Stan Tracey Quartet/Big Brass – From Stan, With Love (Resteamed Records 2CD set – Album review by Mark McKergow) This double CD features glorious jazz from the early heyday of pianist Stan Tracey’s long career. […]
Snazzback – In The Place(Worm Discs – Album review by Mark McKergow) Snazzback is a seven-piece Bristol band sitting across jazz, beats, electronica, Afro-Latin and hypnotic rock, part of the latest wave in […]
The winner of the Scottish New Music Innovation in Jazz award for 2021 is trombonist Liam Shortall for his corto.alto nu-jazz project. writes Mark McKergow(*) Liam Shortall has been producing recordings and videos featuring […]
The fifth annual Scottish Awards for New Music are here, writes Mark Mckergow (*), with nominees announced in thirteen categories including Solo Work, Large Scale New Work, Innovation in New Traditional Music,,, The Scottish […]
John Hart – Checkmate (SteepleChase SCCD 31910. CD review by Mark McKergow) Guitarist John Hart teams up with baritone sax legend Gary Smulyan for this quartet date. The music is confidently calm and laid back, with a […]
James Hudson – Tomorrow (James Hudson Music. CD review by Mark McKergow) Young British vocalist James Hudson arrives on the recording scene with this polished and exuberant collection of standards, smartly arranged and […]
Mark McKergow has been contributing reviews to London Jazz News since 2014, and we recently published his 100th piece. Here, Mark looks back on some of his personal highlights, and also reflects […]
Jim Rattigan – When(Three World Records TWR0005. CD review by Mark McKergow) French horn virtuoso Jim Rattigan bridges the genres of scored music and jazz with this delightful collection of tunes for jazz quartet […]
Brian Kellock Trio (BK3) – Think About It! (Thick Records. Digital download review by Mark McKergow) Versatile pianist Brian Kellock gets the band back together on this fizzing trio recording, displaying a huge range and […]
Calabashed – Behold A Black Wave (Purple City PURP004 vinyl/download. EP review by Mark McKergow) Eclectic London project Calabashed present an ear-catching set of soundscapes on their debut EP including harp, saxophone and […]
James Copus – Dusk (Ubuntu Music UBU0058. CD review by Mark McKergow) At just 25 years of age, trumpeter James Copus has rapidly been making a name for himself on the London jazz scene. A graduate […]
Article XI – Live in Newcastle (Discus 89CD/DL. CD review by Mark McKergow) Guitarist Anton Hunter’s eleven-strong ensemble is captured in a performance which shows impressive interweaving of compositions and group improvisation, wonderful […]
Bukky Leo Quartet ft. Clifford Jarvis – Evolution (Drift Recordings. CD review by Mark McKergow) This storming set sees American drum legend Clifford Jarvis team up with saxophonist Bukky Leo, pianist Jonathan Gee and bassist Pete Kubryk Townsend in […]
Saxophonist and clarinettist Giacomo Smith is a leading light in Kansas Smitty’s House Band, the era-spanning talented musicians based around their eponymous bar in Hackney’s Broadway Market. The group have quickly built […]
Various artists – To The Jazz Bar With Love (The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh. Digital album review by Mark McKergow) The Jazz Bar, hub of the music in Scotland’s capital is, like every […]
