During 2009 I’ve seen a lot of live music, thoroughly enjoyed the majority of it and reviewed much of it on this site. As it’s that time in the calendar when the “best of the year” lists normally appear here are some of my personal highlights of the last twelve months. Full reviews of the concerts in question can be found elsewhere on the site. I’ve taken things in chronological order as whittling things down to ten was hard enough never mind putting them in some form of subjective order.

1. Matthias Eick,

The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, Shropshire 26/04/2009

The Edge has been like a breath of fresh air for myself and other local jazz fans. Only thirty or so miles up the road ( believe me that’s a short trip to a gig when you live out in the wilds of Herefordshire), Alison Vermee’s adventurous programming policy has brought the talents of many leading British and European jazz musicians to Shropshire for lucky rural audiences to enjoy. Every gig is a sell out and The Edge’s tie up with ECM has meant that we get to see musicians such as Mathias Eick who rarely venture outside London or the other large urban centres. The brilliant Norwegian trumpeter was the highlight of a programme that also brought the eclectic talents of F-ire Collective member Finn Peters to Shropshire plus the excellent piano led groups of Ivo Neame and Zoe Rahman. 

2. Get The Blessing,

Pillar Room, Town Hall ,Cheltenham. 01/05/2009 (Part of Cheltenham Jazz Festival).

Although much maligned in some sections of the jazz press, festivals, and Cheltenham in particular, can often bring the best out of a band. Cheltenham offers large, listening audiences and national media coverage and I’ve seen many bands here rise to the challenge and deliver magnificent performances. GTB’s late night show at a packed out Pillar Room was the best of the three gigs I’ve seen by the band. Loud, rock influenced, razor sharp playing was complemented by the powerful visual imagery of the black suited musicians and a light show that synthesised perfectly with the music. Purists may sniff at GTB but this was an exciting, visceral performance with a palpable energy that made it something special.

3. Robert Mitchell 3io,

Pillar Room, Town Hall, Cheltenham. 02/05/2009. (Part of Cheltenham Jazz Festival).

At the other end of the dynamic scale pianist Robert Mitchell delivered an exquisite set with his “3io”  in the company of bassist Tom Mason and drummer Richard Spaven. This was quietly masterful music despite Spaven’s use of broken beats and hip hop grooves. On a programme of Mitchell originals and inspired covers the pianist’s piano playing had a beautiful crystalline quality that held everybody in a packed room totally spellbound. You could literally hear a pin drop. Perhaps the highlight was a stunning version of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” with Mason’s arco work particularly impressive. The subtlety of the group’s performance was captured on tape (or whatever they use these days) and later transmitted on Radio Three where I listened to it all over again.

4. Dave Douglas Quintet,

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. 03/05/2009. (Part of Cheltenham Jazz Festival)

This was the first time I’d seen the New York based trumpeter Dave Douglas and I was hugely impressed. His quintet’s blend of punchy, intelligent post bop was powered by a superb rhythm section featuring master drummer Clarence Penn who gave an impeccable percussive performance that combined power and intelligence in equal measure. Douglas and his front line colleague tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin delivered fiery, inventive solos in a spirit of friendly competition. This was the gig of the festival without a doubt and like the Mitchell gig it was later transmitted on Radio Three for me to enjoy a second time. Getting to meet McCaslin in the theatre foyer afterwards was the icing on a very tasty cake.     

5. Matt Schofield Band,

Lichfield Real Ale Jazz and Blues Festival 27/06/2009.

The Lichfield RAJB is one of the hidden gems of the British festival calendar. Leading regional and national bands play two sets over the course of the day in relaxed surroundings and the whole festival is tremendous value for money. Bluesman Matt Schofield stole the show this year. He is a brilliant guitarist, a more than capable singer and a convincing songwriter in the blues format. Schofield’s dazzling electric guitar work is matched by the fiery Hammond organ and funky Wurlitzer piano of the excellent Jonny Henderson. The good natured musical sparring of Schofield and Henderson reminded some at Lichfield of Blackmore and Lord in prime time Deep Purple but Schofield is more deeply rooted in the blues than that. The instrumental fireworks certainly kept the jazz faction happy as Schofield edged the honours ahead of a strong festival line up.

