Influencing Machine album launch

Looking forward to next wednesday's (21st) gig from the Elliot Galvin Trio (Elliot Galvin, Tom McCredie, Corrie Dick) at the Vortex. This is the first of two nights launching their latest album, The Influencing Machine.

Should be a scorcher.

Crossed 'bones

So Jazzy G and I met up at Gillette Square for another heady night in Dalston. Annie Whitehead is a towering figure in UK jazz, but one I'd somehow yet to catch live, so I was raring to go.

As usual, our not inconsiderable proportions suffered the Vortex's legroom-not-included philosophy, but I can live with that when the music's top quality. 

First up, Rosie Turton's Quintet. The unusual line-up - with Turton's trombone and Joanna Burnheart's violin out front - set an intriguing, trance-like vibe for the evening, and Twm Dylan delivered that rarest of in-gig occurrences, a broken double-bass string! What with swirling, Tyner-esque piano work from Maria Chiara Argiro, and Jake Long's choppy drums, I'd very much like to catch this band again for a full night's performance.

The vibe delivered by Annie Whitehead's Blow The Fuse Allstars couldn't have been more contrasting, and not just because of the leader's more throaty tone on the 'bone. The band paid tribute to recently-departed Hugh Masekela, Deirdre Cartwright's guitar providing a soaring township-jazz sound, and to the late Rico Rodriguez with a warm rendition of his (4:4 time) Take 5 re-write. Alison Rayner (double bass) treated us to an original tune and Winston Clifford was a force of nature on drums as always. 

Rarely have I seen a band obviously enjoying themselves quite so much, and it was impossible not to feel the same.