Today [Saturday] @ The Classic Jazz Party

More goodies in store today:

12 noon – 12.30pm: Jelly -  Library of Congress Memories.

In 1938, Jelly-Roll Morton made a long series of recordings for the Folk Song Division of the Library of Congress, telling of his life and times, both in speech and music. Martin Litton and Spats Langham explore & demonstrate some of this priceless jazz heritage.

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12.30pm – 1.30pm: The Freshmen.

Recordings for the Gennett record label were pivotal in early Jazz. Their home base was in Richmond, Indiana, 250 miles by road from Chicago. The New Orleans Rhythm Kings and the Wolverines made the trek several times. Claus has made a selection from the recordings of both bands. Andy Schumm (trumpet); Alistair Allan (trombone); Claus Jacobi, Mauro Porro (reeds); Morten Gunnar Larsen (piano); Spats Langham (Banjo, guitar); Phil Rutherford (brass bass); Josh Duffee (drums).

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1.30pm – 2.30pm: The Duke’s Men.

From 1936-1940, Ellington stars Rex Stewart, Barney Bigard, Cootie Williams and Johnny Hodges made recordings with small groups drawn from the main band. Enrico presents a selection of these gems. Enrico Tomasso (trumpet);  Alistair Allan (trombone); Matthias Seuffert, Claus Jacobi (reeds); David Boeddinghaus (piano); Henry Lemaire (guitar); Malcolm Sked (bass); Richard Pite (drums).

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Richard Pite - Boisdale Interview.

Talking to Richard Pite, he of the Ringo Starr proboscis, at the Jazz Party prompted him to send me this link to an interview. The interview is on the Boisdale site which is now very much the home of mainstream jazz in the Metropolis. Reference to the Jazz Festival at Middlesbrough back in the 1970's is of much local interest - guess the identity of "The Madman"! (No, not me!)

Lance.

Jazz Party - Afternoon.

How can you put into words the music and the atmosphere of this wonderful weekend? Every session is themed - a player or a scenario of jazz and hot dance music as played between the first and second world wars. To call music such as this 'Dated' is to call Schubert, Chopin or Mozart 'Dated'. Good music is timeless.

Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil. November 7

(Review by Russell/photos by Jerry)

More seats were brought into the Loftus Room at the Lit & Phil, a sure sign that many people wanted to be at today’s concert. Pianist Paul Edis performed a solo programme consisting of eleven compositions (five of them written by Edis).

The first three tunes in a varied programme were by Edis; Pulse (the melody unfurling quietly), From Nothing to Nowhere and Not Like Me (typically Edis!). The Rodgers & Hart standard Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered followed and instantly became the odds on favourite for this reviewer’s ‘Performance of the Year 2014’. Within minutes Rodgers & Hammerstein’s My Favourite Things topped it, then an unlikely contender – Percy Grainger’s English Country Garden – jockeyed for pole position! The playing couldn’t have been better. The audience loved it, one hour of sheer joy.

Today @ Classic Jazz Party

I've got an absolutely gorgeous weekend ahead  at the Village Hotel, Cobalt Business Park, nr Shiremoor, North Tyneside - never mind the weather - it's the (late) Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party organised this year by Patti Durham with the able assistance of Keith Nichols, Frans Sjöström and several others.
It's a mouthwatering feast for lovers of classic jazz as today's program will testify to.
12 noon – 12.30pm: Tribute to Mike.

Spats Langham leads a re-creation of his Rhythm Boys – a group lovingly crafted by Mike Durham, complementary to his beloved West Jesmond Rhythm Kings. This music and song – indeed the entire Jazz Party – is a fitting tribute to all that Mike achieved for Classic Jazz over many decades. Enrico Tomasso (trumpet); Graham Hughes (trombone); Matthias Seuffert (reeds); Keith Nichols (piano); Spats Langham (Banjo, guitar, vocal); John Hallam (bass); Frans Sjöström (bass saxophone); Josh Duffee (drums).

Josh Lane @ King’s Hall Newcastle Uni. November 6

Josh Lane (trumpet & flugelhorn), Ella El-Salahi (vocals), Jamie Lawson (piano), Tim Farrow (double bass) & Joe Cromey-Hawke (drums)

(Review by Russell)

Final year student Josh Lane (brass) shared the late afternoon student performances’ hour with an array of spectacularly good fellow students. An operatic soprano wowed the large turn-out with some Puccini, superb flautist Anne-Marie Rosa played a solo piece by Ibert and folk artists led by Callum Younger (bodhran) improvised a set of jigs. The latter clan could easily sit-in at any of the many of the jazz jam sessions around town.

The Shoeshop Quartet @ King’s Hall Newcastle Uni. November 6

Meghann Clancy (soprano), Hannah Taylor (alto), Laurie Shepherd (tenor) & Ruth Lambert (bass)

(Review by Russell).

The Andrews Sisters, the Puppinis and now the Shoeshop Girls. The close harmony barber shop quartet is experiencing something of a renaissance and the Shoeshop Quartet can only prosper with performances like this one at the King’s Hall. An audience ranging from a group of six year olds to eighty six year olds loved every minute of this lunchtime concert. The ‘girls’ dressed to the nines (forties style) in hats, lashes, dresses and heels.

The Jazz Repertory Company and the EFG London Jazz Festival Present…….. Newport Jazz Festival (The 1950’s): A 60th Anniversary Celebration

18^th November 2014. Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ

A Spectacular Performance In Celebration Of One Of The Most Famous Jazz Events In The World

On 18th November 2014, Richard Pite’s Jazz Repertory Company in conjunction with The EFG London Jazz Festival continues its series of concerts at Chelsea’s Cadogan Hall with a celebration of the early years of the Newport Jazz Festival, one of the hottest events on the global jazz calendar to this day and this year celebrating its 60^th anniversary.

Jam Session @ The Jazz Café or Drummers Anonymous

Peter Gilligan (pno); John Pope (bs/bs gtr); Paul Wight (dms): Bradley Johnston (gtr) + David Gray (tmb/tpt); Dave Richardson (dms); Matthew MacKellar (dms); Russ Morgan (dms).

(Review by Lance/photo by Mike Tilley to follow).

They were filming in the Jazz Café tonight but, fortunately, the camera team were quite unobtrusive so it didn't interfere with the music.

The quartet, Bradley seems to be an integral part of it these days, were on the money from the off hitting pay dirt with Billie's Bounce, Wave, Alice in Wonderland, There Will Never Be Another You (Gilligan played a blinder on this one!) and Yardbird Suite. All four musicians at the top of their game with John Pope, in the absence of Paul Grainger, slotting easily into the role of Mr Bassman.

Maybe there was a drummer's convention in town but it seemed as though every time I glanced towards the playing area there was a different stickman at the kit.

Don't miss Jason Isaacs - in London or in Newcastle.

From Jason Isaac on Facebook: "Looking forward to our gig at Boisdale Canary Wharf (@BoisdaleCW), here's something we recorded earlier...  last few seats available, this Saturday November 8th, see you there!"
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I'd love to be there Jason but, instead, will have to "make do" with hearing you at Bonbar in Newcastle on Sunday November 16.
Both gigs will be fantastic.
Lance.