Over the years Scotland has produced more than its fair share of outstanding jazz musicians and this concert features the cream of the current crop in a fascinating big band excursion under the direction of Tommy Smith.
Tommy, himself a sax player of international renown, leads a big band that features such players as Ryan Quigley, Paul Towndrow, Alwyn Cosker and Martin Kershaw.
Kershaw I know only by reputation so this will be a journey of discovery for me but Quigley, Towndrow and Cosker are familiar to many in the North-east via their appearances at the Corner House and also last year's Scarborough Jazz Festival.
Quigley is an amazing trumpet player capable of soaring into the upper register without loss of his full sound - can't wait to hear him again. Towndrow has an incredible alto technique that enables him to unleash long florid solos bursting through the seams of creativity. Cosker demonstrated his awesome drum technique with his trio at the Corner House as recently as last month. Frankly, the room was too small for his powerhouse drumming - there will be no such constriction in Hall One of the Sage. His is perhaps the most demanding role - that of the drummer in a tribute to Buddy Rich regarded by many drummers as the all-time greatest!
The Rich tribute will be the climax to, not just a great concert, but to what promises to be the Sage's best festival so far.
The first set of the concert is unusual to say the least - Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin's most well-known classical piece has always been regarded as a hybrid composition. Too jazzy for the classical audience and not jazzy enough for the jazz audience.
However, with Brian Kellock (remember his performance with Sheila Jordan at last year's festival or his duo concert with Leanne Carroll?) sitting on the piano stool that I'm sure will change. This re-working by Tommy Smith could quite conceivably move it away from its Paul Whiteman quasi-jazz image into a work that stands alongside extended pieces such as Ellington's Tone Parallel to Harlem. We look forward to finding out.
Scottish National Jazz Orchestra: Rhapsody in Blue and a tribute to Buddy Rich, Sunday March 28, Hall One. £19.50.
Lance.
PS: See sidebar for other Sage Festival previews.
Approx 22 yrs ago Tommy Smith approached Mike (Gilby) and asked him to do a couple of Ellington big band arrangements for a concert at the E'burgh Jazz Festival.
ReplyDeleteMike really enjoyed arranging Ellington tunes, we took a little Zoe(then about 7yrs old)along with us to hear the concert. I believe it was during the afternoon?
No wonder the poor wee girl got into jazz...I think it was the only music she heard for years :o)