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

Miles Pillinger

Belonging

An impressive debut from Pillinger. His skill as a drummer & his command of various rhythms is apparent throughout & his playing is at the heart of the music. He also impresses as a composer.

Darius Brubeck Quartet

Live Again

DOX

Wayfinding EP

Robert Castelli

Resonant Alien - Live at The Black Cat, Belgium

Danny Keane

Kinesis

Jon Lloyd Quartet

Anima

Al Swainger’s Pointless Beauty

Impure Imagination

Jazz Mann Recommended Listening

Rachael Calladine

Soho Elegy

The quality of the original songwriting is exceptional throughout, combining strong melodies with a lyrical intelligence that harks back to the ‘Great American Songbook’ era.

Mali Sheard

Hayfever

An exceptionally mature debut, and with the prospect of more top quality music to come.

Nicolas Meier World Group

Elysian Drift

Meier has been developing his pan-cultural approach to jazz for the past twenty years and this latest release is arguably his most brilliantly realised album yet. Highly recommended.

James Chadwick Project

Walrws - 60s Pop Classics with a Jazz Twist

The arrangements are subtle, intelligent and imaginative, respectful of the originals and skilfully adapting the songs to a jazz aesthetic without sacrificing anything in terms of melody and beauty.

Live Jazz Reviews

Aurelius

Aurelius, Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose’s Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs., 06/11/2026.

Christoph Gallio / Dominic Lash / Mark Sanders

Christoph Gallio / Dominic Lash / Mark Sanders, Hafan Yr Afon, Newtown, Powys, 01/11/2026.

Olie Brice Quartet

Olie Brice Quartet, Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire, 23/10/2026.

Los Diablos Ritmicos

Los Diablos Ritmicos, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny, 25/10/2026.

Tristan Banks

Tristan Banks Quartet, Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester, 22/10/2026.

Deirdre Cartwright

Deirdre Cartwright ‘Organik’ Trio, Brecon Jazz Club, The Muse Arts Centre, Brecon, 13/10/2026.

Jazz Mann Features

Jammin’ Juan, Palais des Congress, Antibes Juan-les-Pins, 29th and 30th October 2026

Guest contributor Colin May enjoyed the musical diversity of the twelve acts playing showcases on the 2026 Jammin' Juan programme and has provided brief summaries of all the performances.

Sunday at Wall2Wall Jazz Festival, various venues, Abergavenny, 27/09/2026.

Ian Mann enjoys a series of performances on the free Community Sunday Afternoon Jazz Trail plus a concert by the duo of vocalist Jo Harrop and guitarist Jamie McCredie.

Jazz Mann News

Renowned jazz and folk acts headline at the Howard Assembly Room, Leeds, November and December 2026.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

The Howard Assembly Room is set to host leading jazz and folk musicians in the run up to Christmas, including bands led by bassist Jasper Høiby and drummer Ari Hoenig, Press release attached.

Big Bear Music wins Arts & Culture Award at 2026 Birmingham Awards.

Monday, November 09, 2026

The music company run by Black Sabbath’s original manager Jim Simpson has won the Arts & Culture Award at the Birmingham Awards 2026. Press release attached.

The Spitz: much-loved East London music venue to be commemorated with blue plaque marking 30 years of music and community.