Category: jazz

REVIEW: Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars Cinematic Sounds

Published on by tgilfillan4512d47d4dLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“Sweeping, luscious arrangements of classics from the Hollywood Gold Age.“

Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars present Cinematic Sounds, Part One, is an experience that whirls you back in time to The Golden Age of Hollywood. The Classical All Stars are a seven-piece ensemble led by pianist James Pearson and violinist Lizzie Ball, and this show presents arrangements of some of the most epic and glittering film soundtracks of 1930-1950.

The evening began with a sprinkling of famous opening film studio introductions, from MGM to 21st Century Fox. After some polite clapping after the first opening title, the wry commentary from Pearson encouraged a slightly more welcoming approach; the second title received a reaction more befitting its triumphant magnificence. Both his and Ball’s commentaries, balancing both humour and deftly placed factual information about the history of the pieces, wove together the musical programme with flair.

The luscious, rich harmonies of Korngold’s soundtrack for The Adventures of Robin Hood were captured to great effect in Pearson’s arrangement – no mean feat for one of the greatest film scores ever composed. Following soon after was one of the highlights of the performance: the Gone with the Wind main titles, whose unforgettable melody was delivered with verve and joyous abandon. 

One of the standout elements of the evening was the variety of mood and emotion created by the musical choices. Jon Shenoy shone in his delivery of the melody of the title theme of Laura, with the saxophonist performing with both precision and freedom, responding with sensitivity to the romantic promise of the notes. The mood of the room completely shifted with the Hitchcock medley, where the use of Sul Ponticello (bowing near the bridge) created a painful, ghostly sound that made the hairs stand on end. A further sound world was created in arrangement of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo, the soundtrack to the tragic conclusion of The Godfather Part III. The aching sorrow of the melody was played with beautiful vulnerability by the ensemble, and when it ended the room was hushed on an in-breath of awe.

Ball, alongside her violin mastery, also demonstrated her singing talents, notably in the charm of her rendition of ‘I Wanna Be Loved By You’, from the classic Some Like It Hot. The sensual, playful syncopations were delivered with ease and joy in the golden tones of Ball’s voice, providing a finish with a delightfully light touch. The Classical All Stars took the audience on a cinematic journey through some of the most iconic soundtracks, providing variety and depth in both interpretation and arrangement. I can only imagine that Part Two will be similarly impressive. Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars present Cinematic Sounds – Part Two: Back To the Future will take place on the 13th April, Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.

REVIEW:Brodksy Quartet and Sir Willard White

Published on by rachelarmitage77Leave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

‘A triumphant balance of playfulness and prowess’

Sir Willard White’s rich bass tones can lend gravitas to even the most lighthearted music. Combined with the Brodsky Quartet’s deft, ludic playing, the pairing is formidable.

This concert is part of the ‘Memory Unwrapped’ season at Kings Place, a classical series exploring, in various guises, the past and how it is remembered. For the Brodksy Quartet, the concert is a retrospective in several ways: they spent a decade as the resident ‘Artistic Associate’ at Kings Place and the occasion is peppered with fond reminiscences; the programme’s American theme pays homage to the Hollywood Quartet, whose 1950s recordings, including those with Frank Sinatra, were formative for the Brodsky Quartet in their youth; and it offers a chance to reflect upon their two-decade-long collaboration with Sir Willard White, and the quartet’s own fifty-year history, with half of them still original members.

The auditorium was packed and exuberant, and the concert had a convivial atmosphere, like a gathering of old friends. With informal introductions to some pieces and light-hearted banter between players, the musicians extended their warmth and camaraderie to the audience. It felt like we, too, were old friends, laughing together as White, with a flair for dramatic pause, tells us the song ‘P.S. I Love You’ is about his own romantic experiences, which is met with a snicker from Paul Cassidy, the quartet’s violist.

The quartet left their signature on much of the music, and not only because so much of it was arranged by them, for them. Opening with Aaron Copland’s lively Hoedown, they set a witty, rambunctious tone for the evening, with their expressions mock-chastising the audience for prematurely clapping at the music’s joke ending. They are consistently playful and their sheer sense of fun is palpable in every piece, but never to the detriment of the music. The strings are absolutely together and run the gamut of expression with the ease of experience – it is clear we are watching musicians at the absolute top of their game really enjoying themselves. And the joie de vivre is totally infectious.

