Celebrating the Joy of Jazz
Tom Syson
On the 9th June, the Tom Syson Sextet will be performing at the Quarry Theatre, Bedford, as part of their 10-date UK tour to celebrate the release of Tom’s debut record ‘Green’. This is the official Album Launch event, which makes it extra special. Other venues/events on the tour include the Glasgow Jazz Festival and the Manchester Jazz Festival.
Ken Sims
Shortly after Ken Sims passed away, Jon Critchley scanned the series of articles by Ken that appeared in Just Jazz Magazine in 2004/5 and sent them to Fred Burnett at Jazz North West.
After converting the images into text and photographs, Fred sent them to me at Jazz&Jazz. With his help, I have pieced them together for this special feature.
Fred will place a link to the feature on Jazz North West.
So, in memory of Ken and courtesy of Jon, Fred, Jazz North West, and especially Just Jazz*, below are the condensed extracts from his series of Just Jazz Magazine articles: “A Muskrat’s Ramble”.
*Note: These extracts from Ken Sims memoirs were taken from his ‘Muskrat Rambles’ that featured in Just Jazz magazine in 2004/2005. I publish these extracts with kind permission of Just Jazz. Just Jazz tell me that it is hoped that one day his ‘Rambles’ could be put together in book form as they are excellently written and deserve greater recognition.
Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz
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Tuesday May 2nd 8.00pm
Ben Holder is one of the most gifted and exciting young jazz violinists in the UK. Taught classically from the age of six, he studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire. During his classical studies, Ben began listening to Jazz – classic masters such as Benny Goodman and Oscar Peterson and of course the great jazz violinists including Grappelli, Joe Venuti and the awe inspiring Stuff Smith. Alongside his early studies and later at college he embarked on a detailed analysis of these musicians techniques and the way in which they merged this most classical of instruments into the jazz idiom. Ben’s innate sense of swing rhythm (something which often eludes classical players) stems from those early listening sessions – and his various awards bear testimony to his abilities. A first call jazz violinist for many of the North’s top bands and studios.
Along with Guitarist, Jez Cook, Double Bassist, Paul Jefferies and Drummer – Malcom Garrett, The Ben Holder Quartet play swinging jazz from Louis Armstrong to Gershwin, Fats Waller to Grappelli, Ben’s own originals to The Beatles and everything in between. All this is of course done with copious amounts of energy & excitement along with some beautiful ballads thrown in for good measure!
Overall The BHQ are about having fun and taking the audience along for the ride, with music that will make you want to dance all night, just like the early jazz shows of the 1920s. After all, we are nearly back in the swinging 20s once again!
Fully Booked but call in case of late cancellations!
All tickets £12/£10 in advance from Carlton House Club, High St, Olney.
Tel: 01234 711348 or Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney.
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Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro & Scott Hamilton
I consider myself fortunate to have had two CDs featuring Andrea Motis amongst my Christmas presents, and think them so good as to deserve to be better known,
hence this joint review.
Fest Jazz is a young at heart festival that has been making waves in the jazz world for some years now!
Set on the banks of the River Aulne at Châteauneuf-du-Faou, one of the prettiest corners of Brittany, it attracts artists and fans from around the world. The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial with a great mixture of nationalities and generations. And there are swing dancers everywhere!
It is a young at heart festival with a young management team, young artists, a wonderful mix of nationalities and generations as well as a programme which presents jazz at its dynamic best.
No pretensions, no elitism, no rows of bejewelled bourgeoisie clapping politely as another “past their best diva” goes through the motions on stage! Fest Jazz is a festival where young and old, French, English and a host of other nationalities come together for a weekend long party.
As at every Fest Jazz there is a mix of music styles and plenty of young, exciting traditional style bands. Even more so this year and here’s how!
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L to R: Roy Stokes (Trombone); Mike Scranton (Trumpet); Liz Bacon (guesting on clarinet); Paul Bacon (guesting on drums); Alan Cresswell (clarinet); Mike Broad (Double Bass); and not forgetting Kevin Scott (Leader, banjo)!
Featuring a series of Jazz&Jazz Golden Eagles’ YouTubes filmed on Thursday, 29th September, at Tad Newton’s Bedford Golf Club Jazz Venue. Magnificent setting – great food, great jazz, comfortable seating!
A couple of the YouTubes fall into my “Take Two Category” – i.e. if only I could have, I would have filmed them again, without the need to reposition the camera from my original vantage point which became obscured by fans. I moved to the bar at the back of the hall to capture the next best possible view of the Golden Eagles over the heads of the fans! It took some manoeuvring for position which shows! But I consider them well worth while including here.
That’s it folks – until I catch up with The Golden Eagles again!.
Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz
(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
… and aptly so given the massive effort Trevor and his Châteauneuf team put in to make
Fest Jazz, 2016, such a resounding success.
Launched and led by Trevor, The Good Time Jazz Band is local to the Châteauneuf-du-Faou area. The band soon became so popular throughout the region and for playing regular gigs at the legendary Bar Tal ar Pont, that their success inspired Trevor to launch Fest Jazz back in 2005. Since then the festival has gone from strength to strength and plans are already afoot
for Fest Jazz 2017.
Good Time Jazz Band YouTube
Two New Orleans numbers are featured in the following Jazz&Jazz YouTube: “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” and “Lady Be Good”. Trevor asked me to point out that “bassist Peter Butler is playing an electric bass because of a temporary shoulder problem caused by a lifetime of double bass playing! Normal service will soon be restored!”
Get fit quickly, Peter.
I should also mention that this is what I call one of my “Take Two” Youtubes. Why? Because I let the camera roll between the two numbers not only to focus on Good Time’s massed fans but also to manoeuvre through them for a better position in time to film “Lady Be Good”. Quicker to keep filming than to risk missing part of such a great jazz by having to set up again. OK – I could have spit the YouTubes but I think this adds interest!
One further Jazz&Jazz post is being produced featuring and summarising the massive success of Fest Jazz, 2016. It will include a master YouTube of the entire festival produced by the brilliant Fest Jazz team headed up by Trevor. It will also include just a couple of bands Ginny and I couldn’t quite fit into our hectic filming schedule, given the brilliant scope simultaneously available. So come back soon to Jazz&Jazz.
Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz
(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
Robyn Bennett (vocals) ; Ben van Hille (trombone) ; Max Mastella (guitar) ; David Pouradier Duteil (drums) ; Gino Chantoiseau (doublebass) ; Julien Raffin (saxophones)
Robyn Bennet has contacted Jazz