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There’s a maturity and sophistication to the jazz of the Neil Cowley Trio . And this ensemble really is a trio - a whole being in its own right that is far, far greater than the sum of its parts. The Neil Cowley Trio at The Stables, Milton Keynes The parts individually are impressive - Neil Cowley himself is a brilliant pianist and composer. On a sonorous and expressive bass is Rex Horan, while making extensive use of the drum kit is Evan Jenkins. Their interpretation of the Cowley compositions and improvisation within the clear structure brings a real, high quality performance that demonstrates how much work has gone into learning this complex music. The trio’s performance at the Stables in Milton Keynes was truly exemplary and, as Neil explained during one of his humorous addresses to the audience, the whole Built on Bach  project began as a minor detour between albums and grew “bigger by mistake”. It’s a glorious mistake, because the trio use their explicit skills to bring Bach into the jazz world, while maintaining their own style. Neil Cowley (with Derek the Dinosaur) Not only are the tracks inspired by Bach’s music, but the titles are all chosen with a sense of humoour that seems to run through the band’s DNA. There was the dextrous and speedy Chatterbox , the deliberating swaggering John Wayne  and Thomas , inspired by the church where Cowley discovered Bach’s final resting place and began what was intended to be a brief project. Alongside tracks from Built on Bach , the trio also played some of their classic tunes, well known to many in the audience, including the devastatingly speedy How Do We Catch Up?  which formed the final encore and sent the highly appreciative audience on their way. The Neil Cowley Trio tour  continues and ‘Built on Bach is available on Bandcamp

Zak Scerri delivers ‘In Case I Don’t See You’, the guitarist's first album since moving to London from Australia and his compositions bring out the best in a couple of fine stalwarts of the UK jazz scene. With eight tracks almost documenting the journey that has bought Scerri from Australia, Ross Anderson (bass) and Billy Pod (drums) help him blast his way firmly into London with brilliant writing and execution. A particular favourite is the title track, which takes inspiration from a line in The Truman Show  (“In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night.”) Scerri sets the groove before developing the melody and heading for solo sections and the temperature drops towards a stellar solo conclusion. Scerri’s jazz chops are shown across In Case I Don’t See You , but perhaps the finest example of this trio’s excellence is on Another Door . We see all sides of Scerri’s guitar (as well as Anderson’s bass and Pod’s drums) across all the tunes, but there is something playful yet profound track. Roach  ends the album, with an almost rock energy that shows Scerri’s guitar versatility, a far cry from the whimsical yet complex Coming Down  earlier in the collection. ’ In Case I Don’t See You ’ from Zak Scerri is out on 8 May

Saxophonist Jed Levy and guitarist Phil Robson have collaborated on their first quartet album - ‘The Unpredictability of the Sea’ - and balance jazz tradition and modernity across ten tracks. Levy and Robson each provided five of the tracks and they’re joined by Mark Hodgson (bass) and Roberto Gatto (drums). Although based either side of the Atlantic (presumably the title’s unpredictable sea), there’s a real mutual musical understanding across this collection. The title track itself is provided by Levy, but makes exquisite use of the whole quartet. A drum opening section before the sax/guitar melody rides along into first sax then guitar improvisation, leading nicely into a Hodgson bass solo. The way the sax and guitar combo works on The Unpredictability of the Sea  extends across the album, including the humorously-titled 3-Chord Trick . There’s space for improvisation but something terribly engaging about the way the two leaders weave between each other. Although many of the tracks bowl along unremittingly, the tenderness of Levy’s Love Loss  similarly combines the best of the whole quartet. Each of these individual tracks contributes to a fine quartet album that, without the sometimes ubiquitous piano element, allows space for melodic development and improvisation. ‘ The Unpredictability of the Sea ’ is out on 8 May

