Review: Michel Portal

Michel Portal and Scott Colley-Queen Elizabeth Hall, LJF2011
Photo credit: Edu Hawkins

Michel Portal
(Queen Elizabeth Hall, 14th November 2011. Part of the LJF. Review by Chris Parker)

Given the extraordinary range of musical interests informing the career of one of France's most respected musicians, Michel Portal – he is as at home with the music of Stockhausen and Boulez as he is with free and post-bop jazz, not to mention chamber and film music – it was no surprise to hear his stellar international band not so much straddling or mixing genres as ignoring them altogether to arrive at an entirely original item:
Portal music.

True, they concentrated on material from his latest album, Baïlador, and their overall approach (theme/solos/theme) was the familiar jazz one, but their ability to slip naturally and uncontrivedly from, say, bustling boppish figures to rubato musings or strident skirls was tremendously impressive, and ensured that their seventy-minute set flashed by, packed with unexpected but consistently felicitous musical incident.

Although it was the front-line partnership of reedsman Portal with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire (who, like Portal, can producesolos in which post-bop or free jazz is stitched seamlessly into the above-mentioned Portal music) that immediately caught the ear, it was pianist/keyboard player Bojan Z who held the band together, both by setting its tone through judicious selection of either acoustic or electric instrument, and by his subtle embellishments of Portal's intriguingly convoluted themes.

Bassist Scott Colley, his cultured, full-bodied sound complementing the front line's scurrying urgency perfectly, and drummer Nasheet Waits, with his superb dynamic control, proved a highly sympathetic rhythm section, and the reactions of both the audience (a warm standing ovation after the encore) and Portal himself (gratified smiles at his bandmembers during their individual contributions) were entirely merited.

Bass clarinet, Portal's main instrument (though he also played soprano and alto saxophones), is perhaps somewhat neglected in contemporary jazz, but while he is on the scene playing rich and absorbing music like this, its unrivalled ability to produce a mesmerising variety of timbres and textures will continue to be celebrated.

McCoy Tyner at the London Jazz Festival

Left to right: McCoy Tyner, Chris Potter, Gerald Cannon, Joe Farnsworth
Photo credit: Edu Hawkins

Edu Hawkins attended McCoy Tyner's LJF gig as a photographer, and writes:

I was really impressed. To see a musician of his age and stature play with such untamed enthusiasm was a  pleasure. For such a mild-mannered guy, he played with such ferocity, with his left hand crashing down aggressively on the keys at times. The highlight of the set for me was a beautiful rendition of 'My one and only love', featuring Chris Potter on tenor and Jose James on vocals.

McCoy Tyner. Photo credit: Edu Hawkins

Review : LJF opening night launch

Steve Coleman
Drawing by Geoff Winston. All Rights Reserved.

Jazz on 3/ London Jazz Festival opening night launch
(Ronnie Scott's, 11th November 2011. Review by John L Walters)

The Jazz on 3 festival launch gig at Ronnie's was bookended by two exceptional performances: the superb tuba-player Oren Marshall; and singer Gregory Porter, who deserves every bit of hype  thrown his way.

After a short steampunk solo (sadly off-air) that pushed the tuba through a phalanx of effects, Marshall's Anglo-Ghanaian Charming Transport Band kicked off a highly entertaining evening, which can beheard on the BBC's iPlayer until 18 Nov2011.

Oren Marshall
Drawing by Geoff Winston. All Rights Reserved

In between were sets by Steve Coleman's inscrutable trio Reflex (Marcus Gilmore, drums; Cuban pianist David Virelles). Coleman's appearance was a career high point for presenter Jez Nelson, clutching a treasured piece of Coleman vinyl from the 1980s. Nelson asked the saxophonist about the advantages of playing in a trio. 'We get to play more,' said Coleman.

He was followed by the curious punk-prog-thrash of Guillaume Perret's Electric Epic [playing at C.A.M.P. next Wednesday], whose intricately stacked layers of noise gave me a feeling of déjà entendu.

