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Concessionary rates
A reduction of £2 (on the door price shown),
from Monday to Thursday inclusive only, for members of:
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Please note that concessionary tickets can only be purchased at the door and proof of identity will be required.
Starting times
Doors open at 8pm
Gigs start at 8.30pm unless shown otherwise.
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Musicians enquiring about gigs at the Vortex please see the musicians page for contact details.
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July programme
Gigs start at 8.30pm unless otherwise shown
Details and online booking coming soon
Thursday 1 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Band of Holy Joy
The band plays songs from their New York City inspired album Paramour, in which Johny Brown’s colourful and harshly poetic words present vivid imagery to complement the musical finery. Folk macabre meets Burroughs/Reed-like sagas of lust, desire and obsession.
Country Dirt
Crashing onto the city streets like a hyper Jayne County…Marianne Hyatt, aka Miss Jesse Leggett, brings her fine band of cracked musicians to town. Mixing poignant melodies with raw humour and wayward emotion, Country Dirt have what it takes to melt the heart and bend the mind of the most cynical urban slicker.
Talking Musical Revolutions
TMR is a travelling symposium of neon fire and shooting stars, of music as the life and spirit, the religion. Main man Gavin Martin steps down from the lectern and up to the decks to give us choice blasts of Bowery sound and side-kick Kevin O’Donohue gives us the funk from the Bronx.
Friday 2 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Gypsy Jazz & East European Night
Stewart Curtis's K-Groove
Woodwind maestro Stewart Curtis brings his uplifting jazz / klezmer sound to the Vortex. A great showman and superb musician, Stewart's shows are always full of great humour, warmth, irresistible tunes and breathtaking virtuosity. The band will be celebrating the release of their third CD 'I Can’t Hear U When U Shout', on 33 Records.
Stewart Curtis (clarinet, sax & flute), Paul Jayasinha (trumpet), Rob Terry (keys), Gareth Huw-Davies (bass), Ronen Kozokaro (percussion) and Han Ferrao (drums).
Saturday 3 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Christine Tobin & Liam Noble
'Tapestry Unravelled' CD launch
Tonight BBC Jazz Awards Best Vocalist Christine Tobin and the highly acclaimed UK jazz pianist Liam Noble, launch their new CD, ‘Tapestry Unravelled’ – a beautiful and elegant re-working of songs from Carole King’s beloved classic 1971 album Tapestry – plus especially chosen originals.
From a smouldering ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ to a dynamic ‘I Feel The Earth Move’, Tobin and Noble show the range of energy, pace and strength of feeling that can be achieved through the simple, yet most impactful arrangement of piano and voice.
"...the genius of Tapestry Unravelled is the way in which it pays sincere homage to the spirit of the original while simultaneously opening up an entirely new window on to these classic songs...it draws you into a world of elegiac reflection, plaintive melody and unalloyed soulfulness. Definitely one for my year-end 'Best of' list" (Peter Quinn, Jazzwise ****).
Sunday 4 | 7.30 doors 8.00pm start | £8 | Book online
Vocals@Vortex open-mic night hosted by Romy Summers with the Bob Stuckey Trio
Clare Gordon
Clare draws on influences from a wide range of jazz, traditional and world musi and, through the songs she sings, she tells stories that resonate with our lives and loves.
Clive Raven
Clive has an unconventional background for a jazz singer. He got his first break singing his own lyrics to 'Mystic Voyage' for Roy Ayers at Ronnie Scott’s and was subsequently invited to tour as a guitarist / backing vocalist for Roy for several years. He also produced Gill Manly’s debut CD 'Detour Ahead'.
A finalist at this year’s Angela Carrington Jazz Awards, Clive is acompelling and powerful vocalist, with a growing reputation. Not afraid to take risks, his style makes links between classic jazz and contemporary music.
Monday 5 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Pete Hurt & Martin Speake
Pete Hurt (tenor) and Martin Speake (alto) with Calum Gourlay (bass) and Jon Scott (drums), perform the music of the Tristano school (Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh), plus standard tunes that were associated with these players.
'Speake is a strikingly talented improviser with a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration' (Encyclopedia of Popular Music). 'Pete Hurt is a powerful presence. (The Guardian).
