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May 2013

 

• Sat 25 May | 8.30pm
•  £12
• Book online

Ian Shaw

One of Britain's most inventive jazz vocalists, Shaw's remarkable vocal range and mesmerising style has seen him breathe life into pop tunes and standards, reinventing even the most maudlin showtunes with sparkling wit.

"a masterly vocalist… one of the finest singers in contemporary music interprets some of the greatest songs of the last 50 years." Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz

 

• Sun 26 May | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Angela Carrington Awards

The 7th annual Awards night, celebrating open mic jazz singers and the people who run the monthly events in and around London.

Hosted by Brian Shaw, with the Bob Stuckey Trio plus four singers, selected through a rigorous series of auditions.

With special guests Cathy McNanamon and Catherine Lima.

All profits from the event will go to a chosen mental health charity.

• Mon 27 May | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Indigo Kid

Indigo Kid is a project that guitarist / composer Dan Messore has run for three years, which came out of his collaboration with saxophonist / composer Iain Bellamy. The result was the birth of 'Indio Kid' based on Iain's view of Dan as a little feral and a bit of a country boy. For their first album 'Indigo Kid' (babel) 2012, they were joined by Tim Harries (bass) and Gethin Jones (drums). Recently Dan has been recording 'Indio Kid II' with a new line up: Martin France (drums), Tim Harries (electric bass) and Trish Clowes (sax). Indio Kid will hit the road on a Jazz Services tour between May 16-27 with the Vortex marking the end of the tour.

As someone who has inherited and absorbed a diverse range of music, Messore's first album drew on the sensitive side of post-contemporary fusion where Pat Metheny meets Kurt Rosenwinkel; the rich folk traditions of John Fahey and the recently departed Bert Jansch. Not forgetting the open chords of Led Zeppelin, as on Dan's composition 'Mr Lepard'. But jazz is central, with hints of Bill Frisell's Americana on the tender 'Pages to a Friend', and a beautifully intimate rendition of the Gershwins' 'The Man I Love', while jazz fans' hearts are certain to melt to Messore's bossa-like 'New Man New Place' with Ballamy improvising in sumptuous Stan Getz-like mood.

• Tue 28 May | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Paul Dunmall - 60th Birthday

For thirty years Paul Dunmall has carved out a reputation for himself and is now widely recognised as one of the most uncompromising and talented reed players on the International jazz/improvised music scene.

He turns 60 this month and the Vortex is very proud to host his birthday celebrations. Paul will be joined by friends and special guests:

1st set

Paul Dunmall - sax
Simon Picard - sax
Niel Metcalfe - flute
Nick Jurd - bass
Jim Bashford - drums

2nd set

Paul Dunmall - sax
Howard Cottle - sax
Jim Dvorak - trumpet
Paul Rogers - bass
Tony Bianco - drums

• Wed 29 May | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Dunajska Kapelye

They’re back; violin-led authentic Gypsy and Balkan tunes to stir your heart and soul.

Whether it's a plaintive Gypsy ballad, a rumbustious Romanian dance or a Russian drinking song, this dazzling ensemble will enthrall and delight with their easy virtuosity, good humour and passionate playing.

http://dunajskakapelye.co.uk/

Piotr Jordan & Flora Curzon – violins,
Jez Cook – guitar,
Raph Mizraki - double bass,
Zac Gvirtzman - accordion, clarinet, piano.

"You can't help but leave with a big stupid grin on your face." London Metro

• Thu 30 May | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Aquarium

Pianist Sam Leak's London based contemporary jazz quartet Aquarium received widespread critical acclaim for their 2011 eponymous debut, listed by Mojo Magazine as one of the top ten international Jazz releases of the year. Tonight they kick off their album tour for their new album 'Places,' on the Jellymould Jazz label. Their follow up album is highly anticipated and this promises to be a very special evening.

"Multi faceted and smart as a pin, this is chamber jazz of a very high order" - Mojo Magazine

Sam Leak - Piano/Composition
James Allsopp - Tenor Saxophone
Calum Gourlay - Double Bass
Josh Blackmore - Drums

• Fri 31 May | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Solus3

Post-jazz, post-punk and chamber dub sextet Solus3, featuring members of both Transglobal Underground & Krautrock improvisers Lunar Dunes, spotlight music from their sophmore album, Corner of the World, in an audio-visual collaboration with award-winning pinhole photographer Jan Dunning.

"Stalking a slinky, unlikely path between improvisation, dub and modern classicism, SOLUS3 are truly a law unto themselves." Uncut April 2013 (8 out of 10)

"Deeply excellent." - The Independent on Sunday - Jan 13th 2013 (4 stars)

"An approach that swerves between electronica, improvisation and classicism, this Brit sextet are out on their own." The Observer - Jan 6th 2013 (4 stars)

Tori Handsley - harp
Hamilton Lee - percussion
Ian Blackaby - bass
Jemma Freeman - vocals, guitar
Francesco Filizzola - trumpet, vocals
Jan Dunning - visual artist, projection designer

 

 

 

June 2013

 

• Sat 1 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £12  
• Book online

Paul Rogers' Whahay / Dan Nicholls’ Mirror / Fofoulah / DJs

Free entry from 11:30pm

A chance to hear some excellent new music into the small hours, curated by members of the Loop Collective.

The first project as a leader from Paul Rogers for over a decade, Whahay sees Rogers joined by Robin Fincker and Fabien Duscombs to playing Mingus-inspired improvisations.

Dan Nicholls' Mirror performs music from Ruins – a genre-bending new album featuring an ensemble of some of the UK's most original and progressive new musical thinkers. With accompanying video/animation stills and words, Nicholls evokes the energy and groove of the downtown New York creative music scene.

Fofoulah blend Senegalese voice and west African rhythms with dub basslines, sci-fi synths, raw guitars and intense grooves. Featuring musicians from Senegal, the UK and The Gambia to create a sound that's unique to the UK music scene.

• Sun 2 Jun | 7.30pm
•  £12  
• Book online

Vocals @ Vortex

Open mic night hosted by Romy Summers and the Bob Stuckey Trio: Bob Stuckey (piano), Jerome Davies (bass), tbc (drums)

Please arrive at 7pm if you wish to sing and speak to Romy. Policy is first come first served, but we do try and get all singers on the list.

Music starts at 7.30pm. Entrance £9 to singers and non singers. Please bring music in your key and a copy for each of the trio.

Mini sets will be from Annie Peck and Victor Munt

• Mon 3 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Alex Roth's Otriad

In 1941, three Jewish brothers went into hiding in Poland's Naliboki Forest to escape capture by the encroaching Nazi troops. By the end of the Second World War, they had led over 1,200 other Jews to safety, establishing a tight-knit community that resisted the Germans on one side and their co-operating Belarussian forces on the other. The Bielski Otriad, as the group became known, defied the fate of so many of their kind by refusing to give up hope even under the bleakest conditions.

It is this strength of community spirit that inspired the formation of Alex Roth's Otriad, itself centred around three brothers of Polish-Jewish ancestry. Nick, Alex and Simon Roth (playing saxophones, guitars and percussion respectively) grew up to the sound of their mother's violin and piano, quickly taking up the instruments that would eventually allow them to develop a unique musical understanding together. This three-way dynamic has been pivotal to each of their careers thus far, forming the core of several groups along the way (including the ten-piece electro-acoustic chamber ensemble Sefroth).

Otriad is completed by two musicians whom Alex has met through studying for his MA at the Royal Academy of Music: James Opstad, who has been the bassist in Alex's trio (with Simon again) since 2010, and saxophonist Joe Wright (half of the electro-acoustic improvising duo Wright/Roth, which has been active for almost two years).

