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ESSENTIAL CDS, VINYL AND GIGS REVIEWED ISSUE 304 MARCH 2025 £6.95 l Strebe io laud : C Photo Mountain Mountain High!High! RonRon  CaRteRCaRteRMeets The Meets The Arbenz Twins Arbenz Twins Elliot Galvin Elliot Galvin Rising From The Ruins Rising From The Ruins Avishai Cohen Avishai Cohen Turning Point Turning Point PLUS:PLUS: • Nicole Johänntgen Nicole Johänntgen • Matyas Gayer Matyas Gayer • Knats • Knats • Jim Mullen Takes Five Jim Mullen Takes Five Yazz Yazz AhmedAhmed ParadParadise Gained ise Gained Kenny Wheeler Kenny Wheeler LegacyLegacy Rediscovering His Rediscovering His Lost Masterpiece Lost Masterpiece On Artemis’ On Artemis’ ArboresqueArboresque Renee Rosnes Renee Rosnes Editor in chief Jon Newey Editor Mike Flynn Deputy editor Kevin Whitlock Design Carolyn Allen Instrument co-ordinator David Gallant Gig Guide editor Rosie Hanley roseanne.hanley@gmail.com Advertisement Manager Ros McRae Tel: 0141 334 1735 Email: ros@jazzwise.com Digital editor James McCarthy ContributorsTony Benjamin Jane Cornwell John Fordham Kevin Le Gendre Brian Glasser Selwyn Harris Nick Hasted Mike Hobart Peter Jones Ammar Kalia Martin Longley Eddie Myer Stuart Nicholson Edwin Pouncey Brian Priestley Peter Quinn Andy Robson Alyn Shipton Robert Shore Daniel Spicer Gail Tasker Peter Vacher Chris Welch Val Wilmer Photographers Tim Dickeson Val Wilmer Call our Subscription Department Freephone: 0800 137201 (UK only) Telephone: 01722 716997 (UK & Overseas) Or email us on: subscriptions@markallengroup.com Marketing Manager John Barnett Managing Director Ravi Chandiramani CEO Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen SUBSCRIPTION RATES (UK PERSONAL) Quarterly Direct Debit £14.50 Annual Direct Debit £57 Annual Credit Card £60 Two Year Annual Credit Card £102 Three Year Annual Credit Card £144 Subscribe online: www.magsubscriptions.com Subscribe by phone: +44 (0)1722 716997 part of www.markallengroup.com Jazzwise is published by MA Education & Music Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB Tel: +44 (0) 208 677 0012 Website: www. jazzwise.com Please read our privacy policy, by visiting http://privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use & safeguard your data MA Education & Music, 2025. All rights reserved. No part of the Jazzwise may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishing Director. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editor or Jazzwise Advertisements in the journal do not imply endorsement of the products or services advertised. ISSN 1368-0021 Printed by: Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Dowlais, CF48 3TD Founded by Charles Alexander in 1997 4 Jazzwise March 2025 For the latest breaking news visit www.jazzwise.com News By Mike Flynn, Kevin Whitlock and Jon Newey Billy Cobham, James Brandon Lewis and Georgia Mancio to headline Cheltenham Jazz Festival '25 This year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival runs from 30 April to 5 May 2025 with organisers confirming a strong line-up for the Town Hall, Arena and Parabola Arts Centre as part of the full festival programme. The Friday night gets grooving with Afrobeatjazzers KOKOROKO in the Town Hall, while Guy Barker brings his Soul Jazz Summit to the Big Top with his Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra backing guest singers Emeli Sandé, Vanessa Haynes, Tommy Blaize, LucyAnne Daniels and Curtis Stigers. Billy Cobham Georgia Mancio, are on Sunday's bill. The former is at the Town Hall with her Rhapsody in Blue show, and the latter performs music from her forthcoming album A Story Left Untold, with her multiGrammy winning musical partner, pianist Alan Broadbent at Dunkerton's Tap Room. The Parabola’s line-up will feature six-piece experimentalists Brown Penny, an electronic jazz collective comprised of saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi, drummer Ayo Salawu, keys/vibes player David Mrakpor, keyboardist Tyrone Isaac Stuart and bassist Isobella Burnham. Also appearing at PAC will be virtuosic UK trumpeter Byron Wallen, the bass-led Daniel Casimir Big Band and Flight Call who feature a trio of Chief among the heavyweight names announced is iconic drummer Billy Cobham, who will perform at the Town Hall (3 May) with his Spectrum 50 band following his triumphant show at last year’s EFG London Jazz Festival. James Brandon Lewis Georgia Mancio The Saturday sees Mercury Prizewinning Ezra Collective keyboardist Joe Armon Jones play dub-into-jazz sounds from