Duski St Ives Jazz Club St Ives Cornwall Tuesday 4 April
Siobhan Waters and Timmy Boomer Flute and Tankard Cardiff Tuesday 4
Alison Rayner Quintet The Musician Leicester Wednesday 5
Omar The Jam House Birmingham Thursday 6
- Nubiyan Twist Propyard Bristol Thurs 6
Nubiyan Twist in 2021 managed the feat for a relatively new - any - UK band of reaching no. 2 in the Official UK jazz and blues sales chart. Singles from Freedom Fables (Strut) impressed us at the time, the Leeds/London collective exuding energy and exhibiting drive in quantity. Their track 'Tittle Tattle' featured the Anita Baker-loving singer Cherise. The album also included a guest slot from alto sax star/MC Soweto Kinch on the soulfully grooving 'Buckle Up.'
John Etheridge and Pete Oxley The White House Oxford Thurs 6
The Filthy 6 Peggy's Skylight Nottingham Friday 7
Tommy Blaize & NYJO Usher Hall Edinburgh Fri 7
- Five-Way Split The Verdict Brighton Fri 7
With the hard bop trumpet imagination of Quentin Collins and saxophone prowess of Vasilis Xenopoulos running wild in the front line, high profile UK modern mainstream choice pianist Rob Barron, bassist Mátyás Hoffecker and fine drummer Matt Home last heard by us on storming form with Alex Garnett complete the line-up. Five-Way Split have new album All the Way out on the Ubuntu label, a company co-directed by hard bopper Collins also known for his work with the Stanley Turrentine appreciating Aussie ace Brandon Allen and UK soul icon, Omar.
GIG OF THE WEEK
- Claire Martin and Ian Shaw The Pheasantry London Sat 8 & Sun 9
Claire Martin, above photo: press, has just released on the Stunt label a Richard Rodney Bennett homage collaborating with US arranger Scott Dunn conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, I Watch You Sleep. The release also features in a small group setting pianist Rob Barron who contributes to the arrangement, double bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer Matt Skelton and the title track 'I Watch You Sleep' adapted from Bennett's music for 1979 John Schlesinger film, Yanks. The south-west London born Martin, 55, who debuted in 1992 with The Waiting Game worked with the composer lyricist Bennett on 2005's When Lights Are Low, 2010's Witchcraft and Say It Isn't So released in 2013 not long after the composer had passed away the previous year. Martin's classic songbook rapport with Ian Shaw five years her senior makes these two nights in Chelsea an irresistible magnet for jazz vocals fans to cling to.
Nubiyan Twist, photo top: publicity shot
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