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| (Collage by Lance) |
Tonight has certainly been a night for tenor saxophilites! After listening to Keith Loftis' tremendous recording (see previous post) I approached tonight's Saturday 606 session with more than a little trepidation. Would Dave O'Higgins - one the UK's top tenor players - bear comparision with the American whom I'd just been listening to minutes before?
A belter! Those were words that sprung to mind when Willie Jones III kicked off the opening track (Oak Cliff) followed by a 'no prisoners taken' solo by Loftis, with Chin and Wheeler digging in. This was comparable with anything from the Blue Note label back in the day.
Premonition, composed by Michael Stanton, has an effective bass intro, Loftis wails over a compelling piano riff before Chin moves to centre stage driven on by Willie J 3 - a brief quote from Work Song brings Wheeler back and Loftus takes it out.
Like so many bands, Maureen Hall’s Rendezvous Jazz has been side-lined over the past 17 months. However, drummer/vocalist George Davidson informs me that they are under starter’s orders next Saturday (August 7) at the Red Lion, Earsdon (8:00pm – 10:30pm). As I recall, in pre-pandemic times, this was a monthly gig so, presumably it remains so.
Of the
hundreds of events and TV programmes that I produced, the essential ingredient
for success has always been the quality of “The Team” and this was no better
demonstrated than in the JVC Jazz Parades.
For the eight years that
I was at the helm, I never encountered a more joyous, hard-working and
successful bunch.*
When we started, there were extra complications in “importing” musicians in that US trade unions required an “exchange”. Whereas we wanted BB King, Miles Davis, Ray Charles etc the US did not want Ball, Barber, Bilk, Tracey, Rendell and their like…but they did want Rolling Stones, Elton John, Wham, and other mega names. My ultimate Mr Fixit, Brian Theobald, who worked out of his Ronnie Scott’s Club Office had evolved some Byzantine formula that was able to trade MAN-DAYS as they were called when there was little PC pressure. What Ella made of her Man-day gig at the Festival Hall we never knew.
The Programme will now REPEAT ON
TUESDAYS 8.00-9.30 STARTING THIS TUESDAY (I hope)
Playlist for Sunday
1st Aug and Tues 3rd:
Jimmy Giuffre/Bob
Brookmeyer; Chris Barber; The Modern Jazz Quartet Ft. Jimmy
Giuffre;
Requests: Wayne Shorter; Chet
Baker; Shorty Rogers; Peruna Jazzmen; Teodross Avery.
Clare
Teal; Spyro Gyra; Art Tatum Lionel Hampton Buddy Rich; Fats
Waller; Amy Winehouse; Dario Ronchi; Peggy Lee; Marion
Williams; Miles Davis w George Coleman; Nubya Garcia.
I have watched this so you don’t have to. I watched it live and recorded it in anticipation of repeatedly enjoying a half hour of electronic Miles, Mahavishnu, Weather Report and Return to Forever amongst others. I had always understood that these were the keynote artists in Jazz Rock not least because Stuart Nicholson in his excellent 1998 book Jazz Rock, told me so. But no, not according to Sky Arts. The most important acts in the genre were in fact Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers and Boz Scaggs. Now, at a push and with a firearm pointed at my head I can just about accept Steely Dan as one of the fraternity, and indeed, they get a few mentions in Professor Nicholson’s book, but we’re not letting the others in the house and we’re certainly not elevating them to the medals podium.
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| (Steve & Uli @ the Railway 2014) |
The Tallyrand, a small narrow pub located at 1030 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3WX, is named after a French diplomat who came to Levenshulme in 1793 to avoid execution. It puts on a mixture of cultural events including plays, films, blues and tonight hosted the modern jazz of the Steve Pimlott Quartet.
Apart from Bosch's pursuit of killers, dealers and other miscreants, his love of music and jazz in particular never fails to shine through.
Holmes may have solved his cases with a pipe or three of opium but, had Sherlock and Harry been contemporaries, Harry would have busted him!
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| (Screenshot by Russell) |
Well, it’s been a while since I listened to any free jazz so when this one arrived in the post I took my teeth out, sat up straight and prepared to hang on for the ride. And it is a ride, the music is, at times plaintiff and exploratory, at others declamatory and celebratory. The trio is an open, stripped down format that allows every note from all three protagonists to land clearly, especially the drums which cover the spectrum from delicate to explosive.
Freeview television regularly offers 'another chance to see' films classic and not so classic. Great Movies Classic! seemingly screens The Wild One every five minutes (it was on again today - July 29).
You know how it is when you go to the opticians and they ask you to read the bottom line when, in actual fact, if you could read the bottom line you wouldn't be there in the first place? I mention this because the notes on the booklet make that bottom line seem like the top line - even a visit to Specsavers wouldn't have helped! As such, I'm unable to tell you much about the background to this, not unpleasant, album.
