Sarathy Korwar
Wed. 15, the Main II, 8pm; Fri. 17, Palm Door on Sixth, 8pmBorn domestically but based in London, drummer/producer Korwar brings years of training in classical Indian music to the jazz field. His blend of electronics and Siddi traditions comes to fruition on debut Day to Day.
GoGo Penguin
Wed. 15, the Main II, 9pm; Thu. 16, St. David’s Historic Sanctuary, 11pmManchester trio GGP composes electronic music using computers, but then translates it to the traditional piano trio format. The Mercury Prize-nominated band’s “acoustic electronica” made its Blue Note debut on last year’s Man Made Object and features again on the Live at Abbey Road EP.
Native Dancer
Wed. 15, the Main II, 10pmLondon multi-instrumental quintet delivers an infectious melange of jazz, soul, and trip-hop. A pair of EPs and a debut album showcasing its vibrant fusion arrive later this year.
United Vibrations
Wed. 15, the Main II, 11pm; Thu. 16, Flamingo Cantina, 10pmBased physically in London but spiritually all over the world, United Vibrations’ omnivorous sound takes in elements of jazz, African music, dub, and pop on its sophomore album, The Myth of the Golden Ratio.
Moses Boyd Exodus
Wed. 15, the Main II, 12mid; Thu. 16, Elephant Room, 11pmAlso one half of duo Binker & Moses, drummer Boyd has feet in both jazz and electronica/pop production, but it’s the former that feeds Exodus’ groovy improvisation. A second album arrives later this year.
Jazzamboka
Thu. 16, Elephant Room, 10pmBlending jazz and Central African grooves, Montreal’s Jazzamboka, which is a portmanteau of jazz and the Congolese word for village, reveals affections for hip-hop, electronica, soukous, and funk on the band’s self-titled 2016 debut.
Free Radicals
Thu. 16, Elephant Room, 12midHouston’s politically charged jazz funk army just passed its 20th anniversary. Two new albums of Afro-Latin booty-shaking party jams, one a collaboration with hip-hop MCs, await release.
Marcus Strickland’s “Twi-Life”
Thu. 16, Elephant Room, 1amSince his 2001 debut, sax master and Miami native Marcus Strickland has played with everyone from Dave Douglas to Roy Haynes. His own groove-positive post-bop burns improvisatory fire, as heard on Nihil Novi, his eighth LP and Blue Note bow.
B.J. Jansen
Fri. 17, Elephant Room, 1amBorn in Cincinnati and based in Philadelphia, Jansen brings the oft-overlooked baritone saxophone back to prominence with the straightforward jazz found on his second LP, 2014’s Ronin.
Annie Booth Trio
Sat. 18, Elephant Room, 11pmDenver’s Booth tickles the ivories in ways that draw as much on classical and pop melodies as traditional piano jazz. After two studio LPs, her Trio unveils live EP Abundance just in time for SXSW.
Chantae Cann
Sat. 18, Elephant Room, 1amC.C.’s breathy singing has featured in backgrounds for India.Arie, among others. Last year’s debut LP Journey to Golden reached No. 7 on Billboard‘s jazz chart and features a collaboration with Grammy winners Snarky Puppy.
This article appears in March 17 • 2017.
