The Brighton Festival is fully under way with its brilliant programme of theatre, comedy, art, dance, talks, debate, cabaret and music, music music. CMU's sister publication, ThreeWeeks, is covering it all, and you can check the coverage at http://www.threeweeks.co.uk, with music reviews here each day in the CMU Daily. Look, here are some now:
Byron Wallen's Indigo
Brighton Jazz Club
Like a long shot of rum, this was music that flowed through the body in a warm, tingling rush of excitement. Adventurous and vibrant, the jazz roots of Indigo were deepened as the group found inspiration in traditions of the Sahara and beyond, with creator Byron Wallen shifting from fiery trumpet to flute and even the haunting sound of a conch shell. On drums, Tom Skinner wowed with a confident inventiveness that evoked both drum&bass style feverishness and afro-reggae techniques, while the cool composure of Tony Kofi on saxophone could not hide his creative zeal and power, just as bassist Larry Bartley's quiet determination only heightened the intense, bluesy rawness his fast moving fingers conjured up. Together, they were simply sublime.
Sussex Arts Club, 11 May, 8:00pm, £14.00 (£12.00), fringe pp26.
tw rating 4/5
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Seany Clarke and The Hedz
'Seany Clarke' sings from the belly, delivering funky pop songs that would be somewhat conventional, but for the fact that they roll off the lips too smoothly and are too deeply expressive. He confidently provided last-minute support with an acoustic set, before 'The Hedz' coaxed him into raising the pitch and tempo up a few notches with their snappy drums and bass guitar. The generally relationship-themed lyrics made the songs a little too similar and the band would have benefited greatly from some live brass, but any lack of innovation was saved by the wonderful voice sweeping through a magical venue. Catch Seany Clarke and The Hedz, next time you have the chance, to see if you're seduced by something naturally enriched in soul.
Joogleberry Playhouse, 11 May, 8:00pm, £7.00, fringe pp26.
tw rating 3/5
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Viennese Masters
Music at Saint Michael's
The playing was almost flawless. The setting was utterly beautiful. Yet there just seemed to be something missing from this performance. The Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert sonatas were played professionally, but almost too much so. Whilst I cannot complain about the lightness of Raija Walker's touch, nor the nimble nature of her fingers, I can complain about the fact that she just seemed a little cold. There was not even a flicker of a smile, even when the applause rang on long after her performance ended. Now, I know the classical masters such as Mozart are all about calculated and rational music, but this does not mean it should be played without a touch of emotion. However, despite this complaint, this was an outstanding performance and deserving of praise. There are also some interesting looking offerings from the folk at Music At St Michael's throughout the rest of the festival.
St Michael and All Angels, 9 May 7:30pm, £7.00 (£5.00), fringe pp13.
tw rating 4/5
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