It's great to see new jazz places develop on the Soho scene - with new jazz spots including the Shed and over at the Boulevard plus this Wednesday night session led by tenor saxophonist Alec Harper and running over the past year. The street level room in the Louche situated over by the Soho Square end of Greek Street (a stone's throw from the Pizza diagonally across to nearby Dean Street) has fine acoustics, this set was on the ground floor and there is also a capacious basement and upstairs scope. We last reviewed tenorist Harper who has an old school penchant for Hank Mobley in Kentish Town last year and once again joining him from that enjoyable Oxford Tavern session was drummer Will Cleasby and guitar genius Nick Costley-White plus instead of bassist Tom Farmer the equally excellent Dave Whitford who put on a fine showing.

Whitford impressed on Paul Booth's 2019 album Travel Sketches a good deal. Pick of the action we caught was a tender version of the beautiful Strayhorn and Ellington classic 'Isfahan' and later the downhome Mobley favourite, 'Soul Station.'

Alec Harper and Dave Whitford at the Louche on Greek Street at the latest Wednesday night running of the Harper residency. Venue website for more details