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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

If you are ready for it, the debut album from pianist and composer Milena Granci will transport you ‘To Some Place New’. From the opening piano chords of Floating through to the final chord of Lament, this album allows the listener to explore the recesses of memory and imagination, with a huge range of cinematic, contemporary jazz melodies and arrangements. As To Some Place New forms part of her own physical journey to London, Granci has selected musicians she met while studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama: Aitzi Cofre Real (vocals), Harry Toulson (alto sax), James Pettinger (accordion), Ali Watson (double bass) and Ollie Peszynski (drums). The heart of the album is the title track, with a lyrical vocal melody accompanied by piano, joined by accordion and bass, then sax and drums. That layering opens a vast landscape of sounds above which the wordless vocals soar, intertwining with sax before a delightful, light improvisation section giving freedom to accordion and sax as they dance around each other. The tension builds and drops into a slower, introspective vocal that is almost like turning a corner into an undiscovered part of a new city where once again accordion and sax catch us up. Enjoy To Some Place New with headphones on - close your eyes and allow yourself to imagine that journey. Milena Granci’s ‘To Some Place New’ is out now on Bandcamp

One of the finest pianists of our generation, Jon Batiste is releasing the second instalment in his ongoing piano series - ‘Black Mozart’. Black Mozart begins supremely with Facile and from the opening bars, the Mozart composition bears the mark of Batiste. Each piece on the album takes this pre-eminent classical music and brings it into the jazz-adjacent sphere with a stunning a depth of knowledge and understanding. Talking about Mozart, Batiste says: “He … absorbed everything that led to him and was the obvious successor of Johann Sebastian Bach. Both were keyboardists, supreme improvisers, providers of melody in all registers and purveyors of the percussive left hand. If Bach was a foundation, Mozart was a bridge that eventually led to the modern age. … I reimagined Mozart ‘Black,’ imbuing it with influences from jazz, rags, stride, blues, and stomps but still maintaining its core essence of modern classical music.” For many people, this album would be the perfect introduction to both classical and jazz music. Those almost imperceptible jazz touches add so much to the beauty of the originals. Batiste really is at the top of his game. We Are won the 2021 Grammy Album of the Year, while his work on Pixar’s Soul earned him an Oscar and Emmy. He has collaborated with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Prince to Beyonce, Lana Del Rey and Willie Nelson. He’s known in the UK as judge on Channel 4’s The Piano, where new pianists are invited to perform on public pianos. Black Mozart follows Beethoven Blues, and soon to be released in the Piano Series are Monk Meditations and Monk Movements. Listen out particularly for stunning arrangements of Twinkle (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) and the divine Gospel Andante. Short combinations of the classical original with jazz infusions, every track on this album is a joy. Jon Batiste: ‘Black Mozart ‘ (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 2) is out on 29 June via Decca Records US

Sax player Tommaso Starace took to North Devon’s The Beaver Inn with his Organ Trio for his 11th album. Together with Martin Jenkins (Hammond organ) and Pip Harbon (drums), Starace produces a live album that clearly delighted the audience at the time. And there’s a lot on here that does delight - the trio itself, as the players weave their lines together, and then a strong choice of tunes. The eight tracks feature compositions by Thelonious Monk, Sergio Mendes, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, Errott Hardner, Blue Mitchell and concluding with a driven version of Voyage by Kenny Barron. Each tune on this album represents a different influence on Strace’s playing and allows the trio to swap ideas and improvise inventively. Born in Italy, Starace trained at Birmingham Conservatoire and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, going on to play across jazz festivals and concert halls with some of the biggest names in music. There is no doubt as to his dexterity as a sax player and Starace wows on playing the tunes as well as in his improvisation. On the sometimes tricky Benny Golson Stablemates he masterfully guides us around the chord sequence and both he and Harbon delight in thisjazz classic. Tommaso Starace is a name you’ll hear again, in one of his several ensembles, but his Organ Trio Live at The Beaver Inn provides a delightful version of jazz standards and dextrous improvisation.

