My Buddies

Lovely interview with Buddy Greco and Kathryn Tickell - about 20 minutes in. Thanks to John Taylor for this.
Lance.

Drumming Mentor Freddie Gruber Passes

Okay so I hadn't heard Freddie Gruber play but I knew of his reputation as a drum guru (teacher/tutor somehow seems inadequate) and going by the various on-line tributes he was quite a guy. Modern Drummer says it all here - Drumming Mentor Freddie Gruber Passes - but I love this YouTube clip.

Freddie was 84. RIP.

Lance.

Match & Fuse no. 2. World Service Project & Schulbus

WSP: Dave Morecroft (keyboards), Conor Chaplin (electric bass), Neil Blandford (drums), Tim Ower (saxophones) & Raphael Clarkson (trombone).

Schulbus: Hannes Buder (guitar); Robert Menzel (tenor); Hannes Lingens (drums).

A sampler CD promoting the second Match & Fuse tour which, unlike M & F tour no. 1, doesn't touch down in the North. In fact, as I see it, the only two British gigs are at Corpus Christi College, Oxford on Nov. 26 and London's Vortex Club on Nov. 27 although a German tour is scheduled for Feb. 2012.

Each band is allotted 3 tracks each and it is interesting to compare them. The German Schulbus, open up the proceedings with Untitled #5, a frantic almost punklike intro that leads into a savage improv burst before mellowing  into some introspective lyricism. WSP run with the lyricism on There's Always One, an imaginative flow of sympathetic cohesion between the two horns gradually building the tension before chilling out. Schulbus return for Winter Dance a slow seduction of the senses that pulls the listener in with its hypnotic rhythm and loping tenor. sax.

Back to WSP for Bye Bye - which isn't their final track - and some probing, searching keywork from Moorcroft. Shades of Evans/Jarrett at their melodic best. 

Time once more to board the Schulbus for Soziophob. A meander through the Black Forest perhaps before hitting the Autobahn at rush hour. WSP round things off with Relentless which is just that as it drives for home. Jazzwise got it in one with this band - "The Led Bib you can dance to."

Check out This Taster. -  World Service Project -  Schulbus. 

Lance.

Thelonious Monk's Advice, Archived By Steve Lacy

Just because you’re not a drummer, doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep time.
Pat your foot and sing the melody in your head, when you play.
Stop playing all those weird notes (that bullshit), play the melody!
Make the drummer sound good.
Discrimination is important.
You’ve got to dig it to dig it, you dig?
ALL REET!
Always know….(MONK)
It must be always night, otherwise they wouldn’t need the lights.
Let’s lift the band stand!!
I want to avoid the hecklers.
Don’t play the piano part, I’m playing that. 
Don’t listen to me. I’m supposed to be accompanying you!
The inside of the tune (the bridge) is the part that makes the outside sound good.
Don’t play everything (or every time); let some things go by. 
Some music just imagined. 
What you don’t play can be more important that what you do.
A note can be small as a pin or as big as the world, it depends on your imagination.
Stay in shape! Sometimes a musician waits for a gig, and when it comes, he’s out of shape and can’t make it.
When you’re swinging, swing some more.
(What should we wear tonight? Sharp as possible!)
You’ve got it! If you don’t want to play, tell a joke or dance, but in any case, you got it! (To a drummer who didn’t want to solo)
Always leave them wanting more.
Don’t sound anybody for a gig, just be on the scene. 
These pieces were written so as to have something to play and get cats interested enough to come to rehearsal.
Whatever you think can’t be done, somebody will come along and do it. 
A genius is the one most like himself.
They tried to get me to hate white people, but someone would always come along and spoil it.
----- 
I'm grateful to Alan Law for drawing the above to my attention. Click here for more on this document from Steve Lacy's Archive.
Lance.

Pink Martini @ The Sage - An intoxicating Cocktail of Joy!

The violin gently cajoled us into Ravel's Bolero. The horns took it up, the rhythm kept it going, and the scene was set.

The fans in the well-filled Hall One may have sighed with disappointment when they were told that China - the legendary China Forbes - wasn't on the gig but, the moment replacement Storm Large strutted on stage, China was history.

Tall and statuesque - Venus with arms - Storm took the auditorium by - wait for it - Storm - a large one!

Was it Amore Mia she opened up with? I don't know 'cept it was mucho appreciato!.

