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Singer songwriter Zoe Gilby brought her own compositions and interpretations of some classic tunes to Chelsea’s 606 Club in honour of International Jazz Day 2026. Led by Zoe and with a guest appearance by Tony Kofi (sax), this was a fine quintet with Terence Collie (piano), Nick Lenner-Webster (bass) and Ted Carrasco (drums). There was a musical understanding between the ensemble, with nice moments of facial and hand gestures to ensure solos were taken smoothly. Jazz often seems to encapsulate a collaborative spirit that was definitely very much in evidence on this special day. Zoe clearly likes to set herself a challenge, and she has worked hard on her lyrical interpretations of the melodies of Tom Harrell, as well as some classics by Thelonious Monk - often in a new and personal way. Her version of Round Midnight with Terence’s piano was simply gorgeous, with alternative lyrics that are less often heard. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me became a rumba and certainly Zoe’s skill is in rhythmic interpretation, using the voice as an instrument and often breaking into scat, offering improvised solos that fit perfectly with the rhythm section and with Tony’s brilliant sax. The latter always takes delights in the insertion of references to other tunes and he was really on form in this ensemble. There was a genuine sense of respect with which Zoe told stories of Carmen McRae, Thelonious Monk and other characters such as the ‘jazz baroness’, Baroness Pannonica "Nica" de Koenigswarter, who was a great patron of jazz in New York. Zoe’s performance of Monk’s Pannonica was a highlight of this evening, particularly fitting on International Jazz Day. You don’t have to wait for next year’s International Jazz Day (it’s always on 30 April) before getting to hear some great music, particularly at the 606 Club

I feel like I’m late to the party, having missed Agnas Bros’ four previous albums: indeed, ‘Sista Försöket’ has been out since September 2025, but Swedish jazz isn’t always a staple of UK radio, in my defence. It was a delight to feel the band’s energy when they appeared on stage at last week’s jazzahead! in Bremen. Undoubtedly highly adept musicians, these four brothers have a way of playing together that felt on stage like they were constantly listening to each other and responding as if they didn’t have such a shared familial history. For anyone else new to this band, they are Kasper Agnas (guitar), Max Agnas (piano), Mauritz Agnas (bass) and Konrad Agnas (drums). The opening track - Sviten - introduces some quasi-random electronic crackles into traditional jazz quartet voicings and moving into We Are. The bass opening of Cheeseburger allows Mauritz to shine and, actually, one of the strengths of this album is that the individual players all get their moment in the spotlight. There’s almost a telepathic quality that certainly came across when seeing Agnas Bros live on stage. More crackles and the brief Outro heralds the second half of the album, which begins with the simply lovely Stumbles, with some dextrous interchanges between guitar and piano. I wish I understood Swedish, because the poetic start to track six - Psalm 967 - sounds like I should know it. The internet tells me that the final track - Nagon Hyllade en Glass - means ‘Someone praised an ice cream’. I think what this album proves is that sometimes it doesn’t matter what tracks are called, if the music is this good. Although all well-known collectively and individually in the jazz scene in Sweden, Agnas Bros have yet to venture musically into the UK. Perhaps it’s time they did. ‘Sista Försöket’ (‘Last Attempt’) is out now so check it out on Bandcamp

