Pizza Express Jazz Club has pulled off something of a coup with their booking of Kendrick Scott for a London Jazz Festival show on 17 November with his band Oracle. Last in London with Kurt Elling, Scott’s album Conviction has been one of the sensations of the year in terms of new jazz. Opening with the prayer of St Francis as spoken word, the album features a cover of Broadcast’s ‘Pendulum’ (from their Haha Sound album put out a decade ago) with guitarist Mike Moreno Lionel Loueke-like as the track builds and then saxophonist John Ellis goes into hipster overdrive, really piling it on as Scott provides the beautiful rhythm undergrowth. Taylor Eigsti on Fender Rhodes responds to the lapping guitar waves at the end and the mood is set. Alan Hampton, old Houston mate of Robert Glasper’s doesn’t really play bass so much any more instead he’s a decent singer/songwriter of some quality and shows what he can do by really nailing ‘Too Much’ Sufjan Stevens’ song next up on Conviction captioned as “Love". Another Glasper connection and ex-Floetry sideman Derrick Hodge whose debut for Blue Note has just been released in America has produced Conviction and the album is accessible but very much a jazz head’s album as well. Tickets www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk