(Screenshot by Debra Milne)
This isn't an actual review of tonight's gig at The Globe by the John Pope Quintet, I think JNE, who co-promoted the live stream with the Jazz Co-op, may be sending something from their own reviewer but, I couldn't allow this screenshot from Debra not to be shared - it's the only way to watch!
(Press release)
Prime Trio features Mackenzie with the former Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, Peter Johnstone on organ and first-call drummer Doug Hough, and Mackenzie is excited by both the instrumentation and the personnel involved.
“The great thing for me about an organ trio is that it’s really a very compact unit and yet there are so many possibilities in terms of harmony. You can get a very full sound,” says Mackenzie, whose previous groups have included Trio AAB, with the Bancroft twins, Tom and Phil, the jazz-funk styled Swirler and the folk-jazz fusion ensemble Vital Signs.
(Screenshots by Ken Drew).
An evening of Cuban music celebrating a legendary album. I say "legendary" as that's what came up when I Googled although, in truth, I was unfamiliar with it although I did know of the Buena Vista Social Club of which Rubén González was once a part of.
Joe Webb (piano)
The advertised line-up is now: Nat Facey (alto sax); Alec Harper (tenor sax); Daniel Higham (trombone); Deschanel Gordon (piano); Ferg Ireland (bass); Will Cleasby (drums).
A dream team!
Tune in at 8:00pm
Lance
(Press release)
'Singing It Out' provides online
singalong sessions to help combat loneliness and improve mental wellbeing
through song.
Having been developed with funding from Leeds Inspired, a small grant from Live Well Leeds is enabling you to attend this session FOR FREE!
Denver Colorado has been in the news recently due to exploding aircraft parts but it is also home to The Jazz Worms, a very fine quintet well known to patrons of the Denver jazz club Dazzles.
Their first Capri album, Crawlin’
Out, recorded way back in 1987 created much interest among local jazz
fans. Their latest release is also on Capri Records and contains eight
original tunes by various members of the group.
Ron Miles is the one that I’m most familiar with through his work with Bill Frisell, but his band-mates deserve a higher profile in the jazz world.
French guitarist Alban Claret has teamed up with Yorkshire trumpeter Evan Clegg to produce a really outstanding album of seven original compositions. Also involved are Duncan Eagles on tenor sax, Luke Fowler double bass and Kuba Miazga on drums.
I would like to hear more of Eagles he gets a great sound from top to bottom of his instrument.
Claret reminds me of the legendary Jimmy Raney when he worked with Stan Getz.
Fantastic and perceptive post by Simon Spillett on his blog whereby he takes a look back at the so called "Swinging Sixties" and, in particular, Sonny Rollins and the film Alfie.
Myths are explored and exploded, and we discover what Sonny himself really thought about the film.
It has fewer words than War and Peace (I think) but is a much better read.
A classic piece of jazz literature.
Lance
Launching 25 February and running through to the 4th of March, Szczecin Jazz will host Europe’s first hybrid festival of the year. Over the course of 7 days, each night one act will grace a stage in Szczecin, Northwestern Poland's largest city, performing in front of an online and in-person audience.
Leading up to the festival, Szczecin Jazz and Jazz in Europe are partnering to offer an exclusive behind the scenes look with a series of vlogs and interviews hosted by Dutch jazz promoter and media director Arlette Hovinga. In five episodes, airing on Jazz in Europe’s website each night at 20:00 CET, Arlette will explore the dynamics of show production, and of course, the excitement of an upcoming set. The series kicks off on Monday, February 22.
Jazz North has teamed up with a range of partners to deliver a broader programme for this year’s Jazz Camp for Girls. The ‘Online Musical Adventures Day’ will give girls aged 10-15 years old the chance to discover computer coding to make music, graphic scores, improvising using nature, interpreting jazz standards, and can enjoy an introduction to music journalism, photography, and podcasting in the jazz world.