his forthcoming double album All The Quiet. This gig takes place in the Jazz Arena, which will now be a standing venue for the first time. Perfect then for electro-soul-jazz group Submotion Orchestra who follow Jones and top the Jazz Arena on Saturday night. The venue also hosts saxophonist of the moment James Brandon Lewis and lauded US trumpeter Keyon Harrold on the Sunday, with the resurgent Neil Cowley Trio playing there on the Bank Holiday Monday. top vocalists with Georgia Cécile, LucyAnne Daniels and Pete Horsfall. Fiery postbop trumpeter Mark Kavuma, Menorcaborn pianist Marco Mezquida, rising star violinist/composer Olivia Murphy and her Orchestra, and exciting young trumpeter Poppy Daniels also perform at the Parabola. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra return to PAC with a concert dedicated to civil rights activist James Baldwin (1924–1987) with new jazz compositions inspired by his life and influences and incorporating Baldwin’s words as lyrics. These names join those already announced for the Saturday with Nubya Garcia at the Town Hall, and Corinne Bailey Rae with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra at the Big Top. Jazzwise is festival media partner. For full details and tickets visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.org Two leading UK jazz vocalists, Claire Martin and Georgia Cécile, Fergus McCreadie and Gondwana Records night for Brighton Dome Brighton’s historic Dome concert hall and associated venues, including the newly refurbished Corn Exchange and Dome Studio Theatre, have announced a raft of new jazz bookings as part of its 2025 Contemporary Music programme. Together We Stand presents a night of new jazz from independent labels New Soil, Bridge the Gap, Jazz Re:Freshed and Women in Jazz featuring Mercury Prize nominated corto.alto, Scottish nine-piece Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble and the West African Mandé-influenced Balimaya Project (Corn Exchange, 28 Feb). Acclaimed singer Georgia Cécile will be performing songs from her forthcoming new album City Girl at the Corn Exchange on 20 March and the same venue presents a night with Manchester’s Gondwana Records on 27 March hosting an eclectic line-up featuring composer and saxophonist Jasmine Myra, electronic duo Svanesborg Kardyb and Portico Quartet’s Jack Wyllie, who will feature music from his Paradise Cinema albums. Brighton record label Tru Thoughts brings the New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band to the Dome concert hall on (28 Mar). The new Jazz Connections series is launched on 4 April in the Studio Theatre with pianist Fergus McCreadie Trio. This new strand produced by Brighton Dome and Jazz for Unity celebrates some of the best emerging UK jazz and will follow with What’s in the Salsa? on 5 April, highlighting Afro Cuban culture through music, dance and conversations with artists from Cuba, Nigeria, the US and the UK with further dates to be announced. More info at www.brightondome.org Fergus McCreadie Jasmine Myra Georgia Cécile
page 5
Amy Gadiaga Jacob Collier Editor’s Note The Roots Daniel Casimir Few figures in jazz tower quite so tall as our cover star this month, Ron Carter. He's the epitome of elegance - not just in his savvy sartorial choices, Coleman’s Meltdown at the Southbank in 2009) the band perform their high intensity take on hip-hop with a full band. This year’s Love Supreme Jazz Festival, which runs from 4 to 6 July at Glynde Place, East Sussex, has announced that seventime Grammy winning singer and virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier will headline the mainstage on Saturday 5 July. Collier studied piano on the Royal Academy of Music’s jazz course and became a viral video sensation 13 years ago with his daring reworkings of classics by Stevie Wonder and George Gershwin, with early fans including Pat Metheny and Herbie Hancock. He’s since gone on to release five studio albums (plus a handful of EPs and live recordings) building a global following, notably in the US. His most recent world tour culminated in a sold-out concert at the 20,000 capacity O2 Arena in London in December last year, which received rave reviews. Love Supreme will be Collier’s only UK festival show this year. Jacob Collier, The Roots, Daniel Casimir Big Band and more added to Love Supreme line-up Also on the main stage, immediately before Collier, will be a rare festival show from renowned Philadelphia jam band The Roots. Heavily influenced by jazz (famously appearing at Ornette