Gregory Porter
Drawing by Geoff Winston. All Rights Reserved

That criticism might be levelled at Gregory Porter, whose opener, a perfect reading of the Carmichael-Mercer standard Skylark, wastimeless. Yet Porter is completely contemporary, transcending eraswith an audacious, high-octane version of Wayne Shorter's Back Nile and ending with a funky, full throated 1960 What?, prompting  a no-holds-barred performance from the venue's own trio of JamesPearson, Sam Burgess and Dave Ohm.

londonjazzfestival.org.uk

Preview/ Interview: Greg Osby (LJF Pizza Express Nov 11th)

I interviewed Greg Osby by phone. We talked about his eagerly-awaited return to London next week:

Alto saxophonist Greg Osby, now 50, a major figure on the New York scene, used to a regular visitor to London, but has not been here for several years. "I can't remember exactly when, but its at least five." He last came here, he told me this afternoon from a hotel room in Barcelona, when Ronnie Scott's was still under its old management.


Osby is currently touring Europe with a quintet whose the tour started in Cork, has been playing to packed houses, and will culminate at the end of next week with appearances in the UK: the Cross in Birmingham on Wednesday 9th, Watermill in Dorking on Thursday 10th, and two shows on the opening night of the London Jazz Festival at Pizza Express Dean Street next Friday 11th.

The first show is virtually, maybe even fully sold out. The second show has places.Musicians and students get a five pund discount (£15 instead of £20)

Greg Osby says he has found the experience of playing with this group "enlightening. I never do pick-up situations, but all of the guys here came highly recommended. And from very first hit it was obvious to me that this was good decision." Working with younger players reminds him of the time when he was being brought on, through working with the likes of Bobby Watson and Kenny Barron. This is a parallel situation, where he has moved to the role of the older figure:"The efficiency of players has increased exponentially since I began",he reflected.

Michael Janisch told me that this tour with Osby has been one of the "steepest learning curves in my career in music. He's been hipping us to find different ways of playing, never to be found in the same place. We're playing diferent tunes every night, tunes that aren't played that often. Greg plays a wholly different thing every night, he has a huge range of things he can do, all the things he's been practising over the years, its amazing . He says things like : 'tonight I'll be on [intervals of] SIXTHS'. It changes the game. "we're being pushed to the limit, and at the same time given a sense of renewal", says Janisch.

On piano and keyboards is Cuban-born Aruán Ortiz. Ortiz was a fellow Berklee-ite with Janisch, has lived in Spain and is now in New York where he is busy, including a regular seat with Wallace Roney's band. Trumpeter Reynald Colum is Spanish, and is possibly the leading jazz trumpeter in Spain.

A player whom Janisch hadn't played with before this tour is drummer Rudy Royston. A regular fixture in bands led by Bill Frisell and Dave Douglas.. Janisch confesses to have been bowled over by having Royston as his rhythm section co-conspirator, and can't wait to work with him again: "Rudy is just explosive. He's now definitely one of my favourite drummers."

The Pizza Express gig will also be a landmark passed for Janisch. It will be his last residency at PizzaExpress Dean Street.

pizzaexpresslive.co.uk - see concessions for students and musicians

Previews: Pete Hurt (11th) and Jason Rebello (18th) at LJF

Jason Rebello

In the maelstrom of the 280-gig London Jazz Festival, a couple of  good events at the Guildhall, putting the focus on interesting musicians, which could easily be overlooked. I spoke to Scott Stroman about them.  


Friday 11th at 7.30pm

The 12-piece Guildhall Jazz Ensemble directed by Martin Hathaway presents music by Pete Hurt.  
Composer/ saxophonist Pete Hurt has worked extensively with Carla Bley, Billy Cobham and George Russell.  Scott Stroman has worked with him in the London Jazz Orchestra for over 20 years.Scott says:  “perhaps because Pete's manner is so unassuming, he is not as well known as he should be. He has a tremendous original sound and an approach to writing. He continues to produce amazing writing and to develop - unique and mature.”

Friday 18th November at 7 30 pm

The Guildhall Big Band directed by Scott Stroman features Jason Rebello 


Stroman remembers Rebello: “Jason was student at Guildhall. He was an outstanding prodigy, a terrific classical pianaist . Not just an amazing technique under the hood but a real imagination as a musician, solid in every way. He could turned talent to anything, and has had a very successful career in pop music, working - among  others -  with Jeff Beck and Sting. It is a new endeavour for him to write for big band. We're also doing charts by John Taylor and Kenny Wheeler.”

