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In honour of Miles Davis’s approaching centennial, Blue Note has announced a Tone Poet vinyl edition of ‘Birth of the Cool’ Trumpeter Miles Davis has given many people the perfect introduction to jazz and nowhere is that more evident than in this collection of tunes that were originally issued individually as singles and then gathered together as an album in 1957. The sidemen on this album are legends in themselves and there really is little cooler than this album. Now Blue Note has a new vinyl version in their Tone Poet series, produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray directly cut from the original analogue phono reel master tapes. Harley says: “This is an audacious gathering of sonic architects reshaping the language of jazz in real time. Birth Of The Cool  is a mood and a palette, where space and arrangement become as vital as the notes themselves. You can hear Miles standing at the threshold. And you’ll hear this as never before, from session masters gathered from the original phono reels.” The reissue of ‘Birth of the Cool’ is out on Blue Note  on 22 May 2026

In a field just a few miles north of London lies a new jazz venue with a great vibe, food, drink, lighting and an exceptional sound system: even the piano is a great one. On stage last night at The Cowshed  was the brilliant Mark Wade  Trio.  It’s always a pleasure to hear great musicians who are used to gracing international stages - and especially when it’s just a few minutes from home! Alongside Mark was artistic director of The Cowshed, Marco Marconi  (piano) and Matt Fishwick  (drums) and together they treated the packed audience to a selection of bebop standards and original compositions. Tunes included those by Charlie Parker and beautiful interpretations of Some Day My Prince Will Come  and - finishing off the evening - A Night in Tunisia . The real treats were in Mark’s own pieces, including It Gets Late Early , inspired by McCoy Tuner and Short , a ballad Mark wrote fin honour of the late, great Wayne Shorter. Equally delightful was Little Charmer , dedicated to his own cat. The second set included Jesu  from New Stages , a reflection of Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring . As Mark explained to the audience, that would usually be the perfect moment to plug his album and sell CDs, but they were all sold out after the earlier dates of the Switzerland and UK tour. At least it’s possible to buy it online . I confess to being biased, I’ve interviewed Mark for Harmonious World,  and there’s a new episode coming to follow up on our chats in 2020  and 2024 . I’ve also interviewed Marco  and, in fact, Marco and Mark’s gig at Benslow Music in 2020  was one of my last live shows to review before lockdown hit. If you can, get along to The Cowshed to hear international artists in a simply beautiful, purpose-built venue that sets the standard for jazz performance spaces. ‘ New Stages ’ by Mark Wade Trio is available on CD and Digital from Dot Time Records Next up at The Cowshed is Lianne Carroll on Friday 1 May. Get your tickets now if there are any left - it’s bound to sell-out

A Monday evening of outstanding jazz came from two duos - relative newcomers Audrey Powne  and Lyle Barton , followed by the legends that are Lionel Loueke  and Dave Holland . Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke (c) Sahil Kotwani The audience at Union Chapel in Islington, North London, obviously knew that it was worth arriving in time for the opening musicians. Trumpeter and vocalist Audrey Powne was joined by the extraordinary pianist Lyle Barton, and together they filled this wonderful space with acoustics and electronics. Powne’s voice and trumpet sound are equally expressive, with exemplary use of the microphone to great effect. This duo was a great ensemble with which to start a stunning night of jazz. Once the stage was rearranged, the audience was joined by the unassuming arrival of Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke. Holland picked up his bass and began grooving, as the duo performed tracks from United , their duo album that grew out of jamming in quiet moments on other people’s tours. These two have, together or separately, played with just about everyone who is anyone in the global jazz scene. What was particularly joyous was the juxtaposition of Holland’s always reliable and outstanding bass playing with Loueke’s guitar, sometimes also used as percussion, and his voice that was often solo and sometimes an ensemble through electronic wizardry. The title track United  comes from Wayne Shorter, who Holland described as “one our heroes”. He also told us that they had collectively felt that it was an appropriate title for the album. The duo certainly felt musically and emotionally united on stage throughout their performance. At one point, Luoeke commented that “it is an honour to be on stage with my favourite bass player”. He also shared some of the inspiration for the tune Stranger in the Mirror , saying that it came during the Covid-19 pandemic, and “we should fix the problem before blaming someone else.” Holland commented on the different childhood and upbringing of the two - Holland who came from Wolverhampton, while Loueke was born in Benin. Both moved to America to really experience the music that inspired and motivated them. This sense of how truly united they both are made every tune (and every track on the album) feel like an expression of that unity, while being absolutely rooted in their separate backgrounds. The encore (the audience wouldn’t have left without one) came from the truly tranquil Life Goes On , which sent us all away feeling the world was a better place with this music in it. Listen to ‘ United ’ now on Bandcamp, and find Audrey Powne’s ‘ Broken Record ’ on Bandcamp from 17 April

