Zen Arteast

From the first gigs of the year to the London jazz festival in autumn – 2012 in the light of jazz

I am slowly returning to what can only be described as a healthy jazz routine and a few really special live music events have helped me get back into seeing life through a chorus pedal – and it feels great again! First Billy Cobham at Ronnie Scott’s, followed by Chick Corea and Gary Burton at the Barbican in London, inspired me to play more and look into new tunes. I’m hoping to continue and here are a few truly special occasions I wanted to write about, starting with Al di Meola playing at Ronnie Scotts in May.

Until now I have only seen Al play once, at the Jazz cafe in Camden. The atmospheric jazz club in Soho will probably be an entirely different experience – seeing John McLaughlin and the Fourth dimension there last July was probably the best live music experience I’ve had. So di Meola at Ronnie’s this May, a date well worth adding to any jazz calendar.

The next major occasion will be the London jazz festival in November, where I’ve already got a few days in mind: Trilok Gurtu with Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea with Christian McBride and Brian Blade, Bill Frisell and John McLaughlin and the Fourth Dimension, all at the Barbican, are firmly pencilled into my live jazz book. And there might be something else until then!

That something else might be Pat Metheny playing in July, but the cost of 65£ per ticket might make me prioritise other things instead – sorry Pat! Apart from this minor disappointment, 2012 is looking good in the light of jazz.