With great songwriting, high energy vocals and support from some great UK musicians, Earth-o-Naut is releasing the debut album 'This Is Nowhere. This Is Everywhere' on 29 May. Since dropping into our ears back in March 2024, Earth-o-Naut has treated us to a regular feed of up-beat songs, arranged and performed well, that just won’t quit. The end of May will see some of those singles and some new tracks brought together on the debut album This is Nowhere. This is Everywhere I was lucky enough to interview Terry - the man behind the project - for an episode of Harmonious World at the end of March. The truth is that I’ve been pursuing him to appear for nearly two years since I first heard Call Me and then This is Day One. Both singles are included on the album - probably because they’re great tunes. Earth-o-Naut is really about that songwriting skill and the man behind most of the writing, performance and production. But one of the key roles that Terry was most open about when we chatted was bringing bringing in UK drumming legend, Steve White. I’ve known Steve for many years and he’s a safe pair of hands in which to trust drumsticks. His contribution to most of Earth-o-Naut’s output gives much of the groove and stability on which the rest of the music sits. Hearing Terry talk is very different to hearing him sing and he comes across well as a vocalist, but that didnt stop him from importing some great voice work from Amalia Estradas and Suzanne Maddock. Despite the high quality of some of the earlier singles, the most recent songs chosen to appear before the album show a maturity of style. There’s Nothing Above Music and Love is a catchy and memorable tune that has been my ear worm for several weeks, but I don’t think anything will beat my favourite single that also appears on this new album - It Ain’t What You Know. That last line always gets me: "What do you believe?" 'This Is Nowhere. This Is Everywhere' from Earth-o-Naut will be released by Agogo Records on 29 May 2026

My first podcast guest at Jazzahead! was the totally inspirational Sahad and he ended up being the last show I saw on the closing night. Before we reached that late night show, there was lots more networking and some great interviews (I’m still planning to release the jazzahead! episode of Harmonious World on Monday). Jasmine Myra and her band The afternoon’s showcase was Leeds and London-based saxist Jasmine Myra. She put on a great show and if anyone was looking to book a band that was a sure-fire crowd-pleaser, they’ll be getting a booking in the calendar now. Alongside Jasmine’s alto sax were Rianna Henriques (flute), Arran Kent (flute and bass clarinet), Ben Haskins (guitar), Jasper Green (piano), Alice Roberts (harp), Sam Quintana (bass) and George Hall (drums). The evening’s German Jazz Prize event was an ideal chance to catch some of the artists who are representing Germany right now. There’ll be a separate article on that coming this week … Sahad! The final show of the festival was my first podcast guest at Bremen - Sahad. He was even better than the videos I’d seen before we chatted. Sometimes it’s hard to write dispassionately about music that really moves you. Late at night there is something wildly infectious about Sahad and his band. The rhythms and arrangements make it almost impossible not to dance. The irony that I’ve travelled to a Northern European city to discover some of the finest African jazz is not lost on me. Please do take a listen to the Harmonious World episode that is coming out tomorrow - Sahad has a fascinating story to tell. There will be lots of album reviews to come from some of the artists I met at jazzahead! 2026. Watch this space …

There was lots of music and plenty of people to meet on the second full day of activities at jazzahead! My interviews have been fascinating, with more musicians from around the world, and a couple more scheduled in for tomorrow. There have also been some interesting discussions with record labels and festival organisers: we’re all working with a similar passion for jazz. And then there has been some outstanding music … Richard Koch’s ‘Rays of Light’ Afternoon jazz can be particularly enjoyable and that was definitely true of Richard Koch’s Rays of Light performance, There was a real joy in evidence on both stage and audience. Koch’s trumpet was accompanied by Fabiana Striffler (violin), Valentin Butt (accordion), Igor Spallati (bass) and Nora Thiele (frame drum). The Jeremy Leadbetter Trio A little later, I caught Canadian pianist Jeremy Leadbetter with his trio of Rich Brown (bass) and Larnell Lewis (drums). Their new album is Gravity, and I’ll be reviewing that as soon as I get hold of a copy. Leadbetter talked about the tune Suspirito and how it came to be composed and take on a new meaning. He said: “Music can take us back in time … music is so powerful.” I was glad to have caught that set, and seen moments when Leadbetter’s hands were a blur on the keyboard. Simply extraordinary. ‘Veda & The String Machine’ The evening took me to a Luxembourg showcase that included guitarist Veda Bartringer (guitar) with a glimpse of her forthcoming project Veda & The String Machine. For this performance, she was joined by Julien Cuvelier (sax), Laurent Peckels (bass) and Maxime Magotteaux (drums). Laura Jurd presents ‘Rites and Revelations’ My night ended with one of my favourite UK artists - trumpeter Laura Jurd. I’ve watched her ascent with interest, having first seen her at Hitchin’s JazzUp! several years ago. She didn’t fail to impress the huge jazzahead! audience with just a hint of her 2025 albums Rites and Revelations. Her band was simply stunning, with Ultan O'Brien (viola), Tara Cunningham (guitar), Ruth Goller (bass) and Corrie Dick (drums). The final day of jazzahead! beckons, and there are more very classy acts scheduled in

