Gigs
For the first time in a while all my live listening this year, 25 performances in all, has been in London. No bad thing given the amount of creative talent active within the capital and the conveyor belt of top musicians playing here.
As you will by now know I much prefer club environments for live jazz- the intimacy and proximity provides the perfect backdrop to contemporary jazz. So, most of my live listening has been at the fabled Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, and the Vortex in Hackney. However, needs must and if I want to have the rare chance to hear the Maria Schneider orchestra or Gary Bartz then it is no hardship to sit in a packed audience at the Barbican in the City or Union Chapel in Islington.
My most frequently visited venue this year is the one closest to my North London homebase; the regular Monday night gigs in an upstairs room in a capacious mid Victorian pub in Kentish Town -the Bull & Gate, following its relocation from the equally nearby and wonderfully named Parakeet. The sessions there are organized by a duo of jazz musicians and tends to feature younger bands from the UK and further afield. A great opportunity to experience the next generation of jazz players many of them freshly out of conservatoires in an intimate, supportive and largely unamplified setting. Looking back quite a number of the standout gigs from this year took place at the Bull & Gate.
Emma Rawicz
My first gig in January was to see Emma Rawiicz’s trio. This was the year when the then 22 year old Rawicz’s career really took off culminating with Downbeat featuring her as a rising star in their January 2026 issue. Original chamber jazz compositions in an intimate setting. My penultimate gig at the end of November was to hear jazz legend Gary Bartz who is 85 – an admittedly mixed experience-part radiant, part middle-of-the-road, but great to hear his incomparable, soaring alto sax sound particularly on the tunes he played by Bird and Ornette Coleman.
In terms of improvisational brilliance three gigs really stood out for me
An American trio comprising Kris Davis on piano, Johnathan Blake on drums and Robert Hurst on bass at the Vortex also in January. A programme of original compositions, chamber jazz of the highest order.
An American quartet led by Chicagoan cellist Tomeka Reid, ultra contemporary guitar virtuoso Mary Halvorson and bassist Tomas Fujiwara reached similar levels of brilliance. Five original compositions with each musician contributing their individual voice to an unusual, unforgettable trio experience
I’ve been a big fan of pianist Emmett Cohen ever since his monthly Covid-era Live at Emmett’s Place live streams. I caught his trio in Paris in 2021 and a more recent performance at Ronnie Scott’s. This was Cohen’s second visit to Wigmore Hall London’s pre-eminent temple to classical chamber music, with a suitably unrivalled acoustic. Joined on this occasion by Joey Ranieri on bass and Joe Farmsworth on drums this was razor sharp trio playing at the very top of its game. Ranieri who looks barely out of his teens sounds very much as if he has picked up the bow/baton from the great Scott LaFaro. A musician to watch.
Harben Kay
Special mention must also go to
- A memorable performance by Maria Schneider and the Oslo Jazz Ensemble of her completely immersive 90 minute Data Lords composition.
- A remarkable recreation on the stage of the Barbican theatre of the largely forgotten master work by Charles Mingus, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, orchestrated by Peter Edwards, played by the NU Civilisation Orchestra with a remarkable dance troop adding a visual complement to the music
- At a much more intimate level a remarkable performance by saxophonist Harben Kay with a distinctive, slightly gruff tone and strong echoes of their Scottish background and thoughtful contributions from vibe player Jonny Mansfield
- Sam Eastmond a new name to me- a trumpeter and composer leading his occasional Composers Workshop Big Band was a riot with echoes ranging from Ellington to John Zorn, Gil Evans and Hendrix. A young band with great quality and real enthusiasm. Negotiating challenging charts with real brio.
- A performance at the Vortex led by up-and-coming UK guitarist Tom Ollendorff with American pianist Aaron Parks on piano ad Conor Chaplin on bass and James Maddren on drums playing another selection of original tunes with no one pushing for the spotlight, all contributing to the group feel.
- A compelling, joyful trio performance by Gary Crosby’s Africa Space Programme with Crosby on bass, Denys Baptiste on tenor and Winston Clifford on drums. A compelling mix of free improvisation and standards. Great levels of listening and lots of smiles both on the bandstand and in the packed audience.
And finally, the evergreen Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander showcasing his latest album D-Day at Ronnies in June. I caught the first show and was hugely disappointed to discover that Stevie Wonder had dropped by and sat in during the second set!
Recordings
You will find a selection of both recent and historic recordings that I have been listening to this year on my playlist. Plus, tracks from all the artists I’ve featured in this survey of live gigs. One player to mention who I haven’t yet caught live is the sensational young Scottish pianist Feargus McCreadie who is brewing up a storm north of the border I hope he brings his trio to London next year.
Equinox Jazz Quartet
In addition to listening to jazz I also play-the alto sax in the above named EJQ. My bandmates are Terry Loane on piano, James Lewis drums and Greg Loops on bass.
Equinox Jazz Quartet
This year we launched our first album, Footprints, continued our monthly first Sunday residency at MAP Studio Café in Kentish Town plus performances in Swaffham, a market town in rural Norfolk and in Ruislip o the western edges of London. The album is now available to stream. Playing, practicing and rehearsing gives me an additional perspective on the music I love and an even greater respect for the many generations of jazz musicians who I love listening to.
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