Bristol’s month in Jazz – February 2024

The leap year means we’re getting  24 hours more jazz time this February even if it makes for a slightly longer wait for the return of the Bristol Jazz Festival – now based at the Tobacco Factory and scheduled for Mar 22-24. Top stuff happening before all that includes Tomorrow’s Warriors hero and bass-player Gary Crosby with lyrical saxophonist Denys Baptiste’s in their quintet celebrating the compositions of the great Wayne Shorter (St George’s, Fri 9). Sentient Beings (Fringe In The Round, Tue 6) is a stunning quartet of powerful improvisers including saxophonist John O’Gallagher and violinist Faith Brackenbury. Henry Spencer & Juncture (Bristol Beacon, Sun 18) is another visiting powerhouse foursome, with impressive contemporary trumpeter Henry weaving lines with guitarist Ant Law. And it’s great to see guitarist Cameron Pierre‘s classic stylings back at The Bell (Mon 12), the former Courtney Pine sideman having returned to his Dominican homeland in 2020.

Someone who’s glad of that extra February day is super-busy saxophonist and composer Kevin Figes whose Pig Records company has just released a 5-hour BluRay DVD of performances from the Celebration of Keith Tippett weekend Kevin organised in 2021 after Keith’s sad death the year before. Kevin is spreading out his performing wares over the month, starting with a duo gig with guitarist Denny Ilett (El Rincon, Thur 1) followed by the lively sextet You Are Here (Fringe Jazz, Wed 14) which is also a celebration of Keith Tippett and his many associates. Finally there’s a chance to preview the new album from his retro-proggy Kevin Figes’ Wallpaper Music project (pictured at top) at St George’s (Sun 25).

The Bebop has packed five sessions into February, starting with vocalist Tammy Payne (Thur 1) making a very welcome return to live performance with a set of new, Latin-flavoured songs. That’s followed by some harder grooving from guitarist Jerry Crozier-Cole’s Quartet (Thur 8). The spirit of the late great Tubby Hayes will preside when sax player Simon Spillett brings his brand of classic 60s modern jazz to life (Thur 15) while the electro-acoustic Moonscape (Thur 22) will be a very contemporary contrast, with Luke Annesley’s alto sax and Jim Howard’s trumpet adding spontaneous fire to ambient grooves. Finally Andy Hague brings his Sexteto Gringo (Thur 29), including Latin-jazz piano whizz Jim Blomfield and percussion star Lisa Cherian.

As well as the aforementioned You Are Here session (Thur 14), Fringe Jazz has an eclectic set of choices on offer. Former sax star of the ultracool US3 band Ed Jones is rekindling his top quality quartet with new compositions from Jones and bass player Riaan Vosloo (Wed 21), and Riaan also appears at the club with Pushy Doctors pianist Dan Moore’s Trio (Wed 7), the threesome being made up by ebullient drummer Alex Goodyear. Then, back by popular demand, there’s the splendidly authentic Cuban sound of the Jim Blomfield & Michel Padron Latin Quintet (Wed 28). Riaan Vosloo also pops up at El Rincon (Sun 11) with two performances by his excellent Uphill Game quartet, while drummer Alex has his regular monthly evening with the great piano trio Yetii (Greenbank, Thur 1) with guest vocalist Bea Piper. Uphill Game drummer Matt Brown appears at A Tribute to Charlie Parker (St George’s, Wed 14) alongside impassioned violinist John Pearce, guitarist Adam Stokes and bass player Chris Jones. And there’s a couple of tasty jazz nights at Canteen, namely saxophonist Martin Kern’s hard-bopping quartet (Wed 14) and Cardiff’s vibrant young septet The Mingus Project (Wed 28).

