Gig choice UK scene 22-26 March

Courtney Pine Ronnie Scott's London Wednesday 22 March. First of 3 nights. GIG OF THE WEEK Journey to the Urge Within revisited Courtney has pianist Deschanel Gordon in his band with bassist Dan Casimir, drummer Romarna Campbell and singer Zara …

Published: 18 Mar 2023. Updated: 8 months.


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  • Courtney Pine Ronnie Scott's London Wednesday 22 March. First of 3 nights.

GIG OF THE WEEK Journey to the Urge Within revisited Courtney has pianist Deschanel Gordon in his band with bassist Dan Casimir, drummer Romarna Campbell and singer Zara McFarlane joining him. Last year's Pine album Spirituality featuring one of his best compositions in a long and distinguished career 'Black Water' was marlbank's UK album of 2022.


Myra's Horizons out on Manc label Gondwana in 2022 was not an album that thinks it is the big ''I am''. And that was massively in its favour. Neither was it an out and out chops fest. In fact tumbling blizzards of notes refused to litter the place. And yet it was highly introspective, a characteristic that is sometimes unfairly maligned given its innate thoughtfulness that some seem to fear as they hide behind preposterous bravado and give in to peer pressure instead to strut about. Listen to the title track for instance first up from back then but now a bit better known relative newcomer saxophonist Jasmine Myra, an alumna of Leeds Conservatoire, a considerable refreshment. Also the melancholia in the chamber arrangements whether conjuring a sense of bereftness following a loved-one's passing or not is resolutely human. This plucky new ''voice'' of the north of England lingers longer than one far more strident and full-of-itself can only dream of.


  • Sarah Jane Morris and the Solis String Quartet The Verdict Brighton Wed 22
  • Simon Spillett and the Dave Cottle Three The Garage Swansea Thursday 23

Touring To Vanish the good thing about Trichotomy (né Misinterprotato) is that they know how to replicate a modernistic piano trio sound that they and others have modified since e. s. t., The Bad Plus and Neil Cowley's heyday and moved that sound forward given that these groups are either no longer around or in the Bad Plus' case a moveable feast. Trichotomy hardly need to staple on extra chamber elements (bassoon, no less, and very piquant it is too among these this time) particularly as the trio is robust enough to do what they want to without trying to reinvent the wheel by scaling up. Esque is more but top marks for reliability and a welcome new album from this Aussie band. Sean Foran remains an inventively florid pianist while drummer John Parker draws to mind the sound of Jon Scott (now of GoGo Penguin) given his tenaciousness and metronomic time-keeping ability. Samuel Vincent on bass comes over like Sławomir Kurkiewicz in the Marcin Wasilewski trio.


Greatest living most history changing Scottish jazz musician? Probably.

Late morning show. Read a hopefully not at all antediluvian live review of Eden caught at Ronnie's a few months ago. You be the judge.

Alina Bzhezhinska, photo: publicity shot

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Kevin Toney, An Evening with Kevin Toney and Friends - Jazz Legacy, K Tone ****

US pianist Kevin Toney, 70, Detroit's very own, was in the seminal jazz funk band The Blackbyrds. On his upcoming release there is a fine rococo version of Billy Strayhorn classic 'Lush Life' first, a song that if you talk to say UK jazz trumpet …

Published: 18 Mar 2023. Updated: 8 months.

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US pianist Kevin Toney, 70, Detroit's very own, was in the seminal jazz funk band The Blackbyrds.

On his upcoming release there is a fine rococo version of Billy Strayhorn classic 'Lush Life' first, a song that if you talk to say UK jazz trumpet icon and big band leader Guy Barker is his favourite standard of all - an emotion echoed by many the world over.

In the Evening With treatment after a flourish the audience react with delighted laughter and they can't be even sure what theme is even coming. There's warm love in the room, the North Coast Rep in San Diego.

Daughter Dominique Toney sings meaningfully the George Shearing/George David Weiss classic 'Lullaby of Birdland' introduced - when with vocals that is - in 1954 by Ella Fitzgerald. Hero to Jack Kerouac and the beats Battersea icon Sir George's earlier club theme tune instrumental initially written to boost the famed New York City Birdland club (named for Charlie Parker) is consummately a classic heard today in many of the world's best places.

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Also on the album is Azar Lawrence who was on Woody Shaw classic The Moontrane (Muse, 1974) a big influence on UK hard bop supergroup the MOBO nominated Lineage active a decade ago. Lawrence is here on Duke's 'In a Sentimental Mood' - Kevin's intro is beautiful.

Also on An Evening with Kevin Toney and Friends - Jazz Legacy to be issued on Friday is Kamau Kenyatta who was a school friend of Kevin's, the pair used to hang out listening to records by John Coltrane and Miles Davis when they visited one another's houses.

Kamau went on to make recent jazz history by producing Gregory Porter's classic 2010 Motéma album Water among work by the blessèd Gregory who himself is back next month artistically directing the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Toney is bliss on 'Rejoice'. Saxist Kamau on soprano is piquant in the blend on 'Love is on My Side.'

MORE LISTENING:

Savour The Blackbyrds (Fantasy, 1974) once again.

Go back further for original Duke introducing 'Lush Life' to the world with vocals by Kay Davis, piano accompaniment by Swee' Pea himself on stage at Carnegie Hall in 1948. Kevin Toney, photo: detail from the cover art