Alex's music for Otriad is an expression of the relationships that have formed between these five musicians, moving between folk-like melodies, free-form improvisation, electro-acoustic soundworlds, complex rhythmic structures and richly evocative harmonies.

Nick Roth – saxophones
Joe Wright – saxophones, electronics
Alex Roth – guitar, effects
James Opstad – electric bass
Simon Roth – drums, percussion

• Tue 4 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Jeff Williams' UK Quintet

Finn Peters - alto saxophone and flute
Josh Arcoleo - tenor saxophone
Kit Downes - piano
Sam Lasserson - bass
Jeff Williams - drums and compositions

Drummer/composer Jeff Williams is a familiar presence at the Vortex with Martin Speake, the Phil Robson/Dave Liebman Quartet, various Hans Koller ensembles and others.

Last May he recorded his New York-based quartet's (Duane Eubanks, John O'Gallagher, John Hébert) live performance at the Vortex, resulting in the group's new CD, The Listener (Whirlwind Recordings Ltd), copies of which will be available this evening, as will the previous release, Another Time, selected by Downbeat as one of the best CDs of 2012.

For the past two years Jeff's UK group has been featured at the London Jazz Festival. John Turney declared in the London Jazz Blog, "...gem of the festival: I doubt if there was anyone doing jazz better, anywhere this evening".

Now a quintet (Finn Peters-alto saxophone and flute, Josh Arcoleo-tenor saxophone, Phil Robson-guitar and Sam Lasserson-bass) and a showcase for Williams' originals, tonight's performance is followed by the group's appearance at the Amazonas Jazz Festival in Brazil in July which will be recorded for future release. In Phil Robson's absence tonight is special guest Kit Downes.

In a career spanning four decades Jeff Williams has worked with Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Cedar Walton, John Abercrombie, Art Farmer and numerous others. Perhaps best known for his contributions to Dave Liebman's '70s cooperative, Lookout Farm, Jeff is also heard on key recordings by Bill McHenry, Ethan Iverson, Mike Gibbs, Nikki Iles, Barry Green, Konitz, Speake, Koller and many more.

Visit Jeff on the web at www.willfulmusic.com

• Wed 5 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £8
• Book online

Terry Day / Alex Hawkins / Alex Bonney / Guillaume Viltard / Seymour Wright

Alex Hawkins - piano
Alex Bonney - trumpet
Seymour Wright - alto sax
Guillaume Viltard - bass
Terry Day - drums

A night of improvised music led by Terry Day, a pioneer of the scene, and bringing together some of the brightest and most exciting young improvisers around. This will be the second outing for the group.

As a pioneer of the improvisation and free jazz movement, Day also formed a duo with Derek Bailey, was a regular member of Company & seminal groups such as People Band & Alterations. He also collaborated extensively with the second generation improvisers including Steve Beresford, John Russell & Nigel Combes

ALEXANDER HAWKINS / piano

Alexander Hawkins is a pianist, organist, composer and bandleader who is ‘unlike anything else in modern creative music’ (Ni Kantu) and whose recent work has reached a ‘dazzling new apex’ (Downbeat). Self-taught, he works in a vast array of creative contexts. His own highly distinctive soundworld is forged through the search to reconcile both his love of free improvisation and profound fascination with composition and structure.

ALEX BONNEY / Trumpet

Alex studied jazz compostition at Middlessex University under former Loose tubes members Eddie Parker, Chris Batchelor, Stuart Hall and also Nikki Iles.

He is based in London and plays in a variety of projects, Including Splice, electro acoustic trio Leverton Fox (who in 2010 played a UK tour supporting Norwegian band Humcrush), he has a critically acclaimed improvising duo with bassist Dave Kane, a jazz quartet quartet performing original compositions featuring Jeff Williams and a tribute to Albert Ayler project featuring Paul Dunmall and Mark Sanders.

GUILLAUME VILTARD / double bass

Born in 1975 in the North of Ivory Coast, Viltard grew up in the wild countryside with almost no music. Back in France, he played with many artists of the French underground improv scene, including dancers and poets as well as musicians.

After moving to London in late 2007, Viltard has worked with many of London’s best improvisers, forming strong associations with the circle of musicians centred on Eddie Prevost's experimental workshop, becoming a mainstay of the London Improvisers Orchestra, and playing in a great free jazz trio with Tony Marsh and Shabaka Hutchings that was sadly curtailed by Marsh's untimely death.

It is this eclectic appetite for collaboration across the whole spectrum of improvised music as well as his resolutely unamplified and powerfully physical playing that marks Viltard out as one of the most interesting musicians to emerge from London's fertile improvised and experimental scene in the last few years.

SEYMOUR WRIGHT / saxophone

"Saxophonist Seymour Wright has emerged as the most important saxophonist of his generation. . . [He] shows a command of the saxophone which in contrast to most ‘non-idiomatic’ playing – cynically translated as ‘make your saxophone sound like anything other than a saxophone’ – has deep roots in a tradition of playing that goes back to Frankie Trumbauer, Coleman Hawkins and Willie Smith." - Brian Morton

• Thu 6 Jun | 7.30pm (Quiz starts 8pm)
•  £ 6  
• Book online

The Vortex Jazz Quiz
plus music from The Peter Edwards Trio

The return of the V's fun and friendly jazz quiz night.

Come and pit your wits against fellow gig-goers, musicians, jounalists and Vortex staff . Prizes for first, second and third teams. There'll be guest ales from local microbreweries plus other treats.

Teams of 2 to 4 people, but don't be put off coming on your own as we'll find you a team. Places are limited and it's sure to sell out so book now!

After the quiz there will be a set from The Peter Edwards Trio.

The Peter Edwards Trio is fast becoming one of the most exciting dynamic trios in London. The group have recorded a EP, won a ‘Development Award’ from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, performed at prestigious London venue, The Kings Place, broadcasted on Jazz FM and have received a 3 star review from Jazzwise.

"Peter Edwards is a roll your sleeves up and get down and swing guy… he skates seamlessly through skittering meters before zoning into a no frills exposition …[He] has an ear for a soulful song and a Caribbean bounce." Andy Robson, Jazzwise

"[The] trio has an urgency that captivated us all!" Bootleg Jazz Festival, Leicester 2013

• Fri 7 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 9
• Book online

Maurizio Minardi

Maurizio Minardi is a London-based composer, pianist and accordionist. He performs with his trio, the Maurizio Minardi Trio, which also includes Nick Pini (double bass) and Jason Reeve (drums). The trio performs Maurizio's original compositions.

Maurizio's style is reminiscent of Esbjorn Svensson Trio, Avishai Cohen, The Bad Plus, Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Yann Tiersen and Michael Nyman.

In 2013 Maurizio released his latest album, 'The Cook, the Clown, the Monk and the Accordionist'.

"A standout recording, full of atmospheric music that combines immediately engaging hooks with sweeping narrative and emotional depth ... A pleasure from first note to last." All About Jazz

On Maurizio's previous album, 'My Piano Trio'.

"Lyrical, intelligent, contemporary piano jazz with its roots in the European classical tradition and beyond..." The Jazz Mann

"The overall feeling is tranquil and meditative- interesting, crafted writing, fine playing and above all a strong emotional appeal" LondonJazz

• Sat 8 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 12  
• Book online

Partisans

Partisans have been thrilling audiences since its formation in 1996, with its tightly knit themes and a great freedom coming from years of playing together.

