Loqui - Hermes Pan (Sturdy Records)

Loqui have been stalwarts of the Leeds music scene for a number of years and have quite rightly built up a fearsome reputation as one of the city’s best live bands. I fell in love with them when witnessing a live show back in 2006 at The HiFi Club and was bowled over by their blistering energy. If my memory serves me well, the Loqui line-up now includes members of another of my favourite local bands, Rent.  You can imagine that when receiving this single to review, it was only a matter of seconds before I was inserting this disc into my CD player.

Leeds Jazz 25th Birthday Celebration @ Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds
Given the recent announcement that Leeds Jazz will cease operations after the current season of concerts finishes on 26 November, this birthday celebration had more than a tinge of sadness about it. The majority of the musicians who played in the four night stretch of concerts (sadly only two of which I managed to attend) have played on Leeds Jazz stages many times, although not necessarily in the same combinations, and had been specially invited by the Committee members. But although the promoters have gained a reputation for staging spectacular shows by some of the biggest names in international jazz, the line up is made up almost exclusively of British and European musicians.

Norwegian concert comes to Leeds Town Hall
A Norwegian theme takes over Leeds Town Hall at the end of October when the Trondheim Soloists and trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth perform works by their country’s composers past and present.

Rothwell Temperance Band opens Leeds Best of Brass 09/10
Leeds Best of Brass, acclaimed as the finest series of brass band concerts in the world, opens its 09/10 season on Saturday 31 October with a concert by Rothwell Temperance Band at Morley Town Hall.