Jazz breaking news: Led Bib, Django Bates, Christine Tobin And Partisans For Jazz Fest Berlin

The festival which runs from 3-7 November at venues across the German capital features Led Bib at the Quasimodo club on 5 November followed by the Django Bates Belovèd Bird Group on 7 November at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and the double bill of the Christine Tobin group and Partisans at Quasimodo club also on the 7th.

Led Bib led by drummer Mark Holub, which was Mercury-nominated last year for the Cuneiform records release Sensible Shoes, are preparing for the release of their new eagerly awaited follow-up album Bring Your Own, also for the adventurous American label. The Bib were one of the highlights of the Brit Jazz fest at Ronnie Scott’s in the summer and also soared at Ornette Coleman’s Meltdown last year. Django Bates, who turns 50 early next month, released his Charlie Parker-themed album Belovèd Bird to acclaim earlier this year. A lost live album Dancing On Frith Street by the influential big band Loose Tubes, in which he played a key role, is released on Monday.

Singer Christine Tobin has had a great year with the release of her critically acclaimed album Tapestry Unravelled, a duo album with pianist Liam Noble, based on the Carole King classic album Tapestry, while Partisans spearheaded by guitarist Phil Robson and reeds man Julian Siegel has over a decade with Thad Kelly on bass and Gene Calderazzo on drums led the way with their customised alt.jazz rock attack that sits comfortably alongside the approach of Wayne Krantz.

The festival, whose artistic director is trombonist and bandleader Nils Landgren, also includes appearances by Kinsmen featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa and Kadri Gopalnath; the Emil Mangelsdorff Quartet; Moss; Orchestre National de Jazz / Daniel Yvinec; Céline Bonacina Trio; Zeitkratzer v Terje Rypdal & Palle Mikkelborg; HR Big Band featuring the Joachim Kühn Trio; and the Iro Haarla Sextet.

– Stephen Graham

For more go to www.jazzfest-berlin.de