Update to main website:

Because of some changes that I'm making to the main part of the website the weekly playlist will be appearing as part of the blog on 1st September & 8th September. They will then be displayed as part of the "archive" on the site in the normal way. I'm sorry if this causes difficulties, but I'm a slow and only partially proficient web builder! In the meantime look out for some more albums that seem likely to be challenging for a place in the end of year Edge of Jazz Top 10. Normally there's a real dearth of new releases during July and August, but 2015 has proved to be exceptional.

August album update

Rather more quickly than expected, here are the albums released since April 2015 that'll be helping to shape the Edge of Jazz end of year playlist. Elsewhere in the blog you can find out what was making it in early 2015- and these are current "likes";

"All in" Beats and Pieces Big Band: 

In this day and age it's incredibly difficult to get together and record a big band album that gets taken out for promotional gigs. This band has done both and is an excellent reminder of why big bands can be so exciting to listen to (and watch). All the tracks are written by Ben Cottrell the musical director, except for a versi9on of David Bowie's "Let's dance". It's an aural treat and one that deserves to be listened to in full at one listening. Very impressive!

"String Theory" Partikel;

The three piece are an impressive unit on their own, but on this album they've recruited a string quartet to fill out the sound. It changes the ambience completely and works really well. I saw the group with just Benet McLean who wrote the arrangements playing violin. Considering that he says that piano is his first instrument it's a real testament to his ability that it's all so seamless. I interviewed Duncan eagles about the album and the playing and you can find it on the Edge of Jazz Mixcloud page. Very impressive!

"Flow" Drifter:

Quite how this band ended up on Edition records is a story in itself, but the quality of the writing and playing makes it both easily accessible and also quite challenging. The quartet (with the exception of drummer Teun Verbruggen) wrote all the material and interplay between piano and saxophone is tight and interesting. It rewards repeated plays.

"Strata" Ivo Neame:

Those familiar with his existing catalogue of work will find this an album that pushes some boundaries further out. Neame is joined by an interesting array of musicians including vibes player Jim Hart and sax player Tori Freestone. The result is an intriguing mixture of the unexpected and strong tunes, all written by Ivo himself.  It's a fascinating expansion of boundaries, an indication of even more to come and a very enjoyable and satisfying album.

" Fist full of notes" Indigo Kid II:

Quite why guitarist Dan Messore allowed this album to appear under a nom-de-plume is difficult to fathom. That it demonstrates a whole slew of differing facets of his outstanding ability and draws together an excellent group (which includes Trish Clowes on Tenor Sax in a much more relaxed frame of mind than on her recent album) is self-evident. It's a work that repays several listens, and hopefully presages more to come from the enigmatic guitar player.

"Welcome to my World" Joyce Elaine Yuell :

Listeners will know my predilection for what used to be called soul, and when it's got elements of jazz added in, and contains such strong material it's likely to get heavy play on the show. The fact that it was recorded in Italy, with Italian musicians doesn't detract from the fact that this Cuban born singer has an excellent voice and some wonderful phrasing as well. All the material, irrespective of writers, is in English, and it's a wonderful antidote to all those (mainly British female singers) who claim to have 'soul'. Well worth a listen!

There will undoubtedly be more albums to pick from as the Christmas period approaches, but this year has been a particularly strong one for releases and long may it continue.

Crikey! It's been a long time, for which I can only apologise. There's been an enormous amount happening as well as some stunning events, and at the time of posting, they just keep coming. There's also been some stunning new music, as well as some very welcome re-releases of material I never thought I'd see again.
It seems pretty pointless in reviewing Love Supreme 2015, so I'd just advocate that if its possible you make plans to go in 2016, and advance tickets shoild be on sale really soon.
I also "discovered" another favourite venue, and it's close to us here in Exeter. I was invited to see Partikel at St Lawrence's Chapel in Ashburton. Not only was the concert excellent - even if they only had one of the four players who appears on the album "String Theory" playing at the date. The whole concert was recorded and has become available (though only in part and there is more to follow) on Soundcloud. They have a whole slew of events that are coming up between now and the end of the year, and if you look for "Ashrton Live" on a search engine or follow on @ashburtonlive on Twitter you can find out more. Even more exciting (potentially) is that the Methodist Chapel in Ashburton is up for sale and there is a group of people who are looking to purchase it. Further details of this as it becomes available.
As for the music I'm playing and have really enjoyed- that will have to wait until my next posting (assuming that it's rather less delayed than this one has been!). In the meantime a reminder that I tweet @phonicjazz, and that some (not all) programmes can be found in full on the Mixcloud website by following links to the Edge of Jazz or by going to the Phonic.FM page and finding what else gets broadcast on the station.

