Top UK and Irish gigs 15-21 April

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Repertory Big Band conducted by Ed Puddick + Worcester Youth Jazz Orchestra Eastside, Birmingham Monday 15 April

Playing Sammy Nestico - 2024 is the centenary of the Basie arranger's birth. Straight Ahead - it says it on the tin.

Mark Turner Quartet Ronnie Scott's, London Mon 15 Apr

Sold out.

James Brandon Lewis Vortex, London Tuesday 16 Apr

mjbl

JBL reviewed in these pages with avant rock band The Messthetics recently - he has his own record Transfiguration out and also appears on the new Gifts with Dave Douglas. Former Fugazi members bass guitarist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty are in the Messthetics - the prog inclined guitarist Anthony Pirog is also in the band.

You'll hear the titanic saxophone playing of Lewis in a completely different context here but fear not there is extensive soloing from him and the chunky riff-groove alchemy is very satisfying - JBL letting go massively on 'The Time Is The Place' amid shrieking guitar and more shreddies found than in your average cereal packet.

Heads up in the jazzanorakerie if still lamentably unfamiliar with JBL, drawn from Eye of I, but happen to be a Donny Hathaway soul lover. And isn't any self respecting Amy Winehouse fan out there? (Big weekend just gone in that regard with the premiere of Sam Taylor-Johnson's Back to Black exploding everywhere.) First port of call is the saxist's unbelievable cover of 'Someday We'll All Be Free' if thinking of schlepping over to Hackney from Osidge but still undecided.

There's nothing you can teach me

That I can't learn from Mr. Hathaway

Amy Winehouse

In the famous 'Rehab' video in the bath tub blowing a trumpet original Empirical player Jay Phelps is in view as is Burnin' Bobby G, - Robin Banerjee - of Jazz Jamaica, seen with his guitar - it's worth knowing

Playing Dalston - JBL has learnt a few vital things too from Donny - with his Transfiguration band featuring pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist Brad Jones and drummer Chad Taylor. There are two shows on Tuesday night - the first has already sold out.

Hot Club Gallois Cu Mumbles, Swansea Wednesday 17 Apr
John Settle Seven, Leeds Wed 17 Apr 6pm start

Anthropods + Sloth Racket The Lescar, Sheffield Wed 17 Apr

Vienna based US drummer Mark Holub known for his work with Led Bib, the avantist here with his tub thumpingly effective new band Anthropods headlining in the Steel City.

Denny Ilett and the Chris Ingham Trio Pavilion at The Sports Ground, Guildford Thurs 18 Apr
The Jazz Defenders The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen Thursday 18 Apr

John Donegan Sextet Hen and Chicken, Bristol Thurs 18 Apr
Alan Barnes and Andy Panayi Sextet Lighthouse, Poole Friday 19 Apr

Antonio Forcione & Giorgio Serci The Verdict, Brighton Fri 19 Apr

Örjan Hultén Orion 1000 Trades, Birmingham Fri 19 Apr

Dan Costa Trio Scott (Flanigan)'s, Belfast Fri 19 Apr

Moscow Drug Club Peggy's Skylight, Nottingham Saturday 20 Apr

Singer Katya Gorrie, trumpeter Jonny Bruce, bassist Andy Crowdy, accordionist Mirek Salmon and guitarist Andy Bowen deliver an eclectic mix of styles in Notts. Riffs yes but no one shoots the sheriff sho'would way

Dana Ali Band Matt and Phred's, Manchester Sat 20 Apr
Mark McQuillan Group The Jazz Centre, Southend Sat 20 Apr in the afternoon
Dan Costa Trio Arthur's, Dublin Sat 20 Apr

Rebecca Poole Quartet Cromarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire

Purdy is with trumpeter Stuart Henderson, guitarist Hugh Turner and double bassist Raph Mizraki. Sold out.

