The hard bop group Killer Shrimp, led by trumpeter Damon Brown and saxophonist Ed Jones, return next month with their new release Whatever Sincerely: Tales From The Baltic Wharf released on 18 October.

The group which won a Parliamentary Jazz Award for best ensemble four years ago will also tour the album extensively in November. The new album which has 13 tracks sees Brown and Jones joined by bassist Mark Hodgson (in action last month with Cleveland Watkiss at the Brit Jazz Fest) and Scottish drummer Alyn Cosker who debuted on Linn Records with Lyn’s Une last year. Bassist Geoff Gascoyne formerly of the Jamie Cullum band guests on four tracks and Cinematic Orchestra drummer Luke Flowers on five.

Three years in the making the album came together following final studio work at the Cowshed theatre in north London involving producer Joe Leach who also plays some keyboards and does "sound gardening" on the album.

Tracks written either by Brown or Jones include ‘Stick and Stones’; ‘Baltic Wharf’; menacing souped up swinger 'Cornerhouse’; ‘Lef and Lee’; the laidback ‘It Never Happened’; ‘Bearded Eights’; the reggaefied ’Summer’; fluttering Cornet Coleman’; ‘Lost And Found’ with submarine sonar-like effects progressing to a hauntingly lovely ballad; the scuzzing ‘Yala’; shapeshifting ‘Find A Way’; and final track, the romping ‘Roughneck Blues’.

The album is released on the Luton-based 33 records label and the band tours the album in November with a string of dates beginning at the Lower Ground Bar, West Hampstead in London on 2 November continuing until 28 November. Other dates are Broomhill Arts Hotel, Barnstaple (3); Komedia Theatre Studio Bar, Brighton (5); Plume of Feathers, Sherborne (6); Future Inn, Bristol (7); Wakefield Jazz Sports Club, Wakefield (12); The Stoke By Nayland Club, Colchester (19); Barbican Free Stage, London (21); Y Theatre, Leicester (24); Bonnington Theatre, Nottingham (25); Cornerhouse Newcastle (26); and The Chapel, Stratford-upon-Avon (28).

– Stephen Graham

A song cycle featuring jazz standards along with Robert Wyatt originals and other songs associated with him, is to appear on the new Domino Records album, For The Ghosts Within, released next month on vinyl, CD and download on 11 October. The album is a collaboration between the revered singer and songwriter, plus saxophonist Gilad Atzmon with strings featuring violinist/composer Ros Stephen. Tracks are: ‘Laura’, ‘Lullaby For Irene’, ‘The Ghosts Within’, ‘Where Are They Now’, ‘Maryan’, ‘Round Midnight’, ‘Lush Life’, ‘What’s New; ‘In A Sentimental Mood’, ‘At Last I Am Free’ and ‘What A Wonderful World’.

Wyatt will launch the album headlining over two nights at the Jazza Music Festival organised in association with the Free Palestine Movement on 12-13 October at Scala on the Pentonville Road in London. The festival is to raise awareness, support and money for the people of Gaza and is the first in a series of events.

The line-up of Jazza also includes jazz singer Cleveland Watkiss; Northumbrian folk group the Unthanks; Jazz All Stars featuring Polar Bear drummer Seb Rochford; oud player Mizar Al-Issa; singer songwriter Rory McCloud; jazz singer/songwriter Sarah Gillespie; the Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble; and hip hoppers Shathayah (Ramallah Underground).

Robert Wyatt and Gilad Atzmon go back some time. The UK-based Israeli featured on Wyatt’s last album Comicopera released in October 2007 when Wyatt also appeared on the cover of Jazzwise. Comicopera was heavily informed by Wyatt’s deep anger and sadness about the war in Iraq reflected in several songs, as well as his deep love and knowledge of jazz.

– Stephen Graham

Look out for a review of For the Ghosts Within in the November issue of Jazzwise. For Jazza tickets go to www.scala-london.co.uk or phone 020 7833 2022.