marlbank

Biréli Lagrène, Elegant People, PeeWee! ****

Swinging French guitar icon Biréli Lagrène does not disappoint with his best album in simply years. Its sentimental insouciance and savoir faire are something of a revelation that may cure any lingering feeling, dear reader, you might possess of jadedness. Listening shakes off such languour.

James Kitchman, Floating Sky, No label ***

Pristine pastoralism informs the latest quartet release by English guitarist James Kitchman.

Stacey Kent, A Time For Love, Naïve Records ****

Quiet and reflective from one of the greatest classic jazz singers of our times. The Jim Tomlinson co-write with Cliff Goldmacher 'What Goodbye Is For' appeals most to me.

Preview: Blair/Huber to surface at SJQ on the evening of Easter Monday down in Dalston

Not even a case following frequent replay of once smitten twice shy.

John Beasley with the SWR Big Band, Invisible Piano, O-tone music ****

Currently performing through until Saturday - as a member of Unlimited Miles at the Birdland jazz club in New York along with Sean Jones, Marcus Strickland, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Williams and Terreon Gully - John Beasley on Invisible Piano is here in a big band album incarnation to be released in May which features originals as well as James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire material on an album that takes its name from the visual cue of a 1920s Max Ernst proto-surrealist painting.

Shalosh, What We Are Made Of, ACT ***

Covering Oasis, Muse and Aqua is not only a bit but a lot gimmicky. Otherwise beyond the purist baiting the trio continue doing what they have been accomplishing for a while. That is delivering accessible contemporary piano trio sounds as "invented" back in the late 1990s by the likes of e.s.t, The Bad Plus and Brad Mehldau.