Nicole Z's "wild" journey brings her to London

The engaging and Grammy-winning Nicole Zuraitis thrilled the audience at The Pheasantry on London's Kings Road, thanks to the 'Nigel Williams presents ...' series for JazzFM.

Nicole Z and Nigel W in conversation

Joined by Neville Malcolm (bass) and Kai McCrae (drums) who she had met for the first time just a few hours earlier, the impressive pianist and vocalist entertained with standards such as Georgia and Walk On the Wild Side (which was just missing a bit of Bari sax, which I'd have been happy to provide!). However, it was the original tracks which brought Nicole Z's voice to life.

Nicole's excellent album How Love Begins won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album and the night was peppered with the tracks which clarified the Grammy win. Songs like Two Fish and Well Planned, Well Played have a touch of humour and self-deprecation, as well as great musicianship, alongside the stunning Burn, which features Christian McBride (bass and co-producer of the album).

The middle of the evening was where JazzFM presenter Nigel Williams led the conversation with Nicole, who described her journey as a vocalist as "wild". I'm happy to have seen and heard this stunning musician in such an intimate venue: I'm sure the next time she's in London, the audience will be considerably larger. Definitely one to watch and hopefully a future guest on Harmonious World.

Comments

Maria Schneider: Live at The Barbican

Tonight’s performance in the main hall at London’s Barbican Centre confirmed Maria Schneider ’s position as one of the finest composers of our generation. Working with the sublime Oslo Jazz Ensemble (formerly Denada), Schneider presented a selection of tunes from her ‘Data Lords’ double album from 2020 and the result was simply extraordinary. Photo credit @Hilary Seabrook With a host of Grammy awards and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for Data Lords , Schneider has proved her right to stand on the Barbican stage in front of one of the finest ensembles in the world. Her music allows every member to shine, individually and collectively. Sax players who double on clarinet, bass clarinet, flute and alto flute, trumpets and flugelhorns, an accordion and multiple percussion pieces wielded by the drummer collectively provide a range of timbres, textures and dynamics that thrilled this audience. The Data Lords compositions celebrate everything that is wonderful about nature, as well as all ...

The Darius Brubeck Quartet: Live at Jazz Cafe Posk

My first visit to Jazz Cafe Posk in London's Hammersmith coincided with the 60th anniversary of Posk - The Polish Social and Cultural Association - and the first performance in the club by pianist and composer Darius Brubeck. Photo credit @ Hilary Seabrook Darius was 10 when he joined his father on a historic tour of Poland. The Dave Brubeck Quartet toured Poland from 6 to 18 March 1958, just three years after the communist regime's ban on jazz was lifted. Without a doubt, this was the biggest jazz event in post-war Poland, with the archetypal and hugely successful outfit of Dave Brubeck (piano), Paul Desmond (alto sax), Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums). Sixty years later, in 2018, Darius took his own quartet - the same one he brought to Posk in May 2024 - to Poland for a significant tour, recorded and released as the Live in Poland album. Several of the tracks from this album were in the set at Posk and this quartet displayed in depth the benefits of playing to...

Big Wade - 'Piano Man' out now

Big Wade and Black Swan Theory collectively blends funk, soul, jazz and everything that fills the cracks between those genres: his new album - Piano Man - on all major streaming platforms ahead of the Piano Man Tour 2024 , which has dates across the US. Piano Man brings a selection of original and covers, including a stunning version of Autumn Leaves , which reinvents the song as the funky, electronic Autumn . Big Wade's voice takes the song's melody and improvises around and around, with backing vocals and a deliberately sparse arrangement underpinning the song. Similarly, on Children of the Ghetto , the lead and backing vocals blend in with the soulful musicians of Black Swan Theory. Electronics are used with dexterity, often expanding the vocal lines, as in the ethereal and ghostly opening of Don't Let Me Go . However, the tools never dominate - simply adding depth and layers to the funk. Never more than when Big Wade enters a new world in Interludes , including vocals...

Hilary Seabrook - writer, podcaster, musician

Search This Blog