Everything you love about classic big bands with loads of strings combines with modern rhythms and instrumentation on the new self-titled album from the genius that is Adrian Younge . We’ve heard much of Younge’s production and collaborations with the Jazz Is Dead  record label and his solo work seems to allow him even more expressive and creative freedom. Younge  is pure class, from the opening bars of Portschute  (cleverly selected as the lead single) right through the nine tracks to the definitive conclusion of Il Mattino  as strings and solo sax stake their claim to a contender for anyone’s Album of the Year. There’s a quasi-orchestral feel to the electronic masterpiece Galt  which builds unwaveringly into a brief, cinematic string-driven epic, adding in more electronics and sax - all alongside a groove that exudes both hip hop modernity and something of the early James Bond theme tunes. Take any track on Younge  and uncover the musical dexterity of compositions and arrangements. The all-too-brief Moon Travelling  should have been part of the recent Artemis coverage, combining tricky sax parts and expansive strings. Wherever you start with Younge , the tunes are stunning, beautifully performed and produced. I’m tipping this not only for Album of the Year, but also for Grammy contention. ‘ Younge ’ is released on 17 April 2026 via Linear Labs

‘Unsung Songs’ takes the creative contributions of double bassist David Bowden  and distills them into a rather marvellous collection of solo double bass compositions. Just a few months ago, I heard Bowden as part of pianist Fergus McCreadie’s internationally acclaimed, Mercury Prize-nominated trio. I was impressed then and hearing him exposed to the solo bass format makes it clear why he won Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year in 2017 and is now very much in demand in a variety of ensembles. Opening with The Spiders Talk , one can almost picture two spiders having a chat over a leisurely stroll and, although the whole point of this album is the lack of lyrics, I’d quite like to eavesdrop. There is a clear sense of melody around all these compositions, with From the Morning  and Snow  telling their own stories of life as it is experienced and brought into the studio. Solo bass albums are rare and Bowden has avoided the pitfalls with these songs without words, particularly on the beautiful Lullaby for Esme . Words and emotions pop into the listener’s head in listening to Unsung Songs. Bowden sheds some light on his creative process: “I wanted to discover what I could express on the instrument while making music that’s approachable. My aim would be to make music that anyone can enjoy, with no prior knowledge needed. When I’ve written music for other ensembles, I’ve always put the other musicians at the forefront, as is natural for a bass player. Playing solo, there’s no hiding place, which pushes you to approach the instrument in a different way. It’s a rewarding challenge to combine melodic phrasing, chordal accompaniment and groove playing – all through the one instrument.” David Bowden’s ‘ Unsung Songs ’ is available on Bandcamp from 10 April

Pianist and composer Neil Cowley  has come up with ‘Built on Bach’, a truly breath-taking collection of tunes inspired by the master that was Johann Sebastian Bach. The Neil Cowley Trio has established itself as a purveyor of high quality and engaging piano trio jazz and this new collection is released on Hide Inside Records to coincide with a UK tour . Built On Bach  creates original works inspired by Bach’s original masterpieces. If the great man had ever heard jazz, this is probably what he would have enjoyed the most. Cowley’s piano is joined by Rex Horan (bass) and Evan Jenkins (drums). Currently all over the UK’s Jazz FM is the single Emma’s Video Shop  which deftly crafts a Neil Cowley Trio original from centuries-old musical ideas. Studying Bach is vital for most musicians, and perhaps particularly pianists, but this takes the intricacies of composition techniques and brings them into the jazz world. What this is not, is a reinvention of Bach compositions. It is a collection of engaging, dynamic tunes that build on the scaffolding that goes back more than 250 years. Cowley says:  “ Built on Bach  is decidedly honest, humble and collaborative. It’s what might happen if the Neil Cowley Trio and Bach got together to chew the fat and jam!” ‘Built on Bach’ is available on tour and from Bandcamp only from 10 April released on Hide Inside Records

