Paolo Nutini, Glasgow
Not a man you’d imagine has suffered much in the way of romantic woe, Paolo Nutini has nonetheless made a niche for himself with his knowing songs about modern love. He would perhaps have been a gooseberry in the mutual appreciation society that existed between Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse; still, with his appealingly rough vocals, increasingly tasteful arrangements, and occasionally wry observations, there are suggestions of common ground. That, at any rate, is what was hinted at by his Caustic Love album of last year. All cheeky double-entendres and slick brass arrangements, the album’s occasional raw rock moments called to mind Rod Stewart for some. A reach, perhaps, but it does mark an improvement. His first two albums eased him comfortably into the role of Radio 2 cheesemaster; now it looks as if he might be getting more interesting.
The SSE Hydro, Fri, touring to 13 Jan
JR
Scott Hamilton Quartet London, Folkestone
In the late 1970s, when he had just emerged as a young defender of that era’s most unfashionable jazz approach – the pre-bebop, pre-second world war swing style – US saxophonist Scott Hamilton was widely regarded as a talented anachronism. But as awareness grew that jazz’s many facets were all directed towards the same spontaneous music-making, Hamilton’s sheer class and musicality came to be more widely appreciated. Four decades on, Hamilton still hears a good song as an invitation to spin endless fresh melody, and vast experience has given him the ability to convey a lot of musical meaning that he doesn’t need to shout out. His recent album, Dean Street Nights, was made with his sharp-eared London rhythm section, and that mixture of sambas, sparky blues and the occasional diversion into bebop is likely to figure prominently on this visit.
Pizza Express, W1, Sat to Wed; Tower Theatre, Folkestone, Thu
JF
Joanna Gruesome, London
As caterpillar will turn into butterfly, so will noise-punk occasionally turn into songs; and when it does, it sounds a bit like Joanna Gruesome. It sounds like a lot of other things, too: Sonic Youth, the Wedding Present, the Popguns. But never mind the originality; feel the passion and the energy. This, the Cardiff five-piece have in spades, and it’s what has been the driving force behind them to date. Very much at the sweeter end of noise, the band are stealthily melodic, with harmony vocals helping Alanna McArdle’s righteous ire slip down, while their DIY punk credentials – booking their own tours and so on – clearly extend to getting an early start on the year.
Power Lunches Arts Cafe, E8, Thu to 10 Jan
JR
Neneh Cherry, Ramsgate
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ll have noticed that Neneh Cherry is in the midst of a creative renaissance, from her album with skronk-jazz powerhouses The Thing through to last year’s solo album, Blank Project. This more recent disc has an icy cool, metallic edge in its sparse electronics, with shapes cast from a fiery pit of guitar. Collaborators RocketNumberNine, build a great scrapheap of ragged funk rhythms and fuzz-heavy half-riffs, from the top of which Cherry calls out clear and strong with high-wire vocals. These two dates in a great, relatively new venue are a chance to catch the former pop star turned experimental jazz singer playing small shows ahead of a larger tour later in the month.
Ramsgate Music Hall, Mon & Tue
JLA
Darren Hayman & The Long Parliament, London
Once the writer of indie rock in extreme close-up, with no emotional stone left unturned, Darren Hayman has now pulled back into more conceptual work. Recent projects have included an album of songs composed on a daily basis at the start of the year (January Songs), and now he’s made new work based on something he found in a Walthamstow museum: a William Morris leaflet called Chants For Socialists. A teenage Billy Bragg fan interested in leftwing musical initiatives such as Red Wedge, the subject matter has proved resonant for Hayman in a time when few political songs are being written. His new album, which sets tunes to the Morris words is not, however, a particularly didactic work or a call-to-arms, more a warm, interesting and engaged piece of folk art, which says a lot about the power of making music together. Aside from this gig, he plays a free show at the Union Chapel, N1, on 24 Jan.
The Lexington, N1, Wed
JR
Dudamel & Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, London
The Simón Bolivar Symphony may no longer have quite the same irresistible appeal as it did as a youth orchestra seven years ago - when the Venezuelans made their Proms debut with conductor Gustavo Dudamel and almost took the roof off the Albert Hall. But it, and Dudamel, remain among classical music’s hottest properties. Orchestra and conductor have been together for 15 years now, and while Dudamel’s career has continued to spiral to the stratosphere, the orchestra has matured into one of South America’s leading ensembles. A recent book claiming El Sistema – the Venezuelan music education system that produced the orchestra – is not quite what it claims, hasn’t so far tainted its reputation, though it remains to be seen what impression these programmes of Beethoven, Orbón and Wagner leave behind.
Royal Festival Hall, SE1, Thu & Fri
AC
