Simon Below Quartet, Elements of Space

Recorded at La Buissonne in France and as you'd expect from such a premier studio the sound quality is excellent. More importantly the playing from the Simon Below Quartet is too. From Germany, led by pianist Simon Below in an acoustic …

Published: 23 Sep 2020. Updated: 3 years.

Recorded at La Buissonne in France and as you'd expect from such a premier studio the sound quality is excellent. More importantly the playing from the Simon Below Quartet is too. From Germany, led by pianist Simon Below in an acoustic piano-sax-bass-drums formation, the mood the quartet conjure is a little like a 1970s ECM release with plenty of room for rigorous improvisation and a quasi-classical feel.

Below is inspired by among others Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane, Sylvie Courvoisier, Tyshawn Sorey, Bela Bartók and Frédéric Mompou according to the label. That is actually pretty meaningless a list when you listen as you'll gain a sense of his own style here rather than be struck by the nearness in approach of anyone on the list. Featuring the pianist's own compositions that favour a free-bop into avant location, the adventurous saxophone playing of altoist Fabian Dudek often pushes the sound into an even freer direction (Yannik Tiemann on double bass and Jan Philipp on drums complete the line-up). The album also includes a lovely version of John Taylor's 'Windfall'. Austere in places but ultimately rewarding. Out on the Traumton label.

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Limerick Jazz Festival online schedule

Here's the Limerick Jazz Festival online schedule all accessible via YouTube Live. Tonight, times all Irish time Saffron Trio and Eddie Lee (bass) 7.15pm Oxygen Thief Ft Aleka 9.15pm Tomorrow John Donegan / Tommaso Starace Duo 8pm Thursday Jazz …

Published: 22 Sep 2020. Updated: 3 years.

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Here's the Limerick Jazz Festival online schedule all accessible via YouTube Live.

Tonight, times all Irish time

Saffron Trio and Eddie Lee (bass) 7.15pm

Oxygen Thief Ft Aleka 9.15pm

Tomorrow John Donegan / Tommaso Starace Duo 8pm

Thursday Jazz Kids USA meets IRL 7.15pm

David O’Rourke & Seth Abramson 9.15pm

Friday Paul Dunlea Quartet 9.15pm

Saturday Linley Hamilton Quintet 9.15pm

On Sunday playing live Mary Coughlan tops the bill in Dolan's with an undercard also including the great singer Christine Tobin. Check out a review of Mary's formidable new album Life Stories here