Following a sneak preview prior to the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall in June (see left) this column can report that the auditorium refurbishments and acoustic improvements will definitely not disappoint. Nor will the new upstairs interval bars that have doubled in size.

And with an opening month line-up that includes Cecil Tayor with Anthony Braxton and Tony Oxley, the Ornette Coleman band, Motorhead and Iggy and The Stooges the sonic upgrades will be put to the test in more ways than one…

Electric avant-jazzers about town, Led Bib ranked higher than Aerosmith, Arctic Monkeys, White Stripes and Björk in The Observer’s poll of 25 Acts Not To Be Missed This Summer…

This is an extract taken from Jazzwise Issue #110, to read the all the latest jazz gossip and receive a Free CD, subscribe here…