The Artists Shaping London’s Jazz Scene

Sam Braysher

Sometimes an artist comes along that reminds us an instrument can be an extension of the soul. Alto saxophonist Sam Braysher is known across Europe’s jazz club scene for breathing new life into familiar forms, his modernist twist on the old world as intentional as it is intuitive.

Braysher’s newest record, That’s Him: The Music of Kurt Weill, pays homage to the German-American composer’s less-played music. Bold, intertextual, and refreshing; a must-listen track is The Right Guy For Me. Lose yourself in the song’s playful swing and romantic rhythm while being held in the moment by Sara Dowling’s powerfully precise vocals.

The Sam Braysher Quartet, featuring Matyas Gayer on piano, Dave Green on bass, and Josh Morrison on drums, kicks off this autumn’s Drawing Room After Dark series at Brown’s Hotel.

Vasilis Xenopoulos

Another master of the sax, Vasilis Xenopoulos has been hailed a ‘dashing Greek tenorist’, and it’s true that an audience falls easily for this musician’s charismatic, penetrating style. A master of his instrument, his virtuosic talent radiates in For Minors Only, an original composition by the iconic tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath. 

Blistering solos and perceptive, fiery chops make Xenopoulos the natural focal point of any ensemble as he breaks the fourth wall to forge a deeply felt connection between artist and audience. The Vasilis Xenopoulos Quartet brings its infectious energy and spontaneous yet polished performance to Brown’s Hotel this October.

Matyas Gayer

Hungarian-born Matyas Gayer’s natural ease as a performer makes him a joy to watch as well as listen to. The jazz pianist’s body remains completely still while his hands have a mind of their own. So transfixing that you might miss Gayer’s gentle nod of the head affirming the synergy his fellow maestros have found.

For his first UK record, Gayer hand-picked sought-after drummer Steve Brown and legendary bassist Dave Green to make up his Trio, and the three generations of jazz musicians respond to each other’s signature with rousing improvisations.

An album that uncovers more layers the more you listen, Westbourne Park’s title track is a homage to Gayer’s London, and listening takes you on a cheerful ramble around the area in a feat of musical storytelling that suggests ‘community’. Gayer brings his unique sound to The Drawing Room After Dark this autumn.

Liam Dunachie

A versatile and in-demand performer, Liam Dunachie has featured on Misha Mullov-Abbado’s albums Dream Circus and Cross-Platform Interchange, Benet Mclean’s riveting Green Park, and Hugh Pascall’s vibrant post-bop jazz record, Borderlands. He plays on and arranges all of jazz vocalist Lauren Bush’s records, including her modern homage to Joni Mitchell’s Circle Game on the eclectic Tide Rises album.

As well as being known for his masterful arrangements, Dunachie is a force of nature on the Hammond organ, filling the room with a sound that is at once contained and exuberant. In his Liam Dunachie Trio, he playfully keeps up with Dave Manington’s driving double bass and Jay Davis’s impeccable drums. A pleasure to witness. 

Answering the call for smaller venues and a return to more intimate gigs, Brown’s Hotel opens its historic Mayfair Drawing Room to midweek music sessions with London’s most exciting jazz artists. See them perform in The Drawing Room After Dark each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7.30pm throughout autumn and winter.