226 articles
Simon Adams
Simon Adams was born in Bristol and brought up in the home counties. He studied history and politics at London and Bristol universities before starting work in publishing, first as an advertising copywriter and designer and then as an editor. After some years hating middle management, he went freelance, writing more than 80 non-fiction books for children on subjects as varied as the Titanic, World War I, and Afghanistan. His first jazz review was published in Jazz Journal in November 1982 and he continued to contribute to the magazine regularly, as well as writing for Richard’s Cook’s Jazz Review. A consultant and contributor to both editions of The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, he also wrote a best-selling guide to jazz.
Reviewed: Sam Coombes | Anouar Brahem | Mark Turner | AuB | Butcher Brown
Sam Coombes: Time Of Life (33Jazz Records)
Saxophonist Sam Coombes returns with his fifth album, a quartet set recorded in Paris in July 2024. It...
Reviewed: Joe Fonda Quartet | Don Cherry & Okay Temiz | Andrew Hill Sextet Plus 10 | Roy Ayers | Dan Blacksberg | Dave...
Joe Fonda Quartet: Eyes On The Horizon (Long Song Records LSRCD163/2024)
Bassist Joe Fonda might lead this set and wrote its seven pieces, but all...
Reviewed: McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson | Annette Peacock | François Couturier, Dominic Pifarély | Duduka Da Fonseca Trio | David Ferris Septet |...
McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson: Forces Of Nature – Live At Slugs (Blue Note)
On tour after his departure from John Coltrane’s classic quartet at...
Reviewed: Sun Ra | Cecilie Grundt | Nordsnø Ensemble featuring Kit Downes | Brandon Sanders | Chris Greene
Sun Ra: Berkeley Lecture, 1971 (Corbett vs. Dempsey CvsDCD113)
In 1971 Sun Ra was appointed lecturer in the newly created Department of Afro-American Studies at...
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Reviewed: Paul Dunmall | Xhosa Cole | Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory | Playtime | Martin Küchen & Mathias Landæus | Lina Nyberg
Paul Dunmall: Red Hot Ice (Discus 186CD)
The Dunmall renaissance continues with this fine nine-strong romp, recently recorded in Birmingham. Dunmall leads, of course, on...
Reviewed: Alan Barnes, David Newton | Christian Sands | Tigran Hamasyan | Ivo Neame | Yonathan Avishai | Christine Xu
Alan Barnes, David Newton: ’Tis Autumn (Woodville Records WVCD154)
When I was a young jazz snob living and listening in London, I went to all...
Reviewed: Laura Jurd & Paul Dunmall | Loz Speyer’s Inner Space | Lucian Ban & Mat Maneri | Trygve Seim & Frode Haltli |...
Laura Jurd & Paul Dunmall: Fanfares & Freedoms (Discus 181CD)
Paul Dunmall is enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, this adventurous live set...
Meshell Ndegeocello: No More Water – The Gospel of James Baldwin
The American bassist and singer sets the work of writer and activist James Baldwin as spoken word, song and church service
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Nicole Mitchell & Ballaké Sissoko: Bamako*Chicago Sound System
US flautist and Malian kora player find and extend the common ground between West African and North American vernacular music
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Espen Berg: Maetrix: A Work For Eternity
Norwegian big band plays original charts mixing pop, jazz, funk and orchestral flavours, sometimes reminding of Weather Report
Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3 + 3
Cellist Reid collaborates with guitarist Mary Halvorson and bass and drums in a set that on at least one occasion recalls Billy Bang
Dave Douglas: Gifts
Trumpeter Douglas offers new insights into Strayhorn, Trump and his own dream sequences, where the third of the night is the problem solver
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