This year’s offering from Watford Jazz Junction goes from strength to strength, with wonderful performances lined up on 9 and 10 May from Emma Smith, Ilario Ferrari and their collaborators. The headline show from Watford Jazz Junction on Saturday 9 May features Emma Smith: ‘Doing It My Way’ (which she usually does!). This is guaranteed to be an entertaining night at the Watford Palace Theatre, with Emma’s signature stylish jazz vocals. Support act for the evening will be local young musicians with the Parmiter’s School Big Band. Get your tickets before this sells out. There’s a more intimate feel to Sunday afternoon at St John’s Church with Conversations in Jazz, hosted by Jazz FM presenter Ruth Fisher and Orphy Robinson MBE, featuring the wonderful Ilario Ferari and a group of selected jazz musicians. Get your tickets .   Find out more  about Watford Jazz Junction

The artists appearing at this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival  have just been announced and there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy. One of the joys of the EFG London Jazz Festival is the range of venues that mean standing (and dancing) events, as well as intimate clubs and huge capacity arenas. This year’s artists equally range - from London jazz stalwarts to those seen across international stages and festivals and this is your chance to catch a few of them across 10 days from 13 to 22 November. The only trouble is choosing which shows to get to - none of us can fit them all in! So, check out dates already announced for Samara Joy, Fatoumata Diawara, Ben Folds and Morcheeba, as well as major projects marking the centenaries of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. For me, one of the biggest draws will be on the first night at the Barbican - Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once. The musicians scheduled to appear include Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh and Jeff “Tain” Watts, for an evening devoted to Coltrane’s music. The last night also has a certain date for me: Cécile McLorin Salvant in association with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. With so much on offer between these two fabulous gigs, you’ll want to get booking your seats. Get your tickets early here for the EFG London Jazz Festival

Out today, ‘In a New Order’ comes from Darius Blair and Niko Huber and it resounds with groove. Blair’s sax weaves in and around Huber’s guitar in a way that shouldn’t sound so complete, but really does. Starting with No Ground , this duo shines as each player develops their independent lines in total collaboration with the other: there is something minimalist yet expansive in the result. Track two is Nothing Personal , released as the lead single and something of an ear worm from the opening, playful phrases. The melodic line unison and harmony phrases of Room to Room  sit alongside the groove that the duo seems to effortlessly embody right through to the final fading notes. When we finally reach the title track, this music really is In a New Order , with an almost mesmeric interplay between sax and guitar, with neither musician playing more than is strictly necessary. This album has been a few years in the making and the duo made a conscious decision not to bring in more instrumentation. Huber says: “At the beginning it was pretty hard, but we started to relax and enjoy all the space without needing to fill it up.” Blair, too, recalls having to adapt. “As a player, it was an unfamiliar situation sonically. None of the typical jazz tricks of playing this or that lick worked. I started to look for other people playing in this formation, and I really didn't find a lot. That alone made it an interesting challenge.”  Blair/Huber’s ‘In a New Order’ is out now and available on Bandcamp

