Soft Machine evolved from its roots as a pioneering 1960s psychedelic progressive band into an outstanding jazz quartet underpinned by powerful rock-solid rhythms. But from the opening moments of the current group’s concert in Lichfield, the early days of the [...]
Pianist and composer Steve Tromans has long been a cornerstone artist on the Birmingham jazz scene, and has also travelled widely as a musician and educator. And sitarist Jonathan Mayer – son of Indo Jazz Fusions founder John Mayer – [...]
The group Freight Train, originally formed with Irish folk singer Cathy Jordan, drummer Paul Clarvis and pianist Liam Noble is a successful project blending jazz and folk music. Because of conflicting commitments, Jordan was unable to play three West Midland [...]
A dreadful tragedy cut short the Pancevo Jazz Festival, held in a town north of Belgrade, Serbia. Three days of national mourning were declared in the region after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in the city of [...]
The Belgrade Jazz Festival always offers a strong international line-up – from legendary performers to often astonishing rising stars – and despite financial constraints its 40th birthday programme produced a great deal of truly magnificent music. It opened at the [...]
Writer/ photographer John Watson heard and saw Dennis Rollin’s as special guest with the Nick Dewhurst Band at the Cathedral Hotel on Friday 7 June as part of the Lichfield Jazz and Blues Festival. Photos copyright John Watson/jazzcamera.co.uk John Watson [...]
“Anyone who thinks they’ve got music all figured out – well, they’ve got a problem,” said guitar master Bill Frisell to a packed room of students at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. “I always feel I’m at the beginning. Every time.” [...]
Tenor saxophonist Rick Margitza became a member of what was probably Miles Davis’s finest group during the trumpeter’s electric era in 1988, and toured and recorded with him for two years, including albums for Warner such Amandla featuring the production [...]
Saxophonist Tim Garland and pianist Jason Rebello have created a very successful partnership as a duo, blending their individual styles to produce some captivating music. They have been on tour in the UK and abroad to promote their Whirlwind album [...]
I’m going to let you into a little jazz secret. If you go to the small Serbian town of Pancevo, just north of Belgrade, you’ll find in early November one of the most extraordinary festivals on the international scene. In [...]
