Some exciting international jazz names are among the latest additions to this year's 25th anniversary edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival, which takes over the capital's major concert halls, jazz clubs and free-stage spaces from 10 to 19 November. These include what's sure to be a pugilistic piano encounter between veteran Brit-jazzer Keith Tippett and keyboard whirlwind Matthew Bourne, who will then be joined by Tippett's Octet to play music from their latest album The Nine Dreams of Patrick Gonogon (Kings Place, 10 Nov). Genre-hopping fusions connect many of the other additions. These include a fiery Whirlwind Recordings triple bill topped by the Michael Janisch Quartet with Pakistani-American guitarist Rez Abbasi (top right), alongside trumpeter Henry Spencer's Juncture and Zhenya Strigalev Trio (Rich Mix, 10 Nov); Indo-jazz deity and tabla master Zakir Hussain (top left) leads his Crosscurrents ensemble that includes bass great Dave Holland and sax supremo Chris Potter (Barbican, 11 Nov); German piano star Michael Wollny heads up a gravity defying four-piece of dazzling beatboxer/vocalist Andreas Schaerer, ace accordionist Vincent Peirani and scorching saxophonist Émile Parisien, with support from Polish violin virtuoso Adam Baldych with the Helge Lien Trio (Cadogan Hall, 11 Nov); while African and Indo-jazz sounds combine in a danceable triple bill of Soothsayers, Arun Ghosh Sextet and Lokki Terra (Rich Mix, 11 Nov).
The global grooves continue with composer/pianist Roland Perrin's new Brazilian-meets-Baroque choral symphony, which will receive its premiere as performed by the Hertfordshire Chorus, Blue Planet Orchestra, Bishop's Hatfield Girls School Choir and Perrin's Trio (Barbican, matinee performance, 12 Nov). The latter is part of the 25 for 25 commissioning programme that also presents a new work from Beats & Pieces Big Band (Rich Mix, 18 Nov), and Phronesis' daring new collaboration 'Decade Zero' with the Engines Orchestra and composer Dave Maric (Milton Court, 12 Nov). There's also a head-banging Match&Fuse special with Led Bib, Schnellertollermeier and WorldService Project (Rich Mix, 12 Nov); and cult LA fusion-funk-pop band Knower, aka drummer-producer Louis Cole and vocalist Genevieve Artadi, make a rare UK appearance (Scala, 13 Nov); while ascendant trumpeter Christian Scott returns with new music from his Centennial Trilogy (Electric Ballroom, 15 Nov). Two rising female UK stars also appear – singer Zara McFarlane (above centre) performs music from her eagerly awaited third album on Brownswood (Rich Mix, 15 Nov), and trumpeter Yazz Ahmed explores electronica-tinged jazz from her acclaimed album La Saboteuse (Kings Place, 17 Nov).
The Wigmore Hall's intimate acoustics will be the setting for a spellbinding collaboration between classical Indian singer Ranjana Ghatak and Israeli Led Bib bassist Liran Donin for two interactive performances for children (11am on 16 and 18 Nov). And rounding off these additions is top US trumpeter Terrence Blanchard, who performs music from his fi lm scores – Herbie Hancock: By Himself and Robert de Niro's film The Comedians – with the BBC Concert Orchestra as well as a rare performance of Joe Zawinul's grand orchestral vision of one of the world's great rivers, 'Stories of the Danube', conducted by Järvi (Barbican, 19 Nov). Further shows already announced in Jazzwise (media partners of the festival) include Pat Metheny Quartet (Barbican, 10 Nov); Jazz Voice (RFH, 10 Nov); Tomasz Stanko's New York Quartet (Cadogan Hall, 10 Nov); Average White Band + LaSharVu (RFH, 11 Nov); Andy Sheppard Quartet (Kings Place, 11 Nov); Brad Mehldau/Chris Thile (Barbican, 12 Nov); Marcus Miller (RFH, 12 Nov); Richard Pite's 1957: A Jazz Jukebox (Cadogan Hall, 12 Nov); Paolo Conte (RFH, 13 Nov)and Abdullah Ibrahim/Hugh Masekela Jazz Epistles (RFH, 14 Nov) among many others.
– Mike Flynn
Full listings and tickets at www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk
