Llandudno Jazz
Club welcomed star saxophonist Alex Clarke for this concert. It was the third
time I had heard Alex play in eight days at venues in London and Liverpool. British
Jazz Awards “Rising Star” in 2019, BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Finalist
2020 and Nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021. A very busy and much sought
after musician.
Neil Yates curates the jazz that’s held here each Monday and the other musicians on show are also regular players at the club. All top notch jazz musicians. Such a talented ensemble brought a large and knowledgeable audience out on a coolish autumn evening.
The concert
kicked off with an extended 14 minute take of Alone Together all had
solos which introduced the band individually. A cracking start. This was
followed by the slower paced Gone with the Wind with a terrific solo by
Alex whilst Neil sat out on this tune. Alex’s tone is outstanding as is her
playing. I see Andrzej play every 2-3 weeks at venues in the north west with
various groups. He seamlessly integrates into every ensemble he plays with and his
undemonstrative but fluid piano playing is a joy to hear. Gavin and Gaz are big
hitters on the UK jazz scene and well worth travelling to see. Neil quite
simply is one of the very best UK jazz trumpeters.
An exquisite
version of Triste by Antonio Carlos Jobim was my favourite tune of the
evening. Beautiful unison playing as well as individual solos by Alex and Neil where
a complete delight. The first set concluded with Oleo a tune by the late
Sonny Rollins. An incredible solo by Neil on this one.
The second set
opened with Frank Loesser’s I’ve Never Been in Love Before from the
1950’s musical Guys and Dolls. Darn that Dream, a ballad composed by Jimmy
Van Heusen and Eddie DeLange for the musical Swinging the Dream - a take on A
Midsummer Night’s Dream - featured a fabulous solo by Andrzej.
All or Nothing
at all was followed by Charlie Parker’s great swinging tune Au
Privave - a real audience pleaser. Gavin and Gaz featured strongly on this bop
anthem. The last number of the evening
was Hank Mobley’s This I Dig of You. It was a fitting finale to a
wonderful evening. Richard Morris
Live jazz takes
place each Monday from 8pm at this venue which is a dog friendly and award
winning traditional rustic style pub - The Penrhyn Arms where the food is as
good as the music. It has a large tropical beer garden. Modern and traditional jazz alternates each
week. Next Monday 26 October will therefore be trad.
Set list: Alone
Together; Gone with the Wind; Triste; Oleo; I’ve Never Been in Love Before;
Darn that Dream; All or Nothing at All; Au Privave; This I Dig of You
Llandudno Jazz
Club, Penrhyn Arms, Pendre Road, Penrhynside,
Llandudno LL30 3BY
Facebook: The
Penrhyn Arms
Mondays @
8pm.£15 cash entry pp for Modern Jazz and £10 pp for Trad jazz, no booking
required but recommended if dining. Tel Mark on 07792 834707 to book a table.
No comments :
Post a Comment