Brenda Sokell would have loved Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, (sung in Spanish) as indeed I did myself but the highlight of this set was Splendour in the Grass.with it's diversion into something by, I think, Tchaikovsky. It was sung superbly and the hall erupted with delight. Anna, a baion from a Gina Lollobrigida movie, was just one of the many hand-clapping numbers and I felt like dancing in the aisles. So many moments it's impossible to list them all but The Carioca, the Sing, Sing, Sing type number and Concerto for Trumpet - a piece by that master of the concerto, Harry James - showcasing the band's own trumpet man (was it Gavin? I didn't catch many names) who displayed the same wide vibrato beloved of the former Mr Grable - were some of them . The trombonist too had his moments but this wasn't a jazz gig, it wasn't even at the cutting edge of Latin music; where it was was at the forefront of entertainment - there have been few concerts of any genre that I have enjoyed more - one of the encores, What'll I Do?, is still running through my mind.

This ten piece Martini left me both shaken and stirred!

Lance.

Djangologie @ Ashington Jazz Club. October 5.

Jim Birkett and Giles Strong (Guitars); Emma Fisk (Violin) and Mick Shoulder (Double Bass)

"Bonjour et Bonsoir,  Mesdames  et Messieures".

The legacy of the Quintette du Hot Club de France is most surely alive and active on our North East Jazz  Scene and it was with much anticipation that we welcomed the quartet of musicians that make up Djangologie. The influence of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli  is still a musical force throughout Europe.  Now years after the Paris group was formed it has inspired and influenced  local musicians in our region allowing enthusiasts to experience the  music which our wealth of local artistes try to emulate.

Having listened to this evenings concert we have to agree that they are succeeding.   Emma Fisk was a first time visitor to our Club and the first female musician playing a full instrumental part in an ensemble.  We have had the pleasure of a number of female vocalists who have excelled here but not one who played violin throughout an  evening of superb music in this genre.

The programme was a varied selection of Hot Club favourites and a number of original compositions all played with reverence, sympathy and vigour where necessary. I shall list them  here but apologise maybe for some slight imperfections in announcements as my French has never been good and Mick’s Northern/ French  introductions were not easy on my ear.(Sorry Mick about this but you did your best to inform your audience).  This did not detract from the excellence of the concert. Improvisations from all were of the highest quality. The guitars interchanged between improvised melody and rhythm skillfully while the violin soared above the music like the lark in a well known classical piece, and the bass was performed with style.  

Programme:-Coquette, Belle Vile, Django’s Song, Lady be Good, Nuages, Autumn Leaf (?), Why do I Bother, Quick One, Minor Swing, J’Tendrai, Bolero, Beautiful, Till 3, Sheik of Araby, Sinister Drag, Stompin’,Dark Eyes, and In My Quiet Place.

Photos.

Peter S.

Ashington Jazz Club next meeting at the Elephant will be on

Wednesday, November 2nd.  at 8.30 p.m.

Don Fairley and His Friends of Jazz

SEE YOU THERE.

Budtones @ The Bridge

Fiona Littlewood (ten/vcl); Stuart Findon (ten); Harley Johnson (pno); Jim Crinson (bs); Tim Mills (gtr); Eric Stutt (dms).

The latest Splinter offering saw two tenors blazing into The Message was this the new New Couriers? I could have been excused for thinking so because the sound was very much reminiscent of Tubbs and Ronnie's band of yore. No this was Budtones the band spawned from the late Budvivar.

After The Message I'd have happily settled for an evening of instrumentals however, Fiona isn't just an attractive tenor player but also an emerging singer who sounds better by the minute and the rest of the evening was mainly vocal based although not without an abundance of solos.

Stuart Findon is one of the best tenor players around with a bold, robust sound that contrasts nicely with Fiona's more gentile approach. Good to hear Harley "Thelonious" Johnson once more - I guess he's been in the woodshed honing his skills. Tim Mills, on guitar, had some fine solos - most notably on Secret Love - whilst The rhythm section gave a lesson in dynamics on the same tune.

A program of originals and standards that included a torchy vocal on You Don't Know What Love is, an unusual take on My Funny Valentine, Stella by Starlight, a rocking Stu's Blues and Notology. The latter tune so titled because it wasn't a bebop riff if that makes sense!

Enjoyable.

Photos.

Lance.

Lockerbie Jazz Festival: Sept. 30 - Oct. 2.

This year’s festival, the 6^th, was as exciting as ever. 
Friday.featured the Red Stripe Band, a jump jive outfit who really had the Town Hall jumpin’. Elsewhere,  local tenor man now New York based, Ben Bryden's Bright Noise provided a contemporary sound - an international band with guys from Belgium Australia and the US alongside him.