The inventive and exploratory jazz from Meatshell manages to combine the exciting and the innovative, while creating insistent, pop-like ear worms on their new album ‘The Elevator Child’. Meatshell is formed around the duo Helen Svoboda (vocals, bass, electronics) and Andrew Saragossi (saxophones, electronics), bringing in musical contributions from Roman MC (spoken word) and Dylan van der Schyff (drums) for The Elevator Child .  Storytelling seems very much at the root of the Meatshell inspiration and lyrical motifs thread throughout this, the duo’s third album. The Kind That Cuts Deep  combines Svoboda’s vocals with electronics and Saragossi’s sax on a slightly disturbing but deeply entrancing track. The breathy vocals and unearthly sax lines that make up Bliss  merge with the electronics into a signature Meatshell sound that effortlessly combines elements of folk, jazz and free improvisation. Utterly new and brilliantly innovative, The Elevator Child  deserves a mindful listen. ‘The Elevator Child’ from Meatshell is out on 1 May on Earshift Music

Solo instruments seem to work particularly well in jazz, particularly when taking familiar tunes and adding new arrangements and improvisation: this is certainly true of ‘Solo Motions’, the upcoming release from guitarist Phil Sargent . Although motion through each tune is evident across Solo Motions , there is also tranquillity and calm, allowing the music to envelop the listener. The opening track is an arrangement of I Should Care  and Sargent takes the tune on a special journey around the full spectrum of the guitar itself using melodic and harmonic improvisation. I’ve come to enjoy the playing of several guitarists over recent years (Luft, Price, Ollendorff, Lage, Loueke et al) and Sanders is being added to the list: one of my favourite tracks on this new release is Kelita , which at times grooves along and then lulls us into something of a wonderfully meandering diversion. The one original composition on the track and dedicated to Sargent’s wife, this is a beautiful tune. One of the joys of reviewing albums by newly-discovered artists is selecting ‘favourite’ tracks and the other one which really spoke to me is the Jerome Kern classic The Way You Look Tonight . It is amazing that this tune won awards 90 years ago, yet still sounds fresh with Sargent’s guitar arrangement. Sargent says: “Solo Motions asks listeners to slow down, to hear the space between notes, and to engage with the guitar as a living conversation between voices. The album traces a quiet narrative of motion and rest, complexity and simplicity, discipline and release—a testament to what becomes possible when craft meets vulnerability.” Solo Motions  brings a delightful sense of new life to some familiar tracks (and the one original, which I keep returning to) and is a lovely way to enjoy solo jazz guitar. ‘ Solo Motions ’ from Phil Sargent is released on 1 May

There’s a new single out from In These Trees - this one a collaboration between Binnie Klein and John ‘Loudboy’ Andrews, with the gorgeous voice of Sarah Fimm. Simone  is a stunning evocation of the philosopher and intellectual Simone de Beauvoir. It’s the work of poet, writer and musician Binnie Klein (AKA In These Trees) together with composer, guitarist and producer John ‘Loudboy’ Andrews’. The result is a lovely arrangement with luscious strings and a particularly sonorous cello I interviewed Binnie in 2021 for episode 88  of Harmonious World in which we discussed her music, released as In These Trees.  Binnie says: “Loudboy was the key to the production. We both admired storytellers like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. I knew I wanted strings and Loudboy’s guitar and when I pictured Simone hiking in the French countryside and also sitting in the smoky cafés and salons of Paris in the 1940s, I heard accordion. Loudboy suggested multi-instrumentalist Anne de Wolff and she created string and accordion parts for us recorded remotely in Germany. Simone came together, merging chamber folk, indie pop and the feel of a traditional Celtic storytelling ballad; with a rocking guitar solo from Loudboy and the amazing, emotional vocals of Sarah Fimm.” You can find ‘Simone’ on Bandcamp

