Xhosa Cole is a name that has been bandied about for the best part of a decade now. After winning the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2018, it felt like everyone was waiting for the contemporary jazz artist to live up to his hype, or implode because of it. With each new album Cole has grown in confidence as a player and songwriter. Now, on his third album – a love letter and reinterpretation of works by musical idol, Thelonious Monk – we’re starting to see the fruition of that praise and work ethic paying off.

The first thing you notice about ‘On a Modern Genius, (Vol. 1)’ is how much fun it is. After a few listens you begin to notice something that sounds like tap dancing on half the tracks. You aren’t being deceived, that is tap dancing. The dancer in question is Liberty Styles. ‘Rhythm-a-Ning’ is where it all clicks and everything thereafter just flows into eleven minutes of a gilded masterpiece: around the three-minute mark, Styles takes over and starts tapping out own rhythms and grooves the band reacts to.

Styles isn’t the only guest. On ‘Come Sunday’ legendary vocalist Heidi Vogel (Cinematic Orchestra, Austin Peralta, DJ Vadim) makes an appearance. This is the most laidback and leisurely playing on the album. Everyone is taking their time. Vogel’s rising, lilting, vocals swell and contour in pockets of space and stillness. It’s a standout moment on a collection of standout moments. 

The album’s sense of communal joy is down to Cole and his supporting cast of instrumentalists. As well as Cole on saxophone, the ensemble includes Steve Saunders on guitar, Josh Vadiveloo on double bass, and Nathan England Jones on drums. The album was recorded after a 38-date tour of the UK, so the band are well drilled and know intimately the intricacies of one another’s playing.

‘On a Modern Genius, (Vol. 1)’ sees Cole in supreme bandleader mode. The songs are tight, intricate, free, wild, delicate and, above all, buoyant. Since 2018 there has been a lot written about Cole being one of the brightest lights in UK jazz. On 2021’s ‘K(n)ow Them, K(now) Us’ and 2022 follow-up ‘Ibeji’, there were glimmers but on ‘On a Modern Genius (Vol. 1)’ there’s no denying his talent. Everything is bigger, tighter, looser and just in your face. Roll on ‘Vol. 2’.

8/10

Words: Nick Roseblade

—