Bristol’s month in jazz – June 2024

Any festivals this month? Well the excellent Bath Fringe Festival is under way (until Sun 9) and apparently there’s something going on near Shepton Mallet but you have to scour that one pretty hard to find anything of a jazz-adjacent nature. But worry not because there’s an excellent selection of that kind of thing to be had hereabouts this month, starting very promptly (Sat 1) with a Bristol Beacon triple bill headed up by the nu-jazz Nubiyan Twist collective with support from Sudanese funksters The Scorpios and Glasgow’s finest aka corto.alto (pictured above). You might have already missed that and, sadly, if you hoped to catch Kamaal Williams (Fri 7, Central Warehouse) be warned that it’s long sold out. If you’re quick, though, you might just grab a ticket for TC and the Groove Family (Thur 6, Jam Jar) or Courtney Pine’s 60th birthday celebration tour (Fri 7, St George’s). As the pioneering player who for over 40 years has proved that a distinctive black British jazz is both possible and popular it’s a cause for celebration that he’s still moving forward. His latest 6-piece band is a celebration of Caribbean music and St G’s are even encouraging dancing for this one!

If you’re minded to check out the Bath Fringe Get The Blessing are supported by ‘hidden notes’ saxophonist John Martin and brash guitar explorers Brackish at Komedia (Sun 2), while there’s a brace of brilliant Latin-jazz treats in the shape of Roberto Pla & His Latin Ensemble (Wed 5, Komedia) and the great K’Chevere (Thur 6, Chapel Arts). John Martin also features at the Stag & Hounds Sunday session (Sun 23), with other June guests including grooving sax player Dom Franks (Sun 2), cool vocalist Victoria Klewin (Sun 9) and eloquent alto sax player Luke Annesley (Sun 30).

Fans of that great Hammond organ sound should catch John Paul Gard’s Manuals of Fire (Sun 2, Old Fish Market) as well as trumpeter Jonny Bruce’s Organ Quartet featuring Tom Berge on the keys (Wed 5, FringeJazz@ Bristol Music Club). The Matt Brown Trio (Sun 16, Mr Wolf’s) sees the drummer joined by Dan Moore on keys with Dan Messore’s guitar, and Ev Newman’s seasoned Hammond style drives Dusk Art Rhythm Quartet (Fri 7, Canteen) towards Louisiana with Joe Wilkins on guitar.

Drummer Dave Storey’s Trio, featuring poised tenor sax player James Allsopp and fine bass player Conor Chapman is one highlight of this month’s Bebop Club programme (Thur 13). Other treats include exploratory young quartet Juggenaught (Thur 6) and club fave The Andy Hague Quintet (Thur 20) is still one of the city’s top outfits. Long-established Celtic jazzers Carmina return in a trio format (Sun 9, Tobacco Factory) with founders Pippa Marland and Rob Knight joined by Paul Bradley’s voice and guitar) while just down the road El Rincon has Sounding Seas (Thur 20), contemporary jazz pianist Jemima Evans’ trio with Joe Evans on bass and Eyebrow drummer Paul Wigens. Fringe In The Round’s monthly session (Tue 4) showcases Di-Cysgodion, an improv-friendly double guitar quartet led by London-dwelling bass player Huw V Williams. The Halcyon quintet (Thur 6, Mr Wolf’s) balance guitar with sax and keys.

After successfully premiering his first film last month saxophonist Kevin Figes now launches the debut album of his sextet project You Are Here (Tue 4, Jazzata@The Beacon). It’s a celebratory tribute to the late Keith Tippett and the influx of exiled South African musicians that inspired Keith and others in the 60s and 70s. It’s something of a growing theme in Bristol – last month also saw trombonist Raph Clarkson launch his Equal Spirits album with South African collaborators and You Are Here features both Raph and bass player Riaan Vosloo. Raph is in Riaan’s all-star 5-piece Riaan Vosloo’s Commotion (Wed 29, Fringe Jazz @ Bristol Music Club) which also explores that era and the jubilant energy of its music. Kevin Figes Trio will also be appearing at Canteen (Wed 26).

They get at least one mention every month so lets hear it for Brass Junkies (Fri 21, Canteen), the hard-working New Orleans inspired collective who launched this year’s Bristol Jazz festival with a street procession. Canteen also has the left-field cool of the Narco Lounge Combo (Wed 12), Marlon Bianco’s equally enigmatic ‘synth jazz’ dance music (Sat 8) and Bristol Street Music’s improvised grooves (Tue 25). Heavy on their grooves outfit Clusterfunk – the name says it all, really – are at Gallimaufry (Tue 11) and Polish swing fiddle ace Piotr Jordan Qua will be at Grain Barge on the same night.

It seems we can count on interesting contemporary classical gigs most months and June’s big name is atmospheric composer/violinist Anna Phoebe (Thur 20, Strange Brew). It’s a seated gig featuring music for a forthcoming album. Dareshack features multi-instrumental composer Memotone supporting piano and clarinet duo Group Listening (Wed 26) as well as the piano duo of The Vernon Spring and Gwilym Gold (Thur 6).

Improvising flautist Tina Hitchens joins cello and trumpet duo JOW for the latest of their monthly Table Music sessions (Wed 5, Orchard Coffee Company) and The Mount Without should be a suitably ethereal context for ‘neo-classical’ composer James Osler’s ensemble Pillow and the expanded 7-piece Samana’s In Tune With The Infinite, performed in the round. They would make a stark contrast with Ukrainian ‘continuous’ pianist Lubomyr Melnyk (Fri 14, Beacon) whose ceaseless onslaught music creates a myriad of inner harmonics and overtones from the resonances of undamped piano strings.

And, talking of onslaughts, it’s great to see the Thunderbolt welcoming back Ted Milton’s Blurt (Sat 22). A pyrotechnic No-Wave survivor, Ted’s wrenching sax and anarchic vocal fury remain wonderfully in your face in the nicest possible way. Kino hosts the latest SSP noise night (Fri 21) featuring layered composer Jo Montgomery and enigmatic assembler Thomas LaRoche (aka Creep of Paris) and not to be outdone The Cube has a night of ‘harsh noise’ (Thur 20) with acts including ‘pain electronics project’ Distraxi and Ecotage – Ecoterrorism harsh noise. The Cube also has a Liquid Library evening (Tue 18) featuring harsh noise outfit Acts of Worship as well as ‘fine flesh pop’ purveyor Rowena Wenonoah and others.

The aforementioned trombonist Raph Clarkson may be having too busy a month to turn up for the excellent monthly South West Improvisers Group which has now relocated to The Fringe (Wed 19). There’s an evening of improvised music (Mon 3) at Kino, SWIG’s former home, with saxophonist Rachel Musson’s duo with trumpeter Matt Davis headlining and the Byrfyfyr Duo Free Music session pops up at Elmers Arms (Sat 15).

And jams … Mr Wolf’s has Donut Filler (Weds); Fringe has Mondays: Hot Club Jam (Mon 3), Jazz rapport Jam (17); Canteen has Stone Cold Funk Jam (Tue 4, Tue 18), Canteen Jazz Session (Wed 5), Canteen Latin Session (Wed 19) and Slapdash (Tue 11).