Acoustic Ladyland // Billy Jenkins & Fun Horns

Acoustic Ladyland

Unlike its name might suggest the London quartet Acoustic Ladyland makes a point in not being a Hendrix-cover-band. Founded in 2001 the group has been enjoying great popularity in British jazz circles since. With their appearances at Ronnie Scott’s they became the London jazz club’s quasi-in-house-band. The magazine Dazed & Confused declared them the UK’s answer to Medeski Martin & Wood. Saxophonist Pete Wareham with his vivid style of playing is said to resemble John Coltrane. Double bass player Tom Herbert has already established a name with Tomorrow’s Warriors. Pianist Tom Cawley and drummer Seb Rochford round off the quartet whose connections with Jimi Hendrix are more of a spiritual nature. The four musicians refer humorously to Hendrix’ titles, riffs, dramatic composition and most notably his song-intros.

Billy Jenkins & Fun Horns 'Jazz gives me the Blues'

London-based guitar-prankster Billy Jenkins does not put a big intellectual strain on his audience. In the nineties he has been promoting his Voice Of God Collective in his performances, a Monty Python-influenced version of contemporary jazz. Since 2000 the musician tries to relocate the origins of the blues from the Mississippi-delta to English working-class pubs.

Together with the Berlin quartet Fun Horns, whose members Jenkins has known for years, he will be indulging in ragtime, ska, rock’n’roll, country and mainstream music, sampling everything from corny pop songs, somnambulist bossa-reveries to free improvisations.