Global Groove
Words of a Jazz Cosmos
by Chris Searle
(Jazz in Britain)
Chris Searle has been listening to jazz for more than 70 years, encompassing most of the existence of the genre. This book covers his writing of the past 30 years, mostly for the Morning Star. This is the second book of his collected writings. Over 200 articles, 484 pages, and so very few articles beyond 2 pages.
It’s a real must for lovers of the Vortex and Cafe Oto showing how much of the dynamism of this music is regularly showcased in Dalston, something that indeed many of us would have been perhaps surprised to imagine as recently as 20 years ago, when the Vortex planted its flag in Gillett Square, followed less than 5 years later by Cafe Oto. A large proportion of the articles were inspired by attending gigs at one or other of these venues.
There is a focus on reviews of British musicians across the generations. So we have a few about Kenny Wheeler, Mike Westbrook but also down to the newest generation of jazz, such as young pianist Roella Oloro, recently graduated from Berklee School of Music. With all points in between. There’s a great selection about the free improv scene, which the Vortex and Oto have continued to support and also important musicians from across the narrow pond of the Channel, such as Alexander von Schlippenbach or Peter Brötzmann, and the larger pond of the Atlantic. So there are articles about Art Ensemble of Chicago, Rez Abbasi, Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker. Writing album reviews as well as gig reviews allows this to be achieved.
As with jazz in general, there is a total cross section. But Searle is extraordinarily good at pithily putting personal descriptions of musicians into just a few lines. Of course, it’s not complete, and focuses more on the contemporary scenes as you regularly see here in Dalston. There are also articles about musicians who can be broadly put into the category of jazz-oriented world musicians, such as Korhan Futaci, Majjid Bekkas and Bokani Dyer.
There’s no index as such, just that the articles are in alphabetical order of the main artist involved. So you’ll get Ernest Ranglin followed by Iiro Rantala, Emma Rawicz and Dewey Redman.
It also it feel good that musicians are given equal weighting . What Charlie Parker has to say is treated as just as important as William Parker or Evan.
The criterion is what Chris can get to hear but then what he enjoys and finds important.
Mike Westbrook’s introduction to the previous volume, “Talking The Groove”, holds true. “Chris listens, he engages emotionally with the music, he talks to its creators. H identifies with the artist’s struggle for freedom of expression and sees parallels in the wider political situation. with Chris as a committed and articulate guide, we find a timely reminder that jazz is as vital and vibrant as ever.”
And all credit to Jazz in Britain for going, what for it, is going out on a limb. Already well known for the hard work in reissues of many important recordings, the same is true in this case.
Oliver Weindling
May 2026
Order here: https://jazzinbritain1.bandcamp.com/merch/global-groove-words-of-a-jazz-cosmos-by-chris-searle