Coup for the Vortex as the club lands James Brandon Lewis for a Saturday night springtime ''exclusive UK date''

Cometh the hour, cometh the saxophone player, cometh the optimum organic jazz club experience - it is a Saturday night to look forward to given that the 27th May is now up on the Vortex website for a return to the much loved Dalston club by James …

Published: 7 Mar 2023. Updated: 13 months.

Cometh the hour, cometh the saxophone player, cometh the optimum organic jazz club experience - it is a Saturday night to look forward to given that the 27th May is now up on the Vortex website for a return to the much loved Dalston club by James Brandon Lewis in trio formation on this occasion with electric bassist Josh Werner and drummer Chad Taylor.

The saxist's Eye of I is our February album of the month.

Glorious stuff, given its free-jazz and punkish language, the sound of freedom made flesh by the American heavyweight given the topicality of the upcoming shows it's a good time to hear the 39-year-old Buffalo, New York State-born player, especially how these last few years he has been going through an extended career purple patch.

One of the tenors of our times potential punters can pick up tickets here - there are two houses.

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James Brandon Lewis, photo: press

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Sissoko, Ségal, Parisien, Peirani, Les Égarés, Nø Førmat! ***

Inhabiting a comfort zone of seraphic euphony what's here is texturally a blend of what used to be called ''world music'' more often nowadays tagged as ''global'' and to a very small degree chamber jazz - there isn't obviously that much jazz …

Published: 7 Mar 2023. Updated: 13 months.

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Inhabiting a comfort zone of seraphic euphony what's here is texturally a blend of what used to be called ''world music'' more often nowadays tagged as ''global'' and to a very small degree chamber jazz - there isn't obviously that much jazz language here. It isn't remotely edgy either.

More attuned to a sensibility of a magazine such as Songlines than any other niche media that springs to mind, the crossover nevertheless may despite all the differences appeal to many into jazz because it is always interesting to hear fusions of styles that veer far away from bebop and ballads and which mesh them with music from any number of continents. Certainly the majority of the players here are known as high profile eclectic jazz and beyond players.

Kora - like an African harp and lute - and accordion often dominate - Ballaké Sissoko plays the former, Vincent Peirani the latter. The band completed by cellist Vincent Ségal and saxophonist Émile Parisien who provide the top line narratives often swooping to peal out unlikely rhapsodies and more often panoramic asides that sound both ancient and yet despite the paradox of the thought surprisingly modern. ''Égarés'' - meaning ''those who have gone astray'' embraces Manding culture, touches on Armenian music and includes a cover of both accordionist Marc Perrone's ‘Esperanza’ and Bumcello's 'Time Bum'. Of most interest to jazz listeners is a cover of Joe Zawinul's 'Orient Express.'

Out on 31 March. Several tracks from Les Égarés are streaming ahead of release

L-r, Peirani, Sissoko, Parisien, Ségal photo: Claude Gassian

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