Also announced are a strong selection of artists from across the UK’s vibrant scene which include Mercury-nominated Scottish fusioneers corto.alto, the basspowered Daniel Casimir Big Band, virtuoso drummer Jake Long, bassist Rudi Creswick, rising star singer-bassist Amy Gadiaga, trumpeter Poppy Daniels, Latin-jazz sextet Colectiva, funk outfit Atmosfear, Jamiroquai keyboardist Matt Johnson and the propulsive piano-driven Neil Cowley Trio. Also joining this year’s line-up, which already features the likes of Maxwell (his only UK show of the year), are Smokey Robinson, En Vogue, Sampa The Great, Thee Sacred Souls, War, Durand Jones & The Indications, Arooj Aftab, Branford Marsalis, Jamila Woods, Stanley Clarke and Lakecia Benjamin among many others. There's also appearances by pioneering US vocalist José James, Brazilian icon Marcos Valle, legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, the genre-blurring US drummer Kassa Overall, psychedelic-R&B singer Ravyn Lenae, and star Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen. Jazzwise is festival media partner. For the full line-up so far and tickets, visit www.lovesupremefestival.com but also in his bass playing's long lines that leap effortlessly across any sonic terrain that appears before him. Our December issue highlighted the newly issued Miles In France recordings, with Carter turbocharging the playing of Herbie Hancock and a frighteningly talented 17-yearold Tony Williams. It served as a timely reminder of Carter's unwavering bass work, steadfast between rhythm section and the fireworks of Coleman, Shorter and Davis. So when a newly minted album featuring this Bass Boss and the Arbenz twins landed in my inbox just three weeks ago it seemed like the ideal chance to speak to Carter and get the low down on his life less ordinary - and it's an eye-opening interview too - see page 20. In less happy news, the UK jazz community lost one of its finest in early January, with the sad news of Martin Hummel's death aged 69. Martin was a great friend of Jazzwise and many, many musicians across our close-knit scene. His energy, warmth and passion for this music saw him achieve so much in the 10 years since his Ubuntu Music imprint began – pianist Andrew McCormack's tribute on page 13 to his dear friend is very moving indeed. We miss you madly, Martin. Mike Flynn, Editor, Jazzwise Jazz FM Awards head to KOKO in Camden The Jazz FM Awards are set to return after a three year hiatus and will be at their new home of KOKO in Camden, London on 24 April – see page 17 for more details…. Unreleased Ella Fitzgerald 1967 concert to be released this month Verve Records has announced a new and never-before-released live concert album from the ‘First Lady Of Song’, Ella Fitzgerald. The Moment of Truth: Ella At The Coliseum, will be released on 28 February on all formats and the title track ‘The Moment of Truth’ is out now and can be streamed on all digital platforms. members of The Duke Ellington Orchestra in its prime. The resulting recordings underscore Fitzgerald’s reputation as a renowned live performer (“utter perfection, personified” —The New York Times). There was never a moment when Ella didn’t deliver; and every night was her ‘Moment of Truth’. Fitzgerald is both playful and powerful – she cracks jokes with the audience before stunning them with her unrivalled voice. Read the review on page 50 this issue. For more info and to pre-order visit www.ellafitzgerald.lnk.to/Coliseum The recordings were mixed and mastered in stunning clarity from the original analogue multitrack tapes, resulting in pristine high-fidelity audio typically unheard of for a live concert recording of that era. The Moment Of Truth: Ella At The Coliseum was recorded at the Oakland Coliseum on 30 June, 1967, and was recently unearthed in the private tape collection of Verve Records founder Norman Granz. The album spans nine tracks, most never heard before, and features Fitzgerald accompanied by This live album marks a particularly interesting time in Fitzgerald’s career. In the summer of 1967, she was in the middle of an especially rewarding three-year tour and recording collaboration run with Duke Ellington, and was incorporating hit pop songs of the late-1960s into her concert repertoire – two of which are presented here for the first time on record; ‘Alfie’ and ‘Music To Watch Girls By’ are both standouts on The Moment of Truth: Ella At The Coliseum. Encouraged by members of The Duke Ellington Orchestra on stage with her, Jazzwise March 2025 5

