There is change in the air in Dalston. The Hackney Citizen is reporting big developments around the corner from the Vortex on Bradbury Street with the prospect of Crossrail 2 and potential compulsory purchase orders forcing some demolition there uprooting the side of the street closest to the railway line.

In the Vortex a street away there is change in the air too, not exactly on the same colossal scale, more about moving the furniture around. The kitchen is open again downstairs, chef Derek installing a new menu based on a Thai/Vietnamese theme, and for the regular Sunday night jam the layout is now different beginning with an experiment involving moving the bandstand space to under the stairs rather than over by the toilet door where it has been for ages. 

The jam led by guitarist Hannes Riepler with bassist Tim Thornton, drummer Tim Giles and guest star saxophone player Brandon Allen (known for his work with Kyle Eastwood and Anthony Strong) began their set with serpentine Jerry Bergonzi tune ‘Of a Feather,’ based on ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’ Allen digging in like Dex. 

Upstairs there was a big gathering of musicians and singers lining up. Hosted by singer Emilia Mårtensson whose sunny Carole King-like voice melds into a Nordic reverie relaxed into Paul Simon’s ‘Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover,’ trumpeter Fulvio Sigurtà making his presence felt in a kind of Arve Henriksen role, electronics washing the sound in a rumble. Snowpoet, singer Lauren Kinsella and pianist Chris Hyson, also known as a bassist, impressed too. 

Dalston at dusk street scenes and pictured inside the Vortex, later, bass in silhouette under the stairs at the jam