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Doors open at 8pm
Gigs start at 8.30pm unless shown otherwise.
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February 2010 programme
Gigs start at 8.30pm unless otherwise shown.
Online booking available now.
Tuesday 9 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Julien Lourau – Quartet Saigon
Julien Lourau is one of the finest-toned saxophonists in France. With Laurent Coq (piano), Thomas Bramerie (double bass) and Otis Brown III (drums), he presents his Quartet Saigon – named after the location of their first gig, in Vietnam.
Their name also gives an indication of the project’s themes which range from abstract to more colourful salvoes. Lourau is ethereal on the soprano and earthy on the tenor sax, having played and toured internationally with Marc Ducret, Henri Texier, Abbey Lincoln, Vincent Courtois, Bojan Z and Ari Hoenig amongst others. Not to be missed.
'Dark, atmospheric, with multiple layers of sounds and weird samples, yet this never overshadows the sheer beauty of Lourau's melodies' (Jazzmann).
See Chris Parker's review of Quartet Saigon CD.
Wednesday 10 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Shakespeare & Co
The debut of a unique new group playing jazz settings of Shakespeare's (and other poets and writers) songs and poems by Scott Stroman, Nikki Iles, and John Dankworth. Great songs, great singing, great solos, great entertainment – that's the idea.
Tina May and Scott Stroman (vocals) dreamed up this group, named after the famous bookshop in Paris, while doing shows together in France. Their production of Weill's Lady in the Dark was nominated for a Molière award for best musical).
For Shakespeare & Co they have brought together their favourite musicians : Nikki Iles (piano), Stan Sulzmann (saxophones), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Paul Clarvis (drums).
Thursday 11 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Annie Whitehead Quartet
Originally formed in 1994 to play material from Annie's albums 'Naked', 'Home' and 'The Gathering', the band has since toured the UK extensively, making appearances at the Bracknell, Brecon and Glasgow jazz festivals.
Bassist and multi-instrumentalist Jennifer Maidman produced Annie's last three albums and, amongst others, has played with David Sylvian, Gerry Rafferty, Boy George, Joan Armatrading and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
Steve Lodder (keyboards), is one of Europe's finest jazz musicians and has worked with John Etheridge, George Russell's 'Living Time Orchestra' and has toured and recorded with Andy Sheppards 'Inco-motion'.
Drummer Liam Genockey toured and recorded with Steeleye Span and Trevor Watt's Drum Orchestra. He has also worked with Gerry Rafferty, Paul Brady and Elton Dean.
'A powerful mixture of African grooves, blustery free jazz, almost Ellingtonian expressionism at times and bursts of driving blues' (The Guardian Guide).
Friday 12 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble
A decade since formation, the Ensemble prepare for an anniversary tour. Saxophonist Gilad Atzmon’s music draws on jazz, electronica, Arabic music and the urban sounds of the 21st century, shifting between jazz-noir, catchy world grooves and hard-blowing heavy metal bebop.
Featuring ensemble members Frank Harrison (piano, keys and electronics), Yaron Stavi (bass) and newcomer Eddie Hick (drums), the band has been described as ‘...one of the most uncontrivedly versatile and unequivocally entertaining jazz units currently operating in the UK’ (Chris Parker).
Saturday 13 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble
As Friday 12.
Sunday 14 | 2.00pm | £10 | Book online
NajPonk
Pianist and composer NajPonk is a regular on the Czech jazz scene. This afternoon he will be launching his new CD 'Just For My Friends'.
There is an Eastern European slant to NajPonk’s take on the great jazz classics, while his own numbers, like Nine Eleven 2001, reflect the times we live in.
NajPonk’s musical influences run deep, with traces of Thelonius Monk, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly and Bud Powell. He has recorded with legendary bassist George Mraz and his regular Czech drummer Martin Sulc, and is interested in Elgar!
Sunday 14 | 8.30pm | £12 | Book online
Barb Jungr
Share a great Valentine's night with some of the most poignant and beautiful love songs from Barb's collection including songs by Porter, Harburg, Dylan, Cohen and Costello.