For tickets, follow the links. Full price for each of the concerts is £15. £10 concessions. Free to GSMD staff and students

CD Review: Phil Robson – The Immeasurable Code

Phil Robson – The Immeasurable Code
(Whirlwind Recordings. CD Review by Tom Gray)

The UK tour by guitarist Phil Robson’s IMS Quintet back in January earned glowing reviews and will undoubtedly feature among the live highlights of the year for many who made it. This album recorded during those live dates is packed with delights throughout its 70-plus minutes.

Much of the listening pleasure here stems from the sense of Robson, Mark Turner on saxes and Gareth Lockrane on flute really stretching out, using the extended space afforded to them to craft some elegant, engaging improvisations. Lockrane’s soaring opening statement on ‘Nassarius Beads’ sets a very high benchmark early on from which the group do not deviate.

The soloists’ stories all unfold over a dynamic backdrop, with Ernesto Simpson’s pin-sharp precision on drums paired with the robust, responsive bass playing of Michael Janisch.

Robson’s compositions are, however, much more than just blowing vehicles and there is plenty to admire in these succinct, punchy themes. The way Robson harnesses the textural possibilities of an unconventional combination of frontline instruments and subtly marries straight-ahead postbop with earthy, odd time signature grooves is reminiscent of the writing of Dave Holland (and the playing here is certainly worthy of one of Holland’s ensembles).

Highlights include the asymmetric funk of the title track, ingeniously constructed around a Morse code-like one note pattern from Lockrane’s piccolo, and the breezy swinger ‘The Instant Message’.Any listener who regrets not being there during the recording of this live album will get a second chance to see this fine group next month: they play the Purcell Room as part of the London Jazz Festival.


The CD will be issued on November 7th.

Purcell Room, 15th November, in the London Jazz Festival. Double Bill with Christine Tobin

Stan Sulzmann in focus

Stan Sulzmann

Stan Sulzmann is featured in BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line-Up, and has also explained to us the background behind what will be one of the key gigs of British jazz in the London Jazz Festival

1) RADIO BROADCAST

On a computer near you for the next seven days is the marvellous all-star Jazz Line-Up session recorded in the BBC's Maida Vale studios FOLLOW THIS LINK (it starts with 3 mins 30 seconds of really annoying trails for other Radio 3 programmes).

The programme starts with NEON Quartet (Stan with pianist Kit Downes, vibraphonist  Jim Hart and drummer Tim Giles).

In the second set this quartet is joined by Kenny Wheeler, guitarist Mike Walker, James Allsopp (on bass clarinet) and bassist  Dave Whitford.

The level of playing, of listening in this group is something exceptional.

2) LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL - BIG BAND GIG (Sunday November 13th, Spice of Life, 7pm)
Stan Sulzmann has been arranging tunes written by fellow musicians and collaborators for big band. It's an open-ended project, but the process of broadenting, deepening, dignifying these compositions is something really worthwhile project. The big band is full of top-flight musicians (provisional personnel list below)


It started with two compositions and has grown. The first two, Stan writes to me, were


[Quote begins]

1) I arranged 'Alfredo' by John Parricelli (from his Quartet CD) some years ago - it's a great tune we used to play together at the old Vortex.


2) John Taylor asked me to arrange 'Between Moons' for him. - it's beautiful tune from his 'Insight' CD


(It then occurred to me , writes Stan Sulzmann, that it would be nice to carry on the idea of arranging British Jazz musicians tunes that I love. it could be an infinite project - - - and a good excuse to play them all! )

3) I heard Kate Williams play 'Disparity' last year at Ealing Jazz Fest with her trio and thought that would make a good Big Band Piece.

4) Im an enormous fan of Iain Ballamy's tunes and arranged 'ReCedar' from his Anoraks CD.

5 ) 'Westerley' is such a great tune and so typical of Nikki Iles that I just had to do it.


6) I arranged my own piece 'Chu Chu' from the first Neon CD Here To There.... cos' I like it !

7) Ive just finished 'Clockmaker' by Mike Walker which I played with him at the old Vortex and with Printmakers when I depped for Mark Lockheart a while back. So this will be played first time at the Spice Of Life.

The other pieces apart from Clockmaker were played at the Guildhall earlier this year with the college band. We will also be playing a few older pieces of mine to complete the program including :


8) 'Taking A Chance On Love' my arrangement in 5/4 from my 60th Birthday gig at the Royal Academy of Music that Nick Smart kindly organized for me.

