Jazz Articles about Graham Costello

About Graham Costello

Album Review

Corto Alto: Some Small Fortune

Read "Some Small Fortune" reviewed by Mark McKergow

by Mark McKergow
September 25, 2026

Corto Alto is the creation of Glaswegian trombonist, bassist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Liam Shortall. The youngest graduate from the Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland's undergraduate jazz course (which he started aged just 16), Shortall combines jazz, electronica, hip-hop and broken beat, producing both detailed studio creations and roaring live sets. The band name translates from Italian as “short.tall"; Shortall has Italian roots and was keen to present an attention-grabbing name for his work (a touch of the Fatboy Slim, maybe)? His ...

Play This!

Graham Costello's Strata: Obelisk

by Mike Jacobs
July 21, 2023

Scots may have unfairly acquired a reputation for being aggressive. As such, it would be unfortunate if the inherent power in the title track from Scottish drummer/bandleader Graham Costello's album Obelisk (Self Produced, 2019) reinforced that stereotype to a degree. No worries though. Once your hair has been blown back a bit, there's no denying that power comes hand-in-hand with a host of other superlatives capable of dispensing with such silly generalizations. Watch out for Costello and his band of ...

Album Review

Graham Costello's Strata: Second Lives

Read "Second Lives" reviewed by Gareth Thompson

by Gareth Thompson
May 22, 2021

A top German physiologist once compared the brain's nerve fibres to a piano's keys, on which our thoughts play or strike. Scottish drummer and composer Graham Costello might relate to this, given how well he writes for the piano, as he explores themes of mental challenges on this second album with his excellent band Strata. How we face inner hurdles to reach the other side preoccupies Costello here, though he also toys with notions of heritage and identity. ...

Radio & Podcasts

New releases from guitarist Jane Getter, Graham Costello and Strata and Cameron Graves

by Len Davis
May 9, 2021

New music from guitarist Jane Getter and Premonition, drummer Graham Costello and Strata, and guitarist Gabor Lesko's latest. Playlist Jane Getter “Still Here" from Anomalia (Cherry Red) 00:00 Adam Holzman “Ectoplasm" from Truth Decay (Big Fun) 06:28 Alex Skolnick “Conundrum" from Conundrum (Palmetto) 13:01 Robin & The Woods “Dark Waterfalls" from Moonfall (Bramar 19:32/li> Cameron Graves “Seven" from Seven (Mack Avenue) 26:00 Gabor Lesko “Earthway" from Earthway (Creativity Paradise) 32:22 Graham Costello and Strata “Impetu" from Second Life ...

Album Review

Graham Costello's Strata: Cygnus

by Chris May
February 14, 2020

Metal-head jazz! It could only have been made by a Glasgow band. Without wishing to perpetuate stereotypes, the vibe suggests musicians who have spent more time in whisky bars than Tom Waits, Rabbie Burns, Ava Gardner, Mark Twain and Raymond Chandler put together. The focus and precision of their playing, however, suggests sobriety was maintained in the studio. After an almost tentative start, “Cygnus" moves it on up, high energy, impassioned and in your face. Some will ...