Saturday 8th April (£10) - Soothsayers
A London-based collective that reaches far beyond the restrictive clichés of ‘World Music’. Blending the pulsating rhythms of Afrobeat with the sonic adventurousness of dub reggae and urban jazz, Soothsayers shook up the scene with their acclaimed debut album, Lost City. Now the band is back with Tangled Roots, an exceptional release that defies standard classifications: the West African root that drove Fela Kuti’s rebellion is filtered through the deeply seductive dub experimentation of Lee Perry, King Tubby and Augustus Pablo, while funk, hip hop and other contemporary elements yield a complex sound firmly lodged in London’s broader musical experience. “A heady sonic brew, crafted in the best jazz tradition by drawing respectfully from disparate elements…the album is full of irresistibly funky grooves, intricate percussion, virtuoso vocals, elaborate guitar lines and swinging horns, with meaningful lyrics and uncommon vocal arrangements raising the overall musical standard one level higher.’ Mojo (four stars). The heart of the band are tenor saxophonist Idris Rahman and trumpeter Robin Hopcraft, co-writers and producers of the band’s material.

Wednesday 12th (£8) - Frank Williams African Jazz Quartet
Funky township outfit led by the melodic tenor of Frank Williams and featuring drummer Brian Abrahams. Piano/keyboards - Alastair Gavin, (Carol Grimes, District 6 etc) and Mickey Bailey (bass). Joyful, uplifting music.

Thursday 13th (£8)- Robert Mitchell and Omar Puente
Pianist Robert Mitchell and the virtuoso Cuban violinist Omar Puente made their debut performance in the Havana International Jazz Festival (2004) which resulted in a TV programme being made about the pair for Cuban TV. They have also performed to great acclaim in Morocco and Belgium and the UK. The soon-to-be-released debut CD ‘Bridges’ includes originals and stunning versions of music by Latin music giants Chucho and Abelardo Valdez.

Friday 21st (£9) - Kevin Le Gendre’s Now’s the Time featuring Keith Waithe Celebrating the best of contemporary jazz without concessions. Based on the Resonance FM radio show of the same name, the night is hosted by Kevin Le Gendre who spins music ranging from the near in to the far out, straightbacked bluesy bop to avant-garde and all points in between. With live music from flautist, vocal trickster and poet Keith Waithe.

Sunday 30th (£12) - Monica Vasconcelos & Ingrid Laubrock featuring Guinga The Brazilian singer Monica Vasconcelos and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock present an evening of Brazilian music featuring Guinga, one of Brazil’s great virtuoso guitarists. ‘(Guinga)…considers himself above all a composer. He’s never written a lyric, yet he’s primarily a songwriter. His tunes are made to carry words, but they’re often recorded as instrumentals. He thinks he’s a poor vocalist, yet nobody interprets his songs better. He’s known as an avant-gardiste, yet he says he’s the velha guarda. His music is very Brazilian, yet also universal. Contradictions aside, when people talk of innovative Brazilian music, his name is often the first to be mentioned.’ (Daniella Thompson).

The Vortex Jazz Club
II Gillett Street, Dalston, London N16 8JH
Bookings 020 7254 4097
Doors open 8.30pm