Phronesis, Union Chapel

Led by Danish double bass dynamo Jasper Høiby, jazz trio Phronesis are one of contemporary jazz’s most compelling outfits. The line-up, of British pianist Ivo Neame and Swedish drummer Anton Eger, is drawn from some of the most admired performers on the scene, and the band’s Anglo-Scandinavian character gives them a slick cosmopolitan appeal. 

Unusually for a trio, which is generally driven by the pianist, Høiby’s bass leads the way with the tunes, while Neame punctuates with crackling, stabbing piano rhythms, and Eger strokes the musical textures with his intricate, soft-touch stickwork. The skill and exuberance with which their melodies loop, and webs of rhythm sift and tangle, gives their music a trance-like quality, and they have built up a much bigger following than most contemporary jazz groups. For anyone curious about contemporary jazz but a little unsure of where to start, they are both excellent and accessible.

Founded in 2005, they burst onto the scene in 2010 with two albums (one live and one from the studio), receiving that year’s MOBO nomination. Their live album, Alive, was judged Album of the Year by both Jazzwise and Mojo magazines the same year. Their seventh album, Life to Everything , was released last month to more rave reviews, and they will be playing excerpts from it at Union Chapel. All three band members are heavily committed to other projects, and live appearances are rare, so this is an opportunity not to be missed.