The first full day of events at Jazzahead! 2026 featured many, many meetings - some scheduled and some ad hoc - and great live jazz. Before I heard any jazz, I interviewed the inspiring Sahad, a musician and activist from Senegal. That conversation - which I found life changing in several ways - will form part of the next Harmonious World episode. The Joel Lyssarides Trio My first showcase of the festival featured pianist Joel Lyssarides, who I interviewed back in November 2024. His trio’s performance was a complete delight and enjoyed by the capacity crowd: Late on Earth, their new album, is out tomorrow on ACT Music. This is a real fine trio, including Alon Near (bass) and Rasmus Blixt (drums) and I’m looking forward to reviewing the album soon. Agnas Bros Next up was a full set from Agnas Bros, who performed briefly with Norrbotten Big Band at the opening concert. For this dedicated show, they seem to enjoy listening to each other just as much as playing together. Four brothers - Kasper (guitar), Max (piano), Mauritz (bass) and Konrad (drums) - their music is rhythmically complex and engaging, so it’s not surprising they have five albums under their belt. Look out for more. L’Antidote L’Antidote were guests from another past episode of Harmonious World, this one just last October. Another packed main hall was delighted by the show. The trio - Redi Hasa (cello), Rami Khalife (piano) and Bijan Chemirani (percussion) - made the fullest possible use of their instruments to create another special evening. Redi’s use of the cello as if it’s a guitar, Rami’s plucking the piano strings and Bijan’s total control of an array of percussion equipment danced rhythmically through the global influences of this talented trio. Networking today has been gruelling and inspiring in equal measure: I have also managed to book two more interviews, which will take place again in the Bremen Radio studio. I’m grateful to the radio station and their team for making that happen. Inspiration has come from unexpected places and I am open to more coming tomorrow

The opening night of jazzahead! 2026 saw a number of eminent guests welcome the capacity audience to what promises to be several days of great jazz and making connections. The Norrbotten Big Band put on a brilliant show, joined by a number of special guests. As an ensemble, they demonstrate their credentials as hugely talented musicians, and the solos several of them performed were inspired. I interviewed the NBB artistic director, Joakim Milder a few weeks ago for Harmonious World, so it was no surprise that the band was so strong, but it nevertheless made for a fitting opening for jazzahead! Saxophonists made great use of the larger ensemble backing: the first of their guests was saxophonist Lisen Rylander Löve, rapidly followed on clarinet and tenor sax by Fredrik Ljungkvist. Both were accompanied with dexterity by the big band. There was similar skill when the band was next joined by vocalist Josefine Cronholm on her original track From My Window, released as a single today. As well as the beautiful woodwind behind the vocal melody, there was a stunning bari sax feature that was particularly fitting. The final two acts took the big band in a different direction again, with first the fabulous Agnas Bros, followed by American electro jazz funk duo Knower. Throughout the evening, the Norrbotten Big Band showed their prowess both as an ensemble and also as solo improvisers. A great start to jazzahead! The jazzahead! Festival and trade fair continue in Bremen until the weekend

