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252 articles

Nigel Jarrett

Nigel Jarrett is a former newspaperman and a double prizewinner: the Rhys Davies Award for short fiction and, in 2016, the inaugural Templar Shorts award. His first story collection, Funderland, published by Parthian, was praised by the Guardian, the Independent, the Times and many others, and was longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. His debut poetry collection, Miners At The Quarry Pool, also from Parthian, was described by Agenda poetry magazine as "a virtuoso performance". Jarrett's first novel, Slowly Burning (GG Books) was published in 2016, as was his second story collection, Who Killed Emil Kreisler? (Cultured Llama Publishing). Templar published his three-story pamphlet, A Gloucester Trilogy, in September 2019. In 2022, Saron Publishers brought out his latest work of long fiction, Notes From the Superhorse Stable, and his fourth story collection, Five Go To Switzerland, was published by Cockatrice Books. Gwyriad, his second poetry collection, was published by Cockatrice in March 2024. Based in Monmouthshire, Jarrett also writes for the Wales Arts Review, Arts Scene in Wales, Slightly Foxed, Acumen poetry magazine, and several others. His poetry, fiction, and essays appear widely. For many years he was a daily newspaper music critic, and now freelances in that capacity. When he can find time, he swims.

Andrea Grossi Blend 3 + Jim Black: Axes

Reeds, guitar, bass and drums play angular, minimalist material, up or downtempo, agitated or ruminative, always filled with harmonic tension

Julian Costello & Vertigo

British sextet including cello, oud and tabla hovers musically over the Orient but adds unequivocal jazz from saxophone and guitar

Emily Francis Trio: Atomic

In a set described as 'electro-prog-jazz', keyboardist Francis solos briefly over originals recalling the gothic mood of 70s/80s prog-rock

Jon Lloyd European Quartet in Wales

Lloyd's all-British, sort of non-American European Quartet balanced hypnosis with keyboard crescendi and woodwind vigour
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Christian Holm-Svendsen: Totem

Copenhagen-based woodwind, bass and drums trio plays solemn, lightly abstracted modal originals over swing, rubato and ballad rhythms

Canadian Jazz Collective: Live At Le Vauban

Dynamic Canadian band including Lorne Lofsky and Neil Swainson laid down some crackling hard bop in Brest to close its 2023 European tour

Gregory Groover Jr: Lovabye

Bostonian tenor saxophonist leads vibes, piano and more in 11 elegiac, modally inclined originals centred around mid-tempo

Talking The Groove – Jazz Words From The Morning Star

The Morning Star’s jazz scribe finds the positive in the music, noting that Marx would have passed the Pizza Express as he hatched Das Kapital
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Bill Frisell: Orchestras

The guitarist is wrapped in orchestral arrangements by Mike Gibbs that often conjure the image of an elegant feather entombed in treacle

Victor Lewis: Know It Today, Know It Tomorrow

The drummer's 1992 date features bop stalwart Eddie Henderson as well as rising stars Seamus Blake and Christian McBride

The Jazz Defenders at Black Mountain Jazz, Abergavenny

The tight West Country quintet featuring Nick Malcolm and Jake McMurchie played a set of hard-bop and soul-jazz originals

Jeremy Rose & The Earshift Orchestra: Discordia

Glowering Australian 18-piece plays a largely atonal set that's sometimes free, often reflective, occasionally rocking
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