Stringle has been a pioneer in placing the clarinet in a more contemporary musical setting and this came through strongly in his fresh interpretations of classic tunes, as well as the straight-ahead jazz compositions and the more latin-influenced numbers in the set. During the performance he name-checked key early influences Benny Goodman and Buddy de Franco and he certainly brought together both the awe-inspiring technique and speed of the former and the warm feeling of the latter’s playing to his own pure transcendent tone.

The band kicked off with the latin tune “Hey You, Pretty Thing”, which set the tone with its well-paced, body-moving and confident feel. After Stringle’s soaring opening, Ashworth excelled in his solo, his precise, tangy notes really hitting the spot over Bradley’s distinctively sharp funky drumming and Mantovani’s bass-playing. The latter’s style, including the chordal elements, displayed a real affinity with the Brazilian feel of the piece.

Jacqui Hicks joined the band to deliver two Rodgers & Hart songs including a very fine “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” in a samba style to close the first set. Her singing was beautifully judged and refreshingly unfussy, with a focus on the delivery of the meaning in the lyrics. This was backed by some wonderfully supple drumming from Bradley and another crystalline solo from Stringle.

A highlight of the second set was the Ashworth-arranged version of Gershwin’s masterpiece “Rhapsody in Blue”, which had the audience entranced throughout with the sheer quality of the band’s playing. Both Stringle and Ashworth excelled, the former particularly with his effortless swoops and the high-pitch ending of the piece, the latter with the precise interweaving of his guitar notes with the clarinet’s line. Again, Mantovani also impressed with his subtle underpinning pulse.

Throughout the gig, Stringle proved to be both a supportive leader and an entertaining and charismatic figure. At one point he introduced the standard “Poor Butterfly” as his Spurs-supporting nan’s favourite song before relating a good story about her meeting Harry Kane. The audience lapped it up.

Hicks returned to deliver one of her own compositions, the bossa-like “Summer Samba”. In a pleasing change of pace, this was followed by a properly soulful version of Holland-Dozier-Holland’s classic “How Sweet It Is”, expertly delivered by the Shakatak vocalist. On the latter tune, Stringle’s tone was spectacular, especially at the higher registers. The band closed with another Dream Band staple, “Sweet Georgia Brown”, its excellent groove orchestrated by Bradley, before encoring with a pacy “I got Rhythm/Anthropology.”

The audience buzz at the start was still very much there after the music had ceased. Overall, a brilliant gig, and The Horsebridge Arts Centre’s monthly ‘Jazz at the Horsebridge’ series, organised by musical director and singer Kai Hoffman in collaboration with Broad Reach Records deserves a lot of credit for rapidly establishing it as an exciting jazz venue in North Kent and bringing such top artists to its fine performance space.

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Technically, Koo’s early schooling in the classical piano repertoire is apparent, and there is a Debussy-like fineness to the compositions, which also often evoke the angularity of Keith Jarrett as well as the quiet thoughtfulness of Bill Evans. Koo’s occasional singing is strong and well-modulated, as on the piece “Slowly”, released as a single in November 2024. At this and several other points in the album, such as the track “Elements” you sense that Koo’s aim is to make you forget yourself and be carried along trance-like for a short while, until you regretfully realise the tune is over. There’s a lot to be said for being able to lose yourself in this way.

There is also a filmic quality to some the music, most obviously perhaps on the track “Eagle of The Sun” with its whistling entry and an overall feel of a western movie, all carried along by Koo’s vocal and the great repeating riff. This somehow bespeaks an awareness of how our music is so often consumed, sitting in a train or car, watching the city or landscape roll by, characters in our own movie.

And that visual sense is repeated in the track “Jonass”, also released as a single and dedicated to one of Koo’s childhood friends who tragically passed away. It is probably the highlight of the whole album. In the opening melodic riff section, you can almost see the happy riotous play of youth. It gives way suddenly to a deeply felt passage of loss and sadness, beautifully delivered through Koo’s delicate playing and Akinmusire’s solo, gradually building back and returning to happier memories of earlier times. It’s a masterclass in evocative playing that is very affecting, in a way which is rare in modern music.