The first half of the concert features lieder, from Schubert’s profound Death and the Maiden paired with his lighthearted The Trout, to excerpts from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and two traditional songs arranged by Britten. White brings his legendary operatic voice to each with distinction, expressing tragic longing and grave drama in Jules Massenet’s Élégie and Samuel Barber’s Dover Beach, whilst bringing a buttery charm to the Gershwin and two traditional songs arranged by Benjamin Britten.

The delightful charisma which exudes from the performers is on full display for the second half, which kicks off with Britten’s exquisite Poème: ‘Genius!’ marvels Cassidy afterwards. The bulk of this half includes songs associated with Hollywood’s Golden Age, with Cole Porter’s Blow, Gabriel, Blow and Jerome Kern’s They Didn’t Believe Me.

The concert closes with a resounding rendition of My Way, after which we are obliged with two encores, where the talent of the musicians meets with pure silliness. Here, the two make for an irresistible match.

Brodsky Quartet & Sir Willard White was performed on Friday 20 February 2026 at Kings Place, London, as part of their ‘Memory Unwrapped’ series.

REVIEW: Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars

Published on by fbalchinLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“Strike up the band and bring your date- classical music has never felt so sumptuous”

There’s nowhere on Earth like Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. A Soho institution made of infinite class and talent. On a nondescript “Blue Monday” night in February, musical director and pianist James Pearson lead his 7-piece band through its inaugural Ronnie Scott’s Classical All-Stars night. Its first outing began with a refined back catalogue of the inimitable Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein repertoire. The upstairs venue has been freshly revamped from its more urban, stripped back black box club interior and is now as plush as its big sister venue downstairs. Jacquard-lined floral fabric panels embellish the beautiful art deco/mid-century modern wooden walls, tropically patterned fabric adorns the sound-proofed ceiling segments, and warm-hued velvet bedecks every booth and banquette, all covered in a hushed golden lamp-lit glow. Though still squeaky clean and fresh from its grand opening a few days ago, the place evokes pure golden era nostalgia. Like a 1940s supper club, the crowd is packed in, basically part of the band itself; suspender–clad waiters jostle cocktails and crockery with ease, all adding to the intimate atmosphere. The place just feels so cool.

Now, let’s get to the show itself. Kicking off with Strike Up The Band, it becomes immediately clear why the musicians have been chosen for this weekly slot. Violin virtuosa Lizzie Ball is Pearson’s band leader counterpart, weaving her bow and banter like the pro she is. Gershwin’s work is the perfect blend of musical melting pot. His compositions were truly the pop music of their day and his Carnegie Hall shows would have drawn as much hype as Bad Bunny at the Superbowl.  Fortunately the only thing better than Gerwshin’s hype is the band at Ronnie Scott’s. Saxophonist Peter Long expertly oozes charisma, his playful trills and harmonies are matched only by Tom Dunnett on trombone, whose ability to switch mufflers and evoke a speakeasy vibe with his brass tones is magical to witness. 

A well thought out set-list exemplifies why this show is already such a crowd pleaser. Intertwining the overture from An American In Paris (complete with French car horns), Porgy and Bess, and Oh! Lady, be Good leading into the eternally sensational Rhapsody in Blue had the audience absolutely r[h]apt. I was surveying them for reactions but they were all so focused on the performance- nobody dared to take their eyes of the band for a moment.  The encore came in the form of a 15-minute West Side Story mash-up: a welcome surprise to me and a real demonstration of Lizzie’s string skills. 

It’s hard to come up with anything they could work on; such is the testament to the new programming decision at Ronnie’s. It really feels like perfect date-night material, or a place to bring someone you’d like to impress. I did notice the majority of the crowd was older, and I wish more young people got to experience Gershwin and Bernstein in all their glory like this with such a talented band in a lavish setting- why should our parents have all the fun? In such a plush setting, this timeless production is pure melodious escapism. This new weekly show presents the perfect opportunity to enjoy famous compositions in a fresh, lively and accessible way. 

Ronnie Scott’s Classical All Stars runs two shows every Monday night Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, with different classical themes.

REVIEW: Ezra Collective

Published on by roisinlystLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A great, family friendly night for fans of contemporary jazz dance music.

As I entered the venue on the sunny summer’s evening, the atmosphere was just that: sunny. All the Ezra collective fans spread out within the big top and on the grass outside, soaking up the rays and enjoying a cold drink as the support act, electronic jazz DJ Rebecca Vasmant, warmed the audience up. I noticed there were people of all ages, unlike the last couple of shows I attended at this festival where it had been mainly older people. Here it seemed to be grandparents bringing their grandchildren, and everyone in between.