"This foursome are often cited as godfathers of the ferocious 'post-jazz' groups." - Times****

"...tricky zigzagging heads are played with flawless attack, and the quartet's trademark of seamless idiom and time-shifting within each piece operates with a gleeful tautness." - Guardian****

"Partisans present some of the most refreshing music I've heard in a long while, uncompromising, very well written and very well played. It demands serious attention. I hear in these players a sense of common purpose and resolve, and a strong command of a dialect uniquely suited to this music. It's heartening to hear music that looks to find its own particular place." - Steve Swallow

"It's bad, man" - Delfeayo Marsalis

"One of the most exciting all star experimental groups in Jazz today" - BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line Up

"Partisans were the highlight of the festival, jazz that makes you blink in its glare"- John Fordham, The Guardian, Cheltenham Jazz Festival

• Sun 9 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 12
• Book online

Annie Whitehead Rude 2.0

Annie Whitehead - trombone & fx
Chris Dowding - trumpet/flugel horn & fx
Jennifer Maidman - bass & guitar
Liam Genockey - drums

Rude was originally formed in 1992 by Annie Whitehead, Jennifer Maidman and Liam Genockey with the late Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugel. The band only released one album ‘This is Rude’ on the Voiceprint label, but in live performance their music developed over the years into an eclectic fusion of melody, free improvisation and driving funk, jazz and reggae rhythms. Now Annie, Jennifer and Liam are back with Rude 2.0, built on the same musical ethos and joined by Chris Dowding, a trumpet and flugel horn player based in East London.

Annie is well known as a much-in-demand trombonist, band leader and composer and has released several albums in her own name including ‘The Gathering’, ‘Home’, ‘Naked’ and ‘Mix Up’. She was a member of Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, has collaborated extensively with Robert Wyatt and also plays regularly with Sarah Jane Morris. Her session credits include Eric Clapton, Doctor John, Jamiroquai, The Spice Girls and Elvis Costello. Along with Jennifer she was a member of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra (PCO) for many years.

Chris first played with Annie, Jennifer and Liam at Harry Beckett’s memorial concert and also works with the band ‘Natural Causes’. He regularly leads workshops and has appeared at a number of festivals including Glastonbury, Huddersfield and Dartington, and played flugel horn in Opera North’s production ‘Song at a Year’s End’.

Jennifer is a multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer who has been working with Annie for many years and was also a long time member of the original PCO. She has worked with David Sylvian, Joan Armatrading, Gerry Rafferty, Paul Brady, Shakespears Sister, Boy George and Murray Head amongst others. She sang lead vocals on Annie and Robert Wyatt’s ‘Soupsongs’ project and recently formed ‘The Orchestra that Fell to Earth’ with a number of other original PCO members including Annie and Liam.

Liam Genockey has also been working with Annie and Jennifer for many years and also plays with Paul Brady, Sarah Jane Morris, Buick Six, Pass the Cat and the Soupsongs project. He is well known as a member of Steeleye Span and has also worked with Gerry Rafferty, Zzebra, Trevor Watts and Soft Machine Legacy amongst others.

• Wed 12 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 12
• Book online

Tom Rainey Trio with Ingrid Laubrock and Mary Halvorson

Tom Rainey - drums
Ingrid Laubrock - saxophones
Mary Halvorson - electric guitar

Drummer Tom Rainey unites the female sound worlds of guitarist Mary Halvorson and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock in his trio – 3 of the most fascinating musicians in the current New York music scene.

"... there is some magic happening here - a beautiful contrast beetween Zen-like calm and alarming bombast that makes Pool School a must hear ..." Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times

Tom Rainey Trio - photo by Peter Ganushkin

• Thu 13 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 9
• Book online

Tony Bevan/Eddie Prevost/Trevor Watts/John Edwards

Following their last two shows at the Vortex, we're delighted to have this quartet back.

The result of what was meant to be a one-off performance in commemoration of the late Lol Coxhill, the music produced by the group proved so good it seemed natural to continue. Consisting of two legends of Improvised music in Watts and Prevost, and two younger veterans with their own international reputations with Edwards and Bevan, it’s hard to describe the quartet as anything but a supergroup.

Trevor Watts – Soprano and Alto Saxophones
Tony Bevan – Soprano and Bass Saxophones
John Edwards – Double Bass
Eddie Prevost – Drums

"Eddie Prevost reminded why he is one of the world’s great drummers with bassist John Edwards and saxophonists Trevor Watts and Tony Bevan, all on spectacular form" Jazzwise November 2012

"Bevan is already a giant of contemporary saxophone" Point of Departure U.S.A.

 

Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble playing Songs Of The Metropolis
2 day residency

Fri 14 - Sat 15 Jun

• Sun 16 Jun | 3.30pm
•  £8
• Book online

LJO Vortex Sessions

Directed by Scott Stroman, the London Jazz Orchestra is “as fine a band as you can find anywhere” (Independent), and these up-close-and-personal sessions showcase great writing and soloing from a band that includes many of London’s top musicians, as well as new talents.

• Sun 16 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £8 / £6 conc.
• Book online

Mopomoso

Mopomoso’s regular monthly programme with an intimate evening from the world of free improvisation.

Mopomoso lives up to it's byline 'presenting the best of free improvisation' with tonight's performance!

BARK - Phil Marks (drums) / Paul Obermayer (electronics) / Rex Casswell (guitar) trio

Audrey Lauro saxophone solo

Gunter Christmann (trombone,cello) / Elke Schipper (sound poetry) / Le Quan Ninh (percussion) / John Russell (guitar)

Stellar free improvisation line up with a rare appearance from legendary trombone/cello player Christmann, here in combination with regular partner Schipper, ‘leading French percussionist of his generation’ Ninh and highly regarded guitarist Russell. Solo set of ‘delicate sonic explorations’ from Belgian Lauro and the highly charged, visceral playing of the ever popular BARK. An evening of joyful delights and surprises, eagerly anticipated and not to be missed!

More information at www.mopomoso.com

• Mon 17 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Henrik Jensen’s Followed By Thirteen

Qualia is the beautiful debut album from London-based Danish bass player/composer Henrik Jensen and his group Followed By Thirteen, and tonight sees the launch at the Vortex.

Dedicated to his mother who was incredibly superstitious – Qualia (a philosophical term meaning an unfamiliar word for something that could not be more familiar to each of us) – is a collection of melodic, swinging compositions written specifically for this group of musicians for whom Henrik has a real affinity and affection for; and what a band they are!

American trumpeter Andre Canniere is a rising star on the European jazz scene. As well as playing with such luminaries as Maria Schneider, Bjorkestra, Ted Poor, Ingrid Jensen, Donny McCaslin and Darcy James Argue, Canniere’s debut album from 2012 was hailed as "beautifully balanced" and "exhilarating" in its five star review by The Guardian.

Danish pianist Esben Tjalve’s delicate playing compliments Jensen’s compositions with such taste and underpinning the whole band with his sensitive, unobtrusive dexterity is British drummer Peter Ibbetson who is becoming a favourite amongst leaders on the healthy London scene.

Jensen has spent the last five years recording and touring the world with the vocal trio The Puppini Sisters but he has also been laying the bass lines down for artists including Pete Wareham, Martin Speake, Elizabeth Shepherd, Peter Ehwald, Billy Jenkins, Arthur Lea, and Will Butterworth. However, it is this group where Henrik’s musical focus really lies. Qualia is a collection of compositions that are thoughtful, playful, at times melancholic and there is space in the arrangements, room for each member of the quartet to express.

• Tue 18 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Man Overboard

Celebrating the release of their new album All Hands on Deck, on Champs Hill Records, Man Overboard play a special show delivering swing tunes from the 20’s and 30’s with great skill and unusual verve.

