London Jazz News

Review: Jo Harrop (above)/ Alex Stewart/ Alex Webb bandPizza Express Dean Street, 1st March A simple, catchy song can get right under the skin, if you let it. And one song by […]

There’s a nice review of a CD by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (above, with Phil Woods- he’s getting everywhere) by Dave Gelly in today’s Observer. Leave aside the fact that the […]

Joel Frahm (right) and Tim Whitehead (below) There is a particular kind of teenager who finds her, or more likely his, refuge in music. It becomes the obsession, the motivator, plus it’s […]

BBC Radio 3 Publicity confirmed to me today the rumours which have been circulating: the BBC has indeed withdrawn from running its Jazz Awards this year. Jazz is supported, valued, well promoted […]

Gene Krupa (1909-1973) There wasn’t really any need for kitchen performance anxiety tonight. One of the cast-iron certainties in British jazz is that a band directed by Pete Long will cook. This […]

NOT this Phil Woods. A different one The 14th Annual Budvar Cheltenham Jazz Festival had its launch at Ronnie Scott’s today. Festival Producer Steve Symons’ blog gives an update of how it’s […]

A moment, it seems yet another moment when we remember a unique voice in British jazz. Ian Carr died peacefully yesterday. His early career is detailed here .A Nucleus website which announced […]

1) On finishing the course: “You’ll know when you’ve finished the course. Some people have already finished before they’ve even started. There are others who will never finish.” Basil Tchaikov’s remark to […]

P icture of the Blue Notes from the early 1960’s: Chris McGregor (piano) Dudu Pukwana (sax) Louis Moholo (drums), Johnny Dyani( bass) Mongezi Feza (trumpet/flute) The Youtube clip below haunts the mind. […]

Amazing where things get announced. Oliver Weindling of the Vortex and Babel (pictured above with David Mossman , the father of the old and the new Vortex) has just been awarded an […]

On May 2nd, 1975, in Whipps Cross Hospital (nearest tube Leytonstone) a global brand was born to parents Ted and Sandra Beckham. As Brand Republic reported yesterday, the custodians of the Beckham […]

Scots jazz singer Alison Burns has been touring Sri Lanka courtesy of the British Council with her father-in-law Martin Taylor, and close to all sorts of danger . A scary account is […]

Jazz in London for March is available online NOW I am struck by the contrast between some of my recent items about things being quietly closed down, often where jazz is marginal […]

The BBC Jazz Awards ….. the empty stage(?) After the on-off saga of Brecon, time to look at what else might be off….or possibly on. 1) The Jazzwise Summer School “Jazzwise Summer […]

The Chicken Shed, Enfield on Friday March 6th: Five trombones. I’ve been thinking about a rating system for gigs. I want to highlight music which is melodic, approachable, friendly, and kind to […]