Late Night Jazz – Hexham Abbey Festival of Music and Arts, September 23: The Nikki Iles/Stan Sulzmann Quartet.

Nikki Iles – piano; Stan Sulzmann  - Tenor Saxophone; Pete Turner – Bass; Luke Flowers - Drums

(Review by Hugh C/Photo courtesy of Stu Taylor of Credere Media).

It was with strains of Gabriel Fauré's  In Paradisum from the evening's performance of his Requiem by the Festival Chorus and Orchestra that I ascended from the Abbey itself via the Late Night Stairs to the Great Hall in an adjoining building.  Comfortable chairs were set out in neat rows with a few early bird punters already seated prior to the official opening time of 10pm.  Members of the festival chorus and orchestra, bow ties loosened or removed headed, justifiably, to the well-stocked bar.  The gig was scheduled for a 10.30 start.  In the absence of a convenient green room Nikki Iles and Stan Sulzmann were seated patiently to one side, adjacent to the piano, talking; Pete Turner was checking his bass and amplification system and Luke Flowers using the drum stool as a silent practise pad.

Nikki Iles Masterclass @ The Music Department, Durham University - February 24

(Review by Russell)

Pianist, composer and educator Nikki Iles arrived in Durham on a cold but bright winter’s afternoon. Students filed into the ancient concert hall in Durham University’s Music Department up on Palace Green as Dan Garel and Tristan Bacon made last-minute preparations to the stage set-up. As this Saturday afternoon masterclass was to be given by one of Britain’s finest pianists the availability of a Steinway was a plus point. At least three, maybe more, student pianists were in attendance keen to learn more about the art of jazz piano.

Dan suggested Nikki could, perhaps, begin by outlining her career to date and her current projects. From Leeds College of Music to the London jazz scene to teaching posts to working with a long list of stellar names, Durham’s 2017/18 student cohort was left in little doubt as to Nikki’s achievements and standing on the jazz scene. The theme of the afternoon was to be ‘improvisation’ and so it was but the masterclass would embrace more, much more than this. Nikki arrived by train, bringing with her three compositions for her students to examine; charts by Charles McPherson, Kenny Wheeler and Dave Holland.

Celebrated London Pianist to Close Popular Jazz Programme at Middlesbrough Town Hall

(Press release)

Sunday Jazz is returning to Middlesbrough Town Hall for its final instalment of critically acclaimed live music which, since launching in September, has brought some of the UK’s leading jazz musicians to Teesside.

Closing the popular 6-month programme is award winning pianist and band leader Nikki Iles, who will be performing alongside her recently formed 18-piece jazz orchestra on Sunday 29^th March for one of the first times in the UK.

Described by The Guardian as “formidably creative”, Nikki Iles has established herself as a leading voice in the national jazz scene, earning numerous nominations for the Parliamentary Jazz Awards and winning Best Pianist in the 2017 British Jazz Awards.

For her latest project, Iles brings together some of the UK’s finest musicians to produce a concert that ties together her long and distinguished career, drawing on her vast back catalogue of compositions along with a number of new works.

CD Review: Stan Sulzman/Nikki Iles - Stardust.

Stan Sulzman (ten); Nikki Iles (pno)
(Review by Lance).

The jazz duo, a tradition began, I believe, with Earl Hines and Louis Armstrong and continued with, among others, Coleman Hawkins and Freddy Johnson, Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins until this present day when it has become the staple fare of Newcastle Jazz Café's Saturday program. Whether this is for artistic or economic reasons is immaterial - 9 times out of 10 it works and we've had some classic pairings.

This coupling between Sulzman and Iles bares comparison with any pairing from past or present!

Exclusive! Autumn international jazz events announced

(Press release)

JazzLeeds autumn programme is a complete festival of music in itself. We are presenting more than 30 concerts to help people come back to live gigs again. Jazz is attracting a lot of interest these days from a new young audience – our programme includes all types of jazz with something for all tastes. We have some superb international evening concerts the Chief highlights are two women who have set the jazz world by storm – pianist and composer Nikki Iles who will be bringing her Nikki Iles Big Band to Seven Arts for two performances on October 7th, and jazz vocalist Liane Carroll who will be playing a rare date with top Scottish pianist Brian Kellock on December 2nd. 