Ezra collective gave a special thanks to the festival for this, and celebrated everyone who contributes to young people’s education and enrichment. Having met at a youth group, the band clearly feels strongly about the subject. They also declared that children remind us of the beauty in the world, and we need to celebrate the beauty to drown out the sadness.

Ezra Collective is a multi-award-winning London-based contemporary jazz quintet, and their music feels like a fusion of dance music and jazz. You can’t sing along to it, but it’s certainly meant for dancing. The whole atmosphere was joyful, but there were a few slower numbers amongst the upbeat buzz too. I was very impressed by the skill of the musicians, particularly Femi Koleoso, who delivered a memorable drum solo, but each of them were incredible. The lighting design was also very good, adding to the party atmosphere. They played for around an hour and a half, during which people could partake in the throng of the dancing within the tent, stand further back and appreciate with fewer crowds, or mill around on the grass outside. I really liked this setup for a gig, because I wasn’t stuck in one place and could enjoy different aspects. While it was primarily standing, there was an accessible area up a ramp at the back for wheelchair users to watch from an elevated platform, and outside there were a few benches. The bar system was well designed and I felt the whole venue was very well run. Personally, I prefer music I can sing along to, but I really can’t fault the gig.

If you enjoy the music of Ezra Collective and want a good dance, I highly recommend seeing them live. The Fringe by the Sea’s big top is a perfect venue.

Credit: BBC/ Chris Christodoulou

REVIEW: BBC Proms: Rachmaninov and Copland

Published on by Ke Meng2 Comments

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

“Martin Fröst magically wielded the clarinet for Jazz”

This night’s BBC Proms (31 July 2025) opens with Elsa Barraine’s Symphony No. 2, conducted by Joshua Weilerstein. While this is an emotionally intensive and pungent piece explicitly illustrates the anxiety against war, through Barraine’s non-conventional composition, Weilerstein approached it with delicacy and gentleness while not losing its penetrating nature, just like a palm strike that only melts your bone.

Followed are two clarinet concertos by Aaron Copland and Artie Shaw, featuring clarinettists Martin Fröst, a man in his 50s but still has this boyish demeanour. Saxophone or clarinet for Jazz? Jazz lovers can debate it forever. While Saxophone is definitely the norm for modern Jazz nowadays, Copland and Shaw showcase what clarinet can do. While maybe not as sensual and swing-y as saxophone, clarinet clearly speaks better in fluidity, playfulness and even sarcasm.

Fröst is born for this. As early as his Mozart album, he had already revealed that tendency. Instead of offering a clichéd interpretation of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto K.622 that seeks celestial redemption or serenity from heaven, Fröst’s performance feels playful, restless and agitating, charged with an almost irrepressible desire for improvisation. He indeed captured that improvisational spirit of jazz, spontaneous, unrestrained, and free – not just notes, but those in-between the notes. For the encore, Fröst invited the audience to hum Ave Maria while him playing Bach’s C Major prelude through his magical black pipe, despite the fact that Bach never wrote anything for Clarinet. While most audience members seem unable to recite the lyrics, the crowd still made that happen quite harmoniously. 

The second half features Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, which turned out to be somewhat disappointing for my taste. A notoriously demanding piece for conductors, it seemed Weilerstein aimed to bring about a brand-new interpretation, which to a great extent, failed to do the magic. The overall balance skewed heavily: the strings felt downplayed, even muted, while the brass dominated almost all the time with inappropriate weight.

At times, it felt as though a sound engineer had cranked the low-frequency EQ to maximum with a layer of irreducible background noise. In the third movement, “lento assai” especially, the overall sound is too murky, difficult for the audience to distinct hyper-charged percussion from the bass-y strings. The violins lacked their high-pitch shimmer and lyrical brightness, and the woodwind instruments were almost vanished into the mix-sometimes piercingly audible, but more often muffled. More troubling was the absence of clarity in the orchestral layering. Rather, it was effectively flattened, like a high-resolution image inexplicably downgraded to early 2000s-pixel resolution. In passages requiring interplay and responsiveness between sections, the orchestra frequently sounded uncoordinated and the percussion in the last few measures came off somewhat chaotic.