With Jenny Carr on piano, Barb Jungr – "one of the best nightclub singers in the world" (Time Out New York) – brings her vision and performance together and celebrates Valentine's Day at the Vortex.
Featured again this year in Time Out New York's best shows of the year, and with six highly-acclaimed, internationally released recordings on Linn Records, Jungr's new CD 'The Men I Love' is released on Naim Label in March 2010.
“Barb Jungr’s voice has established her as a superlative interpreter of the great song-books” (The Independent).
Monday 15 | 8.30pm | £3 | Book online
Contemporary Jazz Ensemble
with Mark Lockheart
A special concert given by the Contemporary Jazz Ensemble from Trinity College of Music directed by Mark Lockheart, featuring contemporary British big band music by Stan Sultzmann, Steve Berry, Django Bates, Kenny Wheeler, John Paricelli and Mark Lockheart.
Tuesday 16 | 8.30pm | £9 | Book online
Eddie Prevost Trio
Philip Somervell (piano), Guillaume Viltard (double bass) and Eddie Prévost (drums).
Eddie Prévost is one of the founding innovators of the new improvisationary music that emerged in the 1960s. His own contribution spans the experimentalism implicit in the music of AMM – with its emphasis upon exploring sound sources – as well as experimental references to the world of jazz.
This trio is drawn together through association with Prévost’s workshop. Not free-jazz, not ‘free-bop, not free-improvisation, the trio displays many of the tonal and poly-rhythmic characteristics of jazz, but there is a strong emphasis on exploring the nature of sound and on collective playing.
Predicate
Predicate is a new quartet led by Alex Ward – 'a compulsively creative polymath' (Stewart Lee); 'one of those players who seems to get interesting music out of anything he touches' (Nate Dorward), and features Tim Hill (alto and baritone saxes), Dominic Lash (double bass) and Mark Sanders (drums). Ward himself plays electric guitar, and provides compositions which drive the music into intense torrents of electric free jazz.
Wednesday 17 – Sunday 21 LOOP Festival
A five-day festival at the Vortex packed with performances from Loop members, collaborations and guest bands from other top European collectives plus Loop friends including F-ire, Yolk, LIMA, and Umlaut.
The festival is part-funded by the Arts Council and PRS foundation.
Doors are 7.30pm – start time 8.00pm unless shown otherwise.
Seating will be on a first come first serve basis for all events.
3-day pass | £25 (phone booking only – pre-booking required)
5-day festival pass | £40 | Book online
Wednesday 17 | 8.00pm | £10 | Book online
8.00pm – Loop Friends Series
Seb Rochford + Leafcutter John
Seb Rochford (drums) and John Burton (laptop).
9.00pm
Sam Crockatt 4tet
Tenor player Sam Crockatt began his musical partnership with pianist Gwilym Simcock at the Royal Academy of Music and their close artistic rapport underlies much of the beauty of the music.
Sam Crockatt (tenor saxophone), Kit Downes (piano), Oli Hayhurst (bass) and Ben Reynolds (drums).
10.00pm
Alex Bonney
Tribute to Ayler with special guests Mark Sanders & Paul Dunmall
A celebration of the great American saxophonist and innovator Albert Ayler. Alex Bonney (trumpets), Robin Fincker & Paul Dunmall (saxophone), Dylan Bates (violin) , Dave Kane (bass), Johnny Brierley (bass) and Mark Sanders (drums).
Thursday 18 | 8.00pm | £10 | Book online
8.00pm
Dog Soup
The band employ effects, samplers and loops to create a swirling bed of music over which to improvise a seething electronic stew of gritty, dark grooves.
Robbie Robson (trumpet & fx), John Turville (keyboards), Johnny Brierley (bass guitar) and Tim Giles (drums).
9.00pm
Tom Mix
A relatively new band, led by Mark Hanslip (tenor sax), with Olie Brice (double bass) and Tony Marsh (drums), exploring open improvisation based on a broad frame of reference which includes the work of John Coltrane, Lee Konitz and Sonny Rollins, the classical music of Bartok, Webern and Xenakis and the raw energy of rock and hip hop.
