Alison Rayner at Verdict Brighton 2014 Photo credit: Brian O’Connor/ Images of Jazz

Brian Blain looks forward to the appearance by the Alison Rayner Quintet at this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival

Beautiful gig at Lauderdale House on the last Thursday in October by Alison Rayner’s Quintet,with the bass playing leader’s gorgeous plangent sound, nodding to idols like Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorious and Charlie Haden,with even a bit of old time-clipped short note playing, while her long-time associate Deirdre Cartwright sounded more like Charlie Christian or Oscar Moore than the omnipresent shades of Scofield or Metheny.on a pastiche bebop theme Queer Bird.

Try not to miss their freebie at the Queen Elizabeth Hall’s Front Room on 23rd November when the London Jazz Festival celebrates 25 years of their great club, Blow the Fuse, from 2pm onwards. It starts with Chelsea Carmichael Quartet (2pm), then Baluji Shrivastav / Deirdre Cartwright Ensemble (3pm), Roz Harding’s Wave (4pm) and Alison Rayner’s ARQ (6pm). DETAILS

LINKSs: Podcast: Alison Bentley Intervews Alison Rayner and Deirdre Cartwright
CD Review ARQ – August 
Photos of the first concert of the ARQ tour
Feature on Blow the Fuse at 25