The Jazz Mann | Jazz music reviews and news from the Jazz Mann Ian Mann

Winner of the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Media, 2019

Jazz Album Reviews

Five-Way Split

Modus Operandi

An impressive second outing from Five Way Split. Although very much rooted in the hard bop tradition the original writing is intelligent and also surprisingly subtle in terms of colour and texture.

Shai Maestro

The Guesthouse

Taupe

waxing / waning

Jazz Sabbath

Jazz Sabbath Live

Aleph Aguiar

Sugar on my Blackbeans

Billy Marrows Band

Dancing On Bentwood Chairs

Julie Campiche

Unspoken

Jazz Mann Recommended Listening

Harry Christelis

Preserving Fictions

Another impressive statement from Christelis, the composer and principal architect of this intriguing, intelligent, immersive and often beautiful music.

Søren Bebe Trio

Gratitude

Perhaps the ultimate expression of the Bebe Trio’s sound. They have distilled the essence of their music and have ‘polished the diamond’ to sparkling perfection.

Asaf Harris Quartet

I Thought I Was Ready

Harris is a superb saxophone soloist & an intelligent and consistently interesting writer. His efforts are enhanced by the playing of a top notch quartet with whom he has established a strong rapport.

Olly Chalk

In Those Remote Stars

There’s nothing predictable about Chalk’s writing or the group’s playing and the music is all the better for that, fresh and exciting and with a new surprise around every turn.

Live Jazz Reviews

Brass Band Bychan

Brass Band Bychan, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre for the Arts, Abergavenny, 29/03/2026.

Peiriant / Awen Ensemble

Awen Ensemble / Peiriant, Sy; Gigs, St. Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury, 28/03/2026.

Yessaï Karapetian Quintet

Yessaï Karapetian Quintet, Princess Grace Theatre, Monaco, 22/03/2026

Romarna Campbell Trio

Romarna Campbell Trio, Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester, 26/03/2026.

Mark Hummel Trio / Mike Bird & Friends

Mark Hummel Trio / Mike Bird & Friends, Mid Wales Rhythm & Blues Club, The Muse, Brecon, 22/03/2026.

Mark Lockheart Shapeshifter Trio

Mark Lockheart Shapeshifter Trio, Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive, Shrewsbury, 14.03.26.

Jazz Mann Features

Music Spoken Here celebrates fourth birthday.

Instigated by Dave Fuller in 2022 Music Spoken Here presents contemporary jazz, fusion, funk and soul on a fortnightly basis at The Marr's Bar, Worcester.

Jazz a Juan 2026 - A Preview.

Colin May looks ahead to the 65th edition of the French jazz festival Jazz a Juan, which will take place in July 2026, and interviews two of its organisers, Reno di Matteo and Maryline Bailly.

Jazz Mann News

Jazz in the West Midlands - April 6th - 12th 2026.

Monday, April 06, 2026

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

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, Cheltenham Jazz Festival Preview, first broadcast 05/04/2026.