Dave Gelly 

Loose Tubes: Arriving review – return of the British jazz game-changers

Vintage live performances and new material prove that Django Bates and co are as explosive and unpredictable as ever
  
  

loose tubes jazz band
Mob-handed: Loose Tubes outside Ronnie Scott's club, 2014. Photograph: Graeme Robertson Photograph: Graeme Robertson

Loose Tubes caused the big bang that gave birth to the wildly diverse jazz scene Britain enjoys today. When they first appeared it was as if every conceivable kind of music – not just jazz – had been piled into a large sack, shaken vigorously and upended in front of us. Unbelievably, that was in 1984. After six years, the band’s own sheer energy blew them apart, setting off further commotions all over the place. Now they have reassembled, not – to quote leading spirit Django Bates – “to be our own tribute band”, but to be as unpredictable as ever. Half this album comes live from their 1990 heyday, while the other half is brand new. And, yes, it’s explosive stuff.

 

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