10.00pm
Phronesis
Sparked by a repeated bass figure, the band feel their way into a groove, slowly shifting its emphasis and subtly altering its dynamics as they go until all its many and varied possibilities have been explored. 'A frenetic, grooving, great young band with bags of confidence' (Time Out).
Anton Eger (drums), Ivo Neame (piano), Jasper Hoiby (bass).
Friday 19 | 8.00pm | £12 / 10 | Book online
8.00pm – Loop Friends Series
Yolk
European TV brass trio comprising Matthias Schriefl (trumpet), Daniel Casimir (trombone) and Francois Thuillier (tuba).
9.00pm
Blink
With special guest Vincent Courtois.
Blink has established itself as a unique ensemble on the current UK and European Jazz scene. The trio premiere their collaboration with world-class French cellist Vincent Courtois featuring music from their forthcoming second album as well as new pieces composed especially for the occasion.
'Blink enjoys a nimble agility that seems intent on taking everyone by surprise…somehow discovering accidental perfection in the face of infinite possibility' (Jazzwise)
Robin Fincker (sax & clarinet ), Alcyona Mick (piano), Paul Clarvis (drums) and Vincent Courtois (cello).
10.00pm
Dave Manington’s Riff-Raff
Playing material from their 2008 album release 'Headrush' described as '... an absorbing and oddly compelling album, another quiet triumph for the consistently intriguing Loop Collective' (Chris Parker).
The Quartet is augmented by vocalist Brigitte Beraha. 'Her pure, agile soprano addresses lyrics and imaginative scatting with equal aplomb' (Chris Parker).
Brigitte Beraha (vocals), Mark Hanslip (tenor saxophone), Ivo Neame (Rhodes), Dave Manington (bass) and Tim Giles (drums).
11.00pm
Golden Age of Steam
Led by reeds player James Allsopp, the band builds on his association with drummer Tim Giles, his co-leader of the award-winning quintet Fraud and the line-up is completed by keyboard virtuoso Kit Downes, winner of the BBC Jazz Award for Rising Star 2008.
Inspired by the anarchic playfulness of Ligeti’s music, the joyous thunder of Coltrane and Ayler and the twisted lyricism of Captain Beefheart, the music is sometimes labyrinthine, sometimes eerily sparse – incorporating seismic riffs, limping marches and intricately woven textures.
James Allsopp (tenor sax ), Kit Downes (organ) and Tim Giles (drums).
Saturday 20 | 8.00pm | £12 / 10 | Book online
8:00pm
Ma
Earthy, dub-inflected cyclic grooves and group improvisations that belie the size and instrumentation of the group – Tom Challenger (tenor sax ), Ross Stanley (organ), Dave Smith (drums) and Matt Calvert (laptop).
9.00pm
Fringe Magnetic
Trumpeter Rory Simmon's Fringe Magnetic brings together chamber music and cutting-edge jazz and improvised music. The ensemble features some of the most exciting young musicians on the London jazz, classical and improvised scene.
Vocalists Elisabeth Nygaard and Andrew Plummer lend the ensemble a mesmeric
darkness which converges in a mix of New-York downtown, 20th century contemporary
classical and skewed verse.
10:00pm – Loop Friends Series
Umlaut
Peeping Tom with special guest Evan Parker.
Pierre-Antoine Badaroux (alto sax), Joel Grip (bass), Antonin Gerbal (drums) and Evan Parker (sax).
11.00pm
Gemini
Vibes player Jim Hart's Gemini fuses melodic lyricism with complex rhythmic counterpoint and free improvisation. The music draws on the influences of Bill Frisell, Wayne Shorter and John Hollenbeck’s Claudia quintet.
Autumn 2009 saw the release of their new album 'Narrada' and a successful UK tour.
Jim Hart (vibes), Ivo Neame (alto sax), Jasper Hoiby (bass), Dave Smith (drums).