2015 continues to rush by at a frantic pace. There's so much activity at the moment that I'm finding it difficult to keep up-to-date with the website, listen to all the glorious music that 2015 has brought about and plan for the summer ahead. At the time of writing after two glorious weeks in mid-April the weather seems to have decided to return to its normal late April/early May mixture of sunny showery days and cold nights...but hey! that's not why you're here! Five albums to mention as being early contenders for my Top 10 albums of 2015; they are in no particular order;

"Slow Eastbound Train" by Daniel Herskedal.

Never really thought of the tuba as a jazz instrument, but Daniel Herskedal does away with any preconceptions from Track One. Accompanied by Piano and percussion, with contributions from "The Trondheim Soloists" he lays out a fascinating sound that contains lots of layers, and apart from a Mussorgsky tune, are all his own compositions. This is certainly not an album to leap about to, but it does contain some of the best jazz that I've heard in 2015.

"Skyline" by Tom Green Septet.

Tom was a guest on the Edge of Jazz, just before this album was released and the interview can be found on my mixcloud page www.mixcloud.com/edgeofjazz As he admits he was lucky to be able to hold together such a talented crew for the album launch tour, but the result is a great example of great compositional skills and wonderful arrangements. Unusually I've played every track on the Edge of Jazz and have revisited "Sticks and Stones" not only on that show, but also on my monthly "Exeter Talking" Show.  If I just said "listen" would that be enough to convince you how good it is?

"Rhodes ahead Volume 2" by Marc Cary.

Somewhere along the way I seemed to have missed Volume 1, although around 2011 I did have a Marc Cary Trio album, which was, as the name suggests, a three piece. This is much more adventurous, with brass, percussion including Djembe and Cary himself pushing out material not only playing the name checked Rhodes, but also a Hammond B3 and some other synthesised sounds. The result is a rolling, unfolding wall of sound that explores all sorts of traditions. Recommended track if you have any doubt about the is recommendation is "Spices and Mystics".

"Symbiosis" by Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio. 

Lots of trios seem to be the excuse for the leader to boss the whole album and subjugate other members to a real sidesman role. What I've liked about Rollins is his willingness not only to allow space for the others to explore their own territory, but his ability to fit in, often unobtrusively, with what's going on. That is not to say that Rollins plays any sort of subservient role, and his playing is, as always,dynamic and adventurous. Big up for Ross Stanley, but credit to Dennis Rollins for another staggeringly good album.

"Insiders outsiders" by Emily Saunders.

Who'd have thought that after "Cotton Skies" the next album would be such a diverse and wonderful sounding amble through a range of totally unexpected styles, both vocal and musical. I spoke to Emily about the album on the show, and her interview is also at www.mixcloud.com/edgeofjazz but the best thing that I can advise, if you haven't heard the album yet is to pick out just one track and play it loudly whilst sitting down and imbibing a drink of your choice. She's subsequently intimated that she's busy writing material again, and I hope to catch up with her when she visits Devon later in the year.

These are by no means the only albums that I've listened to and liked, but they are five that stand out as being likely to stand the test of time (whatever that is!) I haven't time at the moment to write about what I'm looking forward to during the coming months, but I'll be back soon with talk of the "Love Supreme" Festival, and nearer to home a couple of local clubs that deserve support, as well as straying slightly off -piste to talk about The Branscombe Festival, The Respect Festival here in Exeter, and the Sidmouth Fringe.

 

 

So that was 2014!

Not quite sure where the first couple of months on 2015 have gone, but there's been lots happening, and a lot about to happen in Exeter because once again it's...

