Esther Bennett - Words for Wayne Shorter

Esther Bennett

Esther Bennett - voice
Tim Lapthorn - piano,
Oli Hayhurst - bass
Flavio Li Vigni - drums
Brandon Allen - saxes

02/02/2024
Polish Cultural Centre, Posk, Jazz Café, King Street, Hammersmith
https://www.jazzcafeposk.org/

Flavio Li Vigni 

One of the great nights of originality, performance and raw creativity at Jazz Cafe POSK in Hammersmith. Singer Esther Bennett premiered her latest project, Words for Wayne Shorter, at the West London Cultural hub in front of a packed house. Created specifically for POSK, Bennett created lyrics, voice and poetry for a selection of Wayne Shorter compositions.

Oli Hayhurst 

The tunes chosen from Shorter's Blue Note period gave plenty of opportunity for Brandon Allen (saxophones), Tim Lapthorn (piano), Oli Hayhurst (double bass) and Flavio Li Vigni (drums) to shine. As well as an intertwining of likeminded musical threads from Bennett and Shorter, it was also a night of shared philosophies and existential views. What stood out most was the sheer pizzaz of Bennett, the Brummie belter had more spark than a Black Country furnace.  

Tim Lapthorn

Esther Bennett is one of the jazz scene’s most highly respected and widely loved vocalists. Her innate sense of musicality, gleaned from her earlier years of saxophone playing and study of the jazz idiom, inform a voice that has individuality, originality and flair. Bennett's debut album “Just in Time” was produced by multi award winning singer Ian Shaw and launched at London’s 606 Club in 2005. Since then, she has carved out a prestigious career as a jazz singer, performing extensively in major venues in and around London, across the country and in Europe, accompanied by some of the UK’s leading jazz musicians.

Bandon Allen

Catch more Bandon Allen at Jazz Cafe POSK in the coming weeks, when he brings his Groove Band to the venue on 23rd February 2024.

Esther Bennett 

Duncan Eagles and Becky Morse - Janet's Jazz Night

Duncan Eagles

Becky Morse - vocals

Janet McCunn - vocals

Duncan Eagles - saxophone

Terence Collie - piano

Paul Michael - bass

Ted Carrasco - drums

Ted Carrasco

Date - 19th January 2018

Venue - Janet's Jazz Night, Jazz Cafe Posk, Hammersmith, UK.

Paul Michael

Next Janet's Jazz Night

February 9th 2018 - Maciek Pysz and Maxyne Ryan, Jazz Cafe Posk, Hammersmith

Terence Collie

An energised Cafe Posk was treated to a Duncan Eagles inspired set that owed more to his jam busting roots than recent Brit-wave compositions. Eagles cut his teeth on a diet of jazz jams, alongside the best musicians of his generation he honed his skills in the gladiatorial dens of Kingston-upon-Thames and Streatham. Eagles is now a comfortable and polished performer, perfect for nights such as these, but do not miss the opportunity to see him push the boat into deeper waters with his trio Partikel. One tune penned by his own hand is worth two from the Jazz bush.

Becky Morse

You might not know the name nor the voice of Becky Morse, but here is a woman who loves taking risks. It would have been easy to play safe in a challenging environment such as this but Morse eschewed the usual vocal fare. Yes there was a Jobim crowd pleaser but also the more ambitious Spain from Chick Corea. Becky Morse is a woman of many talents, when not singing in London's nightspots she is a script supervisor on some of the UK's best TV and Film productions. If you've watched Mr Selfridge, Line of Duty, Broadchurch, Black Mirror, Silent Witness, Holby City or EastEnders then you'll probably have witnessed her work.

