New British Jazz

[king ubu]

haven't read anything here yet, but this one I find pretty good, stumbled over it in a sale...

http://www.tonykofi.com/

Here's a short review from The Guardian:

Tony Kofi Future Passed (Specific Jazz) £13.99

Kofi has a remarkable talent for adopting a familiar jazz idiom and finding new and exciting things to say in it. Last year, it was the music of Thelonious Monk; this time, it's the venerable saxophone-and-organ format. He and organist Anders Olinder have forged an impressive empathy which allows them to bounce ideas freely back and forth, and when joined by trumpeter Byron Wallen, the three-way conversation is enthralling. Robert Fordjour's drumming is perfect for the context. Kofi plays soprano, alto and baritone sax with equal virtuosity and his compositions can be beautiful , especially the requiem for his father, 'A Song for Papa Jack'.

DG

[A Lark Ascending]

haven't read anything here yet, but this one I find pretty good, stumbled over it in a sale...

http://www.tonykofi.com/

Here's a short review from The Guardian:

Tony Kofi Future Passed (Specific Jazz) £13.99

Kofi has a remarkable talent for adopting a familiar jazz idiom and finding new and exciting things to say in it. Last year, it was the music of Thelonious Monk; this time, it's the venerable saxophone-and-organ format. He and organist Anders Olinder have forged an impressive empathy which allows them to bounce ideas freely back and forth, and when joined by trumpeter Byron Wallen, the three-way conversation is enthralling. Robert Fordjour's drumming is perfect for the context. Kofi plays soprano, alto and baritone sax with equal virtuosity and his compositions can be beautiful , especially the requiem for his father, 'A Song for Papa Jack'.

DG

Kofi is a fabulous player but I've been a bit disappointed with his two records, mainly because of the amount of soprano on them. He's a thrilling baritone player live.

In recent years he's been doing sprawling concerts/sequences of concerts playing the complete Monk catalogue.

Like Julian Siegal, he's a Nottingham lad.

[sidewinder]

Like Julian Siegal, he's a Nottingham lad.

Must be something in the water up there !

Yes, I'll second the comment that Kofi live is always a very good show. Especially if he's in a big band on baritone.

[A Lark Ascending]

Like Julian Siegal, he's a Nottingham lad.

Must be something in the water up there !

Yes, I'll second the comment that Kofi live is always a very good show. Especially if he's in a big band on baritone.

Didn't he dep for someone in the World Saxophone Quartet a year or so back?

[sidewinder]

Hm - not sure, but it wouldn't suprise me.

Have been diggin' this one a lot today. OK, not a new album and maybe more straight-ahead MOR album than jazz but very classy, nevertheless and a super selection of songs by Ms Martin. Me likes :rsmile:

and its on Linn Records !

Edited February 4, 2008 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Hm - not sure, but it wouldn't suprise me.

Had a quick google - it was Oliver Lake he stood in for.

[sidewinder]

Just remembered that Kofi was, I think, in the lineup for Sam Rivers' UK Rivbea Orchestra a few years back. On baritone. What an evening that was !

[Alexander Hawkins]

Yeah - he was in that band. IIRC the section was Ballamy, Kofi, Pete Wareham, Martin Speake, and Jason Yarde. They played nicely as a section, but when I caught them, only Jason really had much to say as a soloist.

Someone was telling me that Kofi is actually a fairly full time member of WSQ...or perhaps only when they're in Europe? Not sure...

Haven't heard the Monk thing, but have only ever heard VERY equivocal things about it...so much so that I'd be very curious to catch it!

[king ubu]

effing crap, just lost a long post, can't re-type it all - in short:

recommended:

one final note review

bagatellen review (the kenny wheeler there is great, too - even has a cameo by Derek Bailey!)

Joe Harriot: not "new" (as in the topic's title) but I'm a big fan - look for his two ReDial discs "Abstract" and "Free Form" - great great stuff!

John Butcher: freaking mad! might be THE most impressive sax player around, total control, extremely nuanced playing...

Tony Kofi: alas never had a chance to see him live, but I think I have the Rivers London show somewhere... I assume though that Kofi wasn't heavily featured in that context?

And yes indeed, he's filled in with the WSQ and I think some concert tapes are circulating, too.

[sidewinder]

I assume though that Kofi wasn't heavily featured in that context?

And yes indeed, he's filled in with the WSQ and I think some concert tapes are circulating, too.

