WHAT’S ON: Friday, The Slowlight Quartet, Saltburn Community Hall, 01287-624-997. Sunday, Jazztones and friends, Forum Music Centre, Darlington, 01325-363-135.
CD Reviews: Abdullah Ibrahim/The Song is My Story (Intuition INT34422) The renowned South African pianist is featured here in a beautifully recorded recital at the Fazioli concert hall in Italy, very redolent of his recent Sage performance. An additional DVD features part of the recital and, uniquely, Ibrahim talking about his life and his songs. It’s a beautiful package, profoundly soothing but also illuminating. intuition-music.com
Mark Murphy/Shadows (TCB Records TCB33802) To my mind Murphy is one of the very best jazz singers so this previously unreleased studio album is particularly welcome. Recorded in 1996, Murphy is in outstanding form, his distinctive voice and phrasing well displayed. The members of his accompanying quartet – Karlheinz Miklin on saxes and flute, Fritz Pauer piano, Ewald Oberleitner bass and Dusan Novakov drums – both individually and collectively provide the most sympathetic support. tcbrecords.com
Martin Speake/The Quiet Mind (Pumpkin 007) Martin Speake’s Pumpkin label is giving us some wonderful glimpses of his varied performances over the years. This 2008 live recording catches the alto saxophonist improvising with Oren Marshall’s distinctive and sometimes lugubrious tuba and Mark Sanders’ drums and percussion. The moods and tempos vary but it’s always conversational music to immerse oneself in. martinspeake.com
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