REVIEW: Hejira at Oxford Playhouse

Published on by Joshua VartyLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Hauntingly beautiful lyrics and scintillating jazz form

If you want the Californian music experience, then Hejira (named after the album) was the place to be! This is not just because the show happened during a heat wave. Hejira breathe new life into the lyrics of Joni Mitchell with their own musical arrangements that showcase just how well Mitchell’s lyrics marry with a free jazz form. The audience was clear mix of people new to the band and others that know them well, along with their production company ‘The Spin’. Overall, I would say I felt like we were as much invited to come listen to the band with open arms as we were patrons to the night.

The band were spectacular, with some excellent procession and drums that conjured up images of Ginger Baker and John Bonham and some excellent ‘Samba’ beats. The saxophonist brought the cool that only a saxophone can bring, mixing up his instruments throughout to find the perfect sound for each song. We were taken on a journey of jazz styles, marrying well with some of the more ‘Country’ styles of songs like ‘Coyote’. The guitar, bass and keyboard brought an interesting flavour to the sound, with some points enjoying some hard ‘Blues’ rhythms gave reminisces to ‘John Lee Hooker’, guitar solos that aped ‘Gary Moore’ and at other points journeying into a more ‘Prog Rock’ style. A particular favourite moment for me and my die-hard love for bass, was when the bassist employed the use of a loop peddle to build multiple lines on top of each other, slowly melding together a funky and excellent arrangement. All this displayed the range of talent of the musicians. Safe to say the band explored the full spectrum that jazz bleeds into, along with some joyous dips into Latin rhythms all topped with the hauntingly beautiful singing of Hattie Whitehead.

Despite the heat, we all had a wonderful night. If you were in the audience, though you couldn’t be physically you could at least mentally ‘Be Cool’.

This is a band to see, not only for their tribute to the powerful songs of Joni, but to see how they play off each other, build their sound together and brining in some excellent harmonies.

REVIEW: 21 Spices with Trilok Gurtu

Published on by John RichardsonLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Songs as rich as entire albums, come see a master at work and leave without words to describe it

You know a solo is good when you audibly mouth “what the …” enough times to your friend next to you, to the point where your mouth runs dry. Yet over the course of an evening, Trilok Gurtu flung my expectations round like a yoyo, endlessly surprising me and honestly being one of the most impressive musical performances I’ve ever seen.

As soon as you walk into the venue you see his unique drum kit setup almost drowning him in equipment. This included a western drum kit, traditional Indian table drums, a bucket of water and a selection of various small handheld instruments. If that seems like a pretty wild, range of instruments just wait to see how he uses them.

From minute one to the end, you’re completely entranced by licks that never quite end in the way you expect, polyrhythmic drumming that seems inhuman to perform, and songs as rich as whole albums in structure. While Trilok’s solos are clear showcases of his virtuoso talent, often lasting more than 3-4 minutes of the most complex drumming I’ve ever seen, the entire songs (performed by Scottish national jazz orchestra, who seemed to be enjoying playing as much as the audience did watching) were incredible advertisements for the appeal of fusion jazz.

You could never predict the structure and what came in the next bar, but when you got hit with an unexpected rhythm or time signature change it just sounds so obviously brilliant. Jazz is known for it’s surprising compositions but Trilok takes that to a level I hadn’t encountered at jazz clubs in London, Edinburgh and abroad. His mastery both of playing, and composing both for himself and an entire band is astounding and I can’t even pick a favourite song of the whole show.

Perhaps it is one wherein he builds a story starting off with small handheld percussion instruments he plays as they sink into a bucket of water, before raising the composition with a thundering herd of drums. Perhaps it is the titular 21 spices that encompass a musical journey as varied and packing as much of a kick as the name sake spices. Perhaps it is just any of his solos with his tabla drums that gave my wrists pain just looking at him play. I won’t tell you which because I could never decide, but you really should find out for yourself. Trilok has given me one of the best evenings of music I’ve seen yet.

Go and see a master at work, if you have ears to hear, you will leave lost for words.

REVIEW: Guildhall Jazz Night

Published on by rinreolusolaLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A wonderful night of iconic jazz music played with immense skill. 

In an impressive tribute to the legendary Dankworth Seven, core members of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s Jazz Orchestra came together to commemorate their vibrant music and acknowledge their contributions to the 1950s jazz scene. As the evening unfolded, the audience became part of an impeccable display of immense skill, played with playfulness and poise. 

The evening included a judiciously selected spread of songs composed by SirJohn Dankworth, leader of the Dankworth Seven, and aimed to capture the iconic spirit of the music. This aim was very much successful, as the well-curated spread took us on a journey of their essential works. Alec Dankworth, who directed and arranged most of the music for the evening, helpfully punctuated the musical performances with insights into the history of the Dankworth Seven and his father’s contributions to the jazz scene.

