Tony Kofi: Live at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens

When Tony Kofi released ‘The Silent Truth’ in 2008, it was met with great acclaim, but not enough people got to hear it live. Now we can, with its 2026 re-release.

Tony Kofi with Ben Hazleton

Tony Kofi is one of the UK’s finest sax players and, indeed, he already was when the great Abdullah Ibrahim (who sadly died just a few days ago) picked him as baritone sax player for his 2009 tour. As that meant a hiatus from solo touring, Tony is now able to take The Silent Truth out on tour with a 2026 re-release of the album.

Although highly proficient on bari sax, Tony’s alto playing takes us from bebop complexity to his soulful and tender side. Then he picks up the soprano sax for tunes like Dante (celebrating the birth of his now-adult son) with a delicacy and dexterity.

Throughout the show at London’s World Heartbeat Embassy Gardens (one of my favourite venues), Tony took us through the tunes on the album, showing his phenomenal technique and tremendous composition style. Most of the tunes were his own, with a tribute to Abdullah Ibrahim as the opening tune of the gig with The Wedding.

Other tunes were written by Jonathan Gee (piano) and Ben Hazelton (bass), with the whole ensemble brilliantly supported by Rod Youngs (drums), who I last saw at Cheltenham when he wowed alongside Camilla George.

If you can, you definitely should get along to one of the Tony Kofi quartet gigs - maybe before he gets snapped up by another visiting jazz mega-star. I saw Tony at the 606 Club a few weeks ago with Zoe Gilby and there’s no doubting his skill as a side-man, as well as leading an ensemble.

You can get hold of your own copy of the re-released ‘The Silent Truth’ from Proper Music