The buzz about Nottingham-born Julian Siegel has finally got going in the past year. And about time too.

Julian WORKS. Hard. Woodsheds. Hard. Drives himself. Hard. And the results in his playing are amazing. His total command of tenor and bass clarinet really are something else. But in the past year I have also started to be genuinely moved. I’d call it true integrity and depth. Something to say. A story to tell.

He’s also capable of powerhouse playing, blowing anyone in town off the stage, as he did at the 2007 BBC Jazz Awardsa, and again here with Gary Husband’s thundering band:

Visiting Americans Greg Cohen on bass and Joey Baron on drums, both of whom often found in the company of John Zorn and Dave Douglas- no less- have been helping to spreading that word. eg: I heard last weekend on a grapevine via Germany that Joey Baron had been singing Julian’s praises to musicians over there.

Maybe that’s what it takes, for New Yorkers to put the seal of quality on what we have in London. Amen to that.

I was at the Vortex gig which was recorded by Basho and issued as
Live At The Vortex

I can tell you, these guys play with consummate feel , passion and often ruthlessly quiet intensity.