Recording of the Week, Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory, 'Arashi No Ato (After the Storm)'

Pictured: Mark Kavuma (middle) & The Banger Factory

A well-nurtured, living, breathing collective of musicians seems like a rarity nowadays - but that’s exactly what Ugandan-born, London-based trumpeter Mark Kavuma has managed to cultivate. The Banger Factory is the name of a musician collective that morphed out of a live band that Kavuma would play in, frequenting the Prince of Wales in Brixton and playing weekly free gigs for local jazzhead punters. Kavuma himself is a player that’s still on the up; while he’s enjoyed success over the past few years from regular gigs and critically celebrated album releases, it’s only recently with the cementing of Banger Factory as a proper imprint that his name and his outfit has started to gain more traction. While this isn’t the outfit’s first full-length - Kavuma himself released his self-titled debut in 2018 and the other eponymously titled Banger Factory in 2019 - it is the first for Kavuma’s BF label proper, which itself evolved from Kavuma’s circle of musicians to further nurture the vibrant music circles of London. The material on Arashi No Ato (Japanese for ‘After the Storm’) was originally written pre-2020, but the title was only conceived after the past year and a half, having gained greater significance over the course of the pandemic.

Kavuma’s collective bridges the generational gap in the London scene; while it gathers the talents of young up-and-comers - like vibraphonist David Mrakpor and saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi - also present on Arashi No Ato is vocalist Marcina Arnold, who’s been active since the late ‘90s, and saxophonist Mussinghi Brian Edwards, a real veteran UK player who has been something of a mentor to Kavuma. And that’s only naming a handful of the nine core members of the Banger Factory lineup, not to mention the four guest features, and the nine-piece choir that appear on the final track; Kavuma seems to be a well-connected man, indeed (they’re even all pictured on Kasia Zaitz’s cover art for the album).

Pictured: Mark Kavuma (left) & Ruben Fox (right)

The Banger Factory collective doesn’t just pay tribute to the elders of the UK sound, though, as the sound of Kavuma’s music itself is heavily rooted in the bebop tradition, with a more old-school edge than a lot of contemporary London jazz acts. The opener ‘Arashi No Ato’ is a breezy, slow-burning opener that wouldn’t feel totally out-of-place on a Blue Note golden era recording, smoke-filled jazz club and all. Kavuma trades off solos between Edwards and other tenor player Ruben Fox, as well as bassist Michael Schrimpling, with a seamless interplay that’s almost telepathic. Things never get too wild, though; it very much feels like the calm after the storm, a sign of better times. ‘Eluid’ kicks off the proceedings properly with an energetic bebop tune, and a triple-horned attack on the lead melody before Artie Zaitz enters the spotlight, absolutely tearing into his guitar. The guest appearances only bolster the ensemble of excellent musicians further; a familiar face to London jazz fans, tubist Theon Cross, makes an appearance on Eubie Blake’s ‘Love Will Find a Way’ - a tuba solo isn’t always the easiest thing to place, but the low tones fit right in with the solemn springtime ballad. The closing James Cleveland song ‘One More River to Cross’ brings out a full choir - led by Misha Fox - capping off our otherwise bebop-heavy set with a track that’s ostensibly a gospel song.

It’s an old musician's adage that you should always aim to be the worst musician in the room - that playing with your superiors will only bolster your skills further - but Kavuma has seemingly surrounded himself with equals, and his music only benefits from this. Though when Kavuma enters the fray for a solo spot he really does tend to soar above the rest - there’s no mistaking whose band it is. With extremely solid original compositions that sit gracefully up against the chosen standards, and a band that sure knows how to interpret said music, Arashi No Ato shapes up to be Kavuma’s most well-realised and confident yet. An essential listen this year for any be-boppers.