Leading this fantastic band are violinist Thomas Gould and star of London swing, clarinetist Ewan Bleach. This partnership is complemented by the unique voice of Louisa Jones and a hot rhythm section with Jean-Marie Fagon on guitar and Dave O’Brien on the double bass.

Man Overboard add their own stamp to a repertoire of tunes made famous by the likes of Billie Holiday, Django Reinhardt, the Mills Brothers, Duke Ellington and Fats Waller. The chemistry between these superb musicians and their audience makes every Man Overboard performance a magical occasion.

Man Overboard’s performances at venues such as Le QuecumBar, Heaven Night club, and The Royal Festival Hall, have earned them rave reviews and a fast growing fan base. Man Overboard were featured in BBC3's "Being Human" (5th series, 6th episode).

• Wed 19 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £8
• Book online

Chaos Collective presents: Big Egg plus Elliot Galvin Trio

BIG EGG

BIG EGG features 12 acclaimed British improvisers including Joe Wright on ewi and electronics, Lauren Kinsella singing and Joe Townsend on violin. The piece itself is conceived around the number 17 and its connotations. There are 17 movements (plus a prologue movement) with each one in subtle reference to an associated subject. It is stylistically unbiased incorporating everything from abstract contemporary art music, to 80’s pop and Baroque chamber music.

Elliot Galvin – piano/compositions
Lauren Kinsella – voice
Joe Townsend – violin
Joe Wright – ewi/electronics
Gregory Sinclair – reeds
Will Scott – reeds
Rob Cope – reeds
Laura Jurd – trumpet
Mike Soper – trumpet
Tom McCredie – bass
Corrie Dick – drums
Simon Roth – drums

Elliot Galvin Trio

Featuring Elliot Galvin on Piano, Tom McCredie on Double Bass and Simon Roth, this exciting new trio blends complex composed material with freeform improvisation seamlessly to create a truly unique sonic space.

• Thu 20 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Evan Parker

Monthly Vortex residency with master of free improvisation, Evan Parker.

Tonight he presents 'Hasta la Vista', dedicated to the founders of Emanem Records, Martin and Madelaine Davidson. With guests John Russell, Caroline Kraabel, Adam Linson and more.

A major force in European improvising, Parker has collaborated with everyone from Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley & Anthony Braxton, to Scott Walker, Robert Wyatt and Squarepusher. He is one of Europe’s most innovative and intriguing saxophonists, which is why he keeps audiences coming back for more.

"If you've ever been tempted by free improvisation, Parker is your gateway drug." Stewart Lee

 

• Fri 21 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 12.50  
• Book online

Jason Yarde & Andrew McCormack

Pianist, Andrew McCormack and saxophonist, Jason Yarde played their first gig together as a duo at the Vortex in the summer of 2008 and have since gone on to become one of the premier UK duo groups. Their first album, ‘MY DUO’ (JoY AnD EaRs-2009) featured compositions from both Yarde and McCormack and was followed by ‘Places And Other Spaces’ in 2011 (Edition Records); both received critical accolades internationally.

As they prepare to release their third album featuring the Elysian String Quartet next year, they return once again to the Vortex to celebrate 5 years as a group.

Andrew McCormack launched his solo career with his debut album, 'Telescope' in 2006 winning the prestigious BBC Jazz award for Rising Star. An active composer in Jazz, Classical and Film music, he studied privately with Mark-Anthony Turnage and has written for many ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra which commissioned Incentive, a ten-minute work for full orchestra premiered at the Barbican in 2009. In 2012, he released 'Live In London' showcasing his new trio which was critically acclaimed across the board (**** 4 stars - The Guardian; “High emotional intensity beautifully delivered” **** - York Press).

Jason Yarde began playing saxes in the Jazz Warriors as a teenager going on to direct and become one of its principal writers. As a producer, musical director, arranger and musician, he has worked with Hermeto Pascoal to 4hero, Plan B to Britten Sinfonia, Keziah Jones to Kronos Quartet and Jonzi-D to Jack DeJohnette. As a composer his flugelhorn concerto, All Souls Seek Joy was premiered by the legendary Hugh Masekela and the LSO in 2007 and his BBC Proms compositional début, Rhythm And Other Fascinations, won the first ever BASCA award for contemporary Jazz Composition in 2009. ("Swing, hip-hop, improv, you name it, he can make it all sound as if it was meant to live together" The Guardian)

• Sat 22 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £12
• Book online

Ian Shaw

One of Britain's most inventive jazz vocalists, Shaw's remarkable vocal range and mesmerising style has seen him breathe life into pop tunes and standards, reinventing even the most maudlin showtunes with sparkling wit.

"a masterly vocalist… one of the finest singers in contemporary music interprets some of the greatest songs of the last 50 years." Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz

 

• Sun 23 Jun | 4.00pm
•  £ 7
• Book online

Dan Messore’s 'View From The Tower'

"View From The Tower" is a series of concerts exploring British jazz composers. An adventure into some of the great compositions from our fair shores.

Led by guitarist Dan Messore, this excellent line up will be performing an ever growing pad of arrangements. A bodacious mix of material featuring compositions from... Iain Ballamy, Gwilym Simcock, Huw Warren, Gareth Lockrane, Trish Clowes, Steve Waterman, Dave Hamblett, Julian Argulles, Phil Robson, among others... with new arrangements being added each instalment.

With:
Dan Messore - Guitar
Gareth Lockrane - Flute
Joe Wright - Tenor Sax
Steve Waterman - Trumpet
Elliot Galvin - Piano
Tom Farmer - Bass
Dave Hamblett - Drums

• Sun 23 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 10  
• Book online

The Local presents Liz Green

Liz Green will be playing an intimate and special show at the Vortex, showcasing material from her forthcoming second album. This is a small room exclusive, so book early to avoid being disappointed.

Liz Green’s debut album, O, Devotion! was released by Play It Again Sam to critical acclaim at the end of 2011. Her early 7" single releases way back in 2007 and 2008 sparked a flurry of media attention, but it wasn’t until she met producer Liam Watson and started recording at his Toerag Studios that the album came together. Liz’s music owes a debt to a wide range of influences: musicals; gospel and blues and country; interwar Weimar cabaret; Bugsy Malone’s dancehall; Marlon Brando’s brilliant turn in Guys and Dolls; Johnny Cash; Dolly Parton; Son House; Blind Willie McTell; the inimitable Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

The first single from the album, Displacement Song, featured an animated video directed by Kate Anderson, which went on to win the British Animation Awards 2012 "Best Music Video". Two further animation videos were completed for songs on the album: Bad Medicine, directed by Joseph Brett & Simon Taffe from End of the Road Films, a stunning achievement in stop motion, with sets and characters made entirely from cardboard; and Luis, directed by Tamzin Forster, a beautiful paper-cut animation about an inveterate Mexican funeral-goer.

Liz is currently writing and arranging songs for her second album.

Support tonight comes from English songwriter currently based in Germany, The Great Park, with an opening set from Oslo, Norway’s The Bee’s Niece.

