Gigs this week - our guide

Fini Bearman The Yard, Manchester Monday 4th July Georgia Cécile Ronnie Scott's, Soho, London Tuesday 5th One of the biggest independent jazz vocals success stories out of Scotland in recent years was when because from out of nowhere last year …

Published: 4 Jul 2022. Updated: 21 months.

Fini Bearman The Yard, Manchester Monday 4th July

Georgia Cécile Ronnie Scott's, Soho, London Tuesday 5th

One of the biggest independent jazz vocals success stories out of Scotland in recent years was when because from out of nowhere last year singer-songwriter Georgia Cécile whose Only the Lover Sings was both critically acclaimed and also made it high up in the official UK jazz and blues chart. There is a Jessie Ware-like quality that Cécile brings to the ultra-lush 'He Knew How to Love'. But think the soulful spirit of Lulu deliciously too and so intact on 'Always Be Right'. The heart of the record is in classic jazz vocals. 'Harpoon', vocal against tumbling drums, at the outset was the album's biggest achievement as the mood became Ellingtonian.

Emilia Mårtensson and Matt Robinson 606, Chelsea, London, Wednesday 6th

Playtime feat. Anoushka Nanguy Outhouse, Edinburgh, Thursday 7th

Jay Phelps Quartet Palace Hotel, Buxton Thurs 7th

Trypl, Claire Martin & Dave Newton Wigan Jazz Festival Thurs 7th-Sunday 10th

Trio HLK feat. Evelyn Glennie St George's, Deal Friday 8th

The distinguished classical percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie is the featured guest with Trio HLK whose members include acclaimed jazz guitarist Ant Law.

Sarah Moule Quartet Scott's jazz club, Belfast Friday 8th

Last year's Stormy Emotions was as literary a jazz album as any around that year. Words matter and singer Sarah Moule knows this better than most. With her husband pianist Simon Wallace who worked and wrote with the ''poet laureate of lovers and losers'' Fran Landesman (1927-2011) extensively over many years the album is a homage to Fran. And while recorded in a studio is very much a jazz club record in spirit and prefers considered cynicism to fake sincerity as a first choice. So that means it is about intimacy, people, experience, and you actually do not feel that you have been sold a bottle of 1950s air neatly stoppered and tied up with a bow. The singer's work in the past has appeared on the Linn label and on Sarah and Si's own imprint Red Ram. But this is even better than her best album to date Songs from the Floating World released in 2014. Influenced at the beginning of her career by Jeri Southern and Billie Holiday and mentored by Claire Martin, musicians joining Moule and Wallace for this Ballyhack appearance are Belfast trumpet legend the Steely Dan-loving horn player Linley Hamilton and double bassist Rohan Armstrong known for his work with fine singer Victoria Geelan.

Lady Blackbird, Julie Dexter, Rosie Frater-Taylor Mostly Jazz, Birmingham, Fri 8th-Sun 10th

In this very well curated pan-stylistic festival mix of styles held in Moseley Park, Birmingham's Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul festival main headliners include seminal Coventry two-tone legends The Specials while jazz-head choices within the three-day fest include Rosie Frater-Taylor (on the Friday); Secret Night Gang (Saturday); Ill Considered, CollapseUncollapse, Julie Dexter and the soaraway Lady Blackbird (Sunday). Julie Dexter was born in Birmingham and has lived in Atlanta for years. Julie’s single 'Ketch a Vibe' was featured in radio ads for President Barack Obama.

The Impossible Gentlemen Palace Hotel, Buxton Saturday 9th

A new-look version of The Impossible Gentlemen still includes founders Gwilym Simcock and Mike Walker. But relatively new recruits bass guitar boss Laurence Cottle and drummer's drummer Ian Thomas are, huh, hardly absolute beginners

Yazz Ahmed quintet, Pigfoot, Alan Barnes octet, Nigel Price, Martin Speake Swanage Jazz Festival Sat 9th

Andy Davies The Piano Bar, Soho, London Sat 9th

Babelfish, Paul Edis, Mark Kavuma, Salvator Mundi Swanage Jazz Festival Sunday 10th

