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186 articles

Brian Payne

Brian Payne was born in Manchester and raised in Cheshire. He graduated in English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia and was employed for a while as a technical editor for a publishing company. He then changed direction and after obtaining applied social science qualifications at LSE and Birmingham University he worked in social services and later managed local authority provision in London for 20 years. He was later employed in the Information Commissioner’s Office to investigate and write decisions concerning the withholding of public information. Perhaps the most edifying of these was ordering the release and publication of MPs’ expense claims that had been withheld by the House of Commons. Over the years Brian has written about and photographed live jazz performance in a variety of settings. Some of his work can be seen at brianpaynephotography.com.

Alan Skidmore: A Supreme Love

Six-CD compilation of mostly unreleased material covers 70 years and has the Traneian tenorist with Weather Report and many others

Thelonious Monk: The Classic Quartet

Remastered recording captures Monk's 1963 performance for Japanese TV with Charlie Rouse, Butch Warren and Frankie Dunlop

Newport Jazz Festival 2023

As before, the venerable jazz festival enlisted pop (in this generation hip-hop, rap, etc) to help attract younger punters into the jazz fold

Chris Ingham Quartet: Hoagy II

Suffolk singer and pianist continues to ply the songbook, this time producing a second Hoagland tribute, with Paul Higgs on trumpet
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Review: Swanage Jazz Festival 2023

The Dorset fest included Nigel Price, Alina Bzhezhinska and Tony Kofi as well as tributes to the Miles Davis nonet and Humphrey Lyttelton

Bill Henderson: Complete Recordings 1958-1961

Bill Henderson's modest musical achievements were likely eclipsed in the public mind by his acting appearances in such as Hill Street Blues

Artemis: In Real Time

All-female sextet with Renee Rosnes and Ingrid Jensen focuses on post-bop, including tunes by Wayne Shorter and Lyle Mays among the originals

Fraser Smith Quartet: Tip Top!

English saxophonist keeps melody to the fore in a bop-inspired set composed almost entirely of originals, including some creative contrafacts
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Jazz Doctors – Intensive Care: Prescriptions Filled

Another set of Billy Bang and Frank Lowe's harmonically liberated treatments of standards and originals is added to the 1983 Intensive Care

Jan Harbeck Quartet: Balanced

Danish tenor player inspired by Ben Webster and Paul Gonsalves plays smoky jazz on a set of originals that he describes as lyrical and poetic

Julie London: Sings Latin In A Satin Mood + Swing Me An Old Song

The sultry if jazz-free charm of Latin In A Satin Mood is combined with the singer's earlier swinging foray with Jimmy Rowles

Review: Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2023

This year Cheltenham included reminders of Freddie Mercury from pop singer Mika and jazz from Kurt Elling, Stanley Clarke and Andy Sheppard
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