Denys Batiste Quartet - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festival 2024
Friday 15 November - 7 pm **SOLD OUT**
Line up:
Denys Baptiste: Tenor Sax
Sultan Stevenson: Piano
Joel Barford: Drums
Larry Bartley: Double-Bass
Denys Baptiste presents his new quartet, exploring an exciting mix of new compositions, standards and revisiting a selection of his most memorable compositions from his award-winning albums.
This project features rising star Sultan Stevenson – a pianist of great depth and passion.
The mercurial Joel Barford on Drums. On the bass is Denys’ longtime collaborator Larry Bartley.
Expect an evening of deep swing infectious melodies and inventive solos
BEA ASURMENDI " Asteartea - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festival 2024
Friday 15 November - 9.15 pm - **SOLD OUT**
Booking link https://tickets.crazycoqs.com/tickets/series/SPJABEA24/spice-jazz-soho-bea-asurmendi-1088281?startDate=11-15-2024
Line-up:
Bea Asurmendi – vocals
Gianluca Corona – guitar
Giovanni Cresseri – bass
Milena Granci – piano
Filippo Galli – drums
Originally from a little village in the mountains of the Basque Country, Bea has performed on world-class stages, including Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, The Jazz Cafe, and 606 Club. In 2023, she also had the opportunity to showcase her music at the EFG London Jazz Festival, opening for Ari Hoenig at Milton Court Concert Hall. Besides, she has played international festivals such as Atlantikaldia and Musika Parkean in Spain.
She will also be Headlining this year’s High Tide Festival in London Twickenham.
Presenting an evocative collection of original compositions where contemporary jazz Basque and Spanish folk sounds meet, Bea’s unmistakably personal voice and powerful lyrics unveil a unique and fearless expression of vulnerability over a soundscape that invites the listener to reflect upon grief, forgiveness, family, self-love, the importance of mental health awareness, and the meaning of being a woman in our society.
Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra & Ensemble ‘Celebrating Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary -
Saturday 16 November - 2 pm **SOLD OUT**
The acclaimed Academy Jazz Department is proud to collaborate once again with Spice Jazz Soho and the EFG London Jazz Festival to celebrate 85 years of the iconic Blue Note Records.
Focussing on two of the frequently unsung jazz giants on the label, the Jazz Orchestra presents the big band sounds of Duke Pearson, led by the leading trombonist and bandleader Winston Rollins and the legendary percussionist and vibes player Orphy Robinson, one of the few UK artists to be on the label himself, will lead the Jazz Ensemble in his tribute to the great Bobby Hutcherson.
EQUAL SPIRITS ‘Wise and Waiting’ - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festival 2024
Saturday 16 November - 7 pm **SOLD OUT**
Led by composer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Raph Clarkson, Equal Spirits brings together a genre-defying mix of South African spiritual jazz, ambient improvised introspection, bursts of old-school hip-hop and electronica, soaring melodies, synths, samples, and gospel-infused grooves, woven together with sung and spoken languages from Zulu to English.
Their debut album, ‘Wise and Waiting,’ released this year on Ubuntu Music, celebrates the profound and beautiful contribution made by South African musicians to British Jazz and Improvised music.
Line up:
Xolani Mbatha – vocals
Raph Clarkson – trombone and vocals
Chris Batchelor – trumpet and flugelhorn
Phil Merriman – keys/synths
Riaan Vosloo – double bass
Yuval Wetzler – drums/SPDS
“joyous and uplifting” – Jamie Cullum BBC radio2
“Something to feed the soul” – Soweto Kinch BBC radio 3
“Extraordinary, impassioned… the legacy of the great South African generations…as well as their European champions…have rarely been celebrated as empathically and ecstatically as this”
– John Fordham, Jazzwise Magazine
“fresh and inspiring…worth the wait” – Jon Turney, uk jazz news
“saluting the greats of South African jazz, [equal spirits] create a rousing, unified sound” – Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise magazine
“What is so thrilling about the music presented by Equal Spirits is the way it touches on all our emotions from the sadness to joy, thought-provoking texts that both stimulate and fuel the mind and lift the spirit.” – Nick Lea, Jazz Views
“weaves together the joys of South African music” – Chris Phillips jazz fm
BLUES AND ROOTS ENSEMBLE ft. Tara Minton - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festiv
Sunday 17 November - 5 pm - **SOLD OUT**
Blues and Roots Ensemble (BARE) was formed in 2016 to share the music of Charles Mingus and other significant jazz protest music composers through performances and education projects. A collective of internationally renowned musicians, BARE is known for its interactive performances and innovative approaches to music education.
The ensemble has performed sold-out shows at The Jazz Cafe, The Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, and Pizza Express Soho. 2025 will be the band’s fourth performance for the EFG London Jazz Festival, and it will return with an exciting repertoire of new arrangements and classic compositions.
Line-up:
Ed Babar – Director/Double Bass
Tara Minton – Vocals
George Millard – Sax
Eikel Venegas – Trumpet
David Lalljee – Trombone
Frances Leith – French Horn
Flavio Li Vigni – Drums
Pete Letanka – Piano
“Blues and Roots Ensemble did a service to the larger-than-life legend Charles Mingus…handling the complexities of the bass playing genius with a dapper swagger.”– Jazz Standard.