Encounter Babelfish for the first time and you will be intrigued. Landing on Once Upon a Tide somewhere in a jazz, folk, experimental space topped by the adventurous voice of Brigitte Beraha this is their third and most mature album. Vocal jazz clichés there are none but their jazz roots are strong and Beraha gets great support from the Ian Shaw pianist Barry Green, the great Chris Laurence on double bass (see a review of the John Taylor archive rarity Fragment) and the formidable Paul Clarvis on drums. Beraha has a big range of extra sounds, whether sighs, laughter or elaborate ornamentation that she dresses her lyrics with. Her style lands in the Norma Winstone heritage and like Winstone can stop you in your tracks with her quiet but devastating intent in the most unexpected places. Includes lots of originals plus a great version of the Ellington/Strayhorn standard ‘Pretty Girl.' Lady Blackbird, photo, top: Christine Solomon

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The 20 top jazz drummers in the UK

20 Richard Bailey Supreme jazz-rock and AfroJazz player best known for his work with Jeff Beck on Blow by Blow (1975) and Osibisa. 19 Saleem Raman Superb at Ronnie's over the years with Andy Davies at the Wednesday hard bop jam and on record with …

Published: 4 Jul 2022. Updated: 16 months.

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20 Richard Bailey

Supreme jazz-rock and AfroJazz player best known for his work with Jeff Beck on Blow by Blow (1975) and Osibisa.

19 Saleem Raman

Superb at Ronnie's over the years with Andy Davies at the Wednesday hard bop jam and on record with Guido Spannocchi on All the Above

18 Jon Scott

The new drummer in GoGo Penguin - tremendous earlier in his career with the MOBO-winning Kairos 4tet

17 Sophie Alloway

A regular presence on the London jazz club circuit appearing with the Copasetics for instance and known too for her earlier work with rapper Roots Manuva

16 Robert Fordjour

A long time drummer with Courtney Pine and in fine fettle last year during A Great Day in London

15 Shaney Forbes

Hard bop master best known for his work with Empirical

14 James Maddren

Versatile straightahead, into the freeness and avant player - in the Enemy trio with Kit Downes and Petter Eldh on this year's Vermillion

13 Tom Skinner

Known to rock fans for The Smile, one of the two original drummers in Sons of Kemet (along with Seb Rochford and nowadays Eddie Hick) Skinner has been on the UK jazz scene at a hard-gigging level since he was in his teens.

12 Martin France

Loose Tubes, Spin Marvel player France is very good in Nordic, ambient and big band contexts and has gelled over the years with such different leaders as Django Bates and Nils Petter Molvær

11 Mark Mondesir

Hugely intuitive player best known for his work with Courtney Pine in the saxophonist's early period - on the Pine classic, Journey to the Urge Within (1986)

10 Mark Sanders

The UK's top free-jazz and improv drummer of his generation

9 Steve 'Dakiz' Davis

A superb technician known for his work with Anthony Braxton and his tenure in Bourne/Davis/Kane

8 Alyn Cosker

Drummer for many years in the UK's top big band, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra

7 Gary Husband

The UK's most complete classic 1970s-style jazz-rock and into prog drummer (also a fine pianist) known for his work with John McLaughlin and with Billy Cobham

6 Seb Rochford

Imaginative multi award-winning drummer known for his work in Polar Bear and with Brian Eno. About to debut as a leader for ECM

5 Sebastiaan de Krom

A Netherlands-born player who has lived in the UK for decades famed for his time circa Twentysomething with Jamie Cullum he's one of the top modern-mainstream timekeepers who can swing the beat and is also great on brushes

4 Winston Clifford

A legend on the scene most recently heard by marlbank playing with Camilla George last summer his work includes spells with Courtney Pine, Bheki Mseleku and Jason Rebello. And he is also on Orphy Robinson 1990s classic, The Vibes Describes

3 Paul Clarvis

Mose Allison, Panic, Pigfoot, Cathy Jordan - and all points in between no one keeps it so simple and delivers so much. Don't blink twice, it's all right

2 Moses Boyd

Received huge acclaim for the free-jazz duo Binker and Moses and tremendous last year at A Great Day in London celebrating Tomorrow's Warriors

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1 Ian Thomas

The Steve Gadd of the UK? Yes. Vastly experienced Wales-born session player who has performed with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Kenny Wheeler, Jamie Cullum, Jim Mullen, David Sanborn and many more. Hear him on the Colin Towns Mask Orchestra big band album for the ages Another Think Coming for starters. Photo of Ian Thomas, top - publicity shot