Radio pick of the week: John Russell tribute on Freeness (7/2/21), BBC Radio 3

A fine Freeness episode with at its heart a very well put together tribute to the guitarist and Mopomoso paterfamilias John Russell who died last month. Presenter Corey Mwamba in the course of the tribute talks to Russell's collaborator Irish …

Published: 13 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

A fine Freeness episode with at its heart a very well put together tribute to the guitarist and Mopomoso paterfamilias John Russell who died last month. Presenter Corey Mwamba in the course of the tribute talks to Russell's collaborator Irish pianist and fellow improviser Paul G. Smyth who quips with no little warmth that Mopomoso was ''like stepping on to the set of a Ken Loach movie.'' Pieces played in the course of the show, Radio 3's only significant outlet for avant-jazz as an unerring focus, included Juliana Day's 'Concealed/Classified 5 for Juliana Day,' Geri Allen's 'Dancing Mystic Poets At Twylight,' the Susan Alcorn Quintet's 'Pedernal' and Fête Quaqua's 'Archaeology'. John Russell, above Listening: link

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Emilia Mårtensson big band album set for 2021 release – first up Emilia streams from Ronnie's on Monday

Singer Emilia Mårtensson is streaming with her band from Ronnie Scott's on Monday night. The Swedish singer and bandleader will have a new album to be released jointly by London label Babel records and the Slovenian imprint, ZKP. On it, from what …

Published: 13 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

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Singer Emilia Mårtensson is streaming with her band from Ronnie Scott's on Monday night. The Swedish singer and bandleader will have a new album to be released jointly by London label Babel records and the Slovenian imprint, ZKP.

On it, from what we can gather, appearing with the Haringey-based Emilia are the Slovenian RTV Big Band led by Lojce Krajncan. The new album, no title so far, is a studio affair that follows on from a Mårtensson and RTV Big Band concert held at the SiTi theatre in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. Tracks include Krajncan arrangements of songs from Emilia's back catalogue plus covers of songs by The Magic Lantern, Barnaby Keen, Billy Joel and Peter Gabriel.

Marlbank managed earlier this week to spin a couple of Emilia songs 'One More for Ana' and the reggae-tilting 'Shine a Light On' from the new album, both songs drawn from 2019's highly acclaimed Loredana.

At Ronnie's on Monday among Emilia's band is guitarist Luca Boscagin last heard by marlbank upstairs in the Frith Street club in the autumn when he was accompanying Irene Serra. Luca is also on an upcoming Babel release for 2021, an exciting duo affair with the great pianist Jason Rebello (ex-Jeff Beck, Sting). Tracks from it heard so far are the beautiful 'Rose for Emily' and 'Buen Dia La Paz.' Link to the Monday stream, show time is 8pm London/Dublin time