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ESSENTIAL CDS, VINYL AND GIGS REVIEWED

ISSUE 304 MARCH 2025 £6.95

l

Strebe io laud

: C

Photo

Mountain Mountain High!High!

RonRon  CaRteRCaRteRMeets The Meets The Arbenz Twins Arbenz Twins

Elliot Galvin Elliot Galvin

Rising From The Ruins Rising From The Ruins

Avishai Cohen Avishai Cohen

Turning Point Turning Point

PLUS:PLUS: • Nicole Johänntgen Nicole Johänntgen • Matyas Gayer Matyas Gayer • Knats • Knats • Jim Mullen Takes Five Jim Mullen Takes Five

Yazz Yazz AhmedAhmed

ParadParadise Gained ise Gained

Kenny Wheeler Kenny Wheeler

LegacyLegacy

Rediscovering His Rediscovering His Lost Masterpiece Lost Masterpiece

On Artemis’ On Artemis’ ArboresqueArboresque Renee Rosnes Renee Rosnes

Editor in chief Jon Newey Editor Mike Flynn Deputy editor Kevin Whitlock Design Carolyn Allen Instrument co-ordinator David Gallant Gig Guide editor Rosie Hanley roseanne.hanley@gmail.com Advertisement Manager Ros McRae Tel: 0141 334 1735 Email: ros@jazzwise.com Digital editor James McCarthy ContributorsTony Benjamin Jane Cornwell John Fordham Kevin Le Gendre Brian Glasser Selwyn Harris Nick Hasted Mike Hobart Peter Jones Ammar Kalia Martin Longley Eddie Myer

Stuart Nicholson Edwin Pouncey Brian Priestley Peter Quinn Andy Robson Alyn Shipton Robert Shore Daniel Spicer Gail Tasker Peter Vacher Chris Welch Val Wilmer

Photographers Tim Dickeson Val Wilmer Call our Subscription Department Freephone: 0800 137201 (UK only) Telephone: 01722 716997 (UK & Overseas) Or email us on: subscriptions@markallengroup.com Marketing Manager John Barnett Managing Director Ravi Chandiramani CEO Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen

SUBSCRIPTION RATES (UK PERSONAL) Quarterly Direct Debit £14.50 Annual Direct Debit £57 Annual Credit Card £60 Two Year Annual Credit Card £102 Three Year Annual Credit Card £144 Subscribe online: www.magsubscriptions.com Subscribe by phone: +44 (0)1722 716997

part of www.markallengroup.com

Jazzwise is published by MA Education & Music Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB Tel: +44 (0) 208 677 0012 Website: www. jazzwise.com Please read our privacy policy, by visiting http://privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use & safeguard your data MA Education & Music, 2025. All rights reserved. No part of the Jazzwise may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishing Director. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editor or Jazzwise Advertisements in the journal do not imply endorsement of the products or services advertised. ISSN 1368-0021 Printed by: Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Dowlais, CF48 3TD Founded by Charles Alexander in 1997

4 Jazzwise March 2025

For the latest breaking news visit www.jazzwise.com News By Mike Flynn, Kevin Whitlock and Jon Newey

Billy Cobham, James Brandon Lewis and Georgia Mancio to headline Cheltenham Jazz Festival '25

This year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival runs from 30 April to 5 May 2025 with organisers confirming a strong line-up for the Town Hall, Arena and Parabola Arts Centre as part of the full festival programme. The Friday night gets grooving with Afrobeatjazzers KOKOROKO in the Town Hall, while Guy Barker brings his Soul Jazz Summit to the Big Top with his Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra backing guest singers Emeli Sandé, Vanessa Haynes, Tommy Blaize, LucyAnne Daniels and Curtis Stigers.