A couple of baritone solos at the Bradford-on-Avon and Southampton concerts, I seem to recall.

[king ubu]

How about Martin Speake? I picked up his ECM disc (with Bobo Stenson - one of those cases where the music upon its issue is five years old already, why do they do this?) and thought it was pretty good!

[Alexander Hawkins]

Yes - as I recall the Rivers charts, they were generally 'open for blowing' for Rivers himself, and had more traditional 8/16/32 bar slots for the others. Great arrangements they were too!

Haven't heard the Speake. Apparently the duo record with Mark Sanders is fantastic though.

[RogerF]

One just out is 'Sienna Red' by BBC Jazz Award rising star winner Simon Spillett. This tenor player is definitely developing his own distinctive voice and coupled with an excellent choice of ten tracks of which no less than five are composed by his hero, Tubby Hayes. The supporting cast on the album is first class with John Critchinson on piano, Andy Cleyndert on bass and Tubbs' former quartet member Spike Wells on drums. This is released on the Woodville Label (WVCD120)

Edited February 6, 2008 by RogerF

[A Lark Ascending]

Here's one to look forward to:

Norma Winstone - (voice), Glauco Venier - (piano), Klaus Gesing - (saxophone, clarinet)

ECM 24th March in the UK

1. Distances

2. Every Time We Say Goodbye

3. Drifter

4. Giant's Gentle Stride

5. Gorizia

6. Ciant

7. The Mermaid

8. Here Comes The Flood

9. Remembering the Start of a Never Ending Story

10. A Song for England

I've seen this band a couple of times in recent years - marvellous, small scale, chamber jazz. The version of Peter Gabriel's 'Here Comes the Flood' was a show-stopper live.

Norma has been putting out great discs recently - an earlier one by this band, one with Colin Towns and last year's with Stan Tracey and Bobby Wellins. I love her commitment to exploring songs way outside the jazz canon.

Edited March 2, 2008 by Bev Stapleton

[jlhoots]

One just out is 'Sienna Red' by BBC Jazz Award rising star winner Simon Spillett. This tenor player is definitely developing his own distinctive voice and coupled with an excellent choice of ten tracks of which no less than five are composed by his hero, Tubby Hayes. The supporting cast on the album is first class with John Critchinson on piano, Andy Cleyndert on bass and Tubbs' former quartet member Spike Wells on drums. This is released on the Woodville Label (WVCD120)

WVCD116 by Spillett is also excellent.

[BillF]

One just out is 'Sienna Red' by BBC Jazz Award rising star winner Simon Spillett. This tenor player is definitely developing his own distinctive voice and coupled with an excellent choice of ten tracks of which no less than five are composed by his hero, Tubby Hayes. The supporting cast on the album is first class with John Critchinson on piano, Andy Cleyndert on bass and Tubbs' former quartet member Spike Wells on drums. This is released on the Woodville Label (WVCD120)

WVCD116 by Spillett is also excellent.

Recently I arrived very early for a Simon Spillett gig. The only people there were the gig organiser and Simon, doing warm-up practice. The proprietor said he was sorry the bar wasn't open yet, but I said not to worry as listening to Simon was better. When his partner arrived, Simon told her, "There's a guy there who says my playing is better than alcohol"!

[A Lark Ascending]

An e-mail tells me the Winstone is in the hands of the Royal Mail!

I notice another promising vocal disc:

Wardell is actually from NZ but has worked here for ages. I'd never been that struck until her wonderful vocalese album 'Noted', so this one looks good:

1. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

2. Loose Bloose

3. Little Girl Blue

4. Learnin' The Blues

5. The Wrong Blues

6. The Meaning Of The Blues

7. Limehouse Blues

8. Teenies Blues

9. Parker's Mood (Blues)

10. Born To Be Blue

The Amazon blurb:

After the amazing response that followed Noted, Wardell's 2006 debut Specific Jazz release of vocalese arrangements of classic jazz standards - the Observer Review stated that, "The audacity and sheer cleverness of the best vocalese performances generate a special kind of euphoria and this is where Wardell succeeds brilliantly" - the English born, Australian raised vocalist decided that she could take a different approach to the material for her next record. Instead of focusing on a particular style of singing, she instead turns to the word Blues and its many connotations for the theme of her second album. The pieces here showcase Anita's exceptional ability to make a song her own while respectfully retaining the inherent spirit of the originals. "For Loose Bloose I was able to take Jim Hall's guitar solo and put lyrics to it as I'd done on Noted. Being able to connect to the music in this way, as it first appeared on record years ago, is such an important part of how I approach this material. I wanted the album to have a theme running through it and take my cue from the word Blues as an overall idea rather than as a strict musical form - these pieces aren't exactly Blues. They're just kinda blue."

