Music / Jazz
The week in Jazz December 5 – 11
So – farewell then, Andy Sheppard … Happily (for Andy and photographer partner Sara da Costa, at least) Bristol’s much-loved international jazz superstar is soon to up sticks from the city and head for the sunnier climes of Portugal. This defiant act of Brentry (hah!) will inevitably mean that our frequent privilege of catching his distinctively poised and thriftily emotional saxophone style in local-based outfits like Pushy Doctors will come to an end. He will be back for next year’s jazz festival with an ambitious live soundtrack project but there’s a more immediate chance to catch him on home territory when Andy Sheppard’s Hotel Bristol play at the Hen & Chicken (Sunday 11).
Fortunately there are no departure plans announced for another internationally rated local combo, though Get The Blessing’s various members numerous projects make them fairly frequent flyers. The power-packed post-rock band are appearing at the Arnolfini (Friday 9) with improvising drums and keyboard trio Modulus III. It will be a fundraising gig for the 2017 Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival following the recent announcement of a programme that includes Jasper Høiby’s exciting new Fellow Creatures, Laura Jurd’s Dinosaur and Yazz Ahmed, another recently emerged superb trumpet talent.
The Bebop Club is offering more ace horn-blowing that you don’t have to wait till March for with US ex-pat Andre Canniere (Friday 9) whose stellar quintet also includes Tori Freestone (sax) and drummer Tim Giles, with guest vocalist Brigitte Beraha a splendid bonus. This is a great night in prospect, with music from Andre’s latest poetry-inspired Whirlwind CD.
The name Brubeck has its place in the jazz pantheon and, while the great Dave has sadly passed on his pianist son Darius has established his own international reputation with a combination of his own African influenced compositions and some favourite pieces from his dad’s legacy. The Darius Brubeck Quartet are returning to St George’s (Thursday 8), the same night as saxophonist Sophie Stockham’s modernist Sefrial quintet come to Future Inn. With five great players and some fine original avant-rock and contemporary jazz compositions it’s become one of the local scene’s most adventurous and successful projects. And, finally, popular and passionate violinist John Pearce brings a predictably glitzy crew of friends to The Fringe (Wednesday 7). This crew look likely to funk it up, with Matt Hopkins (guitar), Richie Blake (bass) and Ian Matthews (drums) all pretty hard-rocking players.
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