6. Alec Dankworth’s Spanish Accents,

Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, 08/08/2009 (part of Brecon Jazz Festival)

This time last year we feared that Brecon might be lost to us altogether al the Festival went into receivership. Fortunately Hay Festival stepped in to save it and a scaled down but very successful version of the festival was held in 2009. Alec Dankworth’s group were the pick of a number of excellent performances. Their flawless set in an acoustically sympathetic Theatr Brycheiniog was consistently spellbinding and received the only standing ovation I saw at the festival ( we were already up and dancing for both Seth Lakeman and Manu Dibango so they don’t really count). Dankworth was outstanding as both bassist and leader with Phil Robson (guitar), Mark Lockheart ( saxes), Andy Panayi (flute) and Demi Sabat Garcia (percussion) all making memorable contributions to a wide ranging but well balanced exploring jazz’s “Spanish tinge”. 

7. Michael Janisch Quintet,

Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard, 31/08/2009 (Part of Pembrokeshire Jazz and Blues Festival)

This was well worth the lengthy journey in atrocious weather- well it was August bank holiday, what else would you expect? This was the first date in a lengthy tour to promote bassist Janisch’s excellent d?but solo album “Purpose Built”. The ex pat American had assembled a stupendous line up of musicians from both sides of the pond, Brits Jim Hart (vibes) and Paul Booth (saxes) rubbed shoulders with Americans Jason Palmer (trumpet) and star drummer Clarence Penn. I’d seen Penn with Dave Douglas at Cheltenham and such was the quality of his playing I just knew I had to see him again. Despite only jetting in from the States earlier in the day Penn didn’t disappoint with an intelligent and frequently dazzling display. Everybody else was inspired too in this muscular but intelligent display of post bop. Janisch himself demonstrated not only his abilities as a master bassist but also his qualities as a writer. Nice guy too, glad I made the effort.

8. Andy Sheppard,

Colston Hall,Bristol 20/09/2009

This gig was part of a day long festival celebrating the opening of the splendid new foyer at Colston Hall. The festival also celebrated the contribution made by Bristolian jazz musicians to the national jazz scene, hence the presence of local boy Sheppard. Amazingly Sheppard had assembled the exact line up featured on “Movements In Colour” his excellent d?but recording for ECM records. Beautifully melodic yet rhythmically complex the material was mainly drawn from the album and featured percussionist Kuljit Bhamra and guitarist John Parricelli alongside Sheppard. The presence of the Norwegian contingent of bassist Arild Andersen and second guitarist Eyvind Aarset was a real bonus. It was my first live sighting of sound sculptor Aarset who has recorded frequently as both leader and sideman and is something of a Late Junction favourite. Andersen has long been one of my jazz heroes with his huge tone, incredible dexterity and creative command of electronics and atmospherics. Easily the best gig of an enjoyable festival programme.

9. Portico Quartet

East Quantoxhead Village Hall, Somerset, 04/10/2009

Unable to get into PQ’s sold out gig at Cheltenham Jazz Festival I was determined to catch them on their rural jaunt around the village halls of Somerset arranged in conjunction with the local Take Art organisation. This was the final date of the tour, an afternoon gig in a village hall in a picture postcard village less than a mile from the sea. Drawing from both the Mercury nominated “Knee Deep In the North Sea” and the then unreleased and noticeably darker follow up “Isla” the band were in brilliant musical form. Most people present had never seen or heard them before, and were thoroughly intrigued by the hang drums of Nick Mulvey and Duncan Bellamy. The age range varied from babes in arms to pensioners, there was scrumpy at the bar and the band (Mulvey and Bellamy plus saxophonist Jack Wyllie and monster bassist Milo Fitzpatrick) were happy to chat amiably to these new converts to their extraordinary music. This wasn’t just a gig it was an event and one that was worth making the long journey for. Mind you I think that for everybody else in a sell out crowd of about eighty or so it was practically on their doorstep. 