The album concludes with the title track “Blame it on the Chromosomes”, which opens with a wonderfully deliberate solo from Heyndels before building to a complex rhythmic piano and drums climax and authoritative finale. I almost stood up to applaud.

Release date is 7 February 2025

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This album was recorded live on 2 Jan 2023, towards the end of the Jeff Parker ETA IVtet’s seven-year long Monday night residency at the ETA club in Los Angeles. It therefore represents the outcome of their gradual evolution from playing mostly standards to finding their own distinct sound, a grooving but often minimalist improvised music that journeys towards a place of relaxed humanity. The four tracks, beautifully recorded and mixed by engineer Bryce Gonsalves, range from almost 17 to 24 minutes in length and create a hypnotic, restrained and mantra-like vibe that will resonate long with the listener.

The other members of the quartet, drummer Jay Bellerose, bassist Anna Butterss and saxophonist Josh Johnson, share the compositional credits on the album, except for the opening track “Freakadelic”, a tune Parker originally recorded in 2012. There is a very intricate collaborative feel to the songs that transcends the typical circle of soloing in conventional jazz. This feels more like the normal unscripted back and forth chat between friends. Friends who know each well enough not to be surprised by an unexpected turn in the conversation, because it’s all cool. Indeed if asked for one phrase that would encapsulate the overall feel of the album, I would say it’s music in a safe space.

The opening track ‘Freakadelic’ is anchored by a slow, funky and authoritative bass line from Butterss, followed by a wonderful conversation between Johnson’s sax and Parker’s guitar, the latter reminding me of Grant Green in his reflectiveness. Towards the end, Johnson’s sax feels like a murmuration, revealing a precious secret we have journeyed far to hear. In ‘Late Autumn’ Parker begins with a series of plucked arpeggios before Johnson joins in with a plaintive sax response, sad and moving. The splashes from Bellerose’s cymbals and the heavy drops from the bass are extremely evocative of the title. This is ensemble playing of a very high sensibility, capped by a haunting melody guitar line from Parker that leads us to the end of the track. The same rhythm mastery from Butterss and Bellerose is evident in ‘Easy Way Out’ a soulful and mindful tune also led out by the bass. The album then ends with ‘Chrome Dome’, a reggae/dub groove, with Johnson’s unaccompanied sax first calling out like an exotic bird before the band settles into its improvisations, the electronic effects more in evidence this time, until the rhythm eventually descends to a gentle end, leaving the listener relaxed and not a little moved.

The album also seems to me to fully realise the leader’s vision of how the music should sound. He is clearly strongly influenced by the rise of music software and its use of looping, beats and droning. It’s telling that the album sleeve notes state that he plays electric guitar with electronics and sampler. Parker has of course often made clear his love of classic old-school hip hop and of using static spaces like loops within which to improvise. The ETA IVtet sound that has evolved to this point will connect strongly with a generation with music production software on their laptops and every producer and hip-hop songwriter from DJ Premier to Kendrick Lamar in their hearts. So it is no surprise that Parker is having a significant and influential moment. This is an important album, of its time.

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The Paul Booth Quintet’s performance was a highlight of the current series of concerts. The highly regarded saxophonist has assembled a top-notch quintet including the exciting Joel Barford (drums) and James Copus (trumpet and flugelhorn) as well as long-time collaborators Ross Stanley (keys) and Dave Whitford (double bass). Booth is planning to go back into the studio in 2025 so the audience was treated to a number of his new tunes as well as well as a number of contrafacts of classic numbers and older original material. Of course, it’s always a thrill for any audience to be asked whether they’d like to hear the ‘world premiere’ of a new composition. The new tunes were confidently and forcefully delivered, the interplay between the musicians relaxed and productive, almost playful.

First, a word on the overall balance of the quintet, which is excellent. It is strongly underpinned by the rhythm section, with both Barford’s driving swinging drumming allied to Whitford’s classy walking bass pulsing through the venue, even on the more complex pieces. It’s also easy to see why Stanley is in such demand as a Hammond organist and pianist. Here the playing is full of chordal attack and precise note splinters on the solos. His interplay with Barford’s drumming on a re-working of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” was a particular highpoint. Upfront, James Copus delivers a full brassy tone on the tune heads and a sharp precise attack and articulation on the solos, a sound that contrasts with and complements the more rounded tone of Booth’s tenor.