This Saturday 31st July at the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle upon Tyne you can catch the brilliant Johnny Richards performing something of a post-album launch for the excellent 'Build A Friend' on New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings.
NEW YORK, NY (July 29, 2021) – Uptown Grand Central and Jazzmobile are thrilled to announce the August 12, 2021 celebration surrounding the commemorative street co-naming of East 126th street between 5th and Madison Avenues as ‘Art Kane Harlem 1958 Place.’ August 12th marks the 63rd anniversary of the gathering of 57 jazz luminaries in East Harlem for the shooting of the famed Art Kane photograph “Harlem 1958.” Known alternatively as “A Great Day In Harlem,” the iconic photograph has become one of the most celebrated images in American history, capturing the vitality of jazz in the late 1950s. Dedicated to the preservation and furtherance of the jazz artform and the greater East Harlem community, the celebration of this historic street co-naming event will take place from 2:00pm to 4:00pm EDT on Thursday, August 12th. Register for this free event here.
The 18th Scarborough Jazz Festival will now take place across the weekend of 24-26 September 2021 at Scarborough Spa.
Original Tickets from September 2020 & February 2021 remain valid for the
September 2021 Festival.
Alongside some of our favourite festival performers we have many new faces: the ground breaking pianist Fergus McCreadie; violinist John Pearce and gypsy jazz from Djanco.
An interesting tribute to Charlie Parker coinciding with what would have been the great man's 101st birthday by a player who took advantage of the lockdowns to immerse himself in all of Bird's known recordings. In his own words, Sun said, "It was a way to de-stress and take a break from the pandemic reality. Parker was like the James Joyce of modern jazz."
Very sad news. My dear old friend Peter Stuart passed away peacefully on the 22nd of July. He had been ill for a long time.
The funeral is on the 6th of August at Sunderland Crematorium at 9:30am. No flowers please by request. A great friend and a brilliant musician. RIP my old friend - Ernie Jackson.
Freddy Garner (piano); Jim Collins (flute, tenor/alto sax); James Adolpho (double bass); Erryl Roberts (drums) + Leo Sheldon (alto sax)
It had begun to rain when I set off for Stockport and, by the time I got there it was bucketing it down. Despite the terrible weather there was a large group of people waiting to hear pianist Freddy Garner, a veteran of the north west jazz scene, his style being similar to Hampton Hawes or Victor Feldman with bits of Bill Evans thrown in.
September 2021
welcomes the release of Dear Love, the brand new project by US jazz luminary,
vocalist and composer Jazzmeia Horn. A winner of the Sarah Vaughan
International Jazz Competition and the Thelonious Monk Institute International
Jazz Competition,
Jazzmeia Horn is also a NAACP Image Award winning artist. Having signed to Concord Records, her debut album A Social Call achieved great critical acclaim, receiving a GRAMMY Award® nomination in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album. Jazzmeia’s second album Love and Liberation, received yet another GRAMMY® nomination in the same category. Now Jazzmeia Horn makes a triumphant return with a big band orientated album – a notable departure from her previous work and a unique proposition, undoubtedly set to build on her compelling reputation as one of America’s most exciting and impactful jazz stars.
Some of our readers are having difficulties accessing BSH. Don't lose any sleep - I'm having problems too!
I'm not sure if it's Virgin, Google or me finishing off that bottle of plonk. Hopefully things will get back to normal which, in the world wide situation that we are currently in, means my problems don't amount to a hill of beans.
My assessment is that the Blogger hierarchy haven't heard of the old adage that says, that if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
In the mean time, email me if you are having any problems accessing the site. Lance
The recipients of the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards were announced on Monday 26th July at 19:00
The Parliamentary Jazz Awards are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) with the support of PizzaExpress Live. The Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom.
The award categories reflect the ever-increasing scope of talent from within the UK’s jazz scene: Jazz Vocalist of the Year; Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Jazz Album of the Year; Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Jazz Newcomer of the Year; Jazz Venue of the Year; Jazz Media Award; Jazz Education Award; the Services to Jazz Award and the Lockdown Innovation Award.
I watched a news item on Sunday concerning an unexploded World War 2 bomb found in a building site in Goole, Yorkshire. The Army came in and blew it up, which was a quite spectacular event.
Another explosive event occurred at the Railway on Sunday evening when saxman Munch Manship together with a first-rate backing trio arrived ready to cook up a storm, and they did!
Lockdown Innovation Award
Liam Noble - Saturday Lockdown Live Sessions
Joe Stilgoe's 'Stilgoe in the Shed' 100 shows
Adrian Cox's Sunday Service
The Globe Newcastle upon Tyne
Jazz Vocalist of the Year
Claire Martin
Brigitte Beraha
Georgia Mancio
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
Tony Kofi
Adrian Cox
Nubya Garcia
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| (Screenshot by Ken Drew) |
It was almost three years to the day - give or take a couple of weeks - when I first heard Nishla. It was in the old Jazz Café, now the Prohibition Bar, at one of the legendary Tuesday night jams.