• Mon 24 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 10
• Book online

Røyst Trio + Metamorphic
* Album Launch *

Røyst Trio

Røyst Trio, consisting of Jazz Yorkshire Vocalist of the Year Kari Nergaard Bleivik, Cecilie Giskemo and Maria Jardardottir, performs original composed and improvised material: varied, human and bold with inspiration from jazz, contemporary music and voice use, Norwegian folk music and other world music. On Røyst: "... the fiendish arrangements of the songs providing a severe test of each woman's range and technique. ... There is a simmering power and surging beauty in everything they sing. If you think there's a strong and totally unapologetic feministic streak to Røyst, you'd be exactly right." [Vibrations Magazine]

Metamorphic

Metamorphic are a contemporary song-based jazz/folk sextet lead by pianist Laura Cole. Metamorphic's music has been described as "refreshingly feminine" [Dan Spicer, Jazzwise]; as "brave, honest, yet beguiling" [Jazz UK]; and as "really original music.. Metamorphic are on to something really new..." [Jez Nelson, Jazz on 3] Metamorphic are: Chris Williams, alto (Led Bib); John Martin, tenor (The John Martin Quartet); Kerry Andrew, vocals (Juice); Tom Greenhalgh, drums (World Sanguine Report); Paul Sandy, bass (The Dead Victorians); Laura Cole, piano/composer/arranger (Engine Room Favourites). Metamorphic's 2nd album, Coalescence, is due for release in May 2013 on the F-ire label.

This double bill with Røyst is part of a UK tour; the tour will also feature collaborative pieces involving both groups written specially for this gig series. Special guests Seth Bennett on bass (IDST) and Oliver Dover on bass clarinet (Shatner's Bassoon) will also be joining the double bill for the tour.

This gig is very special as it is the album launch for the new Metamorphic album, Coalescence.

 

Metamorphic & Røyst Trio gratefully acknowledge financial support from PRS for Music Foundation
www.prsformusicfoundation.com

 

 

• Tue 25 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 8
• Book online

Penny Rimbaud's Last Amendment

Penny Rimbaud's Last Amendment continue their bi-monthly residency with evenings of poetry, jazz and visuals. Predictable only in their unpredictability: improvisational journeys challenging the confines of morality, mores, law and regulation, religion, nation, gods, demons, human conceits and all the hopes and fears that they are designed to induce.

Featuring the now established band of Penny Rimbaud/voice, Louise Elliott/sax & flute, Kate Shortt/cello, Jennifer Maidman/guitars, with regular appearances from Eve Libertine, Chas Weber and invited guests.

• Wed 26 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 10
• Book online

Vortex Gypsy / Eastern European Night
Monooka's Caravan

The Vortex are delighted to welcome back the intriguing and ethereal Monooka and her stunning band.

Award-winning Romanian-born singer and puppeteer, Monooka (aka Monica Lucia Madas) performs traditional songs from the Carpathian mountains in collaboration with British Balkan music specialists Meg Hamilton (violin), Matt Bacon (guitar) and Shane Allessio (double bass). Ottoman and Greek influences blend with soulful Jewish melody, Wallachian gypsy music and traditional Transylvanian doinas.

"She's a genuine talent"' Romanian Cultural Institute, London

 

 

• Thu 27 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 9
• Book online

Impossible Ark presents:
Brigitte Beraha & Stan Sulzmann

 

An evening of musical experiments, original music and songs. Built around the organ trio of Ross Stanley, Rob Updegraff on guitar & Tim Giles on drums.

The trio will be joined by Brigitte Beraha on vocals and Stan Sulzmann on sax, forming different ensembles throughout the evening & performing a range of material.

 

• Fri 28 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 10
• Book online

Babelfish

Babelfish is led by Brigitte Beraha (vocals) and Barry Green (piano), joined by the wonderful Chris Laurence on bass and Paul Clarvis on percussion. Beraha and Green clearly have a close musical rapport; his fluent, robust piano complementing her strong but affecting voice perfectly as they play a mix of originals and music inspired by classical and literary works, from Britten through E.E. Cummings to Raymond Carver.

"A great musician, Brigitte Beraha uses her voice like an instrument in the tradition of people like Flora Purim, Tania Maria and the recently aknowledged bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding" - Julian Joseph, Jazz Line Up, BBC Radio 3.

• Sat 29 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 20
• Book online

Enrico Pieranunzi Trio

Enrico Pieranunzi, one of the leading pianists, playing a rare concert in London in a trio with Enzo Zirilli (drums) and Geoff Gascoyne (bass).

"Italy's jazz piano poet" allaboutjazz.com

• Sun 30 Jun | 8.30pm
•  £ 7 adv./£9 door
• Book online

The Epstein

Oxford-based The Epstein release their second album 'Murmurations', with a very special launch show here at the Vortex. With support from Co-Pilgrim and Empty White Circles.

"The Epstein’s sound is cinematic, captivating and immersive. With intrinsically woven vocals and warm melodies that swoop and soar, this band not only builds on the recent success of British folk, but suitably adds to it as well." Music Week

"The Epstein play in another league – in a vast, desert like land of the soul." Rolling Stone, Editors Choice.

Co-Pilgrim: "Marries Jayhawks harmonies to wafting Beach Boys tunes" Q

 

July 2013

 

• Mon 1 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £11  
• Book online

Karama + Maya Youssef

As part of the Shubbak Festival of contemporary Arab culture, the Vortex presents two very different artists, both of whom take their inspiration from traditional Arabic music and meld it with a Western sensibility.

Karama

Karama, led by Moroccan Oud player Soufian Saihi take inspiration from the ecstatic Gnawa, North African and Arabic classical music as well as the diverse sounds of London streets. The music wanders through diverse sonic landscapes from Tinariwen to Alice Coltrane.

 

Maya Youssef

Syrian kanun player, Maya Youssef is a real master of this traditional instrument.

Having recently collaborated with The Elysian Quartet, her music pushes the boundaries of what the instrument can do.

Check out Maya's YouTube Channel for more performances and interviews.

Maya will be joined by percussionist Sara Fotros, a Daf musician who has worked with traditional and contemporary Persian music.

 

 

• Tue 2 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

One Thousand Boats + Ranjana Ghatack

One Thousand Boats

One Thousand Boats are back again to the Vortex after time away writing and gathering more material for their debut album. The group plays simple songs which explore the fragile balance between structure and improvisation and comprises Liran Donin on bass alongside another Led Bib alumni Chris Williams (alto) as well as Eddie Hick (drums) and Robert Stillman (tenor).

Donin brings the bass to the forefront and directs the music with his abstract groove, while the folk-inspired melodies cast an intriguing new light on the quartet. They draw influences from across Sub Saharan Africa, the Middle East and travel back to 1930s folk and Country Americana, revisiting Japanese film and animation soundtracks once in a while.

Ranjana Ghatak

A collaborator with Seb Rochford and Jason Singh, the London-born vocalist Ranjana Ghatak has a strong passion for her South Asian roots; evidenced by her unique sound, which is neither 'world' nor 'fusion'.

Tonight she is excited to be playing alongside Asaf Sirkis (drums), Nick Ramm (keys) and Liran Donin (bass).

 

• Wed 3 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Fortuna Pop presents:
Allo Darlin’

Allo Darlin' are set to delight and frustrate fans in equal measure this summer by playing four teeny tiny shows at different London venues representing the four points of the compass. The West is represented by Ginglik in Shepherd's Bush, the South by the Half Moon in Herne Hill, North by St Pancras Old Church and we're very happy to have them here in the East at the Vortex.

The London-based four-piece - led by Elizabeth Morris, with guitarist Paul Rains, Bill Botting on the bass and Michael Collins on drums - create perfect, sophisticated pop gems and know how to put on a joyous, effervescent, fun-filled live show. Achingly personal, incredibly poignant and familiar all at once, Elizabeth Morris' songwriting has deepened and developed since their debut, but they've lost none of their ability to create sophisticated, intelligent pop music with an uplifting, joyous feel.

• Thu 4 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Julia Biel

"Her mesmerizing voice and magnetic stage presence should encourage many to follow where she leads... about to hit the big time" THE GUARDIAN

Hailed by The Independent as "the best British vocalist to emerge in an age", Julia Biel is a rare artist indeed. Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Julia Biel blends vocals reminiscent of the greats of jazz's golden age with a poetic yet conversational lyrical style, a uniquely sharp perspective on contemporary life and love, and a melodic and accessible, chorus-led style of song-writing.

