leads a fine foursome with John Critchinson (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Clark Tracey (drums). And, if all that saxophone hasn’t sated you, James Morton will be blowing up a funky storm at No 1 Harbourside (Friday 1).
This week’s fretboard flamboyance comes from guitarist Mark Lawrence (above), whose Groovelator organ trio hits that 60s groove at Canteen (Wednesday 29), with the energetic cabaret jazz of New York’s Tin Pan Band playing there the following night. If that kind of swing-driven exuberance is your thing there’s another quality helping at Tobacco Factory on Sunday 3 courtesy of Swiss busking outfit The Waffle Machine Orchestra.
Finally – for those with the widest-open ears and strongest constitutions – on Saturday 2 the excellent Exchange is playing host to the first of two one-day festivals showcasing ‘Bristol’s sub-underground’. Schweifest 1.0 runs from 4pm, has free entry and a dozen acts including the splendid post-rock Iceman Furniss Quartet.
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