STEVE ANDREW enjoys an account of the many communities that flourished independently of and in resistance to the empires of old
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Best of 2108: Jazz Albums
by CHRIS SEARLE
Percussive pioneer: Lorraine Baker
[Simon Murrell]
TOM STONE urges you to catch the last dates of a New York singer/songwriter, never afraid to challenge her audiences musically or politically
JAN WOOLF examines work that aims to give viewers a material experience of the environments in the polar north and Britain equally affected by the climate crisis
The bard recalls advice received 50 years ago from his TRB muse, and sorts out appropriate legislation for football club ownership
MICHAL BONCZA and MARIA DUARTE review Facing War, Kontinental ’25, Bugonia, and Relay
MAYER WAKEFIELD is frustrated by a production of Ibsen’s classic study of an anti-heroine that fails to elucidate her motivations
PETER MASON tunes his ear into the domestic affairs of a Carribbean couple with a troublesome son
This year was definitely a year of the jazz woman, with some fine albums telling a story of a profound and innovative direction in British jazz.
Young Kentish drummer Lorraine Baker, whose first album Spark! is a tribute to her musical hero, the New Orleans-born drummer Ed Blackwell, joined forces with her band on the album Eden to play tunes associated with Blackwell, with tenor saxophonist Binker Golding, bassist Paul Michael and protean pianist Liam Noble all in powerful fettle.
Her childhood love of tap-dancing inspired Baker's drumming and of Blackwell she says: “He sounds like he's dancing when he's playing.”
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Re-releases from Bobby Wellins/Kenny Wheeler Quintet, Larry Stabbins/Keith Tippet/Louis Moholo-Moholo, and Charles Mingus Quintet
Chris Searle speaks to saxophonist XHOSA COLE and US tap-dancer LIBERTY STYLES
CHRIS SEARLE speaks to drummer Steve Noble
CHRIS SEARLE picks his favourites