Music / Jazz
The week in jazz – September 26 – October 2
No doubt who the big name jazz visitors are this week: Chicago’s remarkable sibling powerhouse Hypnotic Brass Ensemble hit the lantern on Saturday 1 with their dance-friendly brand of hip-hop fuelled brass. The band comprises seven brothers whose father Phil Cohran was a member of the Sun Ra Collective and raised them as jazz performers before they went their own way, taking in the street sounds of reggae and hip-hop and cranking things up into a highly successful contemporary dance music.
By contrast there’s an intriguing solo performance from Andy Sheppard at the Alma Tavern (Friday 30) that uses a soundscape of electronics and samples to frame his reliably lyrical and stylish saxophone improvisations. Andy has often explored electronic music and used it on albums like Nocturnal Traveller so it will be interesting to see how this new project is taking shape. There’s more outlandish free playing to be had at The Fringe (Monday 26), however, when the monthly Nu Free Plonky Wonky Scritchy Scratchy improv session comes round.
Thursday night (29) is female vocalist night this week, it seems, with Italian singer Rosanna Brandi’s debut at Future Inn and the return of Bristol-born Sara Colman (pictured above) to Number 1 Harbourside. Sister of the well-known Colman Brothers, Sara’s career has taken her worldwide, notably in a touring package with Jacqui Dankworth and Liane Carroll, so it’s good to catch her on home ground, especially as she’s accompanied by pianist Rebecca Nash, another ‘local girl’ who’s taken her talents off onto the wider UK scene. Rosanna Brandi, who brings her piano trio to Future Inn, moved to London ten years ago where she combines jazz, classical and A Cappella singing activities with vocal teaching.
Two perennial favourites appear at their ‘home’ venues with Moscow Drug Club’s cabaret swing sure to pack out The Fringe (Wednesday 28) and the all-star Andy Hague Quintet hopefully doing the same at the Bebop Club on Friday. Andy’s band has for many years been one of the most sparkling on the Bristol scene with the well-established interplay between the bandleader’s trumpet, Ben Waghorn’s sax playing and Jim Blomfield’s piano on Andy’s smart compositions and arrangements always entertaining.
And finally there’s a throwback to the heady days of the pre-war dance bands on Wednesday (28) courtesy of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra who appear at St George’s. Started in the 60s the band draw on original arrangements from the 20s and 30s to faithfully recreate the sound, complete with crooner-style vocals and a repertoire of classic songs.
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