Things are bad in London in terms of a decimated jazz scene but at least live music isn't banned...

… unlike in Northern Ireland. Policy makers and ministers at Stormont need to look urgently at the ban again given how jazz can be presented properly socially distanced elsewhere.

Respected music industry online publication Complete Music Update reports how the Musicians’ Union and music industry lobbying body UK Music have expressed concern ''after it was confirmed that new COVID-19 rules for pubs and other venues where alcohol is served in Northern Ireland include a ban on live music.''

Acting CEO of UK Music, Tom Kiehl, is quoted by CMU as stating: “Music forms a hugely crucial part of the creative economy in Northern Ireland. As an industry, it contributes almost £70 million in annual gross value added to the local economy, with a further £8 million generated through music-related tourism. One gig has the ability to create a positive ripple effect through the live music ecology which reaches venues, bar staff, lighting engineers, sound engineers and the wider night-time economy in restaurants, bars and hotels.”

Shut up shop: Black Box – a venue that annual jazz festival Brilliant Corners uses as one of its chief spots, pictured top. This year's festival took place pre-pandemic as normal. But looking ahead to March 2021 who knows if this ban is not lifted? Photo: marlbank

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Picture the scene, around the corner from the Jazz Cafe a hare-eyed protester with a megaphone ranting anti-Lockdown conspiracy theories; a busy line of traffic crawling along Parkway closer to the Camden Town venue and then into the Jazz Cafe itself, newly reopened after Lockdown with an all sit-down socially distanced gig and the first live jazz marlbank has experienced since the pandemic hit us disastrously in March.

A double album launch led by two Ubuntu label artists bassist Joe Downard and trumpeter James Copus marked the occasion, both bands welcomed to the stage by the voice of label head honcho Martin Hummel on the PA. Downard opened first with a sextet bristling with keyboards (two players playing two instruments each) playing from Seven Japanese Tales with Copus who would follow with his quartet here taking part in Downard's band in the front-line alternating flugel and trumpet with saxophonist Alex Hitchcock, the latter excelling later the more Michael Brecker-like he became. As for Downard he has a lovely tone and a beefy Jasper Høiby-like sense of attack.

Copus' quartet itself had more firepower and featured the great ex-Acoustic Ladyland keyboardist Tom Cawley who was superb throughout, his dirty electric keyboard attack tapping into a 1970s jazz-rock style that a young Chick Corea would have recognised. James Maddren on drums isn't on Copus' album Dusk and had a part to read from his stand but was powerful and quite loud (I always think of Jeff Ballard when I hear Maddren play) while as for Copus it was uncanny that he came over like Ian Carr who was one of the first English players with his band Nucleus to channel jazz-rock when the style was new and explored further by Miles Davis on, among other albums, Bitches Brew. Copus is a brilliant young player and live he had that tenderness and contrasting power that is stimulating to witness. He unveiled a new tune at the beginning before playing from the album. I liked 'Yearning' most towards the end. Live jazz again in Camden town? Bring it on. Stephen Graham

Things are bad in London in terms of a decimated jazz scene but at least live music isn't banned...

Live review: James Copus quartet and Joe Downard sextet, Jazz Cafe, London