Posts here got sparse during the pandemic, then focussed on one idea – a track a week – through last year. The exploration that started after that – explaining music, I guess – is now suspended (temporarily?). I don’t suppose anyone has noticed, but thought I’d mention it. I have one or two ideas to pursue there, but not enough headspace just now.
Nor do I seem to be making time for previewing/reviewing now live music in my city is back. It seems to be going along splendidly without my two pennyworth, which is great. And after a decade of moderately assiduous comment on the passing scene I’m ready to move on/leave it to others.
So this site will stay put, but remain fairly quiet. I’m not ruling out the odd Bristol-related piece – last week’s South African-flavoured gig at the Bristol Music Club was pretty great, for instance, and if that band are appearing again it might prompt some anticipatory words. You can also follow my twitter feed for odd comments about upcoming or just heard gigs, and other minor by-products of the obsession with music.
Indeed, I just wrote a bit about what some old South African music means to me for LondonJazzNews, and about the quartet of CDs featuring the Blue Notes that Ogun records are reissuing.
Which reminds me I’ve also neglected posting other stuff I’ve written over the past months for LondonJazzNews. I’m not going to list them all now – you can search on the site if you care. But here are a few other more recent bits and pieces.
Some reviews from the Cheltenham Jazz Festival – so nice to be back for the full weekend extravaganza:
Zoe Rahman band and Lucia Cadotsch with Kit Downes
Enjoyed both of these – Rahman for a great collection of new music with a new band, Cadotsch because I love her work but had not caught her live.
A much anticipated duo that did not disappoint.
Iain Ballamy’s new band, and Moses Boyd
A few recent CD reviews too
Ace Spanish bass player’s trio release
Trish Clowes – A Room with a View
Saxophonist and composer on fine form
Myra Melford sextet – For the love of fire and water
Missed this lot at Cheltenham but the CD confirms Melford has put together an improv supergroup
Marquis Hill – New Gospel Revisited
And a couple of books. (One reason I’m writing less here is I’ve been doing a bit more book reviewing, but mainly devoted to popular science so not relevant here!). Two that are:
Bill Frisell, Beautiful Dreamer, by Philip Watson
A biography we needed, and so well done!
Ugly Beauty – Jazz in the Twenty-First Century, by Philip Freeman
Oh, and a Q&A with Alyn Shipton about his new book.
So, I’ve been feeling pretty slothful, but it turns out when I list them I’ve written more things this year than I’d realised. I’ll make a new list later in 2022 some time, but you can follow LondonJazz’s excellent e-newsletter to be alerted to some good jazz things in the meantime.
And for Bristol things, just in case anyone doesn’t know, Tony Benjamin continues to provide a comprehensive listing of what’s coming up live for Bristol 247. It now appears every month, and there’s invariably far more than anyone could possibly go to, which is good to see. I usually tweet a link when it comes out, but you can find the latest one somewhere around the culture pages here.
Happy listening…
Mainly jazz in Bristol 
Jon I’ve told you this in person but I’ll record it here too. I have enjoyed live Bristol jazz performances for several years now and this is due entirely to the discovery of your blog in 2014 (might have been earlier?). Since that discovery you have, via the blog and London Jazz News, informed and educated me on many jazz related matters. I’ll continue to look out for your pre/reviews and I’m sure you’ll do more than you think whilst taking a well earned break from your self-imposed routine commitment to writing about jazz. Thank you for all that you’ve done, and continue to do, to raise awareness of this joyous art form. See you at the next gig then…
Thanks Chris. See you soon I hope 🙂