Rhythm Changes Conference, Amsterdam Conservatory
Rhythm Changes Conference, Amsterdam Conservatory
Morières lès Avignon Jazz Festival, France, 8pm
Festival des Vents
Septmber 15: St Edwards Church, Stow on the Wold 7.30 pm (www.musicatstow.co.uk)
Crazy Coqs, London, 7 pm (brasseriezedel.com)
Cowbridge Festival, Brynawel, Trerhyngyll, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7TN
Cowbridge Comprehensive School Theatre, 7.30 pm (cowbridgemusicfestival.co.uk)
Shrewsbury Music and Arts, Shrewsbury School
Pizza Express, Dean St, Soho, London 8 pm (pizzaexpresslive.com/venues/soho-jazz-club)
26 June 2021 Thaxted Festival 7:30 pm
Thaxted Church
Town Street, Thaxted, Essex
https://www.thaxtedfestival.co.uk/concerts/first-weekend/the-darius-brubeck-quartet
13 August Pizza Express, Soho, London 8:00 pm
10 Dean St, London W1D 3RW
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/darius-brubeck-quartet/6003726608
22 August Ropetackle, Shoreham 8:00 pm
Little High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5EG
25 August The Stables, Milton Keynes 8:00 pm
The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, MK17 8 L
https://stables.org/event/darius-brubeck-quartet
13 September Reform Club, London (members only)
18 September National Jazz Archives 2:30 pm
260 High Rd, Loughton IG10 1RB
https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/news-events
15 October Herts Jazz Festival 8:00 pm
South Road, Bishop's Stortford, England, CM23
http://www.hertsjazzfestival.co.uk/gigs/66
22 October Crazy Coqs, with special guest vocalist, Ruby Gascoyne
20 Sherwood St, London W1F 7ED 7:00 pm
4 November The New Vic Theatre, (Newcastle-Under-Lyme)
New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG
https://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/whats-on/concerts-music/
10 December The Lighthouse (Poole) 19:45 pm
21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1UG
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2021/sj-darius-brubeck-quartet/
16 December St George's (Bristol) 8:00 pm
St George's Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5RR
www.https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/the-darius-brubeck-quartet-2/
14 December Jazz Cafe, Camden (London)
5 Parkway, London NW1 7PG
www.jazzcafelondon.com
Live in Poland, reviewed by Brian Morton
Now and then, the circumstances around a recording are almost as interesting as the content. Darius Brubeck’s 2018 tour of Poland took place during the centenary of the country’s restored independence, but also, on the anniversary of his father Dave’s pioneering 1958 tour, the first by a Western group behind the Iron Curtain.
Live In Poland feels like an extended dziekuje—or “thank you,” and the title of the folksy sixth track—to the Polish people in return. The warmth of reception is evident, most obviously in the reaction to “Take Five,” but also in the palpable chemistry between the group and the crowd at the Blue Note in Poznań. Brubeck begins “Earthrise” with huge, sonorous rolls on the keyboard, before the swinging main theme announces itself.
Does Dave O’Higgins sound remotely like Paul Desmond? Of course not; there’s too much Coltrane in his makeup, but he has the ability to make the tenor sound light and supple. The sheer delight of “Matt The Cat” and Hugh Masekela’s “Nomali” rescue the set from any possible solemnity.
But Darius Brubeck originals are the meat of the album, his “Sea Of Troubles” a glorious Hamlet-like soliloquy with profound blue interventions from the group.
Live In Poland: Earthrise; In Your Own Sweet Way; Matt The Cat; Nomali; Sea Of Troubles; Dziekuje; Take Five.
Personnel: Darius Brubeck, piano; Dave O’Higgins, tenor saxophone; Matt Ridley, bass; Wesley Gibbens, drums.
On Sale Now, Ubuntu Music