The Jazz Esquires @ The Porthole.

Mick Hill Trumpet/Flugel, Doug Turner Tenor Sax, Laurie Brown Drums, Roy Gibson Keyboard, Stan Nicholson, Bass Guitar. Another swinging afternoon session at the Porthole for a small but appreciative audience, Mick Hill driving things along with Doug Turner dovetailing perfectly. Today was the debut with the Esquires of Stan Nicholson (late of The Silver Dollars) on bass guitar, anchoring the rhythm section firmly and contributing some good solos. Roy Gibson & Laurie Brown performing as usual with verve and elan. (no they're not dancers.) There was the usual varied programme from "Breezin' Along With The Breeze" to "Yardbird Suite". High spots included a mid tempo "Mood Indigo", a breakneck "Blue Bossa" and two Basie swingers "Doggin' Around" and "9-20 Special." Interval music from George Laing, songs from Teresa, and Colin Johnson sat in on keyboard with the band in the second half. The music never stops at the Porthole all we were short of was a strolling player called Lance Liddle to join the party. Miles

George Russell - Please don't take my sunshine away! by George Milburn

I heard the news on Tuesday, put on The African Game loud, and opened the holy book: The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization for Improvisation by George Russell, which I paid 30 quid for at Bracknell Jazz Festival in 1987 - aye, they saw me coming!

George gave a talk there on his compositional concepts, along with the most amazing anecdotes featuring the Who's Who of Jazz, before taking to the stage that evening with his 'super-group' Living Time Orchestra, to play a specially arranged version of The African Game. Looking at this, around 28 strong orchestra, bathed in Saturnian light variations in tiers on stage, reminded me of the Sergeant Pepper album sleeve - "Isn't that Albert Mangellsdorf? aye and Ashley Slater poking Evan Parker in the back with his haddaway comeback - but it's OK, Andy Sheppard's circular breathing on him, and Chris Biscoe's looking stern....." Dream jazz I-Spy!

They say George had Alzheimer's disease which, by 86, could be the fate of many of us; but, I hope it's only family and friends who's faces I forget and not which note is which on the piano keyboard! Miles is reported to have joked with George, "F should be where middle C is on the piano".

All for the modal love of Lydian! The Guardian obituary, which Lance has usefully linked below, lists the key jazz innovators and albums influenced by George - Bill Evans, Miles' Kind of Blue, Coltrane, Dolphy, Sun Ra. Then later, in '78, along came the groundbreaking Ralph Towner's Solstice, where George's spirit cycles around again in the playing of Jan Garbarek, Jon Christensen, Eberhard Weber - fantastic stuff that hints at life's eternal nature of birth and rebirth.

Meanwhile, on a sultry evening in Bracknell, an African Dawn is miraculously breaking on stage: George has added a haunting waking sequence with each player improvising their element of a huge shimmering sunrise over the Serengeti plain - brilliant! Standing facing us at the grand piano keyboard, George raises his hand to count in the score, fingers I, II, III, then startlingly disappears as he misses his piano stool and hits the stage; unperturbed, the players take off without a driver, a stage manager rushes forward and lifts George beneath his armpits back onto the stool; no more is said as we sit transfixed by The African Game.

So now we can look forward to some wonderful moments of jazz documentary, probably on BBC 4, as George's friends, ex pupils, composers and professors of music take us through the elements of this great man's life. Not forgetting that lovely live interview with Sheila Jordan at The Sage on Radio 3: where she warmly describes how she and George became lovers in the early 60's and he was taken home to meet the family. Her Gran's favourite song was top of the set as George took to the piano to back Sheila singing You are my Sunshine, in his own inimitable style; if you've heard the later recording on George's The Outer View, you'll appreciate why we can only imagine granny's face as she pushed him off the stool, "This is how it goes man!"

So at last now, after 22 years, I can open the *LCC (as his concept became known) safe in the knowledge that it's a classic and its author is safely tucked up in Third Stream heaven, asking all who knew or knew of him, "Please don't take my sunshine away!"
George, (not Russell!)

George Russell R.I.P.

One of the most imaginative and, at times controversial, composers and arrangers, George Russell died aged 86 on July 27. Click here for Guardian Obit. Thanks to LondonJazz for bringing the news to my notice. Always worth checking LJ out for a view of the bigger picture. Lance.

Brandon Allen Quintet @ The Cluny.

Brandon Allen (ten/alt), Chris Allard (gtr), Ross Stanley (kybd), Oli Hayhurst (bs), Nick Smalley (dms).

The Cluny tonight was hot, the air conditioning non existant and the pre-performance CD arguably the worst CD I have ever heard. Don't ask me what it was just make sure that I never hear it again (I did of course - during the interval).

However, these minor inconveniences disappeared when the Brandon Allen Quintet were launched into orbit.

Playing mainly originals by the leaderman, this was straight down the middle, yet at the same time ultra contemporary, modern jazz that pulled from the first chorus.

Allen is blisteringly fast and his tenor came over as forceful and strident, so much so that Russell, sitting at the back of the hall, found it almost overpowered the guitar. Upfront there wasn't a problem. Allen had one alto feature and he proved equally facile on that instrument too.

Chris Allard, a self-effacing young man, turned in some punchy solos and the guitar/tenor frontline, sometimes in unison othertimes in harmony, were an effective combination.

Bass and drums did everything right as did pianist Ross Stanley.

Stanley is the man to watch. His solos simply burst with ideas and I'm sure he has a big future ahead of him.

