JBGB Events present

Portrait of Cannonball with Toni Kofi

 Alto-sax master Tony Kofi – winner in the BBC Jazz Awards, Parliamentary Jazz Awards and with Album of the year achievements fronts this celebration of the jazz giant  Julian ‘Cannnonball’ Adderley, who was one of the best-loved figures in post-war jazz.

Hailed as ‘the new Bird’ on his emergence, he made historic recordings with Miles Davis and John Coltrane as well as having many crossover hits as a pioneer of soul-jazz. Spanning bebop to jazz- funk. Adderley was a unfailingly inventive and communicative virtuoso.

With Andy Davies – trumpet, Alex Webb -piano, Andrew Cleyndert double bass and Alfonso Vitale – drums, the group traces the explosive music of Cannonball from his first session as leader in 1955 through work with Miles Davis to the soul-jazz of the 1960s. The repertoire includes Adderley brothers classics like Things Are Getting Better, Work Song, Del Sasser, Sack o’Woe and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy – as well as a guest vocal spot by Deelee Dubé exploring the memorable 1961 collaboration with Nancy Wilson.

“Kofi’s improvising has an arrestingly raw power” – The Guardian

 “An absolute blast, one of the most exciting gigs of the year … a brilliant all-round package” – London Jazz News