The pieces were played with delightful  synchronisation, intensified by atmospheric lighting and rousing instrumental dynamics. Standout performances included alto saxophonist Benji O’Riordan in ‘Lover Man’, who charmed with smooth dulcet tones. Amena Elabd’s velvety vocals added grace and nostalgia to the well-known ‘Easy Living’. 

The orchestra’s rendition of ‘The Slider’ especially bamboozled with seemingly endless layers of complex instrumentation. The drums, piano and bass, often overlooked in musical ensembles, had their time to shine and kept up an impressive, fast paced beat which felt it could have changed at any second. Often in direct conversation with each other, their creativity astonished, making unique and innovate sounds with the instruments.

What was most enjoyable was the fact that at every turn, the musicians were surrounded by a wealth of encouragement that rendered the evening with a contagious warmth. It was hard to believe that they were still in training, as they were playing to a very high caliber, clearly enjoying each other’s solos and delighting in all of the musical bells and whistles, as well as the effort of their peers. 

The only drawback of the event was that at times the instruments overtook some of the vocals in volume, which made it hard to hear their contributions to the overall sound. The vocalists did well to keep going, however, and showed high levels of skill, keeping up with the constantly changing accompaniment. 

The evening ended with an expert flourish and it was a lovely tribute to a group who have certainly earned their place in music history. A resounding well done to all involved. 

Helen Sung - acclaimed jazz pianist and composer, and a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow - for the UK debut performance of her new multi-movement work for solo pianist and big band, Portraits in Jazz at Guildhall.

REVIEW: Guildhall Big Band: Helen Sung’s Portraits in Jazz

Published on by jonathangbLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Guildhall Big Band proves themselves in a bright, dynamic, and energetic concert with acclaimed pianist and composer Helen Sung.

In recent years, there has been an increased collective interest in jazz and swing music, with voices like Raye and Samara Joy arriving in the public eye. Sunday’s Guildhall Big Band concert at Milton Court, directed by Matt Skelton, was further proof of the widespread belief that jazz is more alive than ever.

NYC-based pianist and composer Helen Sung featured in the concert on the 9th of March, bringing her own perspective to approaching jazz in a big-band setting. Originally from Houston, Texas, Sung was a classically trained pianist before venturing into jazz. Through experience learning and working with acclaimed jazz musicians such as Clark Terry, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Regina Carter, and Cécile McLorin Salvant, the Steinway Artist (inducted 2020) has gone on to establish an impressive career for herself, performing at iconic festivals and venues like Carnegie Hall, Monterey and Newport, as well as collaborating with artists and institutions including the Mingus Big Band, Columbia University and the Julliard School, among others.

The concert featured orchestrations in a variety of jazz styles, from an energetic and exceptionally executed opening with Filthy McNasty by Horace Silver to a delightful end of the first act with Joe Henderson’s The Kicker – all of the evening’s pieces tastefully arranged by Sung. 

The second act showcased Sung’s Portraits in Jazz Suite, paying homage to inspirational figures from the jazz world that significantly influenced Sung in her formative training years. This selection provided a medium for Sung to express her compositional creativity in addition to her arranging prowess. Hallmarked by tight-knit formal structures, intriguing harmonic twists, and a fascinating blend of traditional and new textures and timbres, this suite left the listener with the indelible impression that they were witnessing a truly original voice in big-band jazz. 

In addition to the sonic achievement of the night, the visual staging with its remarkable lighting design was also worth mentioning. Each piece of music was complimented with a distinctive look that underscored the music in a playful and inventive way. In the mid-century style venue, the combination of a warm, glowing haze underlined by striking lighting projections resulted in a simple yet effective backdrop for a jazz ensemble. 

A common thread ran through the performance, and the focus of the evening was to showcase the talent and ability of the Big Band – the outstanding students of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Jazz department. An impressive and engaging set was achieved with dynamic pieces that highlighted each musician’s unique strengths. From the bold and punchy brass and electrifying reeds to the tight-knit rhythm section, the band formed a homogenous sound under Skelton’s lively yet unintrusive direction—a memorable evening showcasing the promising future of jazz performance in Britain. 

For more jazz at Milton Court, come along on the 13th of March to catch the Guildhall Jazz Orchestra on Dankworth Seven.