Lance.

Marshall Remembered at Corner House

Peter Wright (tpt), Barry Soulsby (clt/alt/vcl), Lawrence McBriarty (tmb), Brian Bennett (bjo), Brian Sibbald (bs), Fred Thompson (dms/vcl).

There was a general air of melancholia about the Corner House tonight as the regulars, myself included, tried to come to terms with the passing of Marshall Walker. Marshall, who played for the Vieux Carré in the distant past was remembered with a rendition of "Just A Closer Walk With Thee." In truth, Marshall would probably have preferred a number associated with Monk or Dizzy but it was the sentiment that counted and there were one or two misty eyes around.

The band itself went about it's business as usual, "Deed I Do" with vocal by Fred proving popular although my fave was "You Took Advantage of Me" with good solos all-round.

Talking to Margaret B during the interval the conversation got around to the recent "Tyne Soundings" at the Sage. Margaret summed the 'sound sculpture' up perfectly when she said "It was so bad it will get some prestigious award."

Lance.

Update on Claude Werner Quartet

After a very successful gig at Zefferellis in Ambleside- the resident sound man liked it so much he wrote a review: "The Claude Werner Quartet is neither here for the money nor going through the motions. Played with a character and style which is easily warmed to, the set had me smirking on a few occasions, due to the uplift the band could create. Engineering in an exclusively jazz gig every Saturday at Zefferellis, I work with many high quality acts and I am very aware of the difference in attitudes that create professionalism both on and off stage. The positive mood at the soundcheck was soon shared with an audience via a lively and tastefully humorous delivery. It's no wonder many of the other players on the scene have asked my opinion of the standard of playing of this band, it suggests to me that this band is the benchmark for other serious jazz players. Rightly so...." With Mark Williams replacing Mick Wright on guitar they played Matt and Phredds in Manchester on 20th June and play at the Manchester Jazz Festival on 29th July. Nicola.

(Apologies for delay in posting Nicola but the wheel came off. Lance)

Manchester Jazz Festival. Report by Ten Pressed Men +

Just got back from 2 days volunteering at Manchester Jazz Festival. Tasks included giving out flyers in the street/programmes at gigs, carrying instruments/gear in and out, head counting ,selling CDs and getting questionnaires filled in. Perks were:- A Free T shirt (size XL!!), soft drinks, food and good companionship with the other volunteers. Saturday: Based in St Anne's Square. Good weather, no wind and an excellent sound man. With 3 bands on I only got to listen to some of it.

Day One Program. Gerry Richardson's band kicked it all off in style (see photo). All copies of their 3 different CDs sold out even before they finished their set. What a wonderful surprise it was to find Don Fairly on trombone giving it some "real welly". The man is such a great all-rounder. The last time I heard him play was at our New Century Ragtime Orc. gig at Newbiggin. We have Don's own band booked for Ashington latter in the year playing in yet another era. All three bands had bari sax players but I think Sue was the only female musician in all 3 bands ------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday:Bridgewater Hall. The concert was in the foyer/bar area with about 100 seats and another 400 punters standing/leaning or lying on the floor' These 3 gigs were sponsored by Jazz Services. I met the London based Director of Jazz Services Chris Hodgkins and a Greek lady who looks after the listing and magazines etc. Chris said he comes to Whitley Bay a lot (I think his wife has a place there) Anyway he seemed to know everyone including Chris Yates, Mike Durham etc. Day 2 Program. The highlight of Sunday was the Ryan Quigley band - with Paul Booth and Brian Kellock. A lady travelling with the band was non other than Cathy Rae, daughter of the legend Scottish bass player Ronnie Rae. She said she was relaxing now after running a very successful Glasgow Jazz Festival.

John Taylor.

Discs to die for from Tom Shearer

I run a (rather more occasional than it's meant to be) jazz blog in Glasgow, Byas'd Opinion. I thought you might like my list of 5 discs to die for. I'd probably come up with a different five if you asked me tomorrow, or if I was allowed to include ones which are already in your list, but for what it's worth, here they are: Harry Edison, Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You? Brian Kellock, Live at Henry's David Murray, Morning Song William Parker Quartet with Leena Conquest, Raining on the Moon Sonny Rollins, The Bridge These aren't picked because I think they're the most important albums ever, they're simply ones I listen to a lot and get a great deal of pleasure from whenever I hear them. Hope this is of some interest to you, Tom Shearer Complete list to date.

Gerry Mulligan Concert Band - "Live at the Village Vanguard."

Listening to the Gerry Mulligan Concert Band live at the Village Vanguard (1960). It's on Spotify and is one of the best big(gish) band records around.

"Blueport" is an absolute hoot with Clark Terry at his impish best and Mulligan playing modern Dixieland if you know what I mean.

Johnny Mandel's "Black Nightgown" is another beauty that is always worth hearing again (Brings up a picture of Susan Hayward in the film "I Want To Live").

Superb session.

Lance.

United Breaks Guitars

I guess a lot of people would sympathize with this guy’s predicament. Musician Dave Carroll was unfortunate enough to witness his $3,500 guitar being damaged by some careless United Airlines baggage handlers. To make matters worse, the airline refused to compensate him for the damage. After several frustrating months, Dave hit back the only way he could – by writing songs and making videos about his bad experience. So, here is Dave and his band performing “United Breaks Guitars”: Dave has promised to release two more songs in quick succession Hil. Published July 8th, 2009 in Music. Tags: Dave Carroll,Guitars,United Airlines.