Since then, apart from an occasional return to the area, Nishla is now firmly established on the Manchester jazz scene and the choice of her quintet proved to be a fitting finale to The Globe/Jazz Co-op's innovative Summer Festival that crossed the genres and set down the ground-lines for what, hopefully, next year will be even better - tough call!
The above item appeared in yesterday's gig listing and no doubt many were kicking themselves for being otherwise engaged and missing out.
Well all is not lost. It can still be viewed on YouTube and is totally unmissable for anyone who appreciates a range of music across the genres.
The last time I heard Alex Garnett was at the 606. That night he blew the subterranean roof off on alto, tonight he did it again on tenor. Quite a player!
Nevertheless, on that first set the band hit the ground running with Junior Mance's Jubilation that told me everything I needed to know - this was going to be a cracker. If they ever bring back the good old free for all jam sessions I wouldn't bet against Garnett being the last man standing!
David Bonner's choice: Sant Andreu Jazz Band (Jesse Davis & Wycliffe Gordon); Michael Philip Mossman feat. by WDR Big Band; Utrechtse Studenten Bigband ft. Adam Rapa & Tom Beek; James Morrison auditioning for The Big Phat Band trumpet section.
Then, one by one, most of them died and we began, once again, looking to America but, over there too, most of the masters were, figuratively speaking, six foot under.
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| (Photo by Russell) |
As Emma Fisk reminded us, it had been eighteen months. Eighteen months since the regular Hot Club du Nord line-up last took to the concert platform. On another sweltering day, when people could have been sunning themselves in a pub beer garden, it was gratifying to see close to one hundred socially distanced fans filling the Gala Theatre's main auditorium.
The jazz joust appears to pit Floating Sounds, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra's Promises against Nubya Garcia's Source.
The former is described as A collaboration between Sam Shepherd, musicians with a neuroscience doctorate, jazz legend Pharoah Sanders and an orchestra that produces an elevated suite of electronica and ambient sounds. By contrast, Garcia tells the story of her Afro-Caribbean heritage via a joyous stew of reggae, dub, calypso and soco.
I can understand why the Vieux Carré Jazzmen didn't make make it - they flunked their neuroscience doctorate! Lance
This is Ms Robinson's debut album, issued after already making her mark as an educator, researcher, author and scholar. She hails from Oakland, California, sang in church, then gained qualifications in jazz studies and education. She has taught and developed resources for singing in jazz, gospel, pop and other styles, as well as keeping up her own schedule as a singer. She is especially interested in finding ways to express the experience of black American people through song.
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| (Photo by Russell) |
Well, I hope the title of this album turns out to be accurate and life gets back to a degree of normality. However, although I've got my fingers crossed and sent a prayer to him down there, time alone will tell.
Should the unthinkable happen and we're once more sentenced to a life of lockdowns, quarantines, self-isolation and all the rest then, at least, this album will provide some comfort. In fact, even if everything was hunky dory listening to the Dave Miller Trio would make it even hunkier and dorier.
Johnny Hunter (drums); Kyran Matthews (tenor, soprano sax); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass) Adam Fairhall (keys).
It was a hot sunny evening when I arrived at the Slug and Lettuce to hear the music of the late great pianist Mulgrew Miller performed by the Johnny Hunter Quartet.
Although it was only 8:20pm, already, there was a good crowd in the upstairs room, maybe due to the Creative Space being inactive for the past 16 months. The doors to the balcony were open which cooled things down a bit and the band started at 8:45pm with the first of two sets finishing at 11:00pm.
Mid-summer, temperatures nudging 30°, the capital city appeared to be as busy as ever. An early morning Azuma - first stop King's Cross - arrived bang on time, not to the minute, rather, to the second. A good start to the day. Things couldn't get any better, certainly not worse, could they?
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| (Photo by Malcolm Sinclair) |
Trefor Owen (guitar); Andy Hulme (guitar); Dave Luckhurst (bass); Liam Byrne (tenor & soprano sax) + Mike Farmer (soprano sax)
Trefor Owen was born in Anglesey Wales and is a familiar name to many guitar enthusiasts throughout the UK and USA. He is a first-rate educator as well as being an excellent musician who has appeared alongside many notable guitar legends including Mundell Lowe, Jimmy Gourley, Howard Alden and Louis Stewart. He also ran the highly acclaimed North Wales International Guitar Festival.
The band played a selection of well-known standards plus two written by Wes Montgomery and a new one (to me) by Henry Mancini – Dreamsville.
We'd remained cautiously optimistic until fairly recently - so, due to print deadlines you may well see advertisements for the event in current and forthcoming issues of jazz magazines. This has been a decision that we've taken jointly, just in the last few days. Our musicians have now been informed - so they can plan their diaries.
