More Trane tomorrow - in the meantime...

The Lewis Watson Quartet's magnificent tribute to John Coltrane will be reviewed tomorrow. In the meantime log on to Roy Woodcock's three-part programme dedicated to JC himself on Roy's Blues and JazzTastic Mixcloud show..

The podcast link to the shows is HERE.

A word of warning - it works fine on my smartphone but not on my PC. Strange.

Let me know if it works for you. Lance

Stockport Jazz

This Sunday Stockport Jazz welcomes the US saxophonist/clarinettist/arranger Frank Griffith and his Quintet featuring renowned trombonist Lee Hallam with Robin Dewhurst (piano), Dave Tompkins (bass) and Mike Hughes (drums). 

Sunday 27th September 2026

8-10pm, doors open at 7.30pm

£5 entry on the door, all welcome

The Moor Club, 35 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport SK4 4PB  (next to the Elizabethan PH)

Neil Yates Quintet @ Llandudno Jazz Club - Sept. 21

© Richard Morris

Neil Yates (trumpet, tenor sax); Antony Stevens (trumpet);  Andrzej Baranek (piano); Grant Russell (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums)

The concept for this concert, as explained by Neil Yates, was to have a band with two trumpets. There are a few albums that have explored this concept including Two Trumpets recorded by Art Farmer and Donald Byrd in 1956. 

Neil is renowned for his jazz trumpet playing. Antony Stevens is better known for playing the sousaphone on which I last saw him play at this venue. However, he gave a very good account of himself on the trumpet remarking that,at age 18, he was a student of Neil Yates and now at age 42 he was playing Step Lightly - a number Neil had taught him 24 years ago! Antony is a member of the roving brass band The Stray Horns who specialise in bringing their music to all sorts of events such as weddings, parties etc all around the country with other prominent members such as Jamie Brownfield and Mike Smith.

Ben Crosland Quartet @ the Moor Club, Stockport - Sept. 20

© Jeff Pritchett

Ben Crossland (bass guitar); Rod Mason (soprano/ tenor sax);  Dean Stockdale (keyboards); Dave Tyas (drums).

Ben Crosland used the same lineup as he did on his previous visit to the Moor Club and it was great to hear Rod Mason playing so well on soprano sax and later on tenor. Most of the tunes played were written by Ben with the exception of some by Dan Grolnick and Bob Mintzer. I'm usually not all that keen on bands that feature a lot of their own compositions but I've got to confess I quite like Ben's  tunes which were to commemorate the release of his latest album.  

Lewis Watson Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Sept. 21

© Roly Veitch

Lewis Watson (tenor/soprano saxophones); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

In the week of John Coltrane's centenary (b. 23. 9. 1926), Lewis Watson made a welcome return to Blaydon Jazz Club to play 'Trane'. The Black Bull's recent refurbishments impressed and as Lewis (tenor and soprano saxophones) took to the stage with his A-list band - Mark Williams (guitar), Andy Champion (bass), John Bradford (drums) - it was odds on everyone in the room would be more than impressed with what they would be hearing. 

The Night Has A Thousand Eyes for starters, Lewis stating the theme, guitarist Mark Williams straight in with the first of several fluent solo contributions. Equinox featured more from Mark and an ace solo from bassist Andy Champion. 

Album review: Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet ft. Julian Lage, Asante Santi Debriano, and Will Calhoun (ECM)

Joe Lovano: (tenor/G mezzo soprano saxes, tarogato); Julian Lage (guitar); Asante Santi Debriano (double bass); Will Calhoun (drums). All compositions by Joe Lovano unless otherwise stated.

First Song (Charles Haden): A dreamy, plaintive, esoteric exploration on, I presume, the mezzo sop sax. followed by Lage in a similar mode.

Amsterdam: Lovano sticks with the soprano enjoying some interplay with Lage. Debriano has his say on bass and Calhoun paradiddles. Lage produces some harplike sounds on guitar. 

The Call: The soprano sounds eerie, almost phantasmagoric. I checked that all the doors and windows were closed. A shot of the 'cup that cheers'* calmed me and I found myself drawn into the mysterious aura surrounding the track.

Album review: Jimbo Ross - Beyond the Groove. (Bodacious Records)

Jimbo Ross (5-string viola); Stuart Elster (piano); Joe Gaeta (guitar); Peter Marshall (bass); Ron Wagner (drums)

Ross is surely the world's greatest 5-string jazz viola player. That he may be the only 5-string jazz viola player doesn't detract from his ability to swing the oft maligned instrument. Those who rank the viola alongside the banjo, oboe and accordion obviously hadn't heard Jimbo. He gets a mellow sound that doesn't grate like violins sometimes do. The extra string means he can stray into violin territory should he wish to do so. Perhaps if children began learning on a suitably sized viola rather than a violin the parents would be more tolerant towards their early strivings. Just a thought.

Album review: Alekos Vretos – Mediterranean Jazz (ThinkbabyMusic)

Alekos Vretos (oud); Gianni Diskos (clarinet); Dimitris Verdinoglou (piano); Kimon Karoutzos (upright bass); plus Quintarco - The String Quintet of the Athens State Orchestra

Aah! The Med. Given the title I assumed it would be something to accompany the clink as the neck of the first Amstel of the Summer comes to rest on the top of a frozen glass while the sea riffles the pebbles, in and out. But no! This is not an album of Ibiza Chillout. Instead we have a deeper dive into the music traditions of those communities that surround the sea, mainly Arabic. Led by Vretos on oud and more than ably supported by, especially, Verdinoglou on piano. It’s rich in melody and mood, with the four instruments revelling in the space available. The distinctive voice of the oud is wrapped in the other instruments, often singly, but occasionally all together to create brief dramatic moments. Much of the mood is melancholic with either the clarinet or viola providing the groundwork for Vretos’ light fingered single note explorations.

In the beginning JC said ...

Back in the day, October 16, 1958 to be precise, in a DownBeat interview the yet to be 'canonised' John Coltrane made the following statements which I feel are still relevant today:

"You can only play so much of another man." 

"Music is the means of expression with strong emotional content."

"Jazz used to be happy and joyous. I'd like to play happy and joyous"

"Never become so self-important that you can't listen to other players." 

"By the time I run up on something, I find that Miles or Monk has done it already". 

Here endeth the first lesson - Amen. Lance

Album review: Tommy Flanagan - Made in Dublin (Livia Records)

Tommy Flanagan (piano); Lindsey Horner (bass); John Wadham (drums)

Ever since I heard Tommy Flanagan accompanying Ella Fitzgerald at Newcastle City Hall as part of a JATP package in 1962 I've been a fan of the Detroit born pianist.

Apart from his stints with Ella, Flanagan, who died in 2001, also played on two albums that are particularly relevant this year: Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus and John Coltrane's Giant Steps. 

The tracks on Made in Dublin were recorded after a 1984 concert. They remained a well-kept secret until after John Wadham's death in 2003 when a cassette was discovered amongst his effects. Cleaned up, remastered and remixed for release by Livia Records the result is on a par with the restoration of the Bayeux Tapestry.