JAZZ FESTIVAL TIME and I’m looking forward to the latest performance from Jerry Dammers’ always inspiring Spatial A.K.A… next up has to be the double header of Steve Coleman: Reflex & Steve Williamson + Pat Thomas (Queen Elizabeth Hall: Friday 11 November 2011, 7:30pm)… that will be deep! So will the Ethnic Heritage Ensemblewho connect the worlds of futuristic improv with the ancestral rhythms of Africa. Leader Kahil El’Zabar (who has performed with the likes of Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Henry Threadgill, among others), saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and trumpeter extraordinaire Corey Wilkes are at the Pizza Expess on Saturday 12 November (7.30). 21st century Griot music! Other sessions in the diary include Robert Glasper (XOYO) , Charles Gayle + Hann Bennink (Vortex), Archie Shepp & Joachim Kuhn (Barbican), Robert Mitchell: Panacae (Charlie Wrights) , Shabaka Hutchins (the Forge), The Necks (Bisopsgate Inst.), Julie Dexter (Pizza Express), Henry Threadgill: Zooid (QEH), Ornette Coleman (QEH), Hermeto Pascoal (Barbican), Arun Ghosh (Clore Ballroom & London Maritime Museum), Adriano Adewale (606), Cleveland Watkiss (Blackheath), Katya Sourikova (Baltic), Matt Halsall (Barfly), McCoy Tyner feat Chris Potter & Jose James (Barbican), Seaming To + Leon Mitchener (Forge), Steve Swallow & Carla Bley…… Phew!

Fulll info: http://www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/events?page=1&list_search=&order_by=start_datetime&sort_direction=ASC

AND… this Friday Koichi Sakai presents at the Empowering Church – Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band plus DJ… Jerry Dammers. Essential!