 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
Zoe Rahman Sextet
Roger Beaujolais Quintet
Family-friendly Jazz Brunch
Greg Abate and the John Donaldson Trio
New Clark Tracey Sextet
Jim Mullen Organ Trio with Zoe Gilby
National Youth Jazz Orchestra
Anita Wardell Band
If Destroyed Still True
Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio
Matt Wates Sextet
(Friday 31st October 2008)
Paul is the tenor player who made such an impression when he visited with Arnie Somogyi’s Ambulance. His band is a collection of the best of his generation (all of whom have also visited Wakefield before with memorable results).
Paul comes to us following a European tour with Steve Winwood and gigs with Ray Gelato’s band. With a career already 17 years in the making since his early days on Tyneside he has amassed a huge variety of experience after graduating from the Royal Academy with honours. This is exciting modern music for everyone and played with conviction. He knows how to please an audience and Peter Bacon (Birmingham Post) said :
“'No Looking Back' is a remarkably mature statement from a highly talented saxophonist and composer. Booth makes the sophisticated sound effortless, and with sparkling support from a highly talented band this latest album should put him firmly on the jazz map."
Paul Booth - tenor saxophone
Stuart McCallum - guitar
Mike Gorman - piano
Phil Donkin - bass
Dave Smith - drums
Latest
CD - No Looking Back (Basho Music SRCD 20-2)
Web:
www.paulboothsax.com
/ www.myspace.com/paulboothmusic
Top
(Friday 7th November 2008)
The young multicultural group “Fused” from Leeds will support this gig from 7:30pm.
This
project was only just in the making when booking for this period began.
But as time passed every new development has added to the prospect. Zoe
wanted to work with her brother Idris boosting her trio to a quartet,
then the concept of basing an album on their Bengali / Bangladeshi heritage
involved adding authentic percussion and finally a star vocalist. The
resulting CD has received 4 star reviews all over the place and is genuine
jazz telling tales inspired by Bengali music.
Ken Hunt, in Jazzwise, said of it:
“This is one of those albums where you just
float off and don’t notice the music because you’re too busy
enjoying the ride”.
On her last visit, Zoe told us that her Yorkshire-born
mother had mentioned that her own father (Granville Cockroft) was a trader
on Wakefield market at one time – as she said, Zoe feels at home
when in Wakefield.
Zoe Rahman – piano
Idris Rahman - clarinet
Kuljit Bhamra - percussion
Oli Hayhurst - bass
Gene Calderazzo - drums
Arnob - vocals
Latest
CDs - Where Rivers Meet (Manshui Records MANUCD004)
Live (trio) (Manshui Records MANUCD003)
Web:
www.zoerahman.com
/ www.myspace.com/zoerahman
Top
(Friday 14th November 2008)
Roger came to the vibraphone late, after a spell as a rock drummer. He played his first vibes gig at 28, which, you might say, must have been at most a decade ago. But no, it was in the 80s, and his first album under his own name was released in 1990.
His longstanding quintet has never lacked work but for this project Roger aimed his appeal in two directions. Many tracks are from the Blue Note blues bop repertoire and as many are Roger’s own more expressionistic, but still bluesy, compositions.
Reviewing the CD, Blue Reflections, released this year, Chris Parker said :
“The result is an accessible, lively but polished and elegant album with clear roots in the classic Blue Note albums from which it takes some of its material, but with an unmistakable contemporary feel courtesy both of Lockheart's pleasingly terse, absorbing tenor and (above all) Beaujolais' alternately glowingly sensuous and percussively powerful vibes playing.”
Roger Beaujolais - vibes
Mark Lockheart - tenor and soprano saxes
Nick Weldon - piano
Simon Thorpe - bass
Winston Clifford - drums
Latest CD - Blue Reflections (Staytuned Records ST007)
Web: www.rogerbeaujolais.com
Top
Sunday 16th November 2008 from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm at Wakefield Sports Club. Food and drink available - opportunities for participation as well as a performance.
This is a special event to be led by, and to include a gig by, regional jazz musicians with experience of teaching and workshops.
The aim is to have a relaxed fun day, with time to eat, in informal surroundings. There will be an introduction to what Jazz music is and how musicians go about performing it. You may bring instruments of your own or perhaps borrow something on the day to have a go. There will be no pressure to take part, or even stay, so drop in and see what’s happening.
Food will be available at reasonable prices from 1:30pm to 2:30pm. The last hour or so will be an entertaining performance of accessible jazz to show what the musicians can do.
Children
under 18 must be accompanied at all times.