There's also a new Tony Kofi quartet disc due - hopefully with more baritone than his initial disc:

This one looks interesting too:

And, if the disc with this months Jazzwise is anything to go by, a disc of Julian Siegel's trio with Greg Cohen and Joey Baron cannot be far away.

[And a new Christine Tobin is due abit later in the Spring].

Edited March 22, 2008 by Bev Stapleton

[sidewinder]

And, if the disc with this months Jazzwise is anything to go by, a disc of Julian Siegel's trio with Greg Cohen and Joey Baron cannot be far away.

That free disk is damn good ! My favourite has got to be the 'Neon' trio track with Stan Sultzmann, Gwilym Simcock and Jim Hart. Looking forward to seeing these guys in live performance. Sultzmann remains a real class act.

[A Lark Ascending]

Sultzmann remains a real class act.

A favourite of mine for many years.

His 'On Loan With Gratitude' is one of the great lost discs of the 70s. The opening track used to be the theme tune of 'Jazz Today' at one stage.

His surname is also impossible to spell - I have to check every time! Sulzmann....I want to insert a 't' or dock an 'n'.

Edited March 22, 2008 by Bev Stapleton

[king ubu]

Sultzmann remains a real class act.

A favourite of mine for many years.

His 'On Loan With Gratitude' is one of the great lost discs of the 70s. The opening track used to be the theme tune of 'Jazz Today' at one stage.

His surname is also impossible to spell - I have to check every time! Sulzmann....I want to insert a 't' or dock an 'n'.

yeah, but then you're not from Workshop either...

I've heard little Sulzmann, but I enjoyed that - is there any "classic" album of his that one should get? Or even better, a recent good one?

[sidewinder]

Sultzmann remains a real class act.

A favourite of mine for many years.

His 'On Loan With Gratitude' is one of the great lost discs of the 70s. The opening track used to be the theme tune of 'Jazz Today' at one stage.

His surname is also impossible to spell - I have to check every time! Sulzmann....I want to insert a 't' or dock an 'n'.

yeah, but then you're not from Workshop either...

I've heard little Sulzmann, but I enjoyed that - is there any "classic" album of his that one should get? Or even better, a recent good one?

'Workshop' ? As in 'Workshop of the World'

Flurin - A good recommendation for a starter with Sultzmann would be Kenny Wheeler's 'Music For Large and Small Ensembles'. Stan S. plays some really nice solos on that one with the big group. I reckon this new trio CD by Neon on Basho titled 'Here To There' is probably a great place to start too, based on the sample I've heard.

[sidewinder]

His 'On Loan With Gratitude' is one of the great lost discs of the 70s. The opening track used to be the theme tune of 'Jazz Today' at one stage.

Never heard it - must get ! Can't recall the tune but I'm sure I'll remember it (being from an old people's home, thank you King Ubu ) when I hear it. The tune I most recall with Jazz Today is the first track of Henry Lowther's 'Child Song'.

Edited April 1, 2008 by sidewinder

[king ubu]

Hm, I have one of those great 70s Wheeler albums that were reissued on - I think - Evan Parker's label, the one with Derek Bailey jamming with the band on one track, amazing stuff! That's one of the albums I think where Sulzmann makes a sideman appearance. I still need the expensive ECM... in fact I'd need more Wheeler anyway!

[sidewinder]

That would be 'Song For Someone', originally on Incus and reissued on CD by Psi. Buy without hesitation !

Sultzmann was not on that one but he was in the lineup I think (along with Evan Parker and Duncan Lamont) for the Wheeler orchestra I saw as part of his '75th Birthday' celebration tour a few years ago. Magic !

Edited April 1, 2008 by sidewinder

[king ubu]

That would be 'Song For Someone', originally on Incus and reissued on CD by Psi. Buy without hesitation !

Yes, that's the one I have! Fine one indeed!

Sultzmann was not on that one but he was in the lineup I think (along with Evan Parker and Duncan Lamont) for the Wheeler orchestra I saw as part of his '75th Birthday' celebration tour a few years ago. Magic !

't was on the beeb and hence it's out there