It’s that tense time of year again. The EFG London Jazz behemoth is rolling into town and bringing with it a multitude of artists playing across town and stressful decisions as to which show to see, given that there are multiple gigs every night from November 13-22 – more than 300 performances in total (see https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/whats-on for the full, head-spinning programme). Choosing can be overwhelming for an indecisive Libran like me, especially with so many clashes. There is also a danger than some smaller gigs will get overshadowed by the Big Guns, like bass legend Dave Holland playing the music of Kenny Wheeler at Kings Place on November 22 (https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/efg-london-jazz-festival/) or Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves re-casting the music of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman on November 21 (https://www.britishairwaysarc.co.uk/event/branford-reeves/). So, here is a selection of shows you might have missed.
Trombonist/composer/producer Rosie Turton is playing the Green Note on Parkway on Wednesday November 18. I first came across Rosie with the pioneering band Nerija, making joyous music as if she hadn’t just got off a plane from India. I still play her 5ive album and especially like her vinyl EP Expansions and Transformations Parts I & II. She has since added modular synths to her armoury (and acquired an alias for some projects –Nomieye). At the Green Note she’ll be performing with Swedish-Eritrean vocal artist Miryam Solomon (the pair are shown below), showcasing the ambient/improvised music from their impressively immersive album maar. Details: https://www.greennote.co.uk/production/efg-london-jazz-festival-presents-rosie-turton-miryam-solomons-maar/
On November 15 in-demand producer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Okumu takes to the stage at Islington’s Union Chapel with a programme called “Music That Changed the World”. It will range from Nina Simone through Sly Stone to Prince, D’Angelo, and Kendrick Lamar, all refracted through a jazzy, contemporary lens, with a choir led by ESKA and Alice Hill swelling the ranks. Okumu, incidentally, has a done a brilliant production job on singer NAO’s new soul/jazz album, Autumn, bringing along his best guitar chops too.
Luca Boscagin is another talented guitarist, who performs as part of Irene Serra’s ISQ project, which she describes as “alt pop, noir jazz and electronic textures”. Irene (below) has been recommended to me by none other than Ian Shaw, a premier jazz singer and mentor /tutor to many a vocalist. She has a highly engaging new album out, The Silence is Deafening, which explores her own backstory (a mother who left Sicily for Milan – where Irene was born – and then Copenhagen when Irene was two and who played Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mina and other classic Italian singers on heavy rotation) as well as universal themes of identity, migration and womanhood (see https://www.isqmusic.com). Irene brings ISQ to the Cufford Room at Cadogan Hall on November 19 as part of the festival and the Hall’s excellent “Out to Lunch” series. Underpinning Irene’s tunes is Richard Sadler on double bass, a very lyrical yet incisive player who was a founder member of the Neil Cowley Trio in its first incarnation. Note the stage time of midday and that a standing is free, seating is a fiver. Book on: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/otl-isq/book/1366234/.
Jazz Voice, the London jazz Festival’s opening gala, is on November 13, and features the fabulous young vocalist Tyreek McDole (below; he is also playing the Lower Third on November 16), alongside Emma Smith, Lizz Wright and many more, all presented by Jumoké Fashola.
As always the show is masterminded by arranger and trumpeter Guy Barker, although this year he also has a gig of his own in the splendid setting of Smith Square Hall (formerly St John’s Smith Square), a Grade I listed 18th century Baroque masterpiece in Westminster. There, on November 19, he will be conducting the Spirit of Django suite, his orchestrations of themes by guitarist Martin Taylor and explored by the Guy Barker Big Band and the Sinfonia Smith Square along with Taylor himself. It features tunes Django would have played, those he might have played if he were around today, and a charming (musical) guest appearance by Jacques Tati’s M. Hulot. It’s far more than swinging gypsy jazz – although that features of course – and packs an emotional punch in the section dedicated to Taylor’s late son. See https://www.sinfoniasmithsq.org.uk/event/spirit-of-django/.
One of my favourite parts of the festival for the past couple of years has been hanging out at the Jazz Social, near the Barbican. It opens on November 9 (i.e. before the official launch) and hosts a pop-up Blue Note record store, live concerts, DJ sets, live radio broadcasts, and entertaining jazz-themed talks. The latter include “Five Essential Blue Note Albums” (November 10) and, on November 12, “The Magic of Live” – what makes a great live album? See https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/thejazzsocial.