Musically, this feels like a film score: the setting of ‘Sowden’ House is the Mayan Revival landmark in Los Angeles designed by Lloyd Wright and once owned by George Hodel, one of the suspects in the murder of Elizabeth Short. Short (AKA the Black Dahlia) was murdered in January 1947 and the rumour is that she haunts Sowden House. Just 41 seconds of Genesis is a good start to this album: there’s something cinematic and foreshadowing about this track, that’s full of mystery and depth. Up next is Los Feliz, which refers to the area of LA where Sowden House sits. Suddenly, with Antonio Sanchez, the full orchestral and big band arrangement comes to life, featuring some of the brilliant ensemble Garbett has gathered for her compositions. Composer, arranger, producer and keyboard player Freyja Garbett is joined on Sowden House by Veronique Serret (violin), Freya Schack-Arnott (cello), Jayden Clark (flute), Thomas Avgenicos (trumpet), Ellen Kirkwood (trumpet), Tessie Overmyer (alto sax), Matthew Keegan (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet), Michael Avgenicos (tenor sax), Matthew Ottignon (tenor sax), Alex Silver (trombone), Hilary Geddes (guitar), Ben Panucci (guitar), Daniel Pliner (piano, keys), Jacques Emery (electric bass), Maximillian Alduca (double bass), David Symes (electric bass), Carlos Adura (drums), Miles Thomas (drums) and Dominic Kirk (percussion). Garbett says: “The music has found its own life beyond the game. I was invited by Brendan to compose and record for a video game titled Sowden House. Thanks to his generosity, I was able to write for two very different groups - an incredible funk band and a large ensemble of remarkable musicians I brought together for the project. I will always be proud of this body of work. Best enjoyed with attentive ears, through quality speakers, and with a glass of red in hand.” As we make it through this wonderful collection of tracks, we pass through the macabre and menacing Asylum into the free darkness of Library and the grooving Trophy Room. Each track - brief and scene-setting for the video game - takes us on an imagined journey through Sowden House with a constant feeling of something hidden and yet to be revealed. The listener can get lost in Labyrinth (with a gorgeously brief baritone sax solo from Matthew Keegan) before the album finishes with more freedom and quasi-chaos from Drum Ritual that leaves everything somewhat unresolved, just as in the case of the Black Dahlia and the real Sowden House. ‘Sowden House’ from Freyja Garbett is out on Earshift Music from 26 June 2026

The live appearance of Emeli Sandé at London’s Barbican was a stunning show with some hints at future music to build on her already impressive and award-winning discography. Nicky Brown, Emeli Sandé and Somia Konaté When Emeli Sandé released Our Version of Events in February 2012, it immediately captivated, with some brilliant songs. Fast-forward to 2026 and she’s got new songs as well as some of those classics - all performed to a sold-out Barbican Centre as part of the Serious Summer of Jazz Series. Her band was incredible and this was British R&B with a touch of soul and more than a little jazz, particularly the brilliant guitar of Sonia Konaté and keys of Nicky Brown. As she began introducing the musicians and they joined her on stage, Sandé dedicated her show to the inspirational MOBO founder Kanya King, whose death was announced just a few days earlier. The famous tunes were there, alongside some brand new ones, and all underpinned by a spirituality that drives Sandé’s songwriting. Introducing There Isn’t Much, she explained the importance of music and said: “Without the spiritual, there isn’t much”. Sandé’s introduction to the music business was originally writing songs for others to perform and she talked about holding back Clown for the day when she’d be able to release it herself. One of the tracks on her debut album, it was also one of her most successful singles, in 2013. Cam Ward and Mica Sefia Opening for Emeli Sandé at the Barbican was Mica Sefia, with pianist Cam Ward. It’s rare to see an emerging artist with such confidence and professionalism and their set was the perfect introduction to the main show. Sefia is definitely one to watch (and I suspect that Ward will also be increasingly in demand). Sandé’s final track of the set was her solo version of Read All About It, originally a hit with Professor Green. The audience loved it. There’s more still to come from live music producers Serious with the Summer of Jazz Series and, of course, the EFG London Jazz Festival

