London Jazz Festival Sat 14th

The second day of the festival started at the Barbican with what will be most of this audiences lasting impression of this festival - a fantastic fun filled event that drew the audience into the performance so much so, that at the end performers and audience were one and the same.

Funk Off are such terrific ambassadors for jazz music performing their inimitable brand of jumping jazz backed up with a show that surely demanded a much bigger working space than this foyer afforded them - lets hope that next year they will be invited back and can perform at the south bank ballroom with all the seats taken out to allow for their exuberant style!

Across town at the Purcell Room Peter Brotzmann and his trio were preparing for a serious night of full volume improvisation - anyone left with any of their senses (or eardrums) intact afterwards must have been watching Herbie next door!

Supporting Brotzmann were Pete Wareham's Final Terror with Seb Rochford sitting in on drums. Pete is very upbeat about his music at the moment and was obviously quite excited about the new material that he was playing for the first time to this audience - guitarist Chris Sharkey is giving him a great new foil to play with and Ruth and Seb as his powerhouse makes this a massive line up for the future.

The main show at the QE Hall was Herbie Hancock playing with a new line up featuring Terence Blanchard, Lionel Loueke, James Jenus, Kendrick Scott and harmonica player Gregoire Maret (based in NY but originally from Switzerland).

Photographers were given the first 10 minutes in the show and Herbie spent 5 of those introducing the band - however the few minutes I did here were pretty good - Herbie returning again to headhunters era music for his opening song.

After what seemed a lifetime on the tube we made it up town to Pizza Express where the David Sanchez quartet featuring Jean Toussaint were playing to an absolutely rammed venue. Sanchez was in excellent form and the band as hot as the chili on the pizza's. In the crowd one of my favourite sax players of recent years Denys Baptiste who was enthusiastic about Sanchez's playing and his collaboration with pianist Toussaint. Shame there wasn't a place for Denys on this years bill - I remember him guesting in this very venue last year with Juliet Roberts in one of the warmest sensual shows on.

Herbie Hancock & Charlie Haden

The first show of the day at the Teatro Pavone featured a solo performance by Danilo Rea - a wonderful pianist with a great range of styles and techniques - we saw him last year when he was outstanding and he was just as good in this performance.

The late afternoon show featuring Francesco Fabri was sadly cancelled but a reception hosted by piano manufacturers Fazioli more than made up for any disappointment. Held at the very posh Hotel Brufani the party was to celebrate owner Paulo Fazioli's birthday and who better to play 'Happy Birthday' then Fazioli ambassador Herbie Hancock.

Surrounded by at least a dozen photographers Hancock was unruffled as he sat and played two of the pianos on display (not at the same time of course!). Hancock also had a reunion with friend Yasuhiro Fujioka (Fuji to you and me) - and as reported in yesterdays blog it was Fuji's birthday - which prompted another version of 'Happy Birthday' played by Hancock and a tune specially for him. Rather more weird (in a very nice way) Enzo 'The Bear' (Chief of security and bouncing) for the festival then sat at the same piano as Hancock and proceeded to give a recital of the most beautiful ballads, muttering under his breath as he played 'Herbie who?'.

The Chief member of the Enzo fan club also sat in for a song.

The midnight show featured the Charlie Haden 4tet West with Alan Broadbent (Piano), Ernie Watts (sax) and Rodney Green on drums. The show featured material both recent and going back a long way - including a song he recorded with Ornette Coleman in 1957 - 'Lonely Woman'.

This was a great concert with all the musicians contributing not just great solos but also fantastic interplay and great understanding - Broadbents' gentle style and Watts contrasting energy were just sublime.

Stefano Di Battista and Herbie Hancock

Last nights double bill of Italian Sax maestro Stefano Di Battista and Herbie Hancock was a superb double bill of eclectic playing and high energy jazz.

Battista playing mostly tracks from his latest album 'Trouble Shootin' was on fire from the moment he took the stage, playing long blistering runs and then some delicate melodic interplay with trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso.

Di Battistas compositions 'Under her spell' and 'I will love you' sat beautifully with Kenny Burrell's 'Midnight blue' and to cap off a great show Baptiste Trotignos on Hammond and Greg Hutchinson on drums never put a foot (or note) wrong.

When it comes to Herbie Hancock these days it is fair to say that you must always expect the unexpected. Tonight's performance was no exception. From Joni (River) to Headhunters (Actual Proof) with a little Leon Russell song more recently covered by Christine Aguilera (A song for you) thrown in 'because I just love this song'.

The show was a roller coaster ride of virtuoso playing, be it Dave Hollands really poignant bass solo, Lionel Louke's african interlude or Herbies own solo spot where for nearly 20 minutes he kept 7,500 people on the edge of their seats, silently waiting for his next note or chord - quite extraordinary!

The show came to its climax with 'Watermelon Man' and 'Cantaloupe Island', both greeted with huge applause and played out as though brand new compositions that were as fresh as this mornings croissants and coffee and just as tasty!

There have been mixed reviews of this 'River of Possibilities' tour but this was a special show everyone on stage played their part and shone.

Brilliant!!

Herbie Hancock (Keyboards), Dave Holland (Bass), Lionel Louke (Guitar), Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums), Chris Potter (Sax), Sonya Kitchell (Vocals), Amy Keys (Vocals).