Top
(Friday 21st November 2008)
Greg is a regular American visitor to the UK, having played lead alto for Ray Charles and with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra. He also has 12 recordings under his own name of which the 2002 album ‘Evolution’ was nominated for a Grammy in four categories.
He often spars with Alan Barnes while in the UK and has two gigs with him on this tour.
“…Abate’s musical style can be seen as a distillation of swing’s easygoing vibe and bop’s more animated groove. He has developed a unique voice.” (METRO San Jose, CA)
With John Donaldson, Simon and Spike we can be guaranteed sympathetic and driving support capable of giving Greg the best showcase for his first visit to Wakefield.
Greg Abate - alto and flute
John Donaldson - piano
Simon Thorpe - bass
Spike Wells - drums
Latest
CD - Monsters in the Night (Koko Jazz Records)
Web:
www.gregabate.com
/ www.myspace.com/johndonaldsonpiano
Top
(Friday 28th November 2008)
Clark has become the Art Blakey of British Jazz, forming bands of the best up-and -coming youngsters and kick-starting their careers. We now host Zoe Rahman in her own right and Simon Allen is a member of Stan’s new quartet. Here’s the new crop harvested from the North East, Birmingham, Norfolk and even London. Would you trust Clark to know the best musicians? I would. We already know Kit Downes from his appearance with Empirical.
In August, Clark celebrated 30 yrs in the business with 4 nights at the Pizza Express; a different band each night. This band climaxed the run on the Saturday. His website features an image of his 80s quintet, first out at the Pizza, taken in our club. Let’s be among the first to welcome these stars of the future.
Piers Green - tenor
Lewis Wright - Vibraphone
Paul Jordanous - trumpet
Kit Downes - piano
Ryan Trebilcock - bass
Clark Tracey - drums
Latest
CD - Given Time (CT quartet – TENTOTEN Records TTT CD 758)
Web:
www.clarktracey.com
Top
(Friday 5th December 2008)
Christmas Special presentation
Jim has been a regular visitor to Wakefield since the beginning. This trio has grooved for us before and we loved it. He has been the master of Jazz / Funk guitar since the seminal days with Morissey-Mullen and this is a terrific regular band that has the experience and form to achieve just the musical excitement we all hope for at Christmas.
For
a party Jim has agreed to add the soon-to-break singing sensation from
Newcastle, Zoe Gilby. When Tony Faulkner heard her he insisted on putting
a band together for her and supervising her debut album. The result is
‘Now That I Am Real’ which can be sampled at www.myspace.com/zoegilby.
That’ll really whet your appetite.
Daughter of the trumpeter, Mike Gilby (with whom Jim worked in Glasgow)
she has the bluesy versatile voice and jazz chops of a future star –
and the red-headed personality and looks to go with that. (See P.9 Jazz
UK Aug/Sept ’08).
This is sure to be a great fun Christmas Party - don’t leave it too late to get your tickets.
Jim
Mullen - guitar
Mike Gorman - hammond
Luke Flowers - drums
Zoe Gilby - voice
Latest
CDs -
Jim: Smokescreen (Diving Duck Records )
Zoe: Now That I Am Real (Much more than a demo but not yet signed to a
label)
Web:
www.myspace.com/jimmullenorgantrio
/ www.zoegilby.co.uk
Top
(Friday 12th December 2008)
Presented in co-operation with Wakefield Grammar School Foundation Big Band Project.
At
7:30pm in Elizabeth Hall, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
154 Northgate, Wakefield WF1 3QX
Big Band Christmas
Bill
Ashton MBE, the founder and Musical Director of this British Institution
has been at it since 1965. No wonder that his achievements include BBC
R2’s award for “Services to Jazz” (1995) and The Parliamentary
Jazz Appreciation Group’s “Special Award” (2007).
Almost every UK jazz musician of note has passed through the ranks of
NYJO and the talent of the future is always clamouring to play with them.
It’s not a competitive process because whether you’re up to
it is always obvious after a rehearsal or two. This open policy, and Bill’s
insistence that the heart of music-making is to have fun, mean that a
crowd of 'happening youngsters' are always involved.
However this is where they also learn the discipline and unselfishness
that a group performance at this standard requires. It is a full-on big
band with numbers often written for them by the best musicians in the
country – they are ready to cope with anything and to entertain
as well.
If you’ve seen them before you’ll not want to miss this opportunity;
if you’ve still to meet them then don’t let the chance go
by. This special programme has many Christmassy elements to cheer us on
our seasonal way and its only a stone’s throw from the Jazz Club.
