Jazz isn't so much a genre as a crossroads.
Nick Mulvey helped found Portico Quartet, a Mercury nominated entity whose sound is often neatly summed up as jazz.
Yet recently, the songwriter has unveiled a new, acoustic guitar driven guise. Playing a handful of shows, Nick Mulvey presented a new set of songs, more indebted to John Renbourne and Bert Jansch than Charlie Parker or Sonny Rollins.
There are still parallels, though, even here. There's a shared approach, a willingness to experiment, and – above all – the unexpected way in which Mulvey approaches the material.
There are Afrobeat flourishes, rhythmic kicks which lead into unexpected directions. Already a concert staple, 'Nitrous' is buoyed by a heavy, nagging groove which allows for plenty of improvisation.
Shot live at London venue the Social, this rendition of 'Nitrous' veers from left to right, before unexpectedly morphing into a rendition of Olive's 90s rave classic 'You're Not Alone'.
Watch it now.
'Nitrous' is set to gain a full single release on October 28th. Nick Mulvey has confirmed the following shows:
September
25 Edinburgh Usher Hall (with Laura Marling)
26 Gateshead The Sage (with Laura Marling)
27 Cambridge Corn Exchange (with Laura Marling)
28 Dublin Olympia (with Laura Marling)
30 Manchester The Lowry (with Laura Marling)
October
1 Birmingham Symphony Hall (with Laura Marling)
2 London Shepherd's Bush Empire (with Laura Marling)
3 London York Hall (with Laura Marling)
November
6 Leeds Games Room
7 Newcastle Think Tank
8 Manchester Deaf Institute
9 Glasgow King Tuts
11 London XOYO
12 Bristol Thekla
13 Brighton Proud Ballroom
15 Cambridge Emmanuel United Reform Church
16 Dublin Unitarian Church
17 Belfast McHugh's
Photo Credit: Neil Bedford
Get the best of Clash on your iPhone – download the app here