The ever-entertaining TC & The Groove Family feature at Lost Horizon (Thur 1) in a bill including ‘Afro-Rave producer/singer Toya Delazy and the mighty Baila la Cumbia. It kicks off February’s strand of brass-powered grooving that also includes Brass Junkies (Old Duke, Thur 8), Felonious Funk (Mr Wolf’s, Fri 9), Full House Brass Band (Old Duke, Thur 15), Head Rush Brass Band (Mr Wolf’s, Fri 16), Hot Piece of Brass (Attic Bar, Sat 17), Clusterfunk III (Bristol Beacon, Mon 19) and the Brass Flunkeys (Jam Jar, Fri 23). One standout name amongst all that Brassica has to be the highly entertaining Diddy Sweg (The Bell, Feb 14). Horns meet synths in festival favourites Rum Buffalo (Jam Jar, Fri 16), and more electro-jazz and funk grooves run through Bristol Street Music’s regular improvised set (Canteen, Tue 27),

There’s a strong selection of African-based music this month, with acknowledged diva of Malian music Fatoumata Diawara (Bristol Beacon, Tue 6) an undoubted highlight. The month begins with a Ghanaian themed night at Jam Jar featuring charismatic singer K.O.G. (Thur 1) and then Congolese veterans Kasai Masai come to Old Market Assembly (Fri 16) with Ghanaian master musician Ben Baddoo in support. Cameroonian percussionist and singer Alphonse Touna’s long-lived Afrobeat band Helele appear the next night (Canteen, Sat 17) with Alphonse having just appeared with Addictive TV’s electro-acoustic Bristol Refugee Festival show (Strange Brew, Fri 16). The refugee-celebrating Dovetail Orchestra are this month’s stars at the Cotham Club night (Fri 23). Finally, it’s all about the kora, with Gambian player Suntou Susso coming to The Bell (Wed 7) and Senegalese griot Amadou Diagne bringing his Group Yakar to the same venue (Wed 21). And both of those would no doubt doff their caps to Senegalese master Seckou Keita’s whose Through The Noise tour brings a stripped back kora sound to Lost Horizon (Thur 29).

And Latin-lovers are also well served, starting with a generous helping of the Sambroso All Stars offering four nights of their Buena Vista Social Club tribute (Strange Brew, Sat 3, Sun 4, Tue 6, Wed 7). Peruvian tropical bass stars Dengue, Dengue, Dengue are at Jam Jar (Fri 9), samba-rock outfit Tuto Tribe will rock Canteen (Fri 16) while the more haunting acoustic Brazilian choro quartet Cavacante appear at Bean Tree Cafe (Sat 24).St George’s host Nouvelle Vague’s intriguing mash-up of Bossa nova and punk(Wed 28) and of course there’s the aforementioned Jim Blomfield & MichelPadron Quintet (Fringe Jazz, Wed 28) and Andy Hague’s Sextet Gringo (Bebop Club, Thur 29).

Café Kino has a trio of improvised and experimental music gigs, starting with SSP#2’s triple bill (Thur 1) headed by Welsh sound artist Llyn y Cwn’s ambient/noise inspired by megalithic structures. The regular South West Improvisers Group session (Mon 5) has guest electronics from Jon Ruddick and there’s another improvising triple-header (Sat 24) featuring the Dirk Serries/Colin Webster Duo. Elmers Arms has their regular Byrfyfyr improvisation night (Sat 3), Knifedoutofexistence’s ‘harsh noise’ electronic improvisation headlines a night of howl and pain at Exchange (Mon 26) and ambient-Industrialist Lussuria top Crofters’ Rights’ abrasive noise night Dark Alchemy (Wed 28).

For those who want jam on it – there’s Strange Brew’s weekly Bounce Jam (Mondays), and the Old England’s Toast & Jam (Thursdays). The Fringe has Peanut Butter Jam (Mon 12) and Jazz Rapport Jam (Mon 19); Canteen has Stone Cold Funk Jam (Tue 6/Tue 20) and the Canteen Latin Session (Wed 21); Hare on the Hill has Hot Jazz Jam (Wed 14) and Mr Wolf’s has the JFS Jam Session (Tue 20). There was no information about the regular Sunday Stag & Hounds sessions at time of writing this.