For most of his Cadogan Hall performance, RIOPY (Jean-Philippe Rio-Py) allowed his virtuosic piano playing to speak for him, but singing and speaking to the audience gave us all an insight into the man himself. RIOPY at Cadogan Hall (c) Tasha Yourkevich A couple of times through the Cadogan Hall show, RIOPY spoke to the audience: he was humble and grateful (for most of us, the London tube strike had caused additional time and effort to attend). As he spoke, and as he played, there was both a control and a freedom in equal measure. Throughout the set, well-known tunes were interspersed with those from Be Love, RIOPY’s fifth album. Explaining the title and concept behind his latest album, RIOPY said: “We do a lot of things subconsciously and the world would be so much better if we all put ourselves in a state of love.” Explaining why several of the tunes from Be Love feature lyrics and the pianist as singer, he added that music has always been a necessity and he discovered that “singing made me feel good”. When RIOPY released Bliss in 2021, I was fortunate in interviewing him for Harmonious World. You can listen to that episode here. It remains one of my most downloaded episodes across the last six years of the podcast. Opening the show was singer-songwriter Marnie Glum, with songs that were melodic and witty. Taking over the Cadogan stage alone is no mean feat and this was a confident, assured performance from such a talented young artist that promises much for the promised new recording. It doesn’t matter what box you try to put RIOPY in, performances like this are, in themselves, a definition of music that is … music: jazz, quasi-classical and intensely personal for the performer and each and every member of the audience. There’s more still to come from live music producers Serious with the Summer of Jazz Series and, of course, the EFG London Jazz Festival

Four became five at West Side Jazz when clarinettist Pete Long was sadly taken ill, and the remaining quartet performed brilliantly with Anthony Kerr in the lead. The Anthony Kerr Quartet (c) rw_crowley Vibraphonist Anthony Kerr is adept as front man, and the whole audience joined him in wishing Pete Long a swift recovery. The ensemble - Colin Good (piano), Joe Pettitt (bass) and Dave Tandy (drums) - rattled through many of the tunes that had been on the original set list. The audience was entertained by well-loved swing tunes and some pieces often requested of vibes players. This was a night that really swang, as these four musicians took some classic tunes and performed brilliantly - collectively and individually. From Take the A Train, I Got Rhythm and Body and Soul through to Cherokee and The Man I Love, these were tunes that the audience really appreciated. The Goodman-esque clarinet of Pete Long was missing, but Kerr’s vibes and chat were a worthy replacement. Pettitt, Kerr and Tandy (c) rw_crowley The vibes leadership made it perfect for some tunes specific for that instrument - Bags’ Groove, Softly, as In a Morning Sunrise and the masterful Flying Home. What was particularly impressive was the collaboration between the members of the quartet - moments when Good motioned from the piano towards Pettitt and Tandy and the instinctive swapping of four or eight bar solos that allowed for variety and intricacy. Kerr and Good (c) rw_crowley We continue to send best wishes to Pete Long for a swift recovery and hope to see the quartet return as a quintet in the coming months. Next up at West Side Jazz is the Simon Bates Trio on 1 July

Camden’s Green Note audience was treated to an evening of powerful Americana with Róisín McNeill, as she launched her new EP - ‘Nothing Else Matters’. Róisín’s style is very much country, influenced by Americana and with her own touches and a distinctive voice - Nothing Else Matters feels like it’s been a work of great creativity, with four really stunning tunes. Before the main event, singer-songwriter Tom Cole treated us to a selection of his own heart-felt compositions, sandwiched around the Bob Dylan Buckets of Rain and the brilliant Never Any Good by Martin Simpson. It takes a lot for any musician to stand in front of a crowd completely alone and perform solo - Tom was both entertaining and engaging. When Róisín took to the stage, she performed a selection of earlier tunes, interspersed with the four songs from Nothing Else Matters. This latest recording has been ably assisted by producer Charles Austin from Nashville, with whom Roisin has also recorded. There is lots more to come! The intimate Green Note - just a few doors up from the iconic Jazz Cafe - is now one of my favourite venues. A club that I’m ashamed to have only just discovered. Launching an EP is always an emotional event and Róisín performed exceptionally well, engaging with the audience and making us all feel like part of this journey that is just starting with Nothing Else Matters. As you can see, my music taste is branching out, so look out for more reviews of new music of all genres

