Winner of the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Media, 2019

Jazz Album Reviews

Andy Hague Big Band

Live At The Lantern

The playing is excellent throughout and there are some superb individual solos from some of Bristol’s finest musicians. Hague’s original writing is also genuinely impressive.

Matthew Kilner

The Space In Between

Alison Rayner Quintet

SEMA4

The Exu

The Exu

Jake Long

City Swamp

Dave Manington’s Riff Raff

Weightless

Nick Costley-White

Poncha

Jazz Mann Recommended Listening

Misha Mullov-Abbado

Effra

His writing is intelligent and varied and he is well served by the playing of an exceptional sextet who interpret his ideas with skill and panache.

The Mark Williams Trio

Long Way Out

Combining jazz and rock influences this is a particularly intelligent brand of ‘fusion’ that makes for very rewarding listening. This threesome find a lot to say within the format of the guitar trio.

Lars Danielsson / Verneri Pohjola / John Parricelli

Trio

Relaxed and intimate this is an album that speaks quietly, but eloquently. This is a remarkably well balanced trio.

Hattie Whitehead

Bloom

“Bloom” sees her tackling subjects ranging from the political to the intensely personal and doing so with intelligence and conviction. Her singing is technically accomplished and undeniably beautiful.

Live Jazz Reviews

Alex Clarke Trio

Alex Clarke Trio, Brecon Jazz Club, The Muse Arts Centre, Brecon, 27/05/2025.

Urban Soul Family

Urban Soul Family, Music Spoken Here Sunday Service, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester, 25/05/2025.

Karim Saber Quintet

Karim Saber Quintet, Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester, 22/05/2025.

Marc Ribot

Marc Ribot: Solo Performance, Cafe Oto, Dalston, London: Day two of a two day residency 18 May 2025

John Horler Trio

John Horler Trio: A Portrait of Bill Evans, Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire, 16/05/2025.

Tori Freestone & Huw Warren Quartet

Tori Freestone / Huw Warren Quartet, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny, 18/05/2025.

Jazz Mann Features

Talking Drums with Ronnie Jones

Ronnie Jones’ drum kit - and approach to drumming - prompted much interest when he appeared recently with The John Horler Trio so we invited him to tell us more about his world of percussion.

Music Spoken Here, Worcester celebrates three years and fifty shows.

On Thursday 22 May 2025, Evesham-based promoter Music Spoken Here will be celebrating a three-year residency at The Marr’s Bar, Worcester with their 50th show. Instigator Dave Fuller tells the story.

Jazz Mann News

Jazz in the West Midlands - June 2nd - 8th 2025.

Monday, June 02, 2025

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area. Listings supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.

Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival launches GoFundMe appeal.

Sunday, June 01, 2025

In the light of funding cuts Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help finance the 41st edition, scheduled for 18th -27th July 2025.

Dave Jones wins award from Prog Magazine.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Pianist & keyboard player Dave Jones won last week's Tracks Of The Week with the complex Trepidation/74 Heist, taken from his new EP, Stratospheric, which is out now.

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Jazz Gigs & Events

Exit Velocity Festival at Eastside Jazz Club,  Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham.

Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - Tuesday, June 03, 2025

Miles Davis Celebration Festival at Smoke Jazz Club, New York City, USA.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 - Sunday, June 08, 2025

Andy Mears Octet at Swansea Jazz Club, Cu Mumbles, Mumbles, Swansea.

Wednesday, June 04, 2025

Jazz Connections: Everyday Lives - Exhibition featuring the work of jazz scholar Dr Pedro Cravinho & photographer Brian Homer at Library of Birmingham Foyer, Centenary Square, Birmingham.

Friday, June 06, 2025 - Thursday, August 28, 2025

The Blockheads at The Forge, Camden, London.

Friday, June 06, 2025 - Saturday, June 07, 2025

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