Tuesday 6 | 8.30pm | £5 | Book online
Kammer Klang
The first night of Kammer Klang at the Vortex, including Pierrot Lunaire (extracts) by Scheonberg, Michael Finnissy's Walrus for accordion and Number Pieces by John Cage, headlined by music composed especially for Kammer Klang by Adem Ilhan.
Adem Ilhan
Adem Ilhan is an eclectic musician whose works span the experimental and electronic. His mass improvising collective, 'Assembly', will play one of Adem's pieces composed specifically for the event.
Adam de la Cour (voice) and Mark Knoop (piano)
Schoenberg – Pierrot Lunaire (first cycle) (1912)
Love, sex, religion and the intoxication of the moon make up the themes of the of the first cycle of Schoenberg's melodrama for voice and small ensemble. Veering away from his previous expressive style Schoenberg begins his journey towards the twelve-tone technique with this psychoanalytical (and possibly autobiographical) portrait of Pierrot in turmoil.
Michael Finnissy – Walrus (2010)
Michael Finnissy's Walrus portrays this fat, smelly, noisy mammal as it disrupts a North Sea costal town fair featuring Mark Knoop on accordion.
Matthew Shlomowitz – Letter Piece No.1(2007)
Shlomowitz's Letter Pieces combine physical actions, music and text. The performers create the material themselves, but the structure of each piece is determined. The result has been described as the 'formalistic patterrning of the everyday world' and 'arty fart charades'. This realisation features Mark Knoop as superhero with Matthew Shlomowitz (sampler).
John Cage – Five (one) (1988)
One of Cage's earliest number pieces written for five voices or instruments or voices and instruments. Performed by regular Klangers.
Wednesday 7 | 8.30pm | £15 | Book online
Vijay Iyer Trio
It's been an incredible couple of years for Vijay's trio since his album 'Historicity' was released in 2009. Not only has the album won plaudits around the world, but the trio has also just been named 'best ensemble (international)' in the ECHO Jazz Awards, the German equivalent of the Grammys.
'Exquisitely tasteful and entirely listenable...Iyer and his band maintain both a perfect tension and an intense perfection' (Toronto EYE Weekly).
This is a rare opportunity to see this amazing trio up close and personal, so early booking is advised.
Plus support from
Richard Fairhurst's Triptych
New album launch.
Thursday 8 | 8.30pm | £15 | Book online
Vijay Iyer Trio
As Wednesday 7.
Plus support from
Richard Fairhurst's Triptych
New album launch.
Friday 9 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Alexander Stewart
Rising jazz vocal star Alexander Stewart, fresh from his triumphant appearance at Cheltenham Jazz Festival, is joined by alto sax star Nathaniel Facey, of award-winning jazz ensemble Empirical.
At just 22, Alexander Stewart is already creating a buzz as one of the most precociously talented vocalists of the new generation. With a voice rooted in Connick, Sinatra and Kurt Elling and, with a judiciously off-beat choice of material and clever re-arrangements of great standards, he translates the occasional pop song into jazz and adds some originals, including songs by pianist Alex Webb. Stewart will be performing with Webb, Facey, acclaimed bassist Gary Crosby and Andy Chapman on drums.
‘This talented twenty-two-year-old jazz singer glides effortlessly through his songs...and some terrific original material written by Alex Webb, his Musical Director. Anyone interested in a star-hopefully-in-the-making, should high-tail it to see him. (Cabaret Scenes magazine).
Saturday 10 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Alexander Hawkins Ensemble
Bringing together five of the country's most exciting young creative musicians, alongside established star multi-instrumentalist Orphy Robinson, this sextet exploits its highly unusual instrumentation to explore structural boundaries and the composition / improvisation question.
Featuring original compositions by the leader, labelled by All About Jazz as 'one of the brightest rising young stars of British jazz and improvisation', together with arrangements of works by composers such as Braxton, Ellington, Ra and others, the musicians come together to create a compelling sound world.
The group's debut album, No Now Is So, was variously called 'an incredible record' (Bagatellen) and 'an unqualified success' (All About Jazz), and appeared in various 'best album' and 'best debut album' of 2009 lists.
Featuring Alexander Hawkins (piano), Javier Carmona (drums, percussion), Otto Fischer (electric guitar), Dominic Lash (double bass), Hannah Marshall (cello) and Orphy Robinson (steel pan).
Sunday 11 | 8.30pm | £6 | Book online
World Cup Jazz Ball Final
Finalists and artists tbc.
