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

Deirdre Cartwright

Organik

A thoroughly enjoyable recording featuring interesting and intelligent compositions and arrangements allied to some excellent playing.

Kevin Figes

Wallpaper Music III

Luke Bainbridge

Petstep

Linus Eppinger & Sam Braysher

A Sinner Kissed an Angel

Trish Clowes’ My Iris

Try Me

Zoe Rahman Trio

Hull Suite Live

Jason Staddon

Together

Jazz Mann Recommended Listening

Guido Spannocchi Quartet

Kammermusik

An immersive and frequently beautiful listening experience. Although less immediate than much of Spannocchi’s previous work this intriguing and beguiling album is definitely something of a ‘grower’.

Martin Speake Big Band

Hidden Vision – the arrangements of Charlie Rees

A triumph for both Martin Speake and Charlie Rees, a superb demonstration of Speake’s abilities as both a composer and instrumentalist and Rees’ as an arranger.

Jack Wilson

The Bear And The Wolf

A strong debut from Jack Wilson that draws on his many musical influences to produce an admirably diverse set.

Aidan Thorne / Jason Ball Duo

Poems of a Space

Intimate, evocative and beautifully crafted, with the use of electronic effects, or ‘sound design’, carefully and skilfully stitched into these delicately woven guitar and bass conversations.

Live Jazz Reviews

Courtney Pine

Courtney Pine Quartet, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, 06/08/2026 (Part of Brecon Jazz Festival).

The Fezz

The Fezz play the music of Steely Dan, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny, 26/07/2026.

Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny Side Eye III +, Barbican Centre, London, 19/07/2026.

BMJ Collective with Fabienne Ambuehl

BMJ Collective with Fabienne Ambuehl, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre for the Arts, Abergavenny, 12/07/2026.

Josephine Davies

Josephine Davies Satori Quartet, Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury, 11/07/2026.

Matt Skelton’s Blackhawk Quintet

Matt Skelton presents ‘The Blackhawk Quintet: Celebrating Shelly Manne’ at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire, 03/07/2026.

Jazz Mann Features

Saturday at Brecon Jazz Festival, 08/08/2026.

Performances by Jane Williams / Bella Collins / Gareth Evans Trio, Will Barnes Quartet, Phoenician Blinds, Orphy Robinson, Grounded Thread, Francesca Tandoi / Emma Smith Quartet, Dionne Bennett.

Friday at Brecon Jazz Festival. 07/08/2026

Ian Mann enjoys the first full day of the Festival and performances by Tomos Williams' Blodeugerdd, the Ursula Harrison Quartet, Liane Carroll and Jack Mac's Funk Pack.

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