Former Perrier Jazz Vocalist of the Year winner and Jazz Awards Rising Star nominee, her self-produced debut album Not Alone spearheaded a wave of British vocal folk/jazz and emerged amid a flurry of critical praise. Features with a host of other acts followed including Polar Bear, Hidden Orchestra, Ben Watt of Everything but the Girl and Soothsayers.

Whether performing self-penned material, or re-inventing old classics, Julia Biel’s signature sound, edgy and smooth in equal measure, defies easy classification hovering between jazz, pop, soul and folk. With influences ranging from Massive Attack, Nina Simone, Bjork, Portishead, PJ Harvey and Rickie Lee Jones and an eagerly anticipated second album awaiting release, prepare to be moved, beguiled, soothed, transported and ultimately mesmerized.

Performing as a 3-piece at The Vortex:
Julia Biel - vocals / piano / guitar
Idris Rahman - bass
Saleem Raman - drums.

• Fri 5 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Ana Silvera + Laura Moody

Ana Silvera

Ana Silvera regularly performed with the English National Opera before travelling the world, joining the anti-folk movement in Berlin and forging exciting creative collaborations in Brooklyn with film makers, musicians and dancers. Last year she was commissioned by the Roundhouse to create a new piece for herself and the Estonian Television Girls Choir for their 2012 Reverb Festival.

"Ana Silvera combines a poet’s feel for language with a film director's sense of the epic; her songs stay in your head long after she’s stopped singing them" The Verb, BBC Radio 3

Laura Moody

Laura Moody is a startlingly original, cello wielding, avant-singer songwriter and long-standing member of innovative string quartet Elysian Quartet. Fascinated not only with words and songwriting but also with sounds, noises and textures she eschews laptops and loop pedals to explore what is possible using only solo cello and voice to create unique, acoustic, avant-pop music. She looks to combine the two instruments with hugely diverse musical influences in interesting and often physical, even theatrical ways composing what she believes to be essentially pop songs, although nobody else ever seems to agree with this definition...

"... for enjoyable astonishment, nothing quite beats the singer-cellist Laura Moody. She plays lyrically; then as if it was a box for sound effects. She sings her own almost-pop songs, gurgles, hoots, wails, taps her throat with the bow. Yet it's all seamless, as if she, the cello and the music are a single organism." The Irish Times

• Sat 6 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £12  
• Book online

Carol Grimes

A firm favourite at the Vortex, Carol Grimes is one of the authentic London voices.

For her show tonight Carol is joined by a formidable group of players, performing songs and excursions from new CD 'CDAWN'.

Expect a special evening with old songs new songs and a story or two.

Winston Clifford, drums
Neville Malcome, double bass
Annie Whitehead, trombone
Dorian Ford, piano

 

• Sun 7 Jul | 3.30pm
•  £5  
• Book online

MOJO

MOJO (moderately optimistic jazz orchestra) are an exciting 17 piece jazz big band based in north London, made up of great musicians from all over the capital.

With a repertoire including laid back & up tempo swing, Latin and funk and playing a wide ranging variety of charts from the traditional (Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington) through to the modern (Gordon Goodwin, Michel Camilo, NYJO, Tower of Power) there is sure to be something for everyone in this big band's dynamic set !

Back once again at their favourite venue the Vortex, this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

• Mon 8 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

John Turville Trio

John Turville - Piano
Dave Whitford - Bass
Ben Reynolds - Drums

The John Turville Trio are one of the leading contemporary jazz ensembles in the UK. Their debut ‘Midas’ won the ‘Best Album’ category of the 2011 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, and their second received four and five star reviews in the press including winning MOJO’s #3 Best Jazz Album of 2012. The trio have played at most major UK venues and festivals, including Scarborough, Manchester, London, Kings Place, Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express, and many national and European clubs and theatres. The music is distinguished by its breadth, lyricism, empathy and a deep communication among all the trio, coming from over ten years of touring and rehearsing, and it’s scope is broad, from fiery tangos and spiky rhythmic compositions reminiscent of Phronesis and Avashai Cohen to poignant ballads evoking the writing of Julian Arguelles and John Ireland.

"A startling contemporary piano trio..with a formidable identity" MOJO ****
MOJO #3 Jazz Album of The Year 2012

• Tue 9 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

WorldService Project

After an intense touring period through 2011/12 that saw them take in over 10 countries around Europe and regular road trips through the UK, WorldService Project launch the release of their second album, Fire in a Pet Shop, (on Megasound) at The Vortex.

Led by pianist/composer Dave Morecroft, WorldService Project’s music is a high-octane combination of dark, playful, building passages, dissonance and complex rhythmic manipulation, drawing on the language of 20th Century Classical composers layered over boisterous grooves. Imagine a four-way cage match between Frank Zappa, Loose Tubes, Stravinsky and Meshuggah … in a Monty Python universe.

"tight, deftly structured and grittily grooving music" The Guardian

"..tricksy time signatures, bursts of light funk and loungey swing, and bouts of squally freedom, all mashed up.." Jazzwise

WorldService Project are:

Dave Morecroft – keys
Tim Ower – saxophones
Raphael Clarkson – trombone
Conor Chaplin – bass
Liam Waugh– drums

Robert Mitchell
Workshop & Concert

• Thu 11 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Popside and The Vortex present…
Darren Hayman's Occupation

Show One - Witches & Bugbears

The first show of Darren Hayman's new monthly residency at The Vortex.

Two sets based around the Essex Witch Trials during the English Civil War. One set of songs from Darren's acclaimed album "The Violence" and a second of English Civil War songs taken from its sister album "Bugbears" which is out on Fika Recordings 15/07/13.

Tickets are £10 and seating is limited so book early to guarantee yourself a spot and ticket holders will get a poster designed by Darren for each show.

Darren Hayman's Occupation is a series of monthly shows at The Vortex, Dalston. There will be a mix of sets showcasing different albums, themes and special guests. This is not your standard indie gig:

"I love gigs. I hate gigs.

I want to play live and I love what shows can be, but I’ve found myself frequently stifled by the limitations of my career. I can’t play the plush, seated venues and I can’t experiment with a string section or play 20 minute opuses.

My music was born in the sticky floored rock venue. I like the sticky floored rock venue but I have had a hankering for something different recently. My own taste has veered towards free improv and jazz and although it’s hard to imagine that music influencing my own I do love the culture of live music in this genre.

Long sets, sometimes two, comfortable venues and a reverence and respect for the event and the moment; less talking, less cameras, more dynamics, less microphones.

I wondered if these would let an indie rock interloper amongst their ranks. My show at the Vortex back in last November was successful enough to make me think of playing a monthly residency there.

The idea is that each show is themed. I don’t want to go the whole predictable route of playing complete albums, but rather group types of songs together for different evenings. Experiment, sometimes play two sets, sometimes have unlikely guests. I will be playing with members of my bands from throughout my career as well as old friends like the Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin.

The Venue is a beautiful venue. I’m trying to do something different; something, smaller, prettier. I hope you can come."

www.hefnet.com | @DarrenHayman | @ThePopside

• Fri 12 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Trio Manouche

Come and enjoy the party with Trio Manouche, one of the UK’s leading gypsy swing ensembles. They'll be playing inspired re-worked classics of Django Reinhardt in addition to highly acclaimed original material penned by their band leader Simon Harris, bringing a unique and contemporary twist to this ever popular genre.