Monday 12 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Martha & Eve
Martha and Eve, veteran regulars of Stokey’s Vortex, play Dalston’s Vortex for the first time. From Western blues to Mediterranean soul, this acoustic-edged singing duo of Cypriot roots are joined by saxophonist Diane McLoughlin.
After two decades of international sell-out shows and three CDs, this evening celebrates celebrates life and friendship, and is their first full-length appearance since Eve’s life-saving operation in 2008, '...excellent acoustic guitar, expert hand drumming and spine tingling vocal harmonies' (Evening Standard).
Tuesday 13 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
The Albert Ayler Life Celebration!
A very special evening honouring the 74th birthday of the legendary saxman whose influence pervades modern improvised music to this day.
Bassist Jair-Rohm Parker Wells will lead a sextet of some of the leading voices on the scene today. The legendary John Sinclair (spoken word) will provide a narrative backdrop to the spirited group improvisations of Tony Bianco (drums and cymbals), Shabaka Hutchings and Lol Coxhill (saxes), Ian Smith (trumpet) and Simone Weissenfels (piano).
Wednesday 14 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Mustard Pie
Originally formed for the 2009 Spitalfields Summer Stew, the band features drummer Seb Rochford and bassist Tom Herbert (from Polar Bear), and drummer Mark Holub and bassist Liran Donin (from Led Bib) – teaming up with Jan Kopinski, leader of Pinski Zoo and a legend in UK jazz.
This will be an improvised session taking in everything from dirty funk to skronking sax and squeeling electronics.
Thursday 15 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Seb Genovese Quintet & Marcina Arnold
A native of Naples, Seb Genovese is not only a guitarist with a classical background but also a gifted singer, composer and songwriter. Interested in musical styles from around the globe, Seb is always searching for strong, deep emotions in music as well as a catchy tune.
Marcina Arnold is a singer / songwriter of Scottish and South African roots. She describes her debut album, 'Twisted Blue Folk', as 'global music with jazz / folk roots and strong rhythmic influences'.
She has recorded and performed with numerous artists such as Hugh Masakela, Airto, Mark de Clive Lowe, Grupo Batuque and many others.
Friday 16 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Grand Union Bangla Band
As part of the Create Festival, acclaimed sarod virtuoso Shahadat Hossein Khan returns to the Vortex with musicians from the Grand Union Orchestra.
Combining North Indian classical music and Bengali folk song with jazz solos, African rhythms and composer Tony Haynes’s unusual harmonies, the nine-piece line-up includes Claude Deppa (trumpet) and Louise Elliott (tenor sax, flute), the rhythm section of Andres Lafone and Brian Abrahams, with tabla maestro Yousuf Ali Khan and the haunting voice of Lucy Rahman. Last year’s event sold out – so book early!
Saturday 17 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Cleveland Watkiss Quartet
Acknowledged as one of the world’s most outstanding male jazz singers, Watkiss has performed with musicians as diverse as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Keith Richards and Courtney Pine.
With Marco Piccioni (guitars), Shaney Forbes (drums) and Mark Hodgson (bass).
‘...it’s Cleveland’s ability to connect the jazz tradition and the ‘Songbook’ with ever changing sounds of the underground – from roots reggae to drum & bass – that makes him totally unique’ (Straight No Chaser).
Sunday 18 | 8.00pm | £8 | Book online
Mopomoso – monthly free improvisation night
Klammer / Gründler
Josef Klammer (drums, electronics) and Seppo Gründler (guitar to midi, electronics) have been working on the implementation of their “New Improvised Electronic Music” for over 20 years.
Creating pieces like Razionalnik - first multilateral telematic midi concert, Im Trockenraum – Austria’s first earphones concert for 100 earphones, numerous sound installations, music for theatre and radiophonic pieces, this will be arare chance to hear the groundbreaking duo in this their UK debut.
The Fantastique Quintette
Ex Fall guitarist and London Improvisers Orchestra stalwart Dave Tucker’s five-piece in a stunning new incarnation with some of the music’s finest players in a set which promises to be full of energy and explosive delights.
Dave Solomon (drums), Sonia Paco Rocchia (bassoon), Ricardo Tejero (reeds) and Pat Thomas (keyboards).
Fukuda / Russell
Violinist Satoko Fukuda is a remarkable musical talent who began playing the violin at the age of seven. Invited to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where she led the Menuhin School orchestra, she is the recipient of many awards and accolades and has toured and broadcast extensively.
