DOUGLAS FIELD relishes the hard-boiled language, satire and humour of the third and last of the Harlem trilogy
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Four minds meet as one in joyful synthesis of Arab music and jazz
STEPHANIE BROWN draws attention to the hidden labour of the female embroiderers, and how a 19th century replica made no such error
MIK SABIERS revels in a band that ploughs an idiosyncratic furrow of expletive laden, guitar-driven alt rock
ANDY HEDGECOCK, MARIA DUARTE and ANGUS REID review Synthetic Sincerity, Our Hero, Balthazar, Heartstopper Forever, and A Year In London
The bard invites readers to a gig, raps for Clacton, and lays out the Burnham-Hurzeler conundrum
RON JACOBS recommends an important book that enhances the oppositional theories put forth by Fanon and, in doing so, remakes psychology itself
Anouar Brahem
Blue Maqams
(ECM)
BLUE Maqams is a brilliant amalgam of the Arab and jazz musical traditions, made by four veteran virtuosi who, despite or by virtue of the diversity of their origins, were born to make music together.
The quartet consists of oud player Anouar Brahem from Tunisia, Chicago-born drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Dave Holland, who hails from Wolverhampton, and Django Bates from Beckenham.
Brahem, writing about his first youthful encounters with jazz, emphasises its syncretic power.
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