Living your life at the cutting edge is all very well. You just keep a stock of Elastoplast. Or earplugs.

But sometimes it’s good to step back from it, and enjoy the work of a great musician who has devoted him- or herself to a particular style from the past. New Orleans-based clarinettist Evan Christopher has completely absorbed the clarinet voices of Barney Bigard and Sidney Bechet (both Creoles from New Orleans) and Albert Nicholas and Edmond Hall.. and taken them forward. True to the spirit of his idols, he plays an Albert system clarinet which the late Kenny Davern found for him.

I reviewed his Pizza on the Park gig back in February HERE

The next London gig is at the Bloomsbury Theatre on June 5th. Marvel at the endlessly subtle, understated rhythm guitar playingof Dave Kelbie. Recommmended. Other tour dates are HERE

Evan Christopher’s website