AFTER a brief break, jazz at The Pavilion Hotel on Fulford Road begins again tonight at 7pm.

Vocalist Georgina Barr is studying towards her jazz degree at Leeds College of Music and is quickly developing in to an accomplished performer. She is joined by popular pianist Mike Conliffe. Non-residents are welcome to dine or just enjoy the music with a drink.

If instrumental jazz is more your thing, there are two options this evening. The Karl Mullen Trio will be playing classic jazz and blues standards in the restaurant at Churchill’s Hotel on Bootham from 7pm.

At 8.30pm, multi-instrumentalist Al wood will be guesting with the resident band at the Red Lion Hotel in Poppleton. In Mr Wood’s case, multi-instrumentalist means just that, as he has been known to play just about all of the big band instruments, to a very high standard.

The loyal audience at Boston Spa Jazz Club will be treated to classic traditional swing from two excellent reed players this Saturday at 8pm. Dave Sheperd and Chris Walker promise to deliver a night of toe-tapping music interspersed with entertaining anecdotes. Entry is £8.

Guitar virtuoso Nik Svarc joins Tom Riviere on bass and Paul Smith on drums at Kennedy’s Bar, Little Stonegate at 1pm on Sunday for a selection of popular standards. Later in the day, saxophonist Luke Marzec brings a band to the stronghold of York jazz, The Phoenix Inn at 8pm. The Phoenix also rounds off the week of jazz gigs with its popular jam session from 8.30pm on Wednesday.


Review: Samadhi Quintet, The Dance of Venus

JAZZ fans in York will be familiar with the drumming of Sam Gardner, as he has played around the city regularly since graduating from Leeds College of Music. What you may not realise is that he is also a fine composer, as demonstrated on this superb debut album.

Building a powerful foundation with bassist Sam Vicary, the band play through a series of powerhouse grooves which take influence from jazz, hip-hop, neo soul and Latin music. Aided and abetted by percussionist Sam Bell, the grooves alone are enough to carry the album with pianist Dominic J Marshall doubling the bass lines with his left hand while colouring the harmonies with his right.

Saxophonist Krzysztof Urbanski is a player of world-class ability, as shown by plaudits received from legends such as Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. His soloing displays an advanced harmonic knowledge while retaining a sense of melodic fluidity.

Jazz needs to attract new, open-minded audiences while keeping the musical traditions which are part of its DNA. Bands like Samadhi Quintet are vital as they mix infectious grooves, harmonic experimentation and fearless improvisations to create a gripping final product with something for all generations.