Latest CD - Jazz In Film (Film CD 371)
Web:
www.nyjo.org.uk
Top
(Friday 9th January 2009)
Anita has thoroughly established herself on the UK Jazz Scene since her return from Australia in the 90s. She won the BBC award “Best of Jazz” in 2006 and has recorded with Benn Clatworthy with whom she was last heard at Wakefield.
Her new CD gives the game away in its title but you’d be surprised what a range of material Anita covers under the catch-all “Blue”. It has been awarded praise in reviews and is, perhaps, her best to date. A straight ahead artist specialising in scat and vocalese, Anita has been described as:
“a model of the Jazz singer's art, highlighting her clarity, improvisational skills and emotional resonance” (Guardian)
Robin Aspland is the pianist we all hope to see more of and the Browns complete a rhythm section made in heaven.
Anita Wardell - voice
Robin Aspland - piano
Jeremy Brown - bass
Steve Brown - drums
Latest
CD - Kinda Blue (Specific Jazz SPEC009)
Web:
www.anitawardell.com
/ www.myspace.com/anitawardell
Top
(Friday 16th January 2009)
The Sarah Mitchell Quintet
We are very lucky to be able to add a set by The Sarah Mitchell Quintet to begin this gig at 8:00pm.
Sarah
is an up-and-coming Leeds-born singer who has been building a career for
four or five years. She is signed to Candid Records and her debut CD will
be released around the time of this gig.
Her band includes:
Jason Scott - piano
Jamie Taylor - guitar
Adrian Knowles - bass
Tim Brickel - drums
www.myspace.com/sarahmitchell1
and www.sarahmitchell.biz
If
Destroyed Still True
This
is the most exciting Leeds-based band playing in an approachable style
which has emerged for a long time. They have been together for over a
year and impressed all who have heard them around the region’s jazz
clubs. They are composed of the cream of the crop of Leeds College graduates
from a couple of years ago and just fit together wonderfully as a band.
They recorded their first CD in August, around the same time as they were
nominated for the National “Promoters Choice” award run by
Jazz Services. Of 21 bands on the list they were one of the three winners.
This earned them a gig at the London Jazz Festival in November, and a
National tour, of which this is a part. Explaining their name takes too
long so we’ll just call them IDST.
They say of themselves:
". . .this has resulted in a coming together
of jazz & folk in an idiosyncratically English fashion - sweeping
melodies, unusual harmonic progression & complex rhythm keeping. Music
to keep the listener on their toes without alienating."
Simon Kaylor - tenor sax
Simon Beddoe - trumpet
Johnny Tomlinson - piano
Nick Tyson - guitar
Seth Bennett - bass
Tommy Evans - drums
Web:
www.myspace.com/idstmusic
Top
(Friday 23rd January 2009)
Tim has to be the most versatile and hard-working musician in the UK. Constantly in demand for performances, a dedicated educator and an inventive composer and originator of projects, he is indefatigable.
Gwilym has been appointed BBC R3 New Generations Artist for the second year running and was BBC Awards Jazz Musician of the Year in 2007. His appearance at this year’s Proms leading his trio and the BBC Concert Orchestra in his commissioned work “Progression” was an outstanding event.
Asaf is an exciting and skilful player in any genre and uses a variety of instruments including some custom-built creations. He has been compared to Jack DeJohnette in his capabilities. A member of Gilad Atzmon’s quartet, among other bands, he also runs two bands of his own.
Together they surpass their individual skills and make the most exquisite music.
Tim Garland - saxes and bass clarinet
Gwilym Simcock - piano
Asaf Sirkis - percussion
Latest
CD - Libra (Trio with Royal Philharmonic) To be released this year.
Web:
www.timgarland.com
Top
(Friday 30th January 2009)
The CD this tour is promoting, is the ninth by Matt’s sextet. As usual, it features Matt’s own compositions but all are deliberately melodic and swinging and fun to listen to.
Mark Hanslip is a member of the Loop and F-ire Collectives and plays with a large variety of bands, including Alcyona Mick’s who we shall see later this year.
Leon, Matt and Martin have appeared several time at Wakefield to great acclaim. Malcolm takes a break from his first love (Acoustic Triangle) to revisit his roots. If you love straight ahead music played by the most skilled musicians then this is the gig for you.
Matt Wates - alto sax
Mark Hanslip - tenor sax
Martin Shaw - trumpet
Leon Greening - piano
Malcolm Creese - bass
Matt Home - drums
Latest
CD - A Picture of You (ABCD 5023 released this year)
Web:
www.mattwates.com
/ www.myspace.com/mattwatessextet
Top
