The Jazz Mann | Jazz music reviews and news from the Jazz Mann Ian Mann

Winner of the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Media, 2019

Jazz Album Reviews

Harry Brunt

Carolina Peaches

Intelligent, frequently quirky, writing from Brunt combines with some superb playing from all four members of a very well balanced and calibrated group.

Fraser Smith Quartet

Lifeline!

The Weave

Snishoo

Ted Morcaldi

Celestial Stranger

Matt Carmichael

Dancing With Embers

Aurelius

Rizes Cave

Germana Stella La Sorsa and Tom Ollendorff Duo

After Hours

Jazz Mann Recommended Listening

Tim Boniface

“Psalter; Themes For Peace”

An impressive piece of work distinguished by intelligent writing and excellent playing, with all four musicians impressing with their contributions.

Small Blue

Furrow

The music is by turns beautiful, playful and evocative with the leader’s drums at the heart of the music in what is a particularly well calibrated trio. It’s a recording that Pyne can be proud of.

Shez Raja

Spellbound

The playing of every musician involved is exceptional and the performances are dynamic and exciting, with Raja’s bass a unifying force as he explores a broad range of music from east and west.

Emma Rawicz / Gwilym Simcock

Big Visit

A genuinely impressive piece of work, intimate but ambitious and featuring intelligent original writing and inventive arrangements alongside some brilliant playing.

Live Jazz Reviews

Ben Shankland Trio

Ben Shankland Trio, Birmingham Jazz, 1000 Trades, Jewellery Quartet, Birmingham, 12/09/2025.

Bryan Corbett

Bryan Corbett’s Instrumental Groove Unit, Corn Exchange Club, The Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, 11/09/2025.

Juan Galiardo Trio

Juan Galiardo Trio, Brecon Jazz Club, The Muse Arts Centre, Brecon, 09/09/2025.

Aaron Moloney Trio with Vasilis Xenopoulos

Aaron Moloney Trio with Vasilis Xenopoulos, Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, 05/09/2025.

Jon Crespo Quartet

Jon Crespo Quartet, ‘Beyond Armstrong’, Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny, 31/08/2025.

Lucy Sissy Miller / Walt McClements

Lucy Sissy Miller / Walt McClements, Sy; Gigs, Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury, 16/08/2025.

Jazz Mann Features

Sunday at Brecon Jazz Festival, 10/08/2025.

Ian Mann enjoys the final day of the Festival and performances by Julian Martin/ Ben Thomas, Soweto Kinch. Emily Masser / Alex Clarke, Dreamscapes, Ashley John Long's Rare Earth Project, Jazz Sabbath.

Saturday at Brecon Jazz Festival, 09/08/2025.

Ian Mann enjoys the second day of Brecon Jazz Festival 2025 and performances by Ursula Harrison and Sylvie Noble, Sultan Stevenson, Double Double, Ben Shankland, Remi Harris, Geoff Eales, Ruby Turner.

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