Essential new single Judgement is the latest offering from British seven-piece, Kansas Smitty’s – residents and proprietors of the East London jazz venue of the same name – their music creates a warm nostalgic feeling of solace, with its New Orleans nod and gospel spirituality. It’s the third single from the much anticipated and rescheduled album, Things Happened Here, to be released on newly resurfaced label, Ever – in conjunction with !K7 – on June 26th.
Kansas Smitty’s is led by American-Italian alto-saxophonist/clarinettist Giacomo Smith and their exciting line up has sold out shows at Ronnie Scott’s and The Jazz Café, as well as being the glue in numerous jams at the Kansas Smitty’s venue. This young outfit draw the connoisseurs, with their repertoire paying homage to the spectrum of jazz history, drawing admirers from BBC Radio 2’s Jamie Cullum and Claire Teal, to Gilles Peterson and other Worldwide FM selectors.
The diversity of jazz scenes in London is fertile, leading bandleader Giocomo Smith to launch the live music-focused bar under the same name, to showcase the depth and breadth of jazz music coming from the nation’s capital – Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso, and Kokoroko bandleader Sheila Maurice-Grey have performed so far at the Broadway Market venue in Hackney, East London. It’s where the group recorded their self-titled debut in 2015 and is still a hugely important space now they’ve reached their fourth studio album Things Happened Here. The musicians are Giocomo Smith on clarinet and sax, pianist Joe Webb (Haley Tuck, Alaska Alaska), Will Cleasby on drums (Judi Jackson, Kurt Elling, Banger Factory) and bassist Ferg Ireland (Ashley Henry, Ruby Rushton).
As you can see the band are producing some top video content also, this one is directed by Darcy O’Connor. The line-up here is Giacomo Smith(alto), Alex Harper (tenor), Joe Webb (piano), Ferg Ireland (bass), Will Cleasby (drums), Dave Archer (guitar) and Lily Carrasik (trumpet).
The band are currently running a daily webstream called Live at 5 with “music, chat and general jazziness”, which recently included a tinkle from Jay Rayner, the Observer food critic. Tune in at 5pm daily and support Live at 5 via: YouTube
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