The confident sounds of Shadowlands (Robin Fincker, Lauren Kinsella and Kit Downes) returns with their special jazz-folk hybrid sound on ‘Two Minds’. Throughout this second album, Shadowlands take songs that sound as old as time and make them new. Their 2024 debut was Ombres, and this follow-up develops their sound, taking three exceptional musicians and bringing them together in the traditional, the brand new and a collaborative space for improvisation. My Life Had Stood takes us from an ethereal opening with Downes’s Hammond and Fincker’s clarinet establishing the setting for Kinsella’s voice, using Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Like many of these tunes, they have been composed by Fincker and seem to fit perfectly with the lyrics chosen or created. Poetry by Christina Rossetti are next taken into Buds and Babies, a composition by Downes. Kinsella’s voice is simply astounding in its beauty and on this track especially, every note on piano and sax fits perfectly. When the three together compose Cornered, the result has a freedom and a brevity that will demand a second, or third listening. There is so much encased in that one tune, which barely lasts a minute. Taking inspiration from traditional tunes, poetry, a Ravel composition - Sainte - and even the similarly brief instrumental Plumage, the trio give space to performance and improvisation that remains true to the original inspiration, lyrics or germ of an idea. There really is a confidence and an exciting fluidity to the sound-scape of Two Minds. Shadowlands is Robin Fincker (tenor sax, clarinet), Lauren Kinsella (voice) and Kit Downes (piano, hammond organ). Their Two Minds album launch takes place this weekend at London’s Kings Place. ‘Two Minds’ by Shadowlands is out from BMC Records on 5 June 2026

Across what would have been Glastonbury weekend - 26-28 June 2026 - venues around the UK are hosting live music. Everywhere at Once is being delivered by the UK’s Music Venue Trust, with more than 2,000 artists performing across the weekend. It’s all backed by the Nation al Lottery, because it’s clear that music venues everywhere need support. MVT said: “This is not a festival in a field. It’s a festival on your doorstep, no tent required. Forget the trek, the traffic and the campsites. This summer’s biggest live music weekend happens in a venue near you. Everywhere At Once is more than a line-up of gigs. It’s a national moment to celebrate the grassroots music ecosystem.” I’ll be heading down to events around Hertfordshire that weekend, so watch this space for reviews. Support your local music venues: find your local event at Everywhere at Once

It’s always good to read that artists are recording their own compositions and, once again, that is true with the latest from saxophonist Trish Clowes. Try Me is Trish Clowes’s brilliant new album with her My Iris quartet. My Iris takes Clowes’s saxes and pits them sonically with Chris Montague (guitar), Ross Stanley (piano and Hammond organ) and Joel Barford (drums). Individually, these are four musicians at the top of their game and collectively, they . Clowes says: “The writing is also hugely inspired by the individual personalities of the musicians. As with all my tunes, my ideas are there to provoke, make space, and shine a spotlight.” Clowes is already a well-respected sax player and her work with My Iris can only cement that reputation. A highly inventive composer and improviser, she took inspiration for all the tunes on Try Me from a cold January stroll along London’s Thames pathway from Rotherhithe to Blackfriar’s Bridge. The quartet take those inspired tunes and improvise accordingly, from the opening Walking, which features outstanding solos from each one until they seem to walk off into the distance. Next up is For the Darklings, sparked by 'the mysterious darklings', a phrase from a poem by guitarist Mike Walker which Clowes first set to music in 2014 for legendary vocalist Norma Winstone. Some of Walker’s words are included in the album artwork after artist Tríona Milne responded strongly to the poem: the art is as gorgeous as the music! Each tune has its own specific starting point and the quartet bring their own creativity, with Clowes’s sax the pivotal axis on which it all turns. Ending at St Saviour’s Dock just as her walk did, the opening soprano sax notes evoke the sounds of the Thames as it winds through the city of London. Clowes says: “It’s one of the most enigmatic spaces I have come across in London. The unique echoes, the sounds of various birds, the metallic sounds of construction work – I knew immediately I needed to construct a piece using saxophone extended techniques, playing into the piano strings with the sustain pedal down, and then write a melody from the resultant harmony and structure of the tenor saxophone multiphonics. We’ve performed this tune in a whole variety of ways now, but for the recording I wanted the stark contrast of the soprano saxophone for the main melody of the last track.” The UK seems to be producing some simply extraordinary sax players right now, and Trish Clowes definitely proves her place on that list with Try Me. Trish Clowes’ ‘Try Me’ is out on Stoney Lane Records on 5 June 2026