It was standing room only for Jazz Jamaica at Hideaway in Streatham at the weekend as gig-goers came out in force all over London and up and down the country for some much needed seasonal jazz cheer.

While bassist Gary Crosby’s band owe their origins to the Alpha School generation of top Jamaican jazz talent exported all over the world particularly to the UK, and veteran Jamaican musicians the likes of Rico Rodriguez and Eddie “Tan Tan” Thornton that Crosby assembled during the band’s early life in the 1990s, a new mostly homegrown generation of musicians has kept the flame alive within Jazz Jamaica’s ranks ever since. Crosby remains as Jazz Jamaica’s guiding light and driving inspiration.

Opening deep in Skatalites territory with ‘Guns of Navarone’ Jazz Jamaica are ready for a busy 2012 which, as Crosby told the lively audience, marks 50 years of Jamaica’s independence. This relatively new version of the group is well primed certainly on this showing to return to heartland blue beat, ska, lovers rock and soul jazz with some new latin-based material in prototype mode also entering the band book and a good version of Cape Verdean tinged hard bop in the great Horace Silver’s ‘Señor Blues.’

Photo: Ben Amure

Jazz Jamaica will be onstage at 9.30pm doing their bit for International Men's Day at the Jazz Cafe. Venue details and last minute booking here.

The mighty Jazz Jamaica with their special guest vocalist Myrna Hague take their skazz to the seaside with a date at the prestigious Snape Maltings Concert Hall in Aldeburgh. You can book tickets and check out venue details.

The Jazz Jamaica All Stars 'Massive' album from 2001 is set for an audiophile release in June with vinyl specialist Gearbox Records. The original tapes were mastered for vinyl by Ray Staff at Air Mastering and there will be a limited edition of 500 albums. This release will be 'Massive Part One' as the shorter vinyl running time means that some tracks have been lost, but they will certainly return for 'Massive: Part Two'.

Jazz Jamaica also have some great Summer shows coming up this Summer - rocking The Hideaway in Streatham and opening the WOMAD Festival as well as a prestigious performance at the Aldeburgh Festival's Snape Maltings and a trip to Rocella Jazz Festival in Italy.

Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PZ

The mighty Jazz Jamaica hits The Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea and The Hideaway's first anniversary celebrations in London for a Tighten Up! pre Christmas party featuring singer Noel McCoy plus Ben Burrell: piano, Camilla George: alto saxophone, Denys Baptiste: tenor saxophone, Gary Crosby: double bass, Harry Brown: trombone, Mark Crown: trumpet, Peter Eckford: percussion, Robin Banerjee: guitar and Rod Youngs: drums. 

Big Band Brittania, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

Love Music Hate Racism, Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, King´s Cross, N1 9NL 

 

This Summer the mighty Jazz Jamaica brings Gary Crosby’s Tighten Up! project to The Barbican Centre, The Paradise Gardens Festival and the Love Music Hate Racism event. Inspired by the London-based reggae institution Trojan Records, Tighten Up! explores the Jamaican music which brought Caribbean culture home to immigrants working in Britain in the ‘50s with tunes such Harry J All Stars ‘Liquidator’, Skatalites’ ‘Guns of Navarone’ and Prince Buster’s ‘Al Capone’.

 

The line up is Noel McCoy - vocals, Ben Burrell - piano, Camilla George - alto saxophone, Denys Baptiste - tenor saxophone, Gary Crosby - double bass, Harry Brown - trombone, Mark Crown - trumpet, Peter Eckford - percussion, Robin Banerjee - guitar and Rod Youngs - drums.