This wide-ranging programme, curated by composer and musician, Thanos Chrysakis, brought together ten highly versatile musicians, some studying at the Royal Academy of Music, some members of major orchestras, and others who are well advanced in their individual solo careers [...]
‘I have a two-track mind: one is about feeling, and one is about technique. After 50 years of blowing the horn on stage, I’ll take the feeling over the technical part every time ….’ Saxophonist David Murray, with his unparalleled [...]
This special afternoon performance at Cafe Oto, celebrating the launch of Evan Parker’s and Matthew Wright’s Transatlantic Trance Map recording, Marconi’s Drift, brought back together the British component of this momentous UK-US live collaboration which took place on 17 December [...]
Drummer Han Bennink was celebrated with a 3-day residency on his 82nd birthday and beyond. ‘I’m nearly 83,’ as he happily confided to the Cafe Oto audience. Bennink is a lynchpin of the European free jazz and improvisation scene rooted [...]
This was a blast, in every sense of the word. The 16-piece Special Big Band of Japanese underground jazz icon, Otomo Yoshihide, squeezed on to the stage area at a packed Cafe Oto to deliver an unremittingly visceral performance of [...]
John Butcher, maverick, groundbreaking saxophonist célèbre, celebrated his 70 years in style, with a three day residency at Cafe Oto. I caught the second night, the only one which featured a rare solo performance prefacing his duet with percussionist Gino [...]
This was a cleverly constructed and joyous evening. An Ogun – Cadillac 50th birthday sandwich, both groundbreaking labels being formed in 1973, kicking off with the first showing since the 70s of The Real McGregor, a film recently re-discovered languishing [...]
“We’re going to do our best to make the biggest mess we can make!” pronounced legendary American tenor saxophonist Joe McPhee, who was guesting with the British power trio, Decoy. Together, they performed two fine sets. Decoy, Alex Hawkins (on [...]
Gabriels, the formidable, nu-soul trio based in LA, have carefully taken their time to raise their heads above the waterline. Currently on an extensive international tour taking in major festivals and a handful of intimate venues in the UK, they [...]
This Cafe Oto evening was, foremost, a 60th birthday celebration for Andy Moor, best known as the uncompromising, maverick guitarist in the Dutch, post-punk band The Ex with whom he has been a solid anchor for over 30 years. The [...]
