Brick Lane Jazz Festival
(Various Venues. 26-28 April. Review of Sunday by Andrew Taylor-Dawson)

Brick Lane Jazz Festival served up three days of diverse jazz spread across more than ten venues. Now in its third year, the festival works perfectly in the vibrant, bustling surrounds of Brick Lane with its rabbit warren of vintage markets, food stalls and street art.

With more venues this time, including the wonderful community space Rich Mix, the event is going from strength to strength and deservedly so. A focus on emerging talent illustrated why UK jazz is so strong right now – blending tradition with innovation and a huge range of stylistic fusions.

Throughout the weekend, established acts including Gondwana Records staple Chip Wickham, Ego Ella May, and Oscar Jerome rubbed shoulders with newer artists.

Sunday’s line-up closed the event in fine style. Audiences were able to get a glimpse of possible future UK jazz stars through the Tomorrow’s Warriors Junior Band’s opening performanceat the Brick Lane Tap Room. They brought groove, style and a whole lot of talent – which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from this essential jazz development programme. An undoubtable force that has done so much to shape contemporary UK jazz.

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Fresh from releasing her ‘All Black Everything’ EP, London-based Parisian bassist and singer Amy Gadiaga wowed the Jazz Refreshed-curated Ninety-One Living Room with her soaring vocals, dextrous bass work and huge charisma.

The breadth and depth of contemporary jazz was on display across the myriad stages during Sunday – from the Afro-Latin infused sounds of Colectiva, known for their combination of righteousness and female empowerment messages and uplifting danceable grooves, to Blue Lab Beats stalwart and London scene favourite David Mrakpor, whose trio served up funky keyboard-led instrumentals.

As well as supporting home-grown talent, in its three years the festival has brought in some much-loved names from the US and elsewhere. Headlining Village Underground, which served as the event’s main stage, was trumpeter Theo Croker. He made a fine choice for an event that celebrates tradition while having one eye on the future.

Croker is a musician with jazz in his blood, being the grandson of famed American trumpeter Doc Cheatham. A master of the instrument himself and a consummate bandleader, he brought his trademark relaxed vibe in spades to the venue’s stripped back, red brick industrial surroundings.

Leading a quartet featuring Idris Frederick on keys, Eric Wheeler on bass and Jeremiah Collier on drums, Croker made it look effortless as he moved between triggering samples and playing his potent, heady trumpet lines.

Frederick was inspired on piano, replacing Croker’s regular keyboard player, the formidable Mike King. Big shoes to fill indeed, but he did it with aplomb.

Croker’s forward-looking blend of jazz, electronics, funk, soul and hip-hop provided a fitting close to a festival that celebrates the evolution and development of jazz. Drawing on albums such as ‘Love Quantum’ and ‘BLK2LIFE A FUTURE PAST’, the band weaved together melodies and danceable grooves in a highly engaging manner, all topped off with Croker’s easy-going charm. The band comes across as a well-oiled machine, motoring through the tunes until a finale that sees them peel away one at a time, leaving Collier to end with a drum solo. No need for an encore with a set like this one. A job well done by an artist at the height of his powers and his impressive quartet.

While ensuring you get into the venues you want for the most popular artists and deciding between the inevitable clashes can be a bit problematic, the Brick Lane Jazz Festival team has once again pulled off an event that celebrates and strengthens a burgeoning scene. After such a successful third instalment, it’s impossible not to look ahead to next year and wonder how this increasingly important fixture in London’s musical calendar might evolve next time around.

LINK Brick Lane Jazz Festival website