A player of intense concentration and feeling with a love of improvising she is joined by regular playing partner, guitarist John Russell, and their set tonight will be recorded for future release. A not to be missed musical pairing!
Monday 19 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Sojourner
If music tells a story then Sojourner's is an epic tale. This music is fresh and vivid with cinematic depth. Jonathan Geyevu, pianist and composer presents a vision of music that has a wide scope – passing through the continents of Africa, South America, Europe – and eras – jazz, romantic, soul and more.
This is soulful jazz for a new generation. From solo piano through duos morphing into the exciting trio, featuring bassist Paul Michael and percussionist Hammadi Rencurrell, the adventure is relentless. This is a group ready to redefine the boundaries of any genre.
Tuesday 20 | 8.30pm | £15 | Book online
Cinema Soloriens and the Cosmo-Drama
Featuring Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra
Experimental films by James Harrar and special screenings of rare films featuring Sun Ra and his Arkestra plus live musical accompaniment by Marshall Allen, (leader of The Sun Ra Arkestra) and James Harrar.
Picture Andrei Tarkovski blended with Sergei Parajdanov, think of saints and peacocks in artful mosaics, slow moving images, fixed camera viewpoints and processed images.
The ensemble play complex music resembling Sun Ra recordings like The Magic City and Strange Strings – driving, haunting, powerful and liberating.
Wednesday 21 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Dave Morecroft / Leafcutter John
Gina Southgate
A cross-arts collaboration between Dave Morecroft, Leafcutter John and Gina Southgate sees the worlds of visual art, electronic music and acoustic improvisation combine for a multi-sensory experience and a performance full of colour. The trio will also be joined by a special guest, and support comes from a project led by Loop Collective trumpeter Alex Bonney.
Plus support from
Alex Bonney & Javier Carmona project
A project including Loop Collective members, trumpeter Alex Bonney and drummer Javier Carmona.
Thursday 22 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Mishka Adams Laro Night
Featuring Joe Stilgoe
Mishka’s guest this month is singer / pianist Joe Stilgoe, who has drawn comparisons with Nat King Cole, Harry Connick Jr. and Jamie Cullum. The Observer said of him; ‘Songs at the piano don’t get much sharper than this...Whether he’s performing his own material or reshaping an old favourite.’
Mishka has been moonlighting on the London music scene for several years, after relocating from her native Philippines to London and signing with the world famous Candid Records. Her own extraordinary talent has been showcased on her albums God Bless The Child and Space, both of which were wonderfully received by the national press and firmly stamped her reputation as a bright new star in the making.
Friday 23 | 8.30pm | £5 | Book online
Annie Whitehead World Music Workshop Band
'Jazz pick of the week: Classic American, South African and UK jazz, played by 20-horn workshop band led by lyrical trombonist Whitehead' (Guardian Guide).
Under the direction of trombone virtuoso and composer Annie Whitehead, this workshop big band forms part of the outreach programme of the Vortex Jazz Club.
This evening provides a rare opportunity to experience some of the most exciting big band music from around the world. The group will perform works from Africa, Cuba and the Carribean, America and the UK.
The band is supported by an exceptional rhythm section including Jennifer Maidman (bass), Mark Huggett (drums), Caroline Rowlinson (percussion) and Trevor Wells (guitar).
Saturday 24 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Ian Shaw
'Best Jazz Vocalist ' at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2007 and 2004, Ian Shaw has issued a number of acclaimed albums and is a popular performer both in the UK and the US. He has been cited, along with Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling, as one of the world's finest male jazz vocalists.
'...one of the most distinctive, original and creative jazz singers on the scene: he is a talented pianist and songwriter with a knack for working with top-quality musicians, an ability to seek out and cover some of the finest songs in contemporary music, and a showmanship that ensures that his live performances can raise tears of laughter as well as tears of sadness' (all•about•jazz).
Sunday 25 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
John Kameel Farah
A virtuosic keyboardist simultaneously using piano, synthesizer, computer sequencing and, at times, harpsichord and organ. Farah's performances are epic, symphonic experiences, somewhere between a classical concert hall and an experimental DJ set at a dance club.
Toronto’s NOWs Magazine named his as Best Pianist 2006 for his fusion of renaissance and baroque counterpoint, experimental improvisation, Middle-Eastern texture, ambient minimalism, techno and electro-acoustics.