James Pearson & Nikki Iles – A Bill Evans Celebration @ Yamaha Piano Rooms, Wardour Street

James Pearson, Nikki Iles (pianos)

There are concerts, and then there are evenings where the room feels like a living archive – a space where stories, memory and music become inseparable. The Bill Evans celebration with James Pearson and Nikki Iles at the Yamaha Piano Rooms on Wardour Street was entirely in that spirit: intimate, intelligent and full of affection for the pianist who transformed the emotional vocabulary of modern jazz.

From the outset, Pearson set a relaxed, humorous tone, welcoming what he called an “exclusive Ronnie Scott’s audience, here to celebrate 50 years since Evans first played Ronnie’s”. Within minutes he was telling stories of Evans’ first visit to Ronnie’s in 1965, gently weaving history into the atmosphere of the night. Instead of a formal tribute, this felt like a salon: musicians, listeners and anecdotes sharing the same breath.

 

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music @ The Lit and Phil: Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles – Oct. 5

Stan Sulzmann (tenor); Nikki Iles (piano)

(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).

By 12.45 the Lit and Phil concert room was almost full. I took a side seat (I like to be near the action), but this meant that I was behind our pianist, not ideal for hearing the names of the tunes, so excuse me for any titles I’ve omitted. Wes Stephenson introduced the proceedings, sporting a shaggy beard, which goes well with the concept of improvised music.

I really am at quite a loss to describe the music as it was so, so good, as proved by the hearty applause. I wish I knew more about jazz technically, in order to do full justice to the playing. But Who Can I Turn To? which was the first tune. Flowing piano, and a slower, contrasting sax, alternating solos. This was very danceable music and I’d have been on my feet if I’d been listening at home. The next piece was from Porgy and Bess, beginning with long, slow sax notes, and now I wanted to sing.

Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra @ Sage Gateshead - Oct. 9

(Pic by Lance)

Gig of the year? Undoubtedly! Dig out your Roget's Thesaurus and look up "Superlatives" and select any word or phrase you care to. I particularly like "of the first water" which was originally a system used for grading diamonds. This session truly was a diamond of the first water.

What was, by all accounts, the same programme that has already been reviewed on BSH only a couple of weeks ago by Steve T at Scarby Jazz Fest - read here - found me in total agreement with him when he observed that Ms Iles had some "serious guests" - she sure did!

Tina May & Nikki Iles “Raising the Bar” @ Highgate Jazz & Blues Festival. August 25

Tina May (vcl); Nikki Iles (pno) + Brandon Allen (ten)

(Review by Flore - pictured with Tina left and Nikki right)

The musical pairing of Tina and Nikki was inspired by the angels but, here on Earth, the invitation came from Sheffield Jazz  who invited Tina to sing with the Nikki Iles Trio in October 1995.

The rest is history.

Lauderdale House’s  Long Gallery provided an intimate setting for what turned out to be a very enjoyable evening.

The first set offered a mélange of variety.

Make Someone Happy – seamless changes of tempo. Sun Shower (Kenny Barron) – call and response passages exquisitely defined. Change of Sky (Springer/Harburg) – title track from their first CD together only one word for it – exquisite!

Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender 2018: Sunday afternoon in the Crypt - Printmakers.

Printmakers: Nikki Iles (piano); Norma Winstone (voice); Mark Lockheart (tenor); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (bass); James Maddren (drums).

(Review by Lance/ Photo of Nikki & Norma courtesy of Russell).

To think I almost missed this one! Printmakers? mmm, Printmakers! OMG (or words to that effect) Nikki Iles, Norma Winstone and co. I'm going senile - I'd ticked it under Nikki, or was it Norma, or was it both? Printmakers, I thought, was, well, maybe about printmaking?