San Francisco’s Noa Levy joins with London’s Paul Edis and his trio on ‘Portrait in Evans’ to celebrate the great compositions of Bill Evans with vocal arrangements. Lyrically, these arrangements of Bill Evans’s music paint a picture of the legendary composer, many with words by Levy and Edis themselves. Alongside Noa Levy’s vocals and Paul Edis’s piano, are Adam King (double bass) and Joel Barford (drums). Three tracks, including the sumptuous Only Child and Blue in Green  feature Alan Barnes (alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet).  One of of Bill Evans’s best-known track - Waltz for Debby  - is given a delightfully sweet arrangement that nods a hat to the original, as well as to the version recorded by Tony Bennett with Evans. As on all these tracks, Levy makes the vocal lines her own and she works brilliantly with Edis and his trio. Noa Levy said: “There’s an emotional openness in Bill’s compositions that feels incredibly human. Writing lyrics wasn’t about changing them – it was about stepping inside them.”  Paul Edis added: “We chose tunes composed by Bill at different stages in his musical and personal life. In doing so, we’ve tried to paint a portrait of Bill Evans the artist. The title nods to Portrait in Jazz , but it’s also about perspective and, inevitably, a portrait of ourselves through the way we hear his compositions.” ‘Portrait In Evans’ is available now on CD and Digital on Bandcamp  by Dot Time Records

Collaborating with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad for Jazz Is Dead Records, Antônio Carlos and Jocaf have released a wonderful collection of tracks filled with life, rhythm and creativity. Antônio Carlos and Jocaf are the legendary Bahian duo behind the classic Você Abusou - one of the most recorded songs in the history of Brazilian popular music - and now they’ve combined with Jazz is Dead for this collection of nine immensely creative and infectious tracks.   This is a true act of collaboration, with these eminent musicians bringing together their disparate backgrounds in composing and infectious improvising. Humour infuses this latest offering from Jazz is Dead, from the vibrant opening track - Rala Bucho - which comes from the Portugese language evoking dancers rubbing bellies. But there is also a sense of Brazil’s history with Canarin da Alemanha , a traditional Capoeira song. Even for those of us unfamiliar with the language, the lyrics of tracks like Menina Do Tororo and Ta Com Medo Por Que evoke a life in Brazil, with musical influences from the more American styles of Younge and Muhammad that infuses the Jazz is Dead releases. By the time we reach the final track on this rather glorious album - Loca Passion (feat. Loren Oden) - understanding the lyrics is unnecessary as they weave between Portugese and English. This is a fabulous combination of traditional and modern, Brazilian and jazz musical elements. Antonio Carlos & Jocafi ‘JID 026’ is available now on Bandcamp

Despite a noisy and sometimes disruptive audience, Aynur ’s incredible show at the Barbican was one of my favourites so far of 2026. Aynur Dogan is one of the biggest names in Kurdish music and it was fascinating to interview her for an episode of Harmonious World . Hearing her live was extraordinary, although the experience would have been greatly improved without LOTS of late arrivals who disrupted the audience while finding their seats, and also without the significant number of people holding phones up to video, rather than just enjoying the performance. Aynur’s latest album, Rabe  (‘rise-up’ in Kurdish), explores themes of love, spirituality, and freedom. The ensemble behind her were brilliant and talented, playing traditional and regional instruments alongside and often combined with electronics. I can highly recommend listening to Rabe  and seeing a live performance and, actually, the noisy audience was perhaps a strong indication of the passion of Aynur’s fans. Although I have only just discovered this amazing singer and musician, her music is captivating. If you can’t get to a live show, watch some of Aynur’s live performances here

With the launch event for London’s Latin Music Festival, I took an in-depth look at this year's incredible line-up, and enjoyed ‘25 years of La Linea: The Film’, a short documentary. La Patri helps launch La Linea The official launch of La Linea  was accompanied by a live acoustic performance from London-based singer-songwriter La Patri to set the tone for the festival, which in 2026 features a 90% female line-up. The list of artists is impressive, including winner of the 2022 Latin Grammy for Best Newcomer, Mexican singer and songwriter Silvana Estrada. Portugal’s Sara Correia, Mexican Caifanes and Brazilian Caifanes are all travelling to London for the festival. Particularly exciting is the UK’s own Latin artists such as Desta French and Eliane Correa. Eliane is bringing together an all-female salsa band with musicians from across Latin America and the UK with Las Salseras – A Tribute to Celia Cruz. Venues across London  are getting involved in La Linea, with shows from 20 April 20 6 May at the barbican, Village Underground, Jazz Cafe, Fox & Firkin, Electric Ballroom, Union Chapel, SOAS and Hackney Bridge. La Linea  is fast approaching, so get your tickets quickly!