Rhys Chatham & Jair-Rohm Parker Wells
Rhys Chatham (trumpet, electronics) / Jair-Rohm Parker Wells (bass, electronics) will open for John Kameel Farah performing a set of insightful improvisations.
Rhys Chatham, known primarily as a guitarist and composer for large guitar orchestras of 100 or more musicians, has developed a very unique voice on the trumpet.
Accompanied by Jair-Rohm Parker Wells on electric upright bass and electronics, the duo weave a mesmerizing web of textures and sonic images.
Monday 26 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Kairos 4tet
One of a very few jazz groups to bridge the elusive gap between crossover appeal and real muso credibility, Kairos 4tet – Adam Waldmann (saxophones), Jasper Høiby (bass), Ivo Neame (piano) and Jon Scott (drums) – bring a modern twist to the classic jazz quartet.
Blurring the boundaries between accessible, tune-led music with heavy grooves and improvising of the highest order, this is a band whose time has come.
'A powerful new voice in British jazz…with their originality and creativity (not to mention chops), the future looks very bright for the Adam Waldmann and the Kairos 4tet – one listen to Kairos Moment will tell you why' (BBC).
Tuesday 27 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Round Trip
Comprising Richard Turner (trumpet), Mike Chillingworth (alto saxophone), Tom Farmer (bass ) and Josh Morrison (drums), Round Trip dispense a vigorous brand of post-bop jazz based on the compositions of leader Richard Turner.
'...a skilful and refreshingly original-sounding band who deserve wider recognition' (Chris Parker).
Wednesday 28 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Heidi Vogel
Heidi Vogel, vocalist of the Cinematic Orchestra, will be performing original material as well as some beautiful Brazilian songs and standards. Heidi has worked with artists such as Eska, The Brand New Heavies, Isaac Hayes, and Susheela Raman. Band line up includes Ivo Neame, Shane Forbes plus special guests tba. ‘Singing sensation Heidi Vogel...brings a deeply sensual sophistication to her harmonically rich Brazilian-tinged music’ (Serious).
Thursday 29 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Parker / Edwards / Marsh
Saxophonist Evan Parker’s free improvisation residency featuring regular collaborators and mainstays of the London improvising scene, bassist John Edwards and drummer Tony Marsh. ‘...(Parker) has redefined the art of the possible on the saxophone’ (AllAboutJazz).
Friday 30 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Loop residency
Jim Hart's Gemini
Vibraphonist Jim Hart is one of the fastest rising stars of the UK jazz scene. In just a few short years he has carved out a reputation as one of the most talented young British composers and musicians garnering praise from the likes of John Surman and Joe Locke.
Gemini's secret weapon is the enormously talented Ivo Neame on alto sax and the dynamic rhythm section of bassist Jasper Hoiby and drummer Dave Smith.
Hart’s music mixes powerful melodies with free improvisation and some killer grooves. Lyrical and accessible, the music is driven by raw energy and is awash with creativity and a sense of freedom.
'Hart has developed an impressively individual voice' (Jazzwise).
Holler
Formed by bassist Ryan Trebilcock, Holler combines some of the hottest young talent from the London scene playing Trebilcock's hypnotic, labyrinthine originals, intense grooves and raw, assertive improvising.
Ryan Trebilcock (double bass, compositions), George Crowley (clarinet,
tenor saxophone), Lewis Wright (vibrophone), Hannes Riepler (electric guitar)
and
Joshua Morrison (drums).
Saturday 31 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Estelle Kokot
From Abdullah to Cave
An exploration of the written word in song. Join South African singer, songwriter, pianist Estelle Kokot and her band as they take you on a musical journey, from Abdullah Ibrahim's 'The Mountain' to Nick Cave’s 'Red Right Hand'.
Estelle will premiere new compositions, interpretations and arrangements by Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Stephen Sondheim, Neil Diamond, Patsy Cline, Joni Mitchell and more.
With Michael Janisch (bass) and Gene Calderazzo (drums).
'Regulars at the Vortex will no doubt be familiar with the compellingly dramatic live work of Estelle Kokot. Her great strengths: a powerful yet intimately confiding vocal style, cogent and persuasive lyrics, the subject matter of which ranges from affecting but unflinching despatches from love's front lines, to meditations on contemporary African politics and their human consequences' (Chis Parker).
June programme
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