Christine Tobin and Phil Robson Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, Birr, Co. Offaly Sat 20 Apr

James Blood Ulmer Cafe Oto, London Sat 20 Apr and Sunday 21 Apr

Famed for his tenure with Ornette Coleman in his harmolodics pomp, for the stormingly compelling Are You Glad to Be in America? and for playing the blues like the ultimate mutha, hearing Blood Ulmer is an exhilarating ride as we know from hearing and interviewing the cult avant guitarist on the Isle of Dogs of all places in the 1990s.

Conor Murray trio The Workman's Club, Dublin Sun 21 Apr

County Donegal jazzer Conor Murray is the Glaswegian jazz vocals star Georgia Cécile's bass player and appears in Dublin with his twin brother sax ace Micheál who he played with on Murray's Law (2021). Completing the Workman's Club line-up is drummer Jay Davis who is on the fine new Ronan Perrett trio album, Between.

James Brandon Lewis, pictured, plays London's Vortex on Tuesday night

Tags: gigs

My eye is watching the noon crowd,

Searching the promenade, seeking a clue,

To the one who will someday be my,

Something to live for.

The UK's top male jazz singer. A torchbearer for everything we need from a top jazz singer: wit, incredible technique and bohemian savoir faire mainly because we prefer set against other approaches the more Mark Murphy jazz side of the road derived from the enduring literary legacy of the Beats whose work Ian Shaw riffs off so well. Entering the hallowed halls of Ellingtonia this is one of Shaw's very best records up there with the magical Fran dancing to the music of time found on A Ghost in Every Bar and his work in New York with Cedar Walton. In his element corresponding intimately on the stand with saxophonist Tony Kofi in very good form these last few years in a whole range of situations whether paying homage to Cannonball Adderley with Alex Webb and Andy Davies, going more celestial with Alina Bzhezhinska and kicking home hard with Sharp Little Bones, on this very fine Sweet Pea and Duke themed album.

The unrelated everGreens Barry and Dave on piano and bass respectively are intergenerationally ideal especially given how long the younger of the pair Barry has worked with Ian. For instance, in the same room as An Adventurous Dream was recorded, the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, Barry was excellent at a gig circa The Theory of Joy in 2016 - probably the best gig of all of Ian's we have attended down the years. Green, B's best bits are on 'Day Dream' while bassist Dave, known for his work with Ian and Tony's labelmate Scott Hamilton, keeps stately authoritative time throughout and is just the steadying vintage beatmaker needed for the material. He also knows how to handle classic Swing Era tunes expertly.

Other highlights are when Shaw sings ''Azaleas drinking pale moonbeams'' the incredible line of Strayhorn lyrical poetry found on 'A Flower is A Lovesome Thing' and makes us immediately listen for extra enjoyment to the deeper register in Murph's voice on his Links (HighNote, 2001) version.

Following swiftly on from the more 1970s themed Shaw singersongwritery of Greek Street Friday our vocals album of the year in 2023 here on this excellent live album certainly this latest however much it contrasts is no disappointment. The bonus factor is the live feeling you gain ably captured in the album's top of the tree sonics. And partly it's also the focus. After all An Adventurous Dream concentrates on some of the crown jewels of a century-plus of jazz in terms of composition, repertoire and the art of the song. Kofi is best on 'Isfahan' and 'Blood Count' shows the rigour of his instrumentalism and discipline of his approach most exactingly. The album title borrows from the lyric to Ellington and Strayhorn song 'Something To Live For' introduced to the canon by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra in 1939 and covered by many down the years including notably by Carmen McRae on a 1956 release, Nina Simone and Ella in the 1960s, the great Nat King Cole influenced easy listening singer Johnny Mathis in 1990 and the marvellous Jane Monheit in the early 21st century.

Updated on 26 April adding the full album embed

Top UK and Irish gigs 15-21 April

Ian Shaw and Tony Kofi, An Adventurous Dream: The Music of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington At Pizza Express Live in London, PX Records ****