Vibraphonic Festival 2015

If you're really interested in the events it's probably best to go the website at www.vibraphonic.co.uk
because it will display the full array of what's happening. However, this year, there is a lot of jazz, and evidence of a growing local 'scene' in and around Exeter. It all kicks off on 12th March with the
Exeter University Jazz and Soul Choir who will undoubtedly sell out the Phoenix led by the 25 piece band they play a bewildering array of styles and genres. Next up that the Phoenix are Troyka on 19th March who were lovingly described by "Time Out" magazine as "King Crimson for the 21st century" Unmissable! The next day local jazzer Pete Canter will lead "Off the Cuff" and impromptu performance  partly scored and partly not with a band that seems to grow by the day, though currently it's a 10 piece. On Wednesday 25th March it's a performance by Go Go Penguin Mercury Prize nominated three piece whose influences range across the whole spectrum of classical and progressive pop music. In addition to all that's going on at the Phoenix there are also jazz nights at the Bike Shed Theatre with Philip Clouts  and Annika Skoogh. There's more than enough there for the most discerning jazz fan.

CD releases:

It's often quite quiet as far as releases are concerned in the post-Christmas period, but this year has proved otherwise. There are already some strong contenders for this year's top 10. My own favourites (although it has to be said that sometimes releases that do not have instant appeal sneak up and invade my brain after repeated playing. One of my favourites has been Tom Green Septet album "Skyline". It's unusual for such an ensemble not only to record but also to tour to promote it. I spoke to Tom on the show, and the interview is on the Edge of Jazz Mix Cloud page. Likewise I  interviewed  Emily Saunders ahead of the release of her album "Outsiders Insiders" which I think is excellent, although quite different in conception and execution from her previous album "Cotton Skies" Just two more albums to mention (though I will return to update my choices early next month) I have really enjoyed Maurizio Minardi and his album "Piano Ambulance" which is as well constructed a piano album as I've heard in a long time. I've also enjoyed the innovative nature of Laura Jurd and the album "Human Spirit" which pushes the boundaries beyond straight ahead trumpet playing. Finally whilst talking about CD's I'm really quite excited by some of the re-releases by Dream Covers Records who finally delivered me a copy of "Midnight Sun" by Lou Donaldson some 55 years after it was recorded. It also has a bonus album "Blues Walk", but the playing on Midnight Sun is amazing!

Looking forward:

I'm looking forward to listening to the new Julia Hullsman album, which features Kurt Weill songs. (It arrived today and I'm listening to it as I type!) and also to welcoming Meet Your Feet" a Bristol based 9 piece female band who will be playing in a Phonic.FM benefit gig on Saturday 11th April and spreading some sunshine. You can go to the Exeter Phoenix website for further details at www.exeterphoenix.org.uk  For the moment however it's anticipation of the Bristl Blues and Jazz Festival this weekend.

 

 

End of year thoughts

The 2014 Top Ten Album list:

Having decided that I'm not going to include box sets in this list the time has come to compile the final list of "10 Edge of Jazz albums for 2014". It makes an interesting comparison with the mid year list, because having thought that it was going to look pretty much the same as the list I compiled then, several late November and early December albums have made it to the final list. So here, in no order whatsoever, are my favourites of 2014:

Jacob Young - "Forever Young".

If push came to shove this is my favourite from this year. It helps that his 'backing band' are so luminary in their own right, but this is a sumptuous blend of players all at the height of their powers and willing to allow each other space to solo, come together in ensemble. You'll find two thirds of the group on another album on this list.They create some stunning music in a wide range of styles. It really is a "play anytime" album.

Samuel Eagles - "Next beginning".

Not only does Samuel write some fine melodies and tunes, but he's a very expressive alto sax player.
In addition to this the band lend some excellent support, and it's an unusual combo in that in a quartet the 'other' soloist is Ralph Wyle on vibes, though Fergus Ireland (b) and Eric Ford (dr) complete a really excellent début album. It's exciting and promises more. Another "all day" album that I've a played  a lot.

Slowly Rolling Camera- "Slowly Rolling Camera".

