The word 'stellar' is often overused in descriptions of jazz music, but with the latest suite of compositions by Kit Downes - shot through with a kind of ethereal bluesiness, and inspired by ideas astronomical - the word seems to do nicely. For my money Light From Old Stars is the UK pianist's strongest statement to date, and on this Monday's Jazz on 3 you can hear his group launch this new material live at London's Cockpit Theatre, headlining my monthly Jazz In The Round night.
Kit Downes Quintet @ Jazz in the Round credit Andy Sheppard
It's a set rich in dynamic variation and subtleties of texture and - as their encore, the older tune Skip James, makes clear - the group never stray too far from the richly melodic.
And adding to the time-traveling dreamy atmosphere on the night were the animations of Lesley Barnes, and illustrator with whom Kit has collaborated. Here's just one of those pieces performed live:
Before all that, Tony Kofi - one of the Jazz Warrios of the '90s and now a member of the legendary World Saxophone Quartet - delivers a solo set centred around the compositions of Thelonious Monk; and to kick us off, a young twenty-one year old drummer by the name of Moses Boyd shows us that the UK jazz scene is brimming with light from new stars too.
Tony Kofi painted by Gina South gate
Tune and listen live on Monday from 11pm or catch up online for seven days after the broadcast.
