marlbank

Paul Carrack, For One Night Only – Live in London, Carrack UK ***1/2

"Say it loud, say it clear: You can listen as well as you hear" - a joy as so often from Paul Carrack jazzed up with some still game Germans and a cracking choir later delivering a touching communal experience of a treatment of 'The Living Years.’

Steve White trio, Soul Drums: The Jazz Sessions Vol. 1, Acid Jazz ****

One for the Modfather fan in your life, toned down welly delivered at an arm’s length hell for leather jazz distance, direct from a valuable Weller fella and estimable chums.

Track of the Week: Angel – Marvin Muoneké, Alex Webb & the Copasetics ****

Tonight Marvin sings in Soho duetting with Down for the Count's Lydia Bell

Lady Blackbird and Chris Seefried at the 100 Club in 2021

10 reasons why clubs are miles better for sheer experience and everything else

The unique combination of intimacy, atmosphere and musical freedom found in jazz clubs offers an experience that's hard to beat. The connection between musicians and audience, the rich history and the sheer joy of discovering new talent in a cosy setting make jazz clubs an essential part of the musical landscape.

Alexander Claffy photo via Cellar Music on Bandcamp

Alexander Claffy, Alive in Philadelphia, Vol. 1 (At Chris’ Jazz Cafe), Cellar Music ****

Leaps out of the speakers: what a very happening live album from a stellar US band playing a Coltrane tune you rarely hear on a record these days among other gems. Includes formidable sax playing from Seamus Blake and Jaleel Shaw.

Stefano Bollani All Stars, Tutta Vita Live, Ponderosa ***1/2

Sprawling and as so often with the ever puckish Italian pianist Stefano Bollani riotously creative. While it's not up there with his greatest work like Joy In Spite of Everything or his mighty Zappa homage Sheik Yer Zappa, nevertheless Tutta Vita Live is still worth a spin.

Can't get enough of all the Nick Atkinson penned tracks so far from springtime release What Happens Now new soon from the Welsh-born Sheffield raised soulstress Kat Eaton. She's over playing Cork city and Dublin this autumn. Down here on the road to nowhere driving over to the beloved marlbank bogs, boreens and border badlands we have already played to death the grooving Kat 'n' Nick co-write 'Break Free' and fast driving 'Not Pretending'. Jazzers on the record include trombone ace Trevor Mires who was hip and happening on his co-led very shipshape Silfra last year you felt deep down to the marrow of your bones barrelling along with the Corkonian Paul Dunlea, Ike Sturm & the great Billy Kilson.