• Sun 14 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Mike Hobart’s Urban Jazz Collective

Mike Hobart is an experienced and soulful saxophonist who has played with the likes of Esther Phillips and Maceo Parker. His first inspirations were the flowing freedoms of Miles Davis’1960s quintet and the soulful blues of Ray Charles, but a lot has happened since then.

Urban Jazz puts it all together, adds new beats and keeps it swinging hard. Texas tenor shouts over Latin funk, modal jazz bursts out of new-school R’n’B and hip hop lends the legacy of Ellington and Monk urgency.

Line-up:
Chris Lee - Trumpet/effects
Mike Hobart - Tenor sax
Raffy Bushman - Keyboards
Sven Atterton - Bass Guitar
Boukie KaBoukie - Drums/Percussion

"Mike Hobart's Urban Jazz Collective are having fun, blowing because they love it. Highlights are the swaggering Blue Note jazz of Fathead and the up-lifting Nardis, with Mike letting rip Pharoah-style." Jez Nelson

• Wed 17 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Tanya Kalmanovitch & Huw Warren Duo

Tanya Kalmanovitch - viola/violin
Huw Warren - piano

Canadian Tanya Kalmanovitch stands as one of the first violists to define a voice for her instrument in contemporary improvised music. Based in New York City since 2004, she has been named "Best New Talent" by All About Jazz, while Time Out New York identified her as "the Juilliard-trained violist who’s been tearing up the scene".

Huw Warren has been one of most innovative players on the UK scene for over 20 years; freely crossing styles and genres whilst retaining an individual voice. His most recent recording is 'Quercus' with June Tabor and Iain Ballamy on ECM.

• Thu 18 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £10
• Book online

Evan Parker

Monthly Vortex residency with master of free improvisation, Evan Parker.

A major force in European improvising, Parker has collaborated with everyone from Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley & Anthony Braxton, to Scott Walker, Robert Wyatt and Squarepusher. He is one of Europe’s most innovative and intriguing saxophonists, which is why he keeps audiences coming back for more.

"If you've ever been tempted by free improvisation, Parker is your gateway drug." Stewart Lee

 

 

• Tue 23 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Rob Terry Trio

Rob Terry (piano), Paul Jefferies (double bass), Charlie Stratford (kit).
robterrytrio.com

This fresh, exciting trio features Rob Terry’s very original and stylish compositional work - a superb mix of modern jazz with strong nods to the harmony and sensitivities of the classical world. His playing veers from the strongly muscular to beautifully sensitive and is dynamic enough to keep even the toughest of critics keenly aware that there is a lot being said through his finely crafted arrangements, which brim with memorable melody and harmonic surprise.

A performance & composition graduate from University of Birmingham and one of the rising stars of jazz in the 90’s, Rob took time out to perform with a plethora of artists including Eartha Kitt, Gloria Gaynor, Dave Stewart, Marc Almond and Lulu. In subsequent years, Rob has returned to his study of composition and developed a style mixing elements of western ‘Classical’ music with jazz. More recently, in addition to creating and performing with his own trio, Rob has appeared and recorded with Stewart Curtis’ K-Groove band, Koby Israelite’s band, the Sophie Garner Jazz Project amd Neil Stacey’s Kimbara Brothers. He has performed at a huge range of venues, singnificantly including the Royal Albert Hall, the Vortex, the 606 club and Ronnie Scotts.

"a sparkling and original interpretation of the piano trio, combining grace with a subtle edge, bringing together influences from Ramsey Lewis to Jarrett to Chopin, within a wrapper of deeply creative compositions, a delight" – Pete Watson, Artist Director – Ealing Jazz Festival

• Sat 27 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £12
• Book online

John Etheridge

John Etheridge rightly enjoys a glowing reputation throughout the jazz world and beyond and has been described by Pat Metheny as, "One of the best guitarists in the world".

He is a prodigiously gifted and creative player whose approach to music can only be described as 'eclectic' as he refuses to accommodate or even acknowledge artificial musical boundaries. His range is well illustrated by his years of touring and recording with the iconic Stephane Grappelli while simultaneously doing likewise with the legendary jazz-fusion group, The Soft Machine.

John is equally at home on acoustic and electric guitar and his willingness to engage with so many styles is matched by his ability to excel in any of them. He has played with John Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Dizzie Gillespie, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Nigel Kennedy, Pat Metheny, Birelli Lagrene, Barney Kessel, Vic Juris and countless others.

• Mon 29 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Will Butterworth Trio

Will Butterworth - Piano
Henrik Jensen - Bass
Peter Ibbetson - Drums

"A precociously talented young modern jazz pianist who plays with spacious and fractious beauty. A rising Brit Jazz piano star." Time out

"A brilliant young pianist… Stunning displays of virtuosity…a remarkable talent." Ian Mann – The Jazz Mann

"One of the scene’s rising stars, Will Butterworth’s thoughtful and creative piano playing has earned him considerable respect and admiration on the local scene. A really exciting musical prospect Will is unquestionably in the vanguard of UK modern jazz performers. One of the most talented young players on the scene." Steve Ruby 606

"A really great young pianist." Bill Bruford

"Music of considerable interest… One of the more original young prospects on today’s scene." Jazzwise

• Wed 31 Jul | 8.30pm
•  £8
• Book online

Mark Holub & Irene Kepl

A brand new improvised duo featuring Led Bib drummer Mark Holub and acclaimed Austrian violinist Irene Kepl. With their unusual instrumentation Holub and Kepl move through frenetic free improv, to wistful melodies, to pummelling grooves.

The duo was formed shortly after Holub's arrival in Vienna and from the start it was a special musical meeting of two sympathetic voices. This rare chance to see them in London is not to be missed.

 

August 2013

 

• Fri 2 Aug | 8.30pm
•  £12  
• Book online

Ife Tolentino, Julian Siegel and Liam Noble

Celebrating the launch of new album, Você Passou Aqui (You Were Here), which was recorded in Iceland with some of the finest Icelandic musicians. Tonight celebrates the UK release of the album, with some truly fantastic musicians including one of the UK's most in demand sax players, Julian Siegel, and pianist/composer Liam Noble.

Ife Tolentino has played with John Parricelli, Ingrid Laubrock, Liam Noble, Julian Siegel, Paul Jayasinha, Paul Clarvis, Steve Lodder and many more.

• Sat 3 Aug | 8.30pm
•  £15
• Book online

Stan Tracey Trio

Jazz legend Stan Tracey's quirky, percussive piano style and his off-kilter compositions owe much to Thelonius Monk and are always compelling live. He's a rarity in British jazz, being one of the few instantly recognisable voices on the circuit, not to mention one of the country's all-time greatest jazz band leaders.

• Tue 6 Aug | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Martin Speake / Kit Downes / James Maddren / Calum Gourlay + Martin Speake / Douglas Finch

This evening's concert features two new collaborations from alto saxophonist Martin Speake.

The first set will be a completely improvised duo performance from Martin and classical pianist Canadian Douglas Finch. They met whilst teaching together at Trinity Laban in a project called Corridor's Of Improvisation. Douglas was head of keyboard from 1999-2007 and continues to teach piano and composition there. He has composed many works including piano pieces, string quartets and other chamber music. Alongside his composing he has collaborated with improvisors such as Naji Hakim, Eddie Prévost, Cindy Oswin and Peter Sheppard-Skaerved.

The second set will feature Martin's compositions performed by a new quartet with pianist Kit Downes, Calum Gourlay, James Maddren. Although they have played together many times individually in different projects this will be the first performance of the four of them together and will feature music from Martin's recent cd release 'Always A First Time' (Pumpkin).

