fri 30/05/2025

New Music Reviews

Spring Quartet, Barbican

Matthew Wright

In the 1960s and early 70s drummer Jack DeJohnette, now 71, was learning his craft with nearly everyone who was anyone, including Coltrane, Monk, Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis.

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Evan Parker: 70th-Birthday Celebration, Kings Place

Matthew Wright

John Coltrane’s extravagant, trance-like saxophone-playing is often considered the pinnacle of jazz technique, but for Evan Parker, who celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at Kings Place last night, it was only the starting point.

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Reissue CDs Weekly: Gram Parsons

Kieron Tyler

 

Gram Parsons: The Early Years Vol 1 & 2Gram Parsons: The Early Years Vol 1 & 2

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Celebrating Jon Lord, Royal Albert Hall

Russ Coffey

Jon Lord may have tickled his last ivory in 2012, but last night his spirit lived defiantly on. The great and the good from both heavy and contemporary music gathered in his memory. It was for a serious purpose - to raise funds for pancreatic cancer care. But, boy, what a time we had doing it. A revolving door of stars brought us wild solos, screaming vocals and thundering rhythms.

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Polar Bear, XOYO

Matthew Wright

“The most influential band of the last ten years. Period,” said Jez Nelson, of BBC Radio 3’s Jazz On 3, announcing Polar Bear to the XOYO audience last night. It’s difficult to live up to an introduction like that, especially when the band wanted the audience to focus on their new album, which was launched that night.

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Reissue CDs Weekly: Elton John

Kieron Tyler

 

Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road box set

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Rebecca Ferguson, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Guy Oddy

 As anyone who has a television will know, Rebecca Ferguson is a graduate of The X Factor – having come runner-up in the 2010 competition.

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Goldfrapp, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Guy Oddy

Goldfrapp have already toured new album, Tales of Us, having hit the road in the UK and Europe last autumn.

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Drake, O2 Arena

James Williams

There was something of a Canadian invasion at the O2 last night, but this is about as far from lumberjacks and mounties as it comes. Abel Tesfaye, better known as the Weeknd, is getting straight to the point. “I want to get on top, London!” This may of course simply be a metaphor for his and mentor Drake’s meteoric rise to fame, but Tesfaye does seem to like saying naughty things.

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Reissue CDs Weekly: Lou Adler

Kieron Tyler

 

Lou Adler – A Musical HistoryVarious Artists: Lou Adler – A Musical History

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