10. Tomasz Stanko Quintet,

The Edge Arts Centre,Much Wenlock, Shropshire, 13/11/2009

It’s appropriate we should end at The Edge, the venue for so much good music in recent years. The last time I saw Tomasz Stanko was amid the concrete labyrinths of The Barbican. I could hardly believe that one of the legends of European Jazz was here, playing in rural Shropshire. Even more incredibly I got to meet him afterwards which was an honour and a privilege. The following night Stanko was back in London playing a sold out show at the QEH as part of the London Jazz Festival, a concert subsequently broadcast on Radio Three. It just made his presence in Much Wenlock seem even more incredible. In a near seamless single set Stanko’s new Nordic Quintet with Alexi Tuomarila (piano), Jakob Bro (guitar),Anders Christensen (electric bass) and Olavi Louhivuori (drums) introduced music from their new ECM album “Dark Eyes” plus a brief version of Krzysztof Komeda’s “Sleep Safe And Warm” as an encore. 

So that’s the top ten. If I had to pick out just one it’d have to be Dave Douglas.

I’d also like to say a word for Partisans who I saw twice during the year and remain one of my favourite bands. I’ve seen them more often than any other regular working jazz outfit and they always deliver even though that initial impact can never be recaptured. Their new album “By Proxy” is one of the best releases of 2009 and they showcased material from it at Lichfield, where Matt Schofield pipped them by a nose for gig of the festival. The other occasion was a more informal but hugely enjoyable pub performance at the Queen’s Head in Monmouth, a well known jazz venue and practically bassist Thad Kelly’s local. Kelly, Julian Siegel (reeds), Phil Robson (guitar) and powerhouse drummer Gene Calderazzo are all brilliant players and there is a palpable musical chemistry between them. They effortlessly combine the sophistication of jazz with the energy of rock. All are busy with other projects but let’s hope they find time to bring Partisans together again in 2010. Oh yes and they’re all great guys too.

I saw lots of good gigs at the two Cardiff venues Caf? Jazz and Dempsey’s and was also a regular visitor to the Kings Arms in Abergavenny, home of Black Mountain Jazz. I saw some great music at these gigs including Led Bib, Tony Woods, The Transatlantic Collective (another Mike Janisch band) and Jim Hart’s Gemini in Cardiff plus Martin Speake, John Law and Asaf Sirkis leading their groups in Abergavenny. Only poor attendances prevented some of these gigs being classics. You do need a decent sized crowd to make a gig a real event. 

Sometimes I just go to gigs as a punter. Pianist Tord Gustavsen’s appearance with his new quartet at St. George’s in Bristol was one of these. After three successful piano trio albums Gustavsen has added saxophonist Tore Brunborg to the line up with Mats Eilertsen new in on bass. Mercifully at Bristol we were spared the vocals of Kristin Asbjornsen who for me at least adds little to the new album “Restored, Returned”. The quartet line up at Bristol though was superb with Jarle Vespestad’s astonishing minimalist drumming still strangely propulsive. The wonderful acoustics of St. George’s (a converted church) brought out the hymnal qualities of Gustavsen’s quietly elegant, frequently beautiful music.

Another memorable paying gig was by my perpetual folk/rock favourites Oysterband. Their appearance at Gloucester Guildhall was different to any I’ve seen them give before (and believe me there have been plenty). Locating themselves part way between their acoustic and electric incarnations they gave a performance that combined the sophistication of their acoustic shows with the energy of their electric gigs. The vocal harmonies were particularly stunning but there was still sufficient urgency in their performance to make this standing gig on the Guildhall’s amazing sprung dancefloor wholly satisfying for the mosh pit element.

Talking of mosh pits I’ve always harboured an affection for late 80’s Black Country indie rockers The Wonder Stuff. Last week they played a show at a rammed Birmingham O2 Academy playing their 1989 album “Hup” in it’s entirety plus a lengthy collection of other favourites. They’re a tight,consistently excellent live band with a charismatic front man in vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Miles Hunt. Singing my head off and barging around in the mosh pit with a pint in my hand made a nice change from sitting soberly(ish) at jazz gigs making notes. 

Variety, as they say is the spice of life. When I get tired of music new or old will be the day they put me in that long, black wooden box. 

Happy Christmas to all who read this before December 25th.

And finally, please note- none of these wonderful events took place in London. There’s life outside the capital. Here’s to more great music in 2010, but in the meantime let us know YOUR highlights of 2009.

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