As for the leader himself, the variety and flexibility of his individual tone is very impressive and inevitably draws comparison with the greats. When he played homage to the music’s pantheon, as on a re-working of another Cole Porter tune, “I Love You”, his soloing brought Ben Webster to mind in its rhythmic variety and tonal delicacy. In the handling of more complex or languid pieces a Stan Getz feel is there. On his own composition “Easy Living” he opens with an extended unaccompanied solo with a deep smoky sound before the band follows him into the ballad. It evoked a Paris jazz club in the 60s wonderfully. I was left imagining him trading solos with Dexter Gordon.

The new material, often with amusing provisional titles, like one called “Topcoat Warmer”, feels fresh and energetic. The overall sense left by the gig is of an artist and a quintet restlessly pushing on, to a recorded musical destination that will be a pleasure to experience when it sees the light of day. Can’t wait.

The ‘Jazz at the Horsebridge’ autumn series ends on the 22 December with a concert by top vocalist and lyricist Trudy Kerr and her quartet. The series then resumes with a concert by world-renowned clarinetist Julian Mark Stringle and his quartet on 23rd February 2025, followed by ace trumpeter Steve Waterman and his latin jazz band on the 30 March 2025.

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Tonight, it is Jackson Mathod and his quintet on the menu. The trumpeter and composer’s band has James Beckwith on keys, Edmondo Cichetti on double bass, Harry Pope on drums and Gabriele Pribetti on tenor sax. Their leader has an upbeat personality and it’s easy to see why he’s a much-in-demand musician. They kick off with a dynamite version of his ear worm tune “So Cold”, Mathod’s sharp fast notes contrasting with the cool dark lines pumping from Cichetti’s bass. Live, the tune is more forceful than the recorded version, driven by the incandescent drumming of Pope, who has all the energy, control and attitude you’d want in a live setting.

Indeed, while there is a lot of groove in this quintet, there’s also a great deal of space for musical exploration. The mood is playful and the beats often danceable. Everything about the band screams of-the-moment innovation, of musicians imbued from the cradle with a hip-hop vibe. Is this the future? If judged by the number of young faces in the audience, probably. At least I hope so for the music’s sake.

But they certainly respect their tradition. In homage to Quincy Jones’s passing, they play “Soul Bossanova” in rousing style to round off the first set. After the break Mathod also plays a tribute to Roy Hargrove, one of his musical heroes, with a standout version of “Soulful”. This gives Beckwith the opportunity to play great splintering note piano runs, seemingly chased through the song by Pope’s insistent drumming. A highlight of the evening.

And there is plenty of dynamic variation, such as on the ballad “Little Mouse” featuring sublimely-controlled and percussive tenor playing from Pribetti alongside Mathod’s muted trumpet. Another highpoint of the gig is the angular and moving “The Moon”, with its plaintive trumpet theme accompanied by Beckwith’s lovely chordal placement. Written by Mathod during lockdown, it evokes the forced solitude of the time, making art out of pain, lest we forget.

The evening closes with a return to the upbeat funky sound of new song “Mandible” and the stick-able and joyful trumpet riff of “Dumb People”. The latter is still resonating in my head as I head out into the Brighton night, spring in my step. Great stuff.

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The set is largely drawn from the album, which Banks himself has described as having a quite full-on vibe. This is jazz to move to, propelled by a groove that flows from the drummer as well as from pianist John Crawford’s exquisite rhythm jabs and Davide Mantovani’s imposing and tasteful double bass figures. Above this, Paul Booth soars on tenor and soprano sax as well as flute, building on Tristan Banks ear-worm melodies. The result is sophisticated yet muscular in the best sense, influenced by jazz-funk, acid-jazz and rock, as well as more obviously by Brazilian and Cuban music.