Jazz Camp for Girls will take place on Saturday 6th March from 10am until 4.30pm and costs just £10. There will be morning and afternoon sessions giving the girls the chance to have a better and deeper experience of the topics delivered by Women in Jazz Media, Conductive Music, J Frisco, Creative Heights, and BlueJam Arts. All sessions are open to girls of mixed abilities.
Highly recommended: Scottish Poet Laureate Jacky Kay reading from her book about Bessie Smith, as mentioned by Russell, broadcast each morning at 9.45am this week on Radio 4.
I left the radio on, so caught jazz drummer Jas Kayser on Woman's Hour, talking about the situation of women musicians on the jazz scene, following on from research done by academic Sarah Raine at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Jas explained that it was sometimes assumed that she was a singer, as if a woman couldn't possibly be an instrumentalist, especially not a drummer, as drummers have to be tough and strong (do they actually?)
It was mentioned that
the huge contribution of women to jazz in the past had been brushed to one
side. (Not true on BSH or in Jackie Kay's writing). Jas agreed that things were
gradually improving, which I think they are. Anyway, whatever your opinion is,
you can catch this on BBC Sounds – well worth a listen.
Ann Alex
Road to the Sun: The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - John Dearman (7-string guitar); Matthew Greif, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant (guitars) + Pat Metheny (composer all tracks & guitar tracks 2 & 4).
Für Alina: Pat Metheny (42-string guitar).
A one for guitar buffs and Metheny fans in particular. Although the universally regarded number one guitarist is only featured exclusively on the bonus track he did compose all of the music which is presented in the form of two suites.
Four Paths of Light, not surprisingly, consists of four parts played on classical guitar by Jason Vieaux one of the composer's favourite guitarists - a feeling that I'm sure is mutual.
When it comes to blowing tenor, Brandon Allen plays hardball. The ultimate groover, he should be walkin' the bar in a downtown joint in Philly or Detroit not live streaming to an invisible audience in Chelsea.
But, such are the times we live in that we have to be thankful for small mercies or, like tonight, very large mercies!
When it comes to playing blues, soul or funk saxophone few do, or rather did, it better than the late Stanley Turrentine so it was only natural that Australian sax man, now domiciled in London, Brandon Allen, who is equally at home in the above genres, should opt to pay tribute to him.
Ashton Smith (trumpet, flugelhorn, compositions); James Romaine (alto
sax); Michael Anning (tenor sax); David Sear (trombone); Francis Tulip
(guitar); Will Markham (piano); James Owston (bass); Nathan Jones (drums).
The quality that emerges from Birmingham Conservatoire was very much in evidence last night at Kansas Smitty's when former student and BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Xhosa Cole blew up a Force 9 on both flute and tenor.
That the high standard has been maintained is evident in this download by the Ashton Smith Octet. Francis Tulip is well known in the northeast and Will Markham has also played gigs up here. The rest are relatively unknown quantities - until now that is!
Russell
Veteran Italian pianist Pieranunzi has recorded prolifically, in many settings since the mid-1970s, and he teams up here with the experienced Belgian Bert Joris on trumpet and flugel for an intimate and relaxed session of originals. Despite their considerable output, I have to say neither player had made much impression on me until hearing this new album. I guess that although jazz audiences on the mainland are famously large, much continental jazz goes under the radar in the UK, swamped by homegrown and transatlantic produce, and not helped by the infrequency of touring here. On the evidence of this Italian-Belgian product, we need to salvage some European jazz alongside the threatened loss of Chianti and Trappist beer!
Russell
We were at Smitty's tonight so didn't make it to Ronnie's for the James Beckworth live stream. However, our ace camera man Ken managed to be in two places at once and sent me this great screenshot.
(Screenshots by Ken Drew).
Permutations of trios at Smitty's come and go but tonight was tops in that every one seemed to have lifted his game that one notch higher. I'm not going to name my Man of the Match as everyone who watched it will have their own choice. Music is a shared thing, or at least it should be - it was tonight.
So, let's do away with the A was better than B but not as good as C scenario and agree that they each hit the jackpot and that Papa Jo Jones would have been proud of them.
