Jazz Coop At The Globe: Folk Meets Jazz: Saturday Nov 22

Landermason : Fiona Lander ( vocals, keys, saxes, clarinet, whistles, even a shakey egg);

Paul Mason (vocals, guitar).

(Review by Ann Alex).

This event was something of an adventurous experiment to combine jazz with folk music, and it worked folks!  A double header with Landermason playing the first set, with their blend of traditional and contemporary folk, jazz, and other styles, such as a touch of ska on the guitar.  

Fiona grew up listening to classical music and jazz whilst Paul hails from the glam rock bands of the 1980’s.  The duo gave a hugely enjoyable set to a sizeable and appreciative audience.  

When The Boat Comes In had a skilled jazzy piano and a folksy ending – sounds odd in writing but it works well musically.  Then came Take Five on guitar and whistle; a local song The Shoemaker, followed by Words Unsaid, with good jazz piano and a clarinet solo in true jazz tradition.  Other numbers included In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning; Working Man Blues (Paul took the vocals, accompanied by clarinet and shakey egg); a Fiona original, The Mirror, a bebop style song with a bit of scat; a haunting song, Somalia.  And all most splendidly rounded off with a fast folksy instrumental, The Bellingham Stomp.  The band hails from Bellingham, so go there to see more of them. 

Andy May and Ian Stephenson: Andy May (keys, Northumbrian pipes); Ian Stephenson (guitar, double bass, melodeon).

These two are usually seen as a part of larger bands but they’ve been playing on and off as a duo for a number of years.  They too did a very enjoyable set with both folk and jazz elements and their presentation was closer to the way that folk musicians perform in folk clubs, with quite a bit of friendly self-deprecating chat.  The tunes (no singing) were played in pairs. They included; a lively Swedish tune; an original by Andy; then Arathusa on pipes and guitar, which is a version of a morris dance tune; Trip To Scarborough; Helsinki, with Ian on a very pleasing melodeon; straight folk tunes such as Kissed her Under The Coverlet (yes, the title is meant to be rude); and Show Us The Way To Wallington, the last 2 both in 9/8 time. The double bass and sometimes the guitar added a jazz feel to the folk, and Andy plays a mean jazz piano with a cool jazz feel, as shown on tunes such as Coming Home. These two are both highly skilled musicians and I think they could well extend the jazz element further.  And to anyone who hasn’t heard the wonderful tender sound of Northumbrian pipes - nothing like Scottish bagpipes – hear them soon.

To round off a great night, both bands joined up to play a rousing Stranger On The Shore.

The jazz coop is hoping to organise monthly Jazz/folk events, not necessarily gigs as such, but maybe some kind of jam.  Ideas please, from readers of BSH.

Ann Alex