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Mark Guiliana Ronnie Scott's, London tonight and Band on the Wall, Manchester tomorrow

Mark Guiliana's Mischief proved one of 2023's scorchingly best to date. Easier to digest, comprehend and be immersed in with far better tunes than The Sound of Listening made contemporaneously, New Jersey drummer Guiliana played on late-Bowie classic Blackstar (2016). But long before he had also been formidable and made his mark with a certain Bradford Alexander Mehldau in the beat poetry loving jazzprog phantasmagoria that was Mehliana.

Moving right up to date Guiliana is also on the track 'Virgo 3' also featuring Oliver Lake, Brandee Younger and Josh Johnson on Meshell Ndegeocello's storming Blue Note debut The Omnichord Real Book released last month. Jason Rigby joining him for the London and Manchester dates on tenor proved on Mischief at his most tender on 'Audience Américain' a future standard surely and tenderness as well as a loose feel are important throughout. The Guiliana band for these dates is completed by pianist Shai Maestro and by bassist Orlando Le Fleming. Mark Guiliana, photo: via Edition

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A ninepiece led by violinist Tobie Medland who has written the majority of the music played by an ensemble shaped around strings, woodwind and guitar - note there are no drums - brief, it's more an EP length than a full album. Sam Leak on piano is significant on 'Murmuration,' the style can be appreciated on a number of levels certainly of some appeal to a classical listenership given that ensemble influences include Béla Bartók. Medland turns in a serene lead solo line accompanied by guitarist Sol Grimshaw on John Lewis classic 'Django,' gaining chugging Hot Club traction when the recording really takes flight. Hear Tobie Medland's The Aviary at the Vortex on Wednesday night

Gigs of the week - Mark Guiliana at Ronnie Scott's tonight & Band on the Wall tomorrow

Tobie Medland, The Aviary, Future Fable Records ***