Fortunately, my senior moment passed and I enjoyed this set as much as anything other than the MBB.

CD Review: Stan Sulzmann & Nikki Iles - Lush Life

Stan Sulzmann (tenor sax); Nikki Iles (piano); Dave Holland (bass).

(Review by Lance)

A delightful workout by two of our most musically sympathetic players and, with bass legend Dave Holland providing the flexible adhesive to hold it together, we have an album that is as easy to listen to as any. However, don't confuse easy to listen to with easy listening - the two are poles apart!

It's music to listen to with a glass in your hand or a cat on your lap. Not whilst reading a book or washing the dishes.

Ambleside Days – A Contemporary Jazz Festival - August 30 - September 2

(Review by Hugh C.)

WOW!  Another very special festival.  Derek Hook and his team triumphed again, bringing together a lyrical constellation of musicians, plucked from the jazz firmament, for this, the second Ambleside Days Festival.  The festival ran over four successive days, with the same arrangements as last year:  a one hour concert at 7.30pm followed (after a half-hour interval) by a 90-minute performance by a different ensemble.  Many of the musicians were involved in more than one of the performances over the duration of the festival.  Gwilym Simcock (piano) and Mike Walker (guitar) popped up in many different ensembles and were also heavily involved in organisational aspects of the festival. 

Southport Jazz Festival: Claire Martin @ the Grand Hotel, Southport - Feb. 1

Claire Martin (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Karen Sharp (sax, clarinet); Ewan Hastie (bass) 

Fans of top quality vocals were fully pleased, impressed and satisfied at the closing show of the fourth annual Southport Jazz Festival on Sunday, Feb. 1 at the spacious and well appointed Grand Hotel. The multifaceted vocalist, Claire Martin delivered a two hour concert of a winning and eclectic mix of jazz, classic standards and 1970s' pop songs.

The trio of pianist, Nikki Iles, saxophonist/clarinettist, Karen Sharp and Ewan Hastie’s bass accompanied her with sensitivity and aplomb in equal measure. The slightly unconventional absence of a percussionist was more than made up for with Hastie’s driving bass along with Iles’ relentless rhythmic fluidity of comping and fills. Sharp’s seamless verve in her swinging melodic solos, scored highly in lifting the bar of intensity and depth to engage the audience throughout.

Small Print @ Queen's Hall, Hexham (Northumberland Jazz Festival)

Norma Winstone (voice); Mike Walker (guitar); Nikki Iles (piano); Steve Watts (double bass)

This cut down version of Nikki Iles’ Printmakers sextet packed some pulling-power and it was a credit to Joe Steels’ organising prowess to bring them to an appreciative Hexham audience. The ever-smiling Iles steered the ship amiably and serenely through some challenging arrangements from the piano while Mike Walker, the guitarists’ national treasure, cut an animated seated figure (is that even possible?!) centre-stage. But the star of the show and the boss on stage was definitively Norma Winstone, bringing some six decades of elegant greatness to bear in holding the audience in the palm of hand, whether singing, scatting or telling stories as if she was relaxing at home.

CD Review: Geoff Simkins' Trio - In a Quiet Way

Geoff Simkins (alto); Nikki Iles (piano); Dave Green (bass).

(Review by Lance).

Make Someone Happy - the opening track - did indeed make someone happy (me!) It swung from the outset. Wot no drummer? The track was halfway through before I noticed. Maybe it was because I was tapping my foot so much that a drummer would have been surplus to requirements. Not that this is a wham, bang, thank you ma'am belter. Far from it. After the exuberance of the opener, Earl Zindars' Elsa takes us into a more, reflective 3/4 mode. Elsa brings to mind Art Pepper's Diane and Simkins' playing hints at Pepper, Desmond and, perhaps, most of all Lee Konitz. Kenny Wheeler's Old Ballad is another beauty reminding us, as if we needed to be reminded, of what a sensitive and sympathetic player Nikki Iles is. If you can't make it with backing like Nikki gives here then sell your horn and drive taxis. Simkins isn't going to be driving taxis! Nor is Dave Green.

