Review: Bristol Jazz Festival 2023, Bristol Beacon Foyer/Bamalam

By the time the Bristol Jazz Festival 2023 finished on Sunday night the Beacon Foyer had seen some 20 hours of really excellent music from 16 acts almost all derived from the local scene. Ranging from classic blues and swing to brand new contemporary jazz projects, the smoothly run programme had reflected a healthy and entertaining diversity of style. Lively jam sessions across the road at Bamalam had seen many of the featured artists sitting in with the house band to create that classic after-hours jazz vibe. It had been a great success in every respect except one – not enough people had turned up to enjoy it, sadly.

Sisanda Myataza (pic: Tony Benjamin)

With Artistic Director Katya Gorrie being one herself it was perhaps unsurprising  that there were some excellent female vocalists through the weekend. Victoria Klewin’s soulful jazz stylings were in great effect on the tongue-in-cheek Lover Boy, that song also featuring an impressive ‘bongo frenzy’ of bare-handed drumming from Alex Goodyear. After her stately entrance, Sisanda Myataza’s band set up a rolling South African groove for Li La, a song in Xhosa enriched with the singer’s clicks, whoops and ululations and a gravelly tenor sax solo from Craig Crofton. The weekend closed with a powerhouse soul-blues set from Hannah Williams and her band The Affirmations, their first gig since she gave birth to twins. There was little evidence that Hannah or her band had been out of action however, with guitarist Adam Holgate on particularly fine form, dep drummer Ian Matthews delivering trademark grooves and the singer’s full-throated performance very much up to her usual standard. New songs like the ivory-tinkling cabaret of I Feel It Too and the raunchier Set The Whole Thing on Fire sat well against a cover of Dazed and Confused.

No Go Stop (pic: Tony Benjamin)

The 11-strong Afrobeat collective No Go Stop had headlined on Saturday showcasing their new album Where We Are. Vocalist Marie Lister was another strong voice fronting the big brass and percussion sound, rousing willing audience participation for the Fela Kuti number Open and Close. The 25-member Bristol Community Big Band was an even bigger ensemble. Led by trumpeter Jonny Bruce through some great arrangements their nimble reading of Just Friends brought out a tidy contribution from guest soloist Andy Hague. The seven singers of hot gospel and soul choir The Good Stuff fronted a tight three-piece band with occasional collaborations from lyrical rapper Komposa woven between some fine solo performances.

Sarsen Drift (pic: Tony Benjamin)

Two local artists with national reputations brought contrasting new projects to debut at the festival. Sarsen Stones was pianist Rebecca Nash’s lockdown project with Paradox Ensemble electronica and trumpet wizz Nick Waters. Backed up with bass and drums their meditative spiritual jazz – inspired by field recordings from Avebury stone circle – blended moments of surging spontaneity with carefully composed structures. Drummer Matt Stockham-Brown’s 6161, however, more forcefully announced itself with big washes of sound from four horns and explosive percussion launching a highly energised set of original material. Imaginative deployment of the seven musicians let the music range from danceable grooves and brass counterpoint to blasting blowouts and moments of meandering guitar Progwash.

Jonny Bruce Quintet (pic: Tony Benjamin)

“This will be jazzy jazz” Jonny Bruce announced as his quintet launched into their creatively arranged set of well-chosen classics. The treatment of Just Friends was a particular delight: a wavering trio of sax, trumpet and trombone suddenly kicking into a full-on three-way thrash before subsiding back into the murk. Alex Veitch’s piano trio Yetii brought accomplished saxophonist Iain Ballamy with them and the interplay between the four players had an easy familiarity that was enjoyable to hear. The Carribbean vibe of Paul Motion’s tune Mandeville evolved into something almost South African as Alex’s piano rolled like Abdullah Ibrahim and Iain’s full-throated tenor channelled Sonny Rollins. With new album King Phoenix just released the Jazz Defenders welcomed Jake McMurchie to their ranks and his classy brand of hard-bop sax playing immediately fitted neatly into their Blue Note-inspired sound.

Joe Wilkins/Henry Slim Quartet (pic: Tony Benjamin)

The festival may have dropped the ‘and Blues’ from its logo but fans of blues grooves were well rewarded by guitarist Joe Wilkins and harmonica player Henry Slim’s quartet set, with Jonny Henderson’s Hammond providing both rich atmosphere and impeccable basslines on a rolling workout of Stephen Stills’ For What It’s Worth. Ruth Hammond provided similar keyboard drive in the Hammond Hopkins set with guest trumpeter Gary Alesbrook and guitarist Matt Hopkins duelling nicely over some of Ruth’s original tunes.

Hannah Moules and the Moulettes (pic: Tony Benjamin)

And finally something that didn’t really fit into any other box than its own: Brighton-based visitors Hannah Moules and the Moulettes played a spellbinding leftfield set of tunes from their Xenolalia project, a captivating blend of indie rock and string quartet music. Clever compositions with elusive time-signatures and shifting soundscapes accompanied poetic lyrics in an endless sequence of fresh ideas. Alongside the wealth of Bristol’s home-grown talent it was a nice reminder that there’s good stuff going on elsewhere, too.