“Unselfing” is, according to author and philosopher Iris Murdoch, an important way to keep sane and be energised: it is achieved by immersing oneself in a work of art, music or nature. As she wrote: “It invigorates our best faculties and, to use Platonic language, inspires love in the highest part of the soul.”
So music, in its recorded form as well as live at the Vortex, has an important role in keeping us all sane and positive. A great side of hearing the music live is that you can feel the instant creation and thus get immersed. So, our recommendation is not to forget about the joy that music, especially live, can give!
The next week has an intriguing range of new young vocalists, all getting established. An exciting element is that they will balance the strong historic jazz tradition with elements of today. Rebecka Edlund performs for the first of the new Downstairs Living Room series which she herself also programmes together with Immy Churchill (16). Meanwhile we also have Fabienne Ambuehl tonight returning after her album launch and award-winning Nishla Smith, at an earlier stage of her career, as she previews her debut album on Whirlwind (14). Shirley Smart will prove that the cello is still an instrument which remains undervalued in jazz, despite being able to balance deep bass and high lyricism (15). Orlando Le Fleming (17) allows us to realise that bass-led bands are all too often neglected. The day before, drummer Will Cleasby, with Four Card Molly, also shows that groups led from the other stalwart member of the rhythm section are too few and far between (16)
9 Fabienne Ambuehl
Fabienne Ambuehl returns following her sold out album launch last year. “Ambuehl’s vocals are crystal clear, distinct, and refreshingly free of jazz clichés.” (Neil Duggan, All About Jazz UK)
10 Young Pilgrims
A lively energetic 9 piece that updates the New Orleans marching band without losing it foot-tapping energy.
11 Vortex Jam with Riley Stone-Lonergan
Perhaps the best jam session in London. A set by the effervescent host for the night Riley Stone-Lonergan followed by a jam session. Free for musicians and members
13 Coleman/Catchpole/Moore/Lash/Prévost
Eddie Prévost is one of the great performers back to the 60s iconoclastic AMM. But he has also been supportive of many younger musicians through workshops and more. These musicians come out of that. The group takes what might seem on paper like a straight-ahead jazz quintet, but musically it is way beyond it.
14 Nishla Smith
Vocalist Nishla Smith, a Peter Whittingham Award winner, and alumna of the prestigious Take 5 scheme, has a remarkable voice, poised and in control. She previews the music of her forthcoming album “it’s getting late”.
15 (Downstairs early) Archie Kidd Quartet
An intriguing guitarist, originally from the North East, but now based in London, combining empathetic harmony and enticing melodic content.
15 Shirley Smart Sextet
Cellist Shirley Smart draws on a background of living in Jerusalem for 10 years, working in the overlapping worlds of jazz, Arabic, Turkish and North African music.
She recently became a musician in residence at St Johns College Cambridge and is a professor at Royal College of Music.
16 (Downstairs Early) Downstairs Living Room: Rebecka Edlund & Nat Philipps
A new season of our downstairs season overlapping jazz and other genres starts with a duo of vocalist Rebecka Edlund & saxophonist Nat Philipps. Expect a fascinating range of jazz, folk and beyond.
16 (Upstairs) Four Card Molly
Led by drummer Will Cleasby, known for work with the likes of Wynton Marsalis and Kurt Elling this quartet is a tribute to the great drummer Elvin Jones
17 Orlando Le Fleming Trio
Bassist Le Fleming has anchored some of the top musicians on both sides of the Atlantic, including the likes of Branford Marsalis, Billy Cobham and Mark Turner. Tonight is the premiere of a new trio including drummer James MAddren and pianist Tom Cawley
18 (Downstairs afternoon) Mopomoso: International Free Improvised Music
Our monthly smorgasbord of improvised music, which has been running at the Vortex for nearly 20 years. This month there are three duos including saxophonist John Butcher and violinist Sylvia Hallett.