Reviews

Three Views of a Secret, a portrait of Jaco Pastorius

Joe Zawinul was not an easy man to impress, even if you were Jaco Pastorius. On a flight to Japan in 1981, when the rough mixes for what would become his second solo album Word of...

Victoria Kaunova, Ilya Morozov Sextet – The First

Vocalist Victoria Kaunova and saxophonist Ilya Morozov first met while studying at the Rostov College of Arts (Russia). At this time they had already expressed the desire to...

Herbie Hancock, Craig Taborn & Kamasi Washington shine at Gent Jazz 2017

Gent Jazz Festival 2017 held over seven music filled days between 6th and 16th of July. I was one of the 34, 000 people who came to the festival. I was able to spend six days at...

Maciej Fortuna Trio live review, July 11th, 2017 ~ A Trumpeter Plus

On the second day of the Bohemia Jazz Fest, so July 11th, on the Old Town Square in Prague, the Maciej Fortuna Trio plus a special guest drummer started their set in the daylight,...

CD Review | Tom Haines & The Birmingham Jazz Orchestra “Live”

Prior to hearing this album I was unaware of Tom Haines however after some research it became clear that Tom is no stranger to the world of Big Band composition. Tom is a multi...

Moving and groovin’ ~ a great performance by super-hero George Benson

This week has been a rather legendary week for this writer.   One day I was watching Woody Allen play in one of the most iconic venues that London can offer and another I was...

Robert Mitchell | A Vigil For Justice, A Vigil For Peace

Jazz has always been political in challenging issues of freedom and equality. The music in itself resonates this through the freedom of improvisation and collaboration often...

Fiona Ross ~ CD Review: Just Me (and sometimes someone else)

London jazz vocalist Fiona Ross, is at last putting herself in the limelight. As head of the British Academy of New Music for nine years she helped train the likes of Ed Sheeran,...

Avishai Cohen ~ CD Review ~ Cross My Palm With Silver

The new cd from trumpeter Avishai Cohen is called ‘Cross My Palm With Silver’. It is the successor of the acclaimed album ‘Into The Silence’, both have...

Miles Davis Quintet | It Never Entered My Mind!

In 1955, Bob Weinstock found himself in a tough spot. He was about to lose his most revered recording artist, trumpeter Miles Davis. Weinstock was head of Prestige Records, the...

CD Review | Libor Šmoldas Organ Trio | Lay It Down

A slight touch of the blues, soul jazz and groove best describes the Libor Šmoldas Organ trio; it’s a contemporary jazz sound while clearly harking back to the golden era...