Angelique Kidjo  is absolutely claiming her crown as one of Africa’s most influential artists with the release of 'HOPE!!' Start with No Stopping Us  because the message is clear and the music is equally unstoppable. The lead single Fall on Me feat. PJ Morton  is a more gentle, orchestral arrangement but no less powerful. As well as the fabulous duet with Morton, there are collaborations with Pharrell Williams (producer of three of the tracks), Nile Rodgers, PJ Morton, Quavo, Ayra Starr, Davido, The Cavemen, Charlie Wilson and the Soweto Gospel Choir. A Grammy winner herself (currently five wins and 16 nominations) any one of these collaborators could be in line for a feature in next year’s awards. Rodgers’ guitar on Oyaya  alongside vocals from IZA is instantly recognisable, as is the voice of Charlie Wilson alongside Kidjo on For Me . This album is dedicated to Kidjo’s mother and there seems to be a deliberate intention to honour both her own start in Benin and her relationships with so many great musicians. Kidjo says: “I started singing when I was six years old, and I’m grateful every day that I still get to live my passion and do what I love with my life. At the same time I know that many people struggle to find joy, especially when there’s so much to worry about in our world today. With this album I wanted to put some fire back in people’s hearts, and show how much we need that joy and hope to keep our humanity going.” There’s a big orchestral feel to Malaik, which Kidjo opens almost as an aria before she’s joined by Florent Pagny in what is a perfect end to this stunning album. ‘ HOPE !!’ is out via Warner Music France on 24 April

Reimagining John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ is a bold challenge to take on, particularly in the big band context, but i’s safe in the hands of harmonica player Mathias Heise and the Danish Radio Big Band. The brief introduction takes on the whole big band setting and sets the scene for Heise’s arrangement of Coltrane’s seminal suite. A Love Supreme  consists of four parts: Acknowledgement , Resolution , Pursuance  and Psalm . In this reimagining, Heise has added interludes and a harmonic cadenza, as well as adding Coltrane’s Alabama, all of which allows a personal stamp to be added to the arrangements and the new suite. Taking what is often cited as Coltrane’s finest work and moving it from quartet to big band actually works. Perhaps it takes 20+ musicians to pay a real tribute to the original work of Coltrane, McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). Musically, the famous motifs and melodies are shared around the band, employing the harmonic complexities of the original and some rather stunning improvisations by this exceptional big band. Heise’s harmonica cadenza begins slowly and tenderly, before ramping up into a very Coltrane-esque solo. I spoke to Mathias back in 2022 for an episode of Harmonious World , and it was a fascinating conversation - my first with a harmonica player. From the start, right through to the final chords of Alabama , which Coltrane wrote separately to honour the memory of the 1963 church bombing that was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, this album honours the original. It is a group of musicians owning the significant contribution of John Coltrane and A Love Supreme  - 60 years on. Mathias Heise & Danish Radio Big Band: ‘A Love Supreme Revisited’ is out on 22 May

If anyone questions the value of music to the UK’s economy, they just need to step into one of the 300 towns around the UK who are lucky enough to be part of Record Store Day 2026 . Andy at David's Music As they have for nearly 20 years, in 2026, consumers queued for hours - some for days - to get the special edition releases from artists as diverse as Olivia Dean, Peter Gabriel and Taylor Swift, Bill Evans, Chet Baker and Bill Bruford. The rule is that you have to turn up in person, and shops opened as usual on Saturday 18 April to let the queues in. David’s Music  in Letchworth saw its first place staked in the queue at 8am the day before. “It’s always our busiest day of the year, and there was a mixture of regulars and new collectors,” said Managing Director Andy Oates, who has been at David’s for four decades. ”By the time we opened this morning, the queue went as far as the Broadway Cinema - about 250 yards. There’s been a queue all day and people just keep joining the end. Throughout the year, there are special editions and anniversary releases, but Record Store Day always sees some really interesting offerings from popular and niche artists. The record labels are getting really good at encouraging the passion in collectors, especially in attracting younger music fans.” Since 2007, when American shop owners created Record Store Day, artists and labels have embraced this campaign to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture that surrounds these special stores. The global word spread the following year and David’s Music has been involved every year. David’s Bookshop was established in 1963, with a music section from 1964 and a cafe added in 2015. One of the key drivers behind the business then - and now, as an Employee Ownership Trust from 2020 - has been to encourage new ideas and opportunities. It’s a very special place and David’s Music remains a highly respected and active part of the local community - every day of the year. Jack at JP's Records Joining the record store community early in 2026 - but too late for the Record Store Day official activities - is JP’s Records  in neighbouring Hitchin. Embracing the same ethos of making the most of opportunities, Owner Jack Perry laid on a series of live musicians to encourage customers. “It’s been a really busy day and we’ve had plenty of great vinyl for everyone to enjoy, even if they’re not the special Record Store Day releases.” Wherever you are, support your local record store and the wider music industry

