EFG London Jazz Festival : Nikki Iles with The NDR Bigband, Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square, London (GB) - 19 nov. 2023

Nikki Iles has been composer-in-residence with the NDR (based in Hamburg) and this concert presented the outcome, a series of always interesting pieces for big band, very busy, giving you plenty to latch on to. Instrumentation: four trumpets (with flugelhorns): Percy Pursglove, Claus Stötter, Ingolf Burkhardt, Thorsten Benkenstein; three trombones, one bass trombone/tuba: Klaus Heidenreich, Ingo Lahme, Stefan Lottermann, Dan Gotshall; five saxes (two tenor: Julius Gawlik, Frank Delle; two alto: Fiete Felsch, Julian Siegel; baritone: Luigi Grasso; they doubled on flute, bass flute, clarinet, alto clarinet, and Grasso also played bass clarinet and there was a soprano sax in there somewhere); guitar Phil Robson; piano/keyboard Florian Weber; double bass Ingmar Heller; drums Ian Thomas; percussion Marcio Doctor; with Iles on piano accordion, conducting and presenting. The setlist included Blink, One4One, Quicksilver, Misfit, Big Sky. The band was tight and the soloing sometimes tremendous. Admirable concert, a triumph for Iles. Reviewed 20 November 2023 by Mike Collins at londonjazznews.com and by Sebastian Scotney on 21 November at theartsdesk.com.