9) 'Jack Stix' from my Jigsaw CD on Basho


10)'The Thrill Is Gone' from the Big Band cd 'Birthdays Birthdays' on Paul Clarvis Village Life label .

[Quote ends]


There will be other, more visible gigs in the festival, but I don't believe there will be a gig which gets closer to the heart of UK jazz. It is to be hoped that this project eventually gets a hearing on a bigger stage .


Provisional list of the Stan Sulzmann Big Band for Spice of Life, November 13th-

Trumpets: Derek Watkins, Henry lowther, George Hogg, Freddie Gavita

Trombones: Andy Wood, Mark Bassey, Robbie Harvey, Sarah Williams.

Saxes: Martin Hathaway, Mike Chillingworth, Josh Arcoleo, Pete Hurt, James Allsop

Vibes: Jim Hart

Guitar: Alex Munk

Piano: Nikki Iles

Drums: Tim Giles

Bass: Dave Whitford

Conductor: Nick Smart

Book at spicejazz.co.uk

London Jazz Festival: Sold Out and Selling Out Shows

Toumani Diabate

The London Jazz Festival has just announced their sold out and selling out shows.

The following shows have now sold out:

Toumani Diabate: Union Chapel, 11 November
Alison Krauss & Union Station: Royal Festival Hall 12, 13, 14, 15 November*
Robert Glasper: Kings Place, 17 November
Abdullah Ibrahim: Wigmore Hall, 18 November
Portico Quartet: Purcell Room 3pm + 7.45pm, 19 November

Tickets for the following shows are selling fast:

Chris Potter Masterclass: Southbank Centre, 12 November
Phronesis: Purcell Room, 16 November
Jazz at Café Society: Purcell Room, 17 November
Robert Glasper Masterclass: Southbank Centre, 19 November
Bill Frisell: Queen Elizabeth Hall, 20 November

For tickets and full listings, go to www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk

London Jazz Festival 2011 Programme Launched - with a surprise

The full Programme for the London Jazz Festival is now published. The launch party, with speeches from Arts Council England, Serious and Radio 3, is still in full swing as this is being written

- Dates are Friday November 11th to Sunday November 20th.

- The full brochure is online

- The statistics: 280 events spread across 53 venues. There are over 50 free events

- Festival on the Move artists are Arun Ghosh, Emillia Martensson, De Jongens Driest

- There are foreign presences: Iceland, Estonia, Romania, Swizerland, Scotland, France, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands

- One unexpected new bonus element not in the brochure: the Royal Festival Hall closing concert on Sunday features Ornette Coleman - full line-up to be announced.

- Last year LondonJazz provided the most comprehensive coverage of the festival with 51 previews / reviews.

First London Jazz Festival shows going on sale next Tuesday

Can it be that time already? Serious have announced that the first shows of the London Jazz Festival (Nov 11 to Nov 20) will go on sale next Tuesday May 10th. These include a rare appearance in the UK from Steve Coleman, and one likely to sell out very quickly: Abdullah Ibrahim solo at the Wigmore Hall. Stand by your beds for the list:

Friday 11 November
Jazz Voice: Celebrating a Century of Song
Barbican

Friday 11 November
Zakir Hussain: Masters of Percussion
Royal Festival Hall

Friday 11 November
Stephan Micus
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Friday 11 November
Steve Coleman: Reflex
Purcell Room

Saturday 12 November
McCoy Tyner Trio featuring Jose James and Chris Potter
Impulse! Records at 50
Barbican

Sunday 13 November
Steve Swallow Quintet
+ The Impossible Gentlemen (Walker/ Simcock/ Swallow/ Nussbaum)
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Monday 14 November
Michel Portal
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 17 November
Richard Galliano Strada Quintet
A tribute to Nino Rota
Royal Festival Hall

Friday 18 November
Roy Haynes: Fountain of Youth Band
+ Peter King
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Friday 18 November
Abdullah Ibrahim
Wigmore Hall

Saturday 19 November
Henry Threadgill: Zooid
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Sunday 20 November
Bill Frisell: 858 Quartet
Queen Elizabeth Hall

Sunday 20 November
Lucian Ban
Purcell Room