Branford Marsalis on tour
Just a brace of UK gigs for a cutting-edge band in the world of contemporary postbop. The sax-playing Branford Marsalis, brother of Wynton, and his group have been at the top of the league for over six years, with its leader clearly committed to expanding both his playing palette and his material. Fast pieces quickly trigger the band's remarkable four-as-one ensemble drive, with drum master Jeff "Tain" Watts's cymbal beat and explosive accents and bassist Eric Revis's seamless counter-melodies constantly splashed with bright colours from pianist Joey Calderazzo. Henry Purcell's O Solitude sometimes makes a tranquil appearance, but is likely to give way to a heaving free-collective improvisation, veering between arrhythmic episodes, crash stops and bursts of swing. It can be a little relentless at times, but it's a world-class contemporary band.
· The Sage, Gateshead, Sun 18; Lighthouse, Poole Centre For The Arts, Mon 19
Esbjorn Svensson Trio on tour
Every time the decade-old EST mix gets poured into another album, everybody waits to see if a formula has finally hardened. Tuesday Wonderland was last year's release from pianist Svensson's Swedish jazz supergroup, featuring the well-travelled mix of catchy hooks, time changes, jazz ballad musings and ecstatic uptempo sprints. In the Tuesday Wonderland world, classical/romantic solo piano meditations are soon enveloped in growling basslines and funk beats, acoustic bassist Dan Berglund sounds more like an electric guitarist than ever, baroque elegance turns into racing drumbeats and whirling ostinato figures. But EST is casual about its live setlists, and this pioneering trio remains a lot more spontaneous than it may sometimes sound.
· The Sage, Gateshead, Sat 17; Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 18; Perth Concert Hall, Mon 19; Colston Hall, Bristol, Tue 20; Barbican Centre, EC2, Wed 21; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thu 22