"Speake is a strikingly talented improviser with a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration." - Encyclopedia of Popular Music

"Douglas Finch...one of the most amazing talents I've heard in years." Stuart Hamilton, Toronto Globe and Mail

"Kit Downes is the most impressive jazz pianist from England since John Taylor." - Hamburger Abendblatt

• Wed 7 Aug | 8.30pm
•  £12
• Book online

Maria Pia De Vito + Huw Warren present
'O Pata Pata'

Maria Pia de Vito - voice/electronics
Huw Warren - piano

A rare London appearance by one of Italy's most highly regarded singers in a project that sees her perform with Welsh pianist Huw Warren. Having been performed to ecstatic reviews across Europe and further afield, 'O Pata Pata' blends original music, Neapolitan lyrics, high energy improvisation with deeply emotional songs.

They have recorded two albums on the Parco Della Musica label, 'Dialektos' (with Gabriele Mirabassi) and 'O Pata Pata' (with Ralph Towner).

"Performing material from their superb 2008 recording Diálektos, which explores their mutual love of jazz, Brazilian and Neapolitan music, I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a live performance in which two artists were so completely attuned to each other, whether negotiating the trickiest unison passage or breezing through the catchiest Brazilian riff" Jazzwise

• Thu 8 Aug | 8.30pm
•  £10  
• Book online

Popside and The Vortex present…
Darren Hayman's Occupation

Show Two - Sun, Sea and Lidos

The second show of Darren Hayman’s new monthly (every second Thursday) residency at The Vortex.

A set featuring songs from Darren Hayman’s Great British Holiday EPs and also instrumental pieces from his more recent album "Lido".

Tickets are £10 and seating is limited so book early to guarantee yourself a spot and ticket holders will get a poster designed by Darren for each show.

Darren Hayman's Occupation is a series of monthly shows at The Vortex, Dalston. There will be a mix of sets showcasing different albums, themes and special guests. This is not your standard indie gig:

"I love gigs. I hate gigs.

I want to play live and I love what shows can be, but I’ve found myself frequently stifled by the limitations of my career. I can’t play the plush, seated venues and I can’t experiment with a string section or play 20 minute opuses.

My music was born in the sticky floored rock venue. I like the sticky floored rock venue but I have had a hankering for something different recently. My own taste has veered towards free improv and jazz and although it’s hard to imagine that music influencing my own I do love the culture of live music in this genre.

Long sets, sometimes two, comfortable venues and a reverence and respect for the event and the moment; less talking, less cameras, more dynamics, less microphones.

I wondered if these would let an indie rock interloper amongst their ranks. My show at the Vortex back in last November was successful enough to make me think of playing a monthly residency there.

The idea is that each show is themed. I don’t want to go the whole predictable route of playing complete albums, but rather group types of songs together for different evenings. Experiment, sometimes play two sets, sometimes have unlikely guests. I will be playing with members of my bands from throughout my career as well as old friends like the Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin.

The Venue is a beautiful venue. I’m trying to do something different; something, smaller, prettier. I hope you can come."

www.hefnet.com | @DarrenHayman | @ThePopside

 

September 2013

 

• Sun 1 Sep | 3.30pm
•  £5  
• Book online

MOJO

MOJO (moderately optimistic jazz orchestra) are an exciting 17 piece jazz big band based in north London, made up of great musicians from all over the capital.

With a repertoire including laid back & up tempo swing, Latin and funk and playing a wide ranging variety of charts from the traditional (Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington) through to the modern (Gordon Goodwin, Michel Camilo, NYJO, Tower of Power) there is sure to be something for everyone in this big band's dynamic set !

Back once again at their favourite venue the Vortex, this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

• Mon 16 Sep | 8.30pm
•  £9
• Book online

Asaf Sirkis Trio

Kicking off a UK tour in support of new album 'Shepherd's Stories', this Vortex show promises to be really very special.

"Since arriving in London from Israel at the end of the end of the '90s, Asaf Sirkis has earned a reputation as one of the world's premier drummers" Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

"Asaf Sirkis sounding creatively freer and more dramatically inventive than ever on drums". John Fordham, The Guardian

"Sirkis is not only an inventive drummer but also a composer of rigour, wit and surprising delicacy" Chris Ingham, Mojo Magazine

Asaf Sirkis - Drums
Yaron Stavi - Bass
Tassos Spiliotopoulos - Guitar

 

 

October 2013

 

• Fri 4 Oct | 8.30pm
•  £ 12.50  
• Book online

Brother Face
[Liam Noble/Dave Whitford/Dave Wickins/Shabaka Hutchings/Chris Batchelor]

Liam Noble's new group expands the 'Brubeck' trio (with Dave Whitford and Dave Wickins) into a five piece, adding Chris Batchelor on trumpet and Shabaka Hutchings on clarinet and tenor.

The compositions steer a course between the avant garde and Tin Pan Alley, with influences from Prokofiev to Ed Blackwell to PJ Harvey, and the improvisational freedom within each piece means every performance aspires to be different.

"(Noble)…sets himself dauntingly high standards, then achieves them." Jon Turney, London Jazz Blog

"An ideal blend of tight focus and wide–ranging freedom" Ivan Hewett, The Daily Telegraph

• Sun 6 Oct | 3.30pm
•  £8
• Book online

E17 Large Ensemble + Solstice

An afternoon of new music from two of London's most exciting large ensembles.

E17 Large Ensemble

The flagship E17 jazz large ensemble is a fantastically exciting band which was formed in Autumn 2009 to play new music specifically written for the band by pianist Liam Noble, as well as compositions by local musicians. The band has performed at the London Jazz Festival and will be playing new original music written by Hans Koller this season.

Brigitte Beraha – Voice
Carlos Lopez-Real – Alto Sax / Clarinet
Tori Freestone – Tenor Sax / Flute
Rachel Musson – Tenor Sax / Flute
Josh kemp – Tenor Sax
Adam Bishop – Baritone Sax / Bass Clarinet
Joe Auckland – Trumpet
Robbie Robson – Trumpet
Gavin Broom – Trumpet
John Turville – Piano
Jez Franks – Guitar
Dave Manington – Bass
Nick Smalley – Drums

More info at e17jazz.com

Solstice

Members of Solstice write and play each other's pieces, influenced by the likes of Hermeto Pascoal, Pierre de Bethman, Brian Blade and Django Bates.

John Turville - Piano
Dave Manington - Bass
Brigitte Beraha - Vocals
Jez Franks - Guitar
Tori Freestone - Saxes/Flutes
George Hart - Drums

• Tue 29 Oct | 8.30pm
•  £ 9
• Book online

Nick Malcolm Quartet

Nick Malcolm is an original, exciting and heart-felt improviser. His quartet play original music, mixing a love of free improvisation with more structured playing, merging and deconstructing rhythm, melody and all the points between. The result is an interactive, intense and thrilling performance.

Nick Malcolm – Trumpet
Alexander Hawkins – Piano
Olie Brice – Bass
Mark Whitlam - Drums

"...some of the most promising musicians on the UK's new improv scene..." Londonjazz

"deserves to establish Nick Malcolm as a significant presence on the UK jazz scene..." Jazzmann

 

November 2013

 

• Sun 3 Nov | 3.30pm
•  £5  
• Book online

MOJO

MOJO (moderately optimistic jazz orchestra) are an exciting 17 piece jazz big band based in north London, made up of great musicians from all over the capital.

With a repertoire including laid back & up tempo swing, Latin and funk and playing a wide ranging variety of charts from the traditional (Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington) through to the modern (Gordon Goodwin, Michel Camilo, NYJO, Tower of Power) there is sure to be something for everyone in this big band's dynamic set !

Back once again at their favourite venue the Vortex, this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!