New Gateshead Jazz line-up announced

(Press release)

Sage Gateshead has today announced the artists joining Gateshead Jazz headliner Jamie Cullum at next year’s festival.

Hard-hitting electronic trio GoGo Penguin, Mercury-nominated SEED Ensemble, dancefloor fillers Ibibio Sound Machine and House Gospel Choir, rising star Judi Jackson and many more will all be performing at Gateshead Jazz on Friday 20 March to Sunday 22 March 2020.

Upholding the venue’s long-standing commitment to Jazz, the festival (which is the UK’s biggest jazz festival under one roof) shifts into a new era with a fresh name; ‘Gateshead Jazz’.  Its focus is on attracting new audiences with cutting-edge artists joining established names, reflecting the current fervor for the genre and platforming talent from across the North.

Nikki Iles' 50th Birthday Bash with Norma Winstone and The Printmakers @ Kings Place, London. December 7.

Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Outram (guitar); Stan Sulzmann (sax); Steve Watts (bass)    James Maddren (drums); Norma Winstone (vocals).

'The Printmakers cross boundaries between jazz folk and contemporary music. Their repertoire has the distinctive air of 

English song, and includes original works by the band alongside explorations of other unchartered territory e.g. Steve Swallow, Ralph Turner, Joni Mitchell  and Fred Hersch..

Introduction by Julian Joseph announced that the concert was being recorded, and would be broadcast on Jazz Line Up on Dec. 14 at 4pm.  So leave the Christmas shopping, have a cup of whatever you fancy, and enjoy a treat.

1. Meditations  was dedicated to Stan Tracey  R I P
2. This was followed by twelve other works of musical art, skilfully chosen to demonstrate every colour in the Printmakers Palette.
3. Nikki concluded with a promise of a CD already in the bag of the  evenings 'prints' available soon

Many Happy Returns Nikki, and please more returns of the Printmakers.
Flore

CD Review: Nikki Iles/Roger Garfitt - In All my Holy Mountain

(Review by Lance).

I sometimes think that jazz and poetry is a bit like drinking whiskey and ice cream soda. Both delightful in their own way but as a combo...?

There have been exceptions - Ken Rattenbury's interpretation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner being one and some of Dr. Keith Armstrong's work in this field is also worth mentioning. However, by and large, my preference is for one without the other.

Then this came along - 'palm this off on Ann' I thought as I reluctantly put it on the player.

I'd never heard of Mary Webb which maybe isn't surprising as she died in 1927 but, listening to Garfitt reading her poetry, I found beauty in both the spoken word and the effective and compatible musical setting.

JAZZ WEEKENDER MARKS AYRESOME PARK FESTIVAL ANNIVERSARY

(Press release)

The newly re-opened Middlesbrough Town Hall will include an action-packed jazz weekend in its opening season running from Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21.

Programmed by Ros Rigby, who has produced the Gateshead International Jazz Festival over the last 14 years, the Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender will include a nod to the past, but also firmly look to the future.

The last time there was a major jazz festival in Middlesbrough was the ‘Newport Jazz Festival at Ayresome Park’ in July 1978, where large crowds of local jazz enthusiasts still remember seeing such jazz stars as Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton and more at the football ground.

Ros Rigby herself attended the event and thought it would be fun to involve at least a couple of the UK-based artists who appeared then and are still touring.

These include the indefatigable Chris Barber with his band and NYJO - the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, who will both feature in the weekend.

Claire Martin @ the 606 (re-stream) - Dec. 27

Claire Martin (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Steve Watts (bass); Matt Home (drums)

A very enjoyable re-stream of an EFG London Jazz Festival gig from the 606 featuring the never less than tremendous Claire Martin. With the always wonderful Nikki Iles on piano and the solid support of Watts and Home the programme concentrated on the work of Bill Evans and Tony Bennett which is always a fertile pasture to plough.