James Copus, Dusk

We've had quite a few compelling trumpet-led jazz albums this year already from the likes of Byron Wallen, Ambrose Akinmusire and Linley Hamilton. And now another. Copus is the least known of these names and Dusk will be a surprise to many.

A quartet record with Tom Cawley on piano and keys, Conor Chaplin on bass and Jason Brown on drums it has serious, brooding intent Copus' pure and tough trumpet sound landing somewhere between say the sound of Freddie Hubbard and Kenny Wheeler, soaring over busy hard bop rhythms that veer away from the norm and show a powerful imagination at play.

Of the seven tunes I'd go for 'Outro' or 'From the Source' most. But to be honest they all work on one level or another although I could do without the vocalisations Copus layers in on a few tracks. Surely, however, one of the debuts of 2020.

Out on Ubuntu on 17 July.

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The North Sea Jazz Festival is streaming a specially recorded concert featuring Gregory Porter, Jamie Cullum and more this Sunday at 6.20pm UK time.

What would have been the 44th edition of the festival the Metropole Orkest found itself reunited on stage in full for the first time since the COVID-19 lockdown. Their guests were to perform this year at the festival in Rotterdam and performed both in-person and remotely and who included Gregory Porter and Jamie Cullum, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Ibrahim Maalouf and Yola.

The director of the festival Jan Willem Luyken says: “Although we will all miss the festival this year, I am incredibly happy that we were able to organize this together with NTR, Metropole Orkest, and some great artists. Many thanks go out to our sponsors NN Group, Port of Rotterdam, Surmount Ventures and Fundashon Bon Intenshon, without whom this would not have been possible. The fact that we can hold this concert is a huge boost for us.”

Here's the link, when Sunday comes around, for the stream.

James Copus, Dusk

North Sea to stream Metropole Orkest concert