Bristol’s month in jazz – February 2025

Well the winter thaw seems to be upon us, jazz wise, with a fair torrent of stuff coming through this month. Somewhat surprisingly East London seems to have colonised Broadmead courtesy of the Brick Lane Jazz Festival which is staging a weekend at Strange Brew featuring hip-hop’n’jazz powerhouse TC & The Groove Family alongside our very own Snazzback (Fri 7) and Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Experience (Sat 8). More locally-focused, however, Valentines Day (Fri 14) sees vocalist Karolina Griškutė launch Karolina’s Jazz Club, a new jazz night at the Fishponds Crafty Egg cafe, with pianist Andy Nowak’s trio. Urban Roundhouse is an interesting new venue on the Urban Escape site in Knowle, launching with the contemporary classical sounds of Dama Dama (Sat 1). And they’re very excited at the Fringe In The Round because this month’s special guest (Tue 4) is international saxophone star Ben Van Gelder who will not only be playing in the evening session but will also be offering a saxophone masterclass in the afternoon. Tickets will be limited for both so early booking, as they say, is advised.

It’s a big month for power trio Waldo’s Gift who, after nearly a decade of improvising gigs around Bristol and beyond, finally launch their debut album Malcolm’s Way with a gig at Trinity (Fri 28) – that’s them looking excited about it at the top of the page. It’s a sizzling collection that fully captures their sound, notably Alun Elliott-Williams’ hyper speed guitar. Jazz guitar fans can catch Andy Christie’s fusion guitar with Eddie Parker’s splendidly retro-psych Escher Steps (The Bell, Mon 17) and the ambient fusion sounds of guitar trio Sahari at Mr Wolf’s ((Sun 9). Aidan Pope’s more probing contemporary guitar styles and composition come to the Bebop (Thur 13), with his regular trio joined by Rebecca Nash’s empathetic piano while Snazzback’s fretboard whizz Eli Jitsuto pops up with Dr Chonk & The Nature Injection at the month’s first JFS night (Mr Wolf’s, Tue 4). Veteran Ghanaian jazz guitar hero Chris Cobbson comes to the Cotham Club (Fri 28) with his African Jazz Quartet. An original member of the Jazz Warriors he also played in Osibisa and The JBs which gives you some idea of his versatility of style.

Tommy Smith is one of the great figures of Scottish jazz, both for his long career as a saxophonist, composer and bandleader and also for his inspirational role in developing young Scottish jazz talent over the years. His thoughtful duo with creative pianist Gwilym Simcock (St George’s, Thur 13) is a masterclass of improvisational  creativity, inviting comparison with the equally top notch sax/piano duo of Iain Ballamy and Gareth Williams to be found at FringeJazz (Bristol Music Club, Wed 26). The Kieron Garrett Quartet (Bebop Club, Thur 6) features similar interplay between the bandleader’s piano and Mike Sayers alto sax, albeit applied to coolly funky grooves and classic bebop, and the club also features Ben Waghorn’s fluently forceful tenor in the Dave Jones Quintet (Thur 20), closing the month with vibrant young sax talent Alex Clarke’s hard bop quartet with pianist Eddie Gripper (Thur 27).

Around the millennium Scandinavian players gave the classic piano trio format a European makeover and the Kjetil Mulelid Trio (Lantern, Fri 21) is the latest Norwegian exponent of that complex interactive format, taking the music forward in new directions. Similar flavours echo through Danish bassist Henrik Jensen’s Trio coming to Fringe Jazz (Bristol Music Club, Wed 5) with fellow-countryman Esben Tjalve’s piano and Dave Smith drumming and, of course, we’re very fortunate in Bristol to have excellent Scandi-influenced trio Yetii’s residency at Greenbank. For this month’s session (Thur 13) they’re joined by trumpeter Pete Judge, who also figures twice at El Rincon, firstly with bassist Riaan Vosloo’s Uphill Game quartet (Thur 6) and then with the behemoth sound of Get The Blessing (Thur 20) – surely a risk to the fabric of that compact little venue?

Less structurally hazardous (but no less impressive musically) trumpeter/flugelhorn player Gary Alesbrook’s trio visit El Rincon (Thur 27) – a cracking combination with Dan Newberry’s fiery sax and Will Harris on bass. Gary also features prominently in the smoothly melodic music of bassman Al Swainger’s Pointless Beauty (Bristol Music Centre, Wed 12) while Dan brings his new quartet to the same venue (Wed 19). The latter’s hotshot rhythm section boasts Dan Moore (keys), Ashley John Long (bass) and Matt Stockham Brown (drums). Fan’s of the mercurial WorldService Project might be surprised by the more conventional approach of exuberant pianist/founder Dave Morecroft’s Trio (Canteen, Wed 12), revealing a subtler side to his playing. Quite which side of ever-creative sax/flute player Kevin Figes will be revealed in his trio performance at Canteen (Wed 26) will emerge on the night – he’s capable of anything from melodic standards to total free improv via prog and fusion … More predictably (in a good way) the Craig Crofton Trio (Old Duke, Thur 20) will have the muscular tenor and soprano player’s characteristic tight grooves and post-Coltrane energy throughout.