There are some gigs that leave you spell-bound and last night’s UK outing from The Bad Plus  with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn was absolutely that: a dynamic and demanding collection of tunes, performed and improvised brilliantly. Taborn, Potter, Anderson and King (c) Roger Thomas Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet is regarded as one of the genre-defining ensembles and this new version is much, much more than a tribute. It takes the tunes and ethos from the original and bends it for the 21st century. There’s everything you could want - swinging grooves and free jazz, folk influences and absolutely inspired and inspiring improvisation. As bassist Reid Anderson said at one point in this wondrous show: “The American Quartet doesn’t reflect Jarrett’s most famous music, but it is still inspiring.” The set was filled with tunes by Keith Jarrett, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, combined superbly with the interpretation and improvisation of The Bad Plus - Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums) - with special guests Chris Potter (sax) and Craig Taborn (piano). I spoke to Taborn for Harmonious World back in 2021  and his own ensembles are wonderful, but there was something extra special about seeing him in this group. Each musician takes inspiration from the others and from the original music, while bringing their own individual touches. Some of the best moments of this project were when the quartet broke down into solos or duos (bass and drums especially) and built back up as the others rejoined. There was a special sort of telepathy going on from these outstanding musicians who clearly know both the music and each other inside and out. Tracks segued into the next and others stood alone and my favourite of the night was (If The) Misfits (Wear It) , which seems to sum up the freedom of the jazz and the collective and distinct personalities of both the American Quartet and this new ensemble. As we approach Jarrett’s 81st birthday, it was a real pleasure to see such outstanding musicians adapting his music - and an audience absolutely loving it. The Bad Plus Farewell Tour  is taking them around the world for the next few months - catch them if you can and I promise you won’t regret it

It’s always a pleasure to chat with Mark Wade  for Harmonious World,  and there’s a new episode coming to follow up on our chats in 2020  and 2024 . This time, it’s to discuss ‘ New Stages ’ which has been released today. Mark takes his New York trio on a journey around original compositions inspired by specific classical music pieces. Through the last few weeks, Mark has been touring Switzerland and UK (you can read my review of tonight’s final show of the tour). Although using different musicians, each one is exploring these new tracks. The album features Mark’s bass, with Scott Neumann’s drums and Tim Harrison on piano: the upcoming US dates will include Cecilia Coleman on piano. Of the concept behind this new album, Mark says: “I try to take inspiration wherever I can find it. Good music is good music, no matter what label you want to put  on it. I've played both jazz and classical music professionally now for years, and some of the most inspiring  sounds I've heard were from my experiences playing classical music in the orchestra. Over the last eight years, I've been collecting some of these remarkable themes from both large orchestral works and small solo works to create a new set of original music for my trio. “With this project, I've taken on the challenge of finding the  essence of these great masterworks and combining it with my unique writing style to produce something completely new and different. I've drawn from a wide variety of musical sources ranging from the baroque period to modern day, always combining them with my own compositional ideas and perspectives. Is the result jazz music? Classical music? Something different? That is for every listener to decide.”  This is eight years well spent, and the compositions are very definitely jazz to my ears, and recognisably the virtuousic work of Mark. The opening track - The Good Doctor Gradus  - has a clarity and momentum that has a direct nod to Debussy’s original theme but brings it forward to the 21st century and the world of jazz. It’s part of a quartet of tracks inspired by Debussy’s ‘Children’s Corner’ suite. Tracks like Waltz and Variation  come much more clearly from the classical music tradition, developing the original theme until it absolutely breaks into the jazz trio’s realm. The link back to Chopin’s Prelude in Ab Major No. 69 is absolutely clear, but a development and evolution rather than a tribute. Similarly, the final track on the album is Jesu , a recognisable tip of the hat to the Bach Cantata BWV 147 -  Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring. Throughout New Stages , Mark’s bass sings and directs the motion, without dominating the trio more than it democratically should. Jazz has frequently taken its inspiration from other spheres, and Mark does it brilliantly on this new collection. ‘ New Stages ’ by Mark Wade Trio is available on CD and Digital from Dot Time Records