‘Epic’ is an over-used description and I’m embarrassed to employ it, yet no word is more appropriate to describe Mosaic’s latest limited-edition release. Because this venture is epic in historical context. Epic in scale. Epic in talent and execution. Epic [...]
Wow. And double ‘wow’. Tuesday had been a dark and gloomy December day but, after darkness, a scintillating star emerged as Emmet Cohen made his London Wigmore Hall debut. His trio, Cohen on piano, Philip Norris on bass and Kyle [...]
Curiously, this album recorded in Copenhagen, began at a Buenos Aires reception for distinguished visitor John Birks ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie, probably the most gifted and jazz trumpeter since Louis Armstrong. Naturally, there’s a band at the event and Gillespie, much captivated [...]
Outside, the evening was distinctly chilly but, inside Kings Place, the audience was immediately thawed by the warmth embrace of South African sounds and winning smile of pianist and educator Nduduzo Makhathini, magnificently accompanied by bassist Zwelakhe Bell le Pere [...]
Imagine that you’ve earned world-wide respect and applause as the foremost jazz piano virtuoso of your time. And then you suffer a stroke which affects your left side and, almost fatally for your career, your left hand. Do you quit? [...]
Dear readers: are my credentials for reviewing this Adam Glasser album sufficiently respectable? Well, I was born in South Africa and, back in the dark apartheid 50s, marvelled at ‘King Kong’, the all-African cast musical that launched Miriam Makeba, with [...]
No reason to alter my opinion. Reviewing her previous album, my comment “Emma Smith is a well-seasoned jazz singer with an abundance of chops” stands resolute. Her new album, ‘Hat-Trick!’ confirms my faith in her talent, virtuosity, originality, humour and [...]
Be warned. If you’re the sort of fan who prefers jazz performances in-your-face bristling with high octane aggression, go elsewhere. Because, when two veteran virtuosi, Alan Barnes on a selection of reeds and David Newton on piano (combined ages totalling [...]
The only item lacking was a sign warning the capacity audience to fasten seat belts. Because, when Guy Barker introduced his new musical extravaganza, explaining that his magnum opus (dialogue by his chum, writer Rob Ryan) had been inspired by [...]
In future years, Emmet Cohen should always be remembered as the ebullient jazz musician whose online performances during Covid, live from his Harlem apartment, raised our spirits and almost vanquished our lockdown blues. But now, with this album recorded early [...]