And talking of grooves … Bristol-based RWKUS are now settled in electronics vs drums trio format and you can catch them at the JFS night at Mr Wolf’s (Tue 18) or as part of the VooKoo and CJC big night at Ashton Court Mansion (Fri 28). Those two promoters are doing great stuff supporting emerging and established talent from the city. RWKUS’s rediscovery of jungle music seems to be part of a trend, with a Jungle Jazz night at Elemental Collective (Sat 1) and the live drum and bass of Collette Warren at Canteen (Fri 7). There’s a broader spread of dance styles in the Nu Orleans sound of Brass Funkeys (Jam Jar, Fri 28) and you just can’t classify the music of anarchic French collective Orchestra Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp other than to say it is irresistibly dance-worthy. The Jam Jar also has Berlin’s intriguing Sera Kalo’s eX.II (Fri 21) who combine melodic soulfulness with rolling freedom and jazz poetry in the classic post-60s style. But if you want a does-what-it-says-on-the-can delivery steeped in its genre you can’t do better than Jim Blomfield’s Latin Ensemble (The Bell, Mon 10), with Jim’s often astonishing Latin piano at it’s heart.

Of course grooves may come and grooves may go but swing goes on forever and rightly so. Contemporary mash-up maestros (and festival favourites) Dutty Moonshine Big Band will be rocking out the Beacon (Sat 22), quickly followed by a Clusterfunk night (Mon 24) featuring loads of big band action including the Bristol Hornstars. Vocalist Marvin Muoneke swings into the Fringe (Thur 6) as well as the Sunday Swing session on the Grain Barge (Sun 23), the same day as singer John Prescott appears at The Fringe. The Jack Calloway Band blend swing and old-time classics at The Robin Hood (Thur 6) and Edinburgh’s Tenement Jazz Band (Old Duke, Sun 2) reach even farther back to the earliest recordings of jazz for their trad inspirations.

Funk is another jazz flavour that survives in a multitude of forms. Multi-instrumentalist Sam Greenfield’s high production funky stuff comes to the Beacon (Tue 4) with support from soulful vocalist Gareth Donkin. Slick funk and soul from Mr Griff and the Grifters will be at Mr Wolf’s (Sat 8) and guitarist Jonah Hitchens’ Trio  brings their soul/jazz mashup to The Fringe (Sun 2). The Old Fish Market have their regular dose of classic Blue Note style organ jazz from Manuals of Fire (Sun 2) while Ev Newman‘s reliably grooving Organ3Man are at The Bell (Wed 26) and Ollie Hatch’s Organ Trio rock up to Mr Wolf’s (Sun 23) with Matthew Lake on guitar. And if you need to cool your fevered brow after all that lot, the Louisiana has smooth ambient instrumentalists The King Chameleon (Fri 7) while the Beacon hosts berlioz (“if Matisse made house music …”) on Mon 24.

The South West Improvisers Group – aka SWIG – has been a long-standing collective of some of the finest improvisatory players on the local scene (and we have some pretty fine ones, too). They now have a new home for their monthly gatherings at the Star & Dove on Windmill Hill (Mon 3) and to celebrate they have two spiffing special guests: trumpeter Charlotte Keeffe and drummer Bob Helson. Bob has been a big figure in improv in Bristol and set up the FringeFreeMusic collective that was very much a precursor to SWIG. Experimental improv duo violinist Anouck Genthon and electronicist Lionel Marchetti perform at L’Etoile Studio (Mon 17) and improvising violinist Angharad Davies joins contemporary classical percussion and piano duo GBSR for an afternoon concert at the Arnolfini (Sat 8). The ‘Fini also has the Bristol Ensemble (Thur 20) in a programme including the wonderful Shaker Loops by John Adams. There’s deep listening (and AV) at The Prospect Building(Wed 19) with live electronics from Daniel Avery and (separately) Alessandro Cortini and who knows what fearlessly exploratory Portishead guitarist Adrian Utley will do for his show at Strange Brew (Sat 22)? He’s collaborating with Civilistjavel!, the Swedish electronics artist and others.

They call themselves Accidental Meetings but there’s careful planning behind their arranged collaborations. Latest one involves dubby improv electronics and percussion outfit Holy Tongue and cardboard superstar Shackleton. Dark wave and dub seems inevitable. Looping guitar soundscaper Stereocilia has a new album Phases released and commences touring at The Cube (Sat 15) while the enticingly named GENDERISTHEBASTARD celebrates their new album A Queer and Present Rage at Cafe Kino (Fri 7). Kino also celebrates Valentines Day with Dutch experimentalists Red Brut headlining a Liquid Library night (Fri 14).

Jam sessions? Firstly the Stag and Hounds Sunday sessions have their usual impressive array of guests: saxophonists Len Aruliah (Sun 2), John Martin (Sun 9) and Ben Waghorn (Sun 23) as well as trombonist (and SWIG stalwart) Raph Clarkson (Sun 16). Mr Wolf’s has the Wednesday night Donut Filler jam, plus the fortnightly JFS jam (Tue 11, Tue 25) the Old England has the fortnightly All Hands session (Sun 2, 16) and Love Inn has the new Outer Edges fortnightly jam (Tue 11, 25). Fringe has it’s usual set on Monday nights: Hot Club (3), Peanut Butter (10), Jazz Rapport (17), b (24). Canteen has hip-hop themed jams Beat Cleaver (Mon 3), Slapdash (Tue 11) and Kole Tang (Tue 25), plus Stone Cold Funk Jam (Tue 4, 18), Canteen Jazz Session (Wed 5), Canteen Latin Session (Wed 19). Elmer’s Arms has their Byrfyfyr Improv session (Sat 8) and Jam Jar host their monthly The Door Is Ajar (Sat 22).