The Sistering is very much work in progress but the first tracks released by this brand new ensemble feature four fabulous voices in unity and artistry. This seems like the perfect setting for these talented musicians - Lenora Zenzalai Helm, Nnenna Freelon, Kate McGarry and Lois Deloatch (who I interviewed for Harmonious World  on my fourth anniversary in 2024). The Sistering  is a collection of tracks - two written by each of the quartet, two co-written and one standard - that engages the listener in its world of jazz, soul, funk and a touch of folk. Behind The Sistering is an impressive ensemble: Miki Hayama (piano), Keith Ganz (guitar), John Brown (bass) and Kobie Watkins (drums). Solo spots feature Dexter Moses (alto/tenor sax), Shaena Ryan (baritone sax), Lynn Grissett (trumpet) and Robert Trowers (trombone) The title of the project comes from a construction term, where ‘sistering’ refers to using something new to strengthen an existing item. It really does feel like this project brings new life to these women and their incredibly moving music. These tracks are well-crafted and meaningful: Deloatch’s Dying Season  “teaches grace”, while Freelon’s A Brother (Just Like You)  takes us lyrically through a range of jazz standards. Meanwhile, Helm’s Combat Boots and Glass Slippers  empowers us all. Wherever The Sistering takes these four creative and magnificent women, there can be no doubt that there is a message for us all in using the new to improve the existing. Check out The Sistering  online

Tonight saw the presentation of the Jazz FM awards 2026 at London’s Koko, recognising some of today’s best jazz musicians. As well as a series of honours for rising stars and established artists alike, there was a Lifetime Achievement Award for Van Morrison (above, with Jools Holland). In association with PPL and PRS for Music, broadcaster, comedian and actor Ben Bailey Smith (aka Doc Brown) led the awards in front of a capacity audience. Performances on the night came from Yazmin Lacey, Van Morrison, Omar and Emma-Jean Thackray, while presemters included Jamie Cullum, Jools Holland, Courtney Pine, Martin Freeman, Katie Melua, Rumer, Lemar, Nick Hornby, Alex Horne, Kenny Thomas and Jordan Rakei. Even being nominated for one of these awards is a huge achievement, and these are some very special artists in each category. The final awards went to: BREAKTHROUGH ACT OF THE YEAR: Donovan Haffner INTERNATIONAL JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Saint Lucia Tourism Authority): Samara Joy BLUES ACT OF THE YEAR: Mavis Staples SOUL ACT OF THE YEAR (sponsored by OANDA):  Omar INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:  Joe Webb VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:  Yazmin Lacey THE INNOVATION AWARD (sponsored by Mishcon de Reya):  Emma-Jean Thackray THE COLLABORATION AWARD (sponsored by Cash For Kids):  Balimaya Project meets Discos Pacifico All-Stars – Calima ALBUM OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC VOTE:  Fergus McCreadie – The Shieling ( read my review ) UK JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC VOTE:  Emma Rawicz ( listen to our podcast chat ) Find out more about the JazzFM awards