This evening's performance will be recorded by BBC Radio 3
Sunday 21 | 8.00pm | £10/8 | Book online
6.00pm (downstairs at The Vortex)
Duo Sessions @ The Ochre Works
Mark Hanslip (tenor saxophone) & Javier Carmona (drums/percussion)
Rory Simmons (trumpet) & Alex Bonney (trumpet)
8.00pm – Loop Friends Series
Lima
This is Matt Bourne's second ever improvised solo performance using only the legendary Moog Memorymoog analogue synthesizer. Expect a memorable (excuse the pun) sonic and sometimes hilarious journey through its circuits – with ear-splitting frequencies, passages of John Carpenteresque 80's soundtracks and the unmistakable warmth that only 18 voltage-controlled oscillators can produce...
9.00pm
Outhouse
Following a busy year which included a European tour with guitar wizard Hilmar Jensson and a UK tour with 'Ruhabi' (their critically acclaimed collaboration with five west-african percussionists) – Outhouse starts their 2010 season at the Loop festival with a brand new set of music written for the quartet.
Still blurring the line between composed and improvised music, Outhouse, dubbed by Jazzwise as 'one of the best young bands on the current London Jazz scene', is all set to embark on an engaging journey without stylistic boundaries.
Robin Fincker (tenor sax & clarinet), Tom Challenger (tenor sax), Johnny Brierley (bass) and Dave Smith (drums).
10.00pm
Ivo Neame 4tet
Featuring an unusual front-line line-up of piano and vibes, two of the country's most resourceful soloists, Jim Hart (vibes) and Ivo Neame (piano), stretch out and strike sparks off each other over one of the most intense yet thoughtful rhythm sections currently operating in the UK – Jasper Hoiby (bass), James Maddren (drums).
'...immediately appealing, fresh and stimulating, courtesy not only of the infectious enthusiasm and commitment of Neame's band but also of the sheer classiness of his writing for it' (Chris Parker).
Monday 22 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Elisa Caleb Quintet
A rising star – Elisa Caleb's unaffected voice conveys a combination of grace and power.
Born in the England from a mixed heritage (Barbados/Phillipines), Elisa was propelled into singing almost by chance and her debut album ‘Carry Me Home’ demonstrates her breadth of artistry; from up-tempo swing to heart-breaking ballad, mellow folk and gospel.
'Knocking spots off some of her more heavily promoted UK and US counterparts…Carry Me Home reveals a singer with a terrific sense of time, wonderfully neat phrasing and one of the most mellifluous tones imaginable' (Jazzwise).
Tuesday 23 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Robert Castelli's Boom Quartet
Featuring Mornington Lockett & Nic Meier
From New York, drummer Robert Castelli has played and / or recorded with well-known and up-and-coming artists in just about every popular genre in the USA and Europe, from small clubs to stadiums.
Eminent critics and journalists from six countries describe Robert Castelli's Boom Quartet this way: 'witty melodies, tough swing and nasty funk.' (Time Out London); 'gutsy Jazz/Funk' (Jazzwise); 'A feast of styles' (Rhythm UK); 'inspired' (Drums & Perc. Germany); 'powerful and exciting' (Concerto Mag Vienna); 'this band is exceptional. Castelli is a rhythm machine.' (Jazz halo Belgium); '5 Stars' (Drums Etc, Canada), 'incredible' (abstractlogix USA); 'Amazing, Amazing!' (Gilad Atzmon). Don´t miss it
Wednesday 24 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Dave Stapleton Quintet
Since releasing their last highly successful album ‘The House Always Wins’, the Dave Stapleton Quintet have wowed audiences throughout the UK and across Europe and have received 4 and 5 star reviews in the France, Germany and in the UK.
As compelling and powerful live as they are on record, DSQ launch their third and most anticapted album yet. With the muscular, vital frontline team of trumpeter Jonny Bruce and saxophonist Ben Waghorn and the subtle, vibrating rhythm section of pianist Dave Stapleton, bassist Paula Gardiner and drummer Elliott Bennett. Not to be missed!