The rhythm – so necessary to all good ensembles as well as the relaxed interaction we love in jazz – is evident throughout, as you’d expect from a band made up of leaders in their own right. The third key element for great performances, variation, thus takes care of itself given the calibre of the musicians. So the first set opens with the album title track, followed by the funkier Ex-Machina and the more chilled Possible Bossa. The latter features a delicious and expressive solo from Mantovani that maintains the groove throughout brilliantly. “Dust Devil” features Paul Booth on soprano, building on the opening theme above the powerful drumming that evokes the power of nature a twister brings. On Flex, dedicated to Tristan’s brother Dexter, the insistent riff stays with you, a characteristic of the leader’s compositional style, which establishes a memorable riff or melody early, rather like Nile Rodgers’s funk tunes.

The second set opens with the excellent “Cidade Alta”, followed by the interesting two-contrasting-heads tune Polycephaly. A stand-out in the latter tune is John Crawford’s masterly use of his Roland as a percussive instrument during his startling solo. Batida, a tune not on the album follows, and as you’d expect from a word meaning both groove and a cachaça based drink, the tune has a real kick, with the rhythm rolling like a freight-train under and around Paul Booth’s soprano. “Capelinhas”, another album stand-out tune, gives Crawford another chance to excel, with shard-like high notes complementing Booth’s soaring flute. After “Tempesta”, one more Latin-influenced tune, the set ends appropriately enough with a version of Milton Nascimento’s “Vera Cruz”, providing a final splash of drum rolls and bass notes and soloing to a delighted cheering audience. A tremendous evening of jazz is triumphantly concluded.

Tristan Banks, who also manages the award-winning venue The Verdict in Brighton, gives a generous and well-deserved shout-out to brothers David and James Hatton and their team at The Lighthouse, which is a truly delightful and friendly jazz-venue on the Kent coast. Their recent success in attracting top jazz musicians to Deal monthly is to be commended. Long may it continue.

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Kai was originally inspired to start the festival by the classic film about Newport Jazz Festival, ‘Jazz on a Summer’s Day’. Herne Bay certainly has that open ocean feel, particularly as many of the venues along the classic Victorian frontage, such as The King’s Hall, The Pier Ceylon, The Ship Inn as well the Pier Stage, look out to sea. Even better, the venues are all within a near stone’s throw of each other. Given Herne Bay’s summer micro-climate, that means you are never far from the next refreshing drink and gig.

The overall vibe of the festival, which has now grown into a major event in the local calendar, is one of relaxed inclusivity and family-friendliness, all mixed in one’s mind with the bright colours of the pier rides and the arcades, the good humoured audiences and the smiling musicians carrying in their instrument cases to check out each others’ performances.

This thread of relaxed positive energy carried through the festival. It was as present in the open air set by local Kent favourites the Andy MacLean Band (featuring vocalist Diane Dunn) on Friday afternoon as it was in the great gig by saxophonist Iain East’s Trio (including the excellent Stephen Bridgland on bass and Jonathan Ward on drums) on Sunday lunchtime at The Pier Ceylon. Their final number, a rollicking version of Sonny Rollins’s ‘St. Thomas’ was near-symbolic of the weekend experience.

A real highpoint of the festival was the performance of rising star saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz and her sextet, who gave a blistering performance of original pieces in the King’s Hall on Saturday night. The tight yet fluid soundscape the band created, reminiscent in parts of the late albums of Miles Davis and the jazz-funk/rock of Weather Report was also very contemporary, particularly in its rhythmic feel. Rawicz is someone not to miss live if you get the chance.

There were of course many other acts to appreciate, ranging from the showmanship of The Ronnie Scott’s All-Stars, the soul feeling in the Ginger Bennett & Frances Knight Band on the Pier Stage and the driving intensity of the Katie Bradley Blues Band at the Ship Inn. At the end, it was clear that the Herne Bay Jazz Festival has moved to a higher level. It now deserves to be an entry in every jazz lover’s summer diary. In the meantime, the entire pier-head programme is on YouTube… right here:

The 7th Herne Bay Jazz Festival was supported by sponsorship from Arts Council England, the Herne Bay Festival Charity and Canterbury City Council’s Levelling Up fund and a range of other bodies.

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