MARK TURNER wallows in the virtuosity of Swansea Jazz Festival openers, Simon Spillett and Pete Long

WE remember how monstrously Covid hit New York City. Its lockdown months of agony and isolation were finally broken in mid-2021, when at last its musicians could play again in open-air performances.
One significant venue was Summit Rock in Central Park, formerly the highest point of Seneca Village, a settlement founded in 1825 by free black Americans, which in 1857 was destroyed to create the park.
On June 20 2021, the New York trio of saxophonist Abraham Burton, drummer Eric McPherson and bassist Dezron Douglas performed live and free at Summit Rock to passing New Yorkers now released from lockdown.

CHRIS SEARLE encourages you to go hear a landmark performance, and introduces some of the musicians

CHRIS SEARLE hears the ordeal of the Palestinian people in the improvised musicianship of a UK jazz trio

Reviews of the Neil Charles Quartet, the Freddie Hubbard Quintet, and the Olie Brice Quartet

CHRIS SEARLE speaks to Chris Laurence, bassist and bandmate of saxophonist TONY COE