Thursday 25 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
Evan Parker with Dunmall / Rogers / Levin
Saxophonist Evan Parker's regular monthly free improvisation residency. This rare visit to England by French resident Paul Rogers (bass) to play with two long-term associates Paul Dunmall (tenor saxophone) and Tony Levin (drums), presents an opportunity for Evan to guest with one of the great trios in free jazz.
Friday 26 | 8.30pm | £8 | Book online
trioVD
2009 was an incredible year for trioVD with the release of their debut album 'Fill It Up With Ghosts' voted BEST JAZZ ALBUM of 2009 in MoJo Magazine. 2010 looks set to be a defining year for the band also.
The trio of Chris Sharkey (electric guitar), Christophe de Bezenac (alto sax) and Chris Bussey (drums), also won a BBC Introducing Award, and gave a blistering performance at the London Jazz Festival, which has resulted in the band becoming one of the hottest jazz tickets in Europe.
'The flow of brilliant and busy ideas is unstoppable and breathtaking' (BBC review).
Fast, intricate, tight and loud: this promises to be a classic Vortex gig.
Please note this performance will be standing only.
Saturday 27 | 8.30pm | £10 | Book online
Alexander Stewart Quartet
featuring Denys Baptiste
Just 22 years of age, singer 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 and Sinatra – and with a touch of the Kurt Elling rasp – Stewart avoids being a nostalgia act by a judiciously off-beat choice of material and a decidedly contemporary energy level.
As well as clever re-arrangements of standards, he translates the occasional pop song into jazz and adds some originals, including songs by pianist Alex Webb. Stewart performs with Webb, acclaimed bassist Gary Crosby and Andy Chapman on drums.
For this Vortex appearance, Alexander will be joined by one of Britain's tenor sax titans, Denys Baptiste.
'This is a voice people will want to hear' (London Jazz blog).
Sunday 28 | 8.30pm | £8/5 | Book online
Mopomoso – monthly free improvisation night
Grew / Beck
Stephen Grew (piano) / Mick Beck (reeds).
Two fine musicians and prime movers in their respective towns of Lancaster and Sheffield, between them the duo have worked in the UK and abroad with musicians such as Derek Bailey, Andy Sheppard, Keith Tippett, Evan Parker and Louis Moholo.
Grew has developed his own series of scales and motifs which he uses as building blocks in conjunction with Beck’s re-invention of the saxophone and, unusually in improvisation, the bassoon.
‘Uncompromising, intense’ and ‘ridiculously entertaining’ (Jazzwise).
Lull
Tanja Feichtmair (sax) / Josef Novotny (piano - electronics) / Uli Winter (cello) Fredi Proll (drums)
Lull are an energetic and joyful group of improvisers from Austria, here to promote their new CD ‘The Zipper’ (Leo Records).
Tanja has played Mopomoso before in a duo with John Russell and he has toured with the group alongside Walter Wierbos and John Edwards.
This is a rare chance to hear an imaginative and dynamic quartet who play a far reaching music.
Sjoestrom / Russell
Harri Sjoestrom (sax) / John Russell (guitar)
Harri is a major figure on the European free-improvised music scene, probably best known for his many collaborations with Cecil Taylor. He is also co-founder of the European Contemporary Improvisers Orchestra.
This is the first time Harri and John have appeared as a duo. Here to make a recording, this is their only London concert and should provide a fascinating insight into the music of two experienced and inventive musicians.
Coming months...
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Wednesday 10 February
Shakespeare & Co
jazz settings of Shakespeare's songs and poems by Scott Stroman, Nikki Iles, and John Dankworth. Great songs, great singing, great solos, great entertainment...
Thursday 11 February
Annie Whitehead Quartet
A powerful mixture of African grooves, blustery free jazz, almost Ellingtonian expressionism at times and bursts of driving blues' (The Guardian Guide).
Fri 12 & Sat 13 February
Gilad Atzmon
Orient House Ensemble
Jazz, electronica, Arabic music, shifting between jazz-noir, catchy world grooves and hard-blowing heavy metal bebop.
Sun 14 February
Barb Jungr
Share a great Valentine's night with some of the most poignant and beautiful love songs from Barb's collection including songs by Porter, Harburg, Dylan, Cohen and Costello
