12 Points! Thursday

Time: 19.30: Georgi Sareski Quartet, Skopje/Macedonia

From Macedonia comes guitarist Georgi Sareski, adding something personable to the rich musical life of The Balkans. Sareski has become a fulcrum of Skopje’s jazz scene, honing an impressive unit with Dzijan Emin (french horn, melodica), Oliver Josifovski (bass) and Goce Stevkovski (drums). There is a strong compositional personality at work here, where Balkan meters meet popular dance forms, driven forward by an irrepressible style and an occasional taste for the absurd.

Time: 21:00: Naoko Sakata Trio, Gothenburg/Sweden

Japanese pianist Naoko Sakata has proved herself an attentive student of the lyrical Nordic style since moving to Gothenburg in 2008.  Already there is evidence that a significant voice is taking shape. Tasteful restraint, energy where its required, a feeling for rubato and rapport with her fellow musicians all combine in this musician whose maturity is remarkable given her years. In bassist Anton Blomgren and drummer Johan Birgenius, she has found a trio partnership that is also sure to endure.

Time: 22.30: Knalpot, Amsterdam/Holland

Knalpot, aka guitarist Raphael Vanoli and drummer Gerri Jäger are already a talking point of the Dutch alt.rock scene, their DIY approach would be equally at home among the more riotous relations of the jazz family. They have created their very own world of sound. reviving gadgets  from the dawn of the electric age where elemental dub gives way to disjointed riffs punctuated by squawks and chirps and broody swirls.