‘Phoenix’ from Sweden’s Terese Lien Evenstad Quintet (TLEQ) features a contemporary jazz quintet, fronted by Evenstad on violin and clarinet from Alexander Ivarsson. And there’s a real groove to several of the tracks, alongside Nordic tones and tunes, with compositions from every member of the ensemble. The second track - Morgonljus (Morning Light)  - features both violin and clarinet, in unison or in harmony and leads nicely to the groove of Som kyssar mot vårluften (Who Kisses the Spring Air),  which powers along brilliantly towards the brief and melancholic Little T . This is an album of meaningful tunes which nevertheless bind musically together. Together with Terese Lien Evenstad on violin, Phoenix  features Alexander Ivarsson (clarinet), Arvid Jullander (bass), Fabian Kallerdahl (piano) and Johan Birgenius (drums). On the expressive and delightfully meandering Som Havet , poet Emma Axberg makes a guest appearance, reciting her poetry. As if to demonstrate the quintet’s breadth and depth, Phoenix  concludes with Komodo Jive , which seems to allow the album’s title bird to finally fly free. Jazz violinist and composer Terese Lien Evenstad releases her fourth album on H oob Records on 26 March 2026

Danish duo Grammofon  are set to release ‘Fabelagtige Forviklinger’ (‘Fabulous Entanglements’) on 24 April: it’s a collection of original tunes that are full of Nordic takes on jazz from around the world. Led by composers Niels Oldin (sax, clarinet and bass clarinet) and Jakob Frandsen (guitar), the Grammofon sound is enhanced by Torben Westergaard (bass guitar) and Victor Dybbroe (percussion). There is a lightness to Fabulous Entanglements , with the sax and guitar combination working perfectly as they weave in and around each other. I’m old-fashioned in my approach to albums, and I like to listen in the order the musicians have selected to present their tunes. Starting with Backwards , the compositions that make up Fabulous Entanglements  allow the leaders to be both entangled and separate at the same time. It’s also helpful to know that the musicians played in the same room, recorded by the sea at producer John Formsgaard’s studio on the Danish island of Møn. The almost live nature of the album is quite deliberate and considered. Oldin’s bass clarinet on Ferdinand  works beautifully with Frandsen’s guitar. Lush, melancholy notes intertwine with the guitar lines. All the while, sitting atop the light and dextrous bass and percussion of Westergaard and Dybbroe. Throughout the album, the breathy sax plays along seemingly effortlessly in fabulous entanglements with the acoustic guitar - the live recording provides a depth and collaborative sense. The final track - Moonflow  - brings that collaboration to a delightful and hopefully temporary conclusion. Check out Grammofon’s ‘Fabelagtige Forviklinger’ (‘Fabulous Entanglements’) from 24 April on Zack’s Music

Vancouver-based vocalist Daphne Roubini and Black Gardenia  are set to release ‘Whisky Scented Kisses’ on Cellar Live Records, with six original compositions and a selection of tunes that honour some of the great vocalists of the past. Beginning with the sublime, melancholic Minor Mood , the album brings Roubini’s mellifluous vocals together with an impressive ensemble: Paul Pigat (guitar), Stephen Nikleva (guitar) Dave Say (sax), Brad Turner (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Jeremy Holmes (bass). Composition credits go to Roubini, Piaget and Nikleva, who have succeeded in curating a delightful, jazz-infused album with laid-back tones. The title track is a beautifully-arranged homage to the sensual reminders of romance and it sets the tone for the whole collection. All of the original tracks on Whisky Scented Kisses  are perfectly crafted for the ensemble, whether performing together or on improvised solos. The choice of tunes written by others is similarly careful, with gorgeous arrangements that bring new versions to life. A young Mimi Marlowe Jaffe composed There’s Always Tomorrow  before it was rediscovered after her death at 91 and now performed by Roubini et al. Taking You Leave Me Breathless , composed by Ralph Freed, Friedrich Hollaender and made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, Roubini makes it a celebration of romance with her own witty rendition, lovely horn touches and a selection of improvisations. Similarly, Irving Berlin’s This Year’s Kisses  pays delightful tribute to Billie Holiday. All in all, Whisky Scented Kisses  gives Roubini and Black Gardenia the impetus and material to bring life to this collection of originals and arrangements. ‘ Whisky Scented Kisses ’ is out on 3 April on Cellar Live Records