Janet McCunn

The very popular series of Janet’s Jazz Nights are hosted by Janet McCunn and fabulous house band led by Terence Collie  and feature a first set with a special guest instrumentalist followed by a guest vocalist joining Janet for the second set. The third and final set is a jam session so all can come and sing and play. Just put your name on the list! These are fun and friendly social evenings with a Jam Session at the end…all musicians welcome.
More information at http://www.moodindigoevents.co.uk/

Stefanos Tsourelis Trio - Native Speaker

Stefanos Tsourelis

Stefanos Tsourelis Trio
Stefanos Tsourelis - guitar and oud
Dave Jones - bass
Eric Ford - drums

Date - 7th October 2017
Venue - Jazz Café POSK, Hammersmith, London, UK

Current album - Native Speaker (2017)

Dave Jones

Future performance

14th November 2017 - EFG London Jazz Festival, Bull's Head, Barnes, UK (with live art by Alban Low)

Greek-born, London-based guitar and oud virtuoso Stefanos Tsourelis alongside bassist Dave Jones and Eric Ford on drums launch debut album Native Speaker at Jazz Café POSK.

Eric Ford

Their music is a heady mix of jazz and rock with Oriental and Greek influences, traditional Mediterranean melodies and textures with Flamenco and African rhythms, generating dynamic grooves, combined with nuanced dynamics and sparkling arrangements. Stefanos follows in the footsteps of guitarists such as John McLaughlin and Ralph Towner, creating a personal and unique fusion of 'World Jazz' at its very best as a vehicle for his wonderful oud and guitar improvisations. His music is both melodically and rhythmically engaging.

"A wonderful sense of the trio grooving together very intuitively." London Jazz News.

Stefanos Tsourelis

Julian Costello Quartet - Early Transitions

Julian Costello

Julian Costello Quartet
Julian Costello - saxophones
Maciek Pysz - guitar
Yuri Goloubev - bass
Adam Teixeira - drums

Date - 10th June 2017
Venue - Café Posk, Hammersmith, UK
BUY - Tea and Scandal (576675 Records DK)

Adam Teixeira

Future performance
Wednesday 19th July - The Bulls Head 373 Lonsdale Road Barnes SW13 9PY
Friday 21st July - The Agile Rabbit  Brixton Market SW9 8PR
Saturday 22nd July - The Agile Rabbit  Brixton Market SW9 8PR
Sunday 10th September 12pm - Herne Hill Festival Bandstand.
Friday 6th October - JATP Jazz Glydegate, Little Horton Rd, Bradford BD5 OBQ
Saturday 7th October - Jazz Coop Newcastle
Sunday 8th October - Spring Bank Arts Centre, New Mills, High Peak SK22 4BH
Tuesday 10th October - Pizza Express  CD Launch Transitions on 33 Jazz Records 10 Dean St  W1D 3RW
​Friday 13th October - Bridport Arts centre, 9 South Street, Bridport DT6 3NR
Sunday 22nd October - 1pm The Oval, Oval road Croydon CRO 6BR 1pm
Sunday 29th October Black - Mountain Jazz, Melville Theatre Abergavenny NP7 5UD
Wednesday 8th Nov SUJC - 275 Christchurch Rd, West Parley, Ferndown, BH22 8SQ
​Friday 10th November - Birmingham Jazz

Yuri Goloubev

Julian Costello is a London-based musician, composer and teacher. He got a scholarship from Trinity College of Music where he took a Postgraduate Certificate of Performance in the Saxophone. Julian writes the music for the Julian Costello Quartet, plays in a number of jazz big Bands, in a vocal/cello and guitar trio and in a world music trio that uses tabla, guitar/loops and soprano saxophone.

 Transitions, the latest album by the Julian Costello Quartet, will be released in September 2017 on 33 Jazz Records. It was recorded at Artesuono Studio in Udine, Italy and mixed and mastered by ECM engineer Stefano Amerio.

Maciek Pysz

This new Quartet features Maciek Pysz on guitar, Yuri Goloubev/Michele Tacchi on bass  and Adam Teixeira on drums. They have been playing venues in London and the UK to sell out crowds.

This quirky quartet loves to jam, is full of humour and has been playing concerts as a segue, a continuous unbroken set. By the end of the first set, so much tension has built up that the release of pent-up applause by the audience is fantastic. We love jamming!

The critic Ian Mann wrote:

"The combination of soprano saxophone and guitar was highly effective and Costello adopted a warm, clarinet like tone on his soprano ... on an episodic piece that also featured some exquisite interplay between Pysz and Costello."

Julian Costello