The current heat surrounding trumpeter, singer and producer Emma-Jean Thackray reflects her artistry and ambition. She talks brass bands and J Dilla with Debra Richards
Saxophonist Dave O’Higgins and guitarist Rob Luft discovered a shared passion for the music of Monk and Coltrane in an unfashionable South London venue. Now that same love permeates a new collaborative effort. As they explained to Andy Robson, their intention was to pass beyond tribute, employing creative playfulness and reinvention to harness the essence of two of the foremost icons of jazz
Alyn Shipton speaks to EFG London Jazz Festival Director Pelin Opcin about showcasing specially-commissioned projects and redressing the gender balance in her rundown of this year’s event
Santiago-born Thelonious Monk prize-winning saxophonist Melissa Aldana has been on an intense artistic journey ever since falling under the spell of the sax greats at an early age. She speaks to Selwyn Harris about the importance of continually challenging herself and the significance of artist Frida Kahlo on recent album 'Visions'
Vocalist, violinist and pianist Alice Zawadzki has gone decidedly seasonal for her latest boundary-breaking album, Within You Is A World Of Spring. She spoke with Jane Cornwell about genre-busting, the literary inspirations behind her work and the impact of New Orleans jazz singer Lillian Boutté upon her artistic development
Formed in the mid-1990s, Brad Mehldau’s acoustic piano trio is among the most influential in jazz today. But the pianist-composer has also been acclaimed for his diversification into classical and rock/electronic-charged projects. He releases arguably his most provocative album to date, Finding Gabriel, where he sheds light on US politics with the aid of Biblical texts. Selwyn Harris speaks to Mehldau about the making of the album, his ongoing spiritual quest and its relation to the...
Stepping back into the solo-artist spotlight, Michael Janisch speaks to Kevin Le Gendre about his album, Worlds Collide, as well as jazz’s innate ability to inspire society through models of best cultural practice
From humble beginnings to iconic status, John Fordham charts the legacy of legendary venue, Ronnie Scott’s, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and checks in with some of the key personalities intrinsically linked to this most celebrated of jazz temples
A young London jazz supergroup? Whatever you want to call them, Nérija brings together some of the most talked-about players on the UK scene. They spoke to Thomas Rees about their radiant debut album, Blume, friendship, acceptance and why they’re tired of being defined by their gender
Our pick of the best new releases and reissues reviewed in the November 2019 issue of Jazzwise. Featuring John Coltrane, Yazz Ahmed, Terri Lyne Carrington, Lee Morgan, Enrico Rava and Joe Lovano