Billy Cobham

Georgia Mancio, are on Sunday's bill. The former is at the Town Hall with her Rhapsody in Blue show, and the latter performs music from her forthcoming album A Story Left Untold, with her multiGrammy winning musical partner, pianist Alan Broadbent at Dunkerton's Tap Room.

The Parabola’s line-up will feature six-piece experimentalists Brown Penny, an electronic jazz collective comprised of saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi, drummer Ayo Salawu, keys/vibes player David Mrakpor, keyboardist Tyrone Isaac Stuart and bassist Isobella Burnham. Also appearing at PAC will be virtuosic UK trumpeter Byron Wallen, the bass-led Daniel Casimir Big Band and Flight Call who feature a trio of

Chief among the heavyweight names announced is iconic drummer Billy Cobham, who will perform at the Town Hall (3 May) with his Spectrum 50 band following his triumphant show at last year’s EFG London Jazz Festival.

James Brandon Lewis

Georgia Mancio

The Saturday sees Mercury Prizewinning Ezra Collective keyboardist Joe Armon Jones play dub-into-jazz sounds from his forthcoming double album All The Quiet. This gig takes place in the Jazz Arena, which will now be a standing venue for the first time. Perfect then for electro-soul-jazz group Submotion Orchestra who follow Jones and top the Jazz Arena on Saturday night.

The venue also hosts saxophonist of the moment James Brandon Lewis and lauded US trumpeter Keyon Harrold on the Sunday, with the resurgent Neil Cowley Trio playing there on the Bank Holiday Monday.

top vocalists with Georgia Cécile, LucyAnne Daniels and Pete Horsfall. Fiery postbop trumpeter Mark Kavuma, Menorcaborn pianist Marco Mezquida, rising star violinist/composer Olivia Murphy and her Orchestra, and exciting young trumpeter Poppy Daniels also perform at the Parabola. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra return to PAC with a concert dedicated to civil rights activist James Baldwin (1924–1987) with new jazz compositions inspired by his life and influences and incorporating Baldwin’s words as lyrics. These names join those already announced for the Saturday with Nubya Garcia at the Town Hall, and Corinne Bailey Rae with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra at the Big Top. Jazzwise is festival media partner. For full details and tickets visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.org

Two leading UK jazz vocalists, Claire Martin and

Georgia Cécile, Fergus McCreadie and Gondwana Records night for Brighton Dome Brighton’s historic Dome concert hall and associated venues, including the newly refurbished Corn Exchange and Dome Studio Theatre, have announced a raft of new jazz bookings as part of its 2025 Contemporary Music programme. Together We Stand presents a night of new jazz from independent labels New Soil, Bridge the Gap, Jazz Re:Freshed and Women in Jazz featuring Mercury Prize nominated corto.alto, Scottish nine-piece Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble and the West African Mandé-influenced Balimaya Project (Corn Exchange, 28 Feb). Acclaimed singer Georgia Cécile will be performing songs from her forthcoming new album City Girl at the Corn Exchange on 20 March and the same venue presents a night with Manchester’s Gondwana Records on 27 March hosting an eclectic line-up featuring composer and saxophonist Jasmine Myra, electronic duo Svanesborg Kardyb and Portico Quartet’s Jack Wyllie, who will feature music from his Paradise Cinema albums. Brighton record label Tru Thoughts brings the New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band to the Dome concert hall on (28 Mar).

The new Jazz Connections series is launched on 4 April in the Studio Theatre with pianist Fergus McCreadie Trio. This new strand produced by Brighton Dome and Jazz for Unity celebrates some of the best emerging UK jazz and will follow with What’s in the Salsa? on 5 April, highlighting Afro Cuban culture through music, dance and conversations with artists from Cuba, Nigeria, the US and the UK with further dates to be announced. More info at www.brightondome.org

Fergus McCreadie

Jasmine

Myra

Georgia Cécile

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