WHAT’S ON: Friday lunchtime, Graeme Wilson Quartet, evening John Etheridge (and Kit Holmes), Gala, Durham, 03000-266600; Friday, Lindsay Hannon Quartet, Travellers Rest, Cockerton, 01325-382676.
CD REVIEWS: Hiromi/Alive (Telarc 3530702) Hiromi’s regular albums continue to dazzle and delight. This is the fourth by the Trio Project with Anthony Jackson’s contrabass guitar and Simon Phillips’ drums working together as a wonderfully stimulating band, equally good on the hard driving up tempo tracks as on the more sensitive ballads. concordmusicgroup.com.
John Surman + Bergen Big Band/Another Sky (Grappa GRCD4459) The close relationship between Surman and this 20-piece Norwegian band is well demonstrated here. Surman, featured on his usual baritone and soprano saxes, also wrote and co-arranged most of the programme with John Warren. Their challenging charts, rich and varied, are very well played with superb ensemble sounds and a sprinkling of solos including leader and alto player Olaf Vass who, sadly, died this weekend. grappa.no
Ted Curson/Four Classic Albums (Avid AMSC1139) Trumpeter Ted Curson deserves to be better known and this two-CD pack shows what a wonderful tone and jazz feeling he had on two of his favourite early recordings, Plenty of Horn and Fire Down Below. Two more extremely rare LPs, one with tenor player Bill Barron and a live session recorded in Montreal have him stretching more on a particularly welcome package. avidgroup.co.uk
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