TARA MINTON " The devil invites you to dance" - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz F
Sunday 17 November - 7 pm
Booking link https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/spice-jazz-soho-tara-minton-the-devil-invites-you-to-dance/
Australian harpist, vocalist and composer Tara Minton and her band perform music from her new suite inspired by a trip to México City in 2023.
The musicians descend into a dark night of the soul, dancing with shadows through themes of desire, truth, self-expression, and fierce, defiant joy.
Latin American music traditions, language and mythology are delicately woven into the tapestry of contemporary jazz, with the demonic and the divine locked in an embrace throughout the album, ultimately revealing something deeply, beautifully human.
Line-up:
Tara Minton-harp/vocals
Miguel Gorodi-trumpet/flugelhorn
John Williamson-double bass
David Ingamells-drums
Zands Duggan-percussion
“There is a palpable joy in her harp-playing, and her singing, and how she combines them.” – UK Jazz News
“Ethereal… and free-spirited” – Mojo
“Irresistibly seductive” – Jazzwise
“Puts the harp centre stage” – The Sunday Times
NIKOL BOKOVA QUARTET - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festival
Monday 18 November - 7 pm
Booking link https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/spice-jazz-soho-nikol-bokova-quartet/
Nikol Bóková Quartet is a group led by pianist and composer Nikol Bóková, who is
considered one of the greatest discoveries on the Czech music scene.
Alongside exceptional musicians - David Dorůžka on electric guitar, Martin Kocián on double bass, and Michał
Wierzgoń on drums .
Nikol has already recorded several successful albums. Original
compositions, high technical skill, and musical synergy among all the performers make this
group an exceptional formation that is gaining more and more attention among experts and
audiences across genres such as modern jazz, classical music, and art rock. They are coming
to London with the project Expedition.”
Supported by the Czech Centre London, part of the 28th Made in Prague Festival.
Line-up:
Nikol Bóková - piano and composition
David Dorůžka - electric guitar
Martin Kocián - double bass
Michał Wierzgoń - drums
THE LYDIAN COLLECTIVE - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs - EFG London Jazz Festival
Monday 18 November - 9.15 pm
Booking link https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/spice-jazz-soho-nikol-bokova-quartet/
With over 6 million Spotify streams and more than 2 million YouTube views, London-based instrumental jazz/fusion four-piece Lydian Collective has established itself as a musical tour de force in the UK and beyond.
Their debut album ‘Adventure’ March 2018, within days, reached the top 10 in the iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Bandcamp Jazz charts and had extensive official playlisting on several Spotify editorial favourites, including State of Jazz, Fusion Fest, and Jazz UK. BBC Radio 3’s Nick Luscombe called the album ‘Life-affirming music’.
The band’s second album, ‘Return,’ was released in October 2022. Within two weeks, it had amassed over 500,000 streams on Spotify alone, and their launch show at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club sold out.
The Lydian Collective sound is a unique combination of accessible melodies, accomplished musicianship, hypnotic rhythms, and an uplifting vibe, which has already drawn audiences from around the world.
The millions who follow the band’s online channels include fans from as far afield as the USA, China, and Japan—with a healthy following on home ground as well, thanks to early support from the likes of Tom Robinson at BBC6Music.
Lydian Collective are:
Aaron Wheeler (keys)
Sophie Alloway (drums)
Ida Hollis (bass)
Todd Baker (guitar)
GLEBE "Gaudí" Album Launch - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs
Thursday 16 January - 9.15 pm
Booking link hhttps://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/spice-jazz-soho-glebe-gaudi-album-launch/?instance_id=1250372
Glebe is a contemporary jazz quintet founded by guitarist Kieran Gunter and pianist Chris Bland. They first met as students and later went on to house share in a quirky flat above a fish and chip shop. It was during this unforgettable period of musical activity together that they discovered a mutual passion for guitar/piano-led groups such as the Pat Metheny Group and The Impossible Gentlemen.
Tonight marks the launch of their much-anticipated debut studio album, Gaudí. Recorded in 2024 at Cowshed Studios in North London and released in partnership with ECN Music, the album features compositions by Gunter’s hand and some by Bland’s. Influenced by jazz luminaries such as Shai Maestro, Maria Schneider, and Kenny Wheeler, their music is characterized by emotive melodies and evocative soundscapes. Glebe masterfully blends intricately arranged pieces with moments of creative spontaneity, creating a dynamic listening experience. As the Camden New Journal aptly noted, “Glebe produces a clean, uncluttered sound that uses complex harmonies and time signatures to pack a punch without slipping into aimless noodling.”
Gunter and Bland exclusively compose music with a story behind it. Influences for Glebe tunes include much-loved family relatives, Viking ruins, and a Spanish architect (thus providing the album’s title). Glebe gigs are consequently a vivid experience for the mind’s eye as well as the ear and are guaranteed to leave an emotional impression.
Both Kieran and Chris are highly sought-after musicians, performing across the UK and Europe in jazz, pop, and classical genres in prestigious venues.
Line up:
Chris Bland – Piano/Keyboards
Kieran Gunter– Electric/Acoustic Guitar
Dom Pusey – Woodwind
Luke Fowler – Double/Electric Bass
Filippo Galli – Drums
“Glebe produces a clean, uncluttered sound that uses complex harmonies and time signatures to pack a punch, without slipping into aimless noodling.“ – Camden New Journal