London Jazz Festival, in association with BBC Radio 3, Friday 11 to Sunday 20 November 2011

I love to read great things about a concert coming up that I am really looking forward to. So waking up on Friday morning to two shining reviews of albums from artists coming up in London Jazz Festival was pretty good. 

Michel Portal’s new Decca album Bailador features an all-star American line-up of some names you’ll know doubt recognise: trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, the latest Blue Note hotshot, who packed out Ronnie’s this summer, Lionel Loueke, who collaborates frequently with Gretchen Parlato and plays guitar with Herbie Hancock, French-residing pianist Bojan Z, star drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Scott Colley. The album has just been given 4 stars in The Guardian and The Telegraph.

The album comes out next week. But we’ve posted some clips to give you a sneak preview:

Michel Portal by DeccaRecords

They’ll play the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Monday 14 November – a concert that’s set to “quicken the pulse of contemporary-jazz fans”, according to John Fordham, who went on to say “If the band catches this atmosphere on its LJF gig, it will lift the roof.”

For John Fordham’s full review read here.

Richard Galliano is another Festival favourite who will be playing both solo and with the “elite international jazz quintet,” La Strada, featuring John Surman and Dave Douglas on Thursday 17 November at Royal Festival Hall. The subject of the concert: Italian film composer Nino Rota, best known for his scores to The Godfather, La Fellini, Amarcord and 8 ½. His album Nino Rota (out on Deutsche Gramophone next week) also received a dazzling review.

“The mix is certainly tempting – Nino Rota's timeless movie themes are beautiful, and this set prioritises their sympathetic rendition.” The Guardian 

Again, take a listen and a look and read the full review here.