Saturday morning/afternoon - Take 6 in Lockerbie Academy, with music, food and drink, stalls and workshops. 7 hours of virtually non stop music and dance over 5 stages.

Trad from local band The Lairds of Dixieland and the Vieux Carre Jazzmen from Newcastle, who brought a busload of fans. Big band music from The Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Nelson Tomlinson School Big Band – great to see the youngsters playing Jazz. It gives us confidence in the future of this great music! A combo out of SYJO performed with another local tenor man Scott Murphy, who himself fronted his Janek Project. But that wasn’t all! The Stewart Forbes 4  (Stewart is SYJO’s director) did their thing, Trumpeter Bruce Adams joined by Houston Person on tenor played a great gig in the afternoon.

Tom Finlay and Sue McHugh and others showed off the results of the singer’s workshop, while Richard Michael on piano was joined by some of the young musicians present in a jam session; he even got a young piper up! He followed this with a history of Jazz Piano in about 40 minutes.

Saturday evening. The Academy main hall was filled to capacity for Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band. This went down very well, even though Acker is beginning to show his age.

At the Queens that night we heard a quintet brought together for the Festival. Houston Person (tenor) had flown in from the States just to play at Lockerbie alongside Alan Barnes on alto and baritone and Bruce Adams on trumpet backed by the Paul Harrison Trio, Paul on piano, Euan Burton on bass and Doug Hough on drums.  Despite not having played with Houston before this was a tremendous gig, with wonderful ballads from the front line as a group and as individuals, as well as some real swinging combo work.
Sunday afternoon.Three performances on Sunday followed a gospel service in Dryfesdale Parish Church led by Rev. Sandy Stoddart. The Glasgow Gospel Choir a now regulars in Church on the Sunday morning of the Festival and their singing was inspirational.More Dixieland in the afternoon from the Dave Donohoe Band before a very appreciative audience at the Queens Hotel, Janet Seidel, Australia’s First Lady of Song brought her trio to the  Somerton Hotel, with a wonderful selection from the Song Books, then on to the Dryfesdale Hotel for the closing gig.

What a climax to the Festival!

Houston Person on tenor teamed up again with Alan Barnes on alto, clarinet and Baritone, backed by the Paul Harrison Trio. This was for me, was the highlight of the weekend. From ballads to blues and up tempo numbers they had the audience worked, at times, into a frenzy, particularly when they launched into a totally improvised blues, with amazing solos from the leaders, matched by an equally superb solo from Paul Harrison.

The perfect end to another successful Lockerbie Jazz Festival.
(Photos from Ray Robson).

George Smith
(George Smith presents ‘Mainly Jazz’ on Alive107.3FM 7.00–8.00 pm on Mondays  or online at http://aliveradio.net/)

Hoochie Coochie Man

On Thursday evening we enjoyed the Mark Toomey Quartet at the newly opened “Hoochie Coochie” in Newcastle. I have not had time to do a review (we have builders in and all is chaos!) but would like to comment briefly on the venue itself…..….which is excellent! The proprietor has clearly put a great deal of thought (and money) into the creation of a centrally-located bar which is ideally set up for live music while at the same time being comfortable, chic and stylish.

It has the potential, I believe, to bring jazz to a wider audience than is found at many of the gigs we attend. At 8.00 p.m. there were plenty of people in and, although groups of drinkers came and went, there was always a good crowd.

Most of the people there were probably NOT there for the jazz – they were just making one stop as they toured the city-centre bars. The applause at the end of each number was evidence that they liked what they heard. One couple who came near the end (definitely not for the jazz) were deep in conversation and gazing into each other’s eyes when a particularly good solo stopped them in their tracks and they turned to watch in rapt attention! A venue which gets people in and then gets them to engage with jazz (however briefly) can only be a good thing, surely?

Jerry.

Sage Choice.

Monday evening is a hard one to call for those whose minds are perhaps not gridlocked on 52nd St. 

In Hall Two of The Sage the legendary Ralph McTell performs material from his recent album Somewhere Down The Road  - this is an opportunity to hear a legend - one of the great contemporary songwriters.

However, over in Hall One, Pink Martini are the attraction and if you haven't heard them you are in for a treat!

Ralph McTell may be hip for the Baby Boomers of the '60s and '70s but for us babies who boomed earlier Hall One is the place to be. China Forbes on vocal and an assortment of musicians make this what Marie Claire describes as "Pink Martini sound like nothing else around...effortlessly appealing. Evokes nostalgia from a more glamorous era."

I'll go along with that - sorry Ralph - but I'm sure you'll have your own gang waiting for you to replace Streets of London with Streets of Gateshead!

Lance.