Playing out of Cardiff I caught them at the 2014 "Love Supreme" Festival and they were as electric live as they were on this début album. They have a follow up E.P. which is due out in early January 2015 which I've already played a lot, and it's to be hoped that there's a follow-up album later in the year. It's difficult to explain or locate their exact style, which is partly why they've fitted so well on "The Edge of Jazz".

James Farm - "City Folk".

Four luminary players who make what they do sound so easy it could easily be overlooked. The combination of Joshua Redman on sax and Aaron Parks on piano would be a fascinating duo, but together with Matt Penman (b) and Eric Harland (dr), not only do they share writing duties, but have also assembled a thoroughly convincing album which continues to give up new pleasures at every play. Their first album was worth checking out - but this is even better and more varied.

Andrew McCormack - "First Light".

What a cracking album this is! As diverse a collection of self-penned songs as you'd have found on any piano based album this year. It's to be hoped that there is a follow up album during 2015 and that he gets to tour more extensively. Everything that I said in the half-year report about this album still holds.

Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet- "21st Century Trad Band"

Yes he is the youngest sibling of the Marsalis clan and the album hasn't really got a distributor in this country - but is available as an import (at a price, natch!). However, what you get is a rattling great take on a vibes based theme, all coloured with a New Orleans musical backdrop. It's a fascinating attempt to move the vibes based genre further forward, and into new territory. However, be warned "BP shakedown" is a blatant piece of political propaganda that seems rather out of step with the rest of this excellent album.

Marcin Wasilewski Trio with Joakin Milder - " Spark of life"

Having made a great album with Jacob Young, I wondered whether the promise of a trio (or quartet) album could match that output. It does. Joakim Milder doesn't appear on all the tracks, so in effect this is both a trio and quartet album. The trio pieces are (to say the least) an eclectic selection with some self written material as well as tracks written by Sting and Herbie Hancock, as well as some more classically orientated material. Where Milder appears he adds to the ensemble without overpowering what is happening. A thoroughly excellent album that I've played a great deal.

Bobby Hutcheson - "Enjoy the view".

How strange to have three vibes players in my 2014 list! This album, as I intimated on the mid-summer list, has all the contributors at the top of their game. Hutcheson is as masterful as ever, and the support he receives from all the other musicians, but especially Joey de Francesco is absolutely amazing. It's also a pleasure to be able to name-check a producer, because Don Was did an absolutely amazing job on this collection. Is there more to come in 2015?

Euan Burton - "Too much love".

This arrived late in the year and is a welcome addition to his output "Occurrences" from last year. He composed all the tracks, and gave them all titles this time round (the last album was 1-7). It's unusual to have a bass player compose so much good material, but it has to be said that he's aided by the rest of the band, especially Tom Gibbs on piano (another album from him in 2015 perhaps?). If I have a quibble it's that it's rather short on playing time - but the playing is majestic.

Guti- "Rompe Carazones".

Was this just a one-off from a guy who is better known as a producer. The original sampler was filled out on the eventual release with all sorts of surprises, which lifted it above the run of the mill. It is, perhaps, left field, but my enthusiasm for it remained undiminished at the end of the year, and if you haven't heard this, please be persuaded to take a listen!

That's it! I'll talk in the new year about a few more that nearly made the final cut, but for one reason and another didn't. I'll also finish by noting how much of this list isn't American. European jazz is going in interesting directions, and how great to note that " small" British labels like Edition, F-I-R-E and Whirlwind are encouraging new talents.

 

 

Post summer ramblings

Broad Street Jazz:

Whilst putting together my Edge of Jazz Top 10 albums of the year I was informed that one of my favourite places for browsing and getting informed opinion whilst listening to a variety of tracks is closing on 24th December this year.  Broad Street Jazz in Bath has been a real beacon for those of us who like jazz and live in the south-west. I'll miss them, and regret that my visits in recent years have been fewer and fewer, mainly I guess through sheer laziness. It might also be a sign of the economic times that outside large conurbations it's increasingly difficult to support what is, after all, a niche market. So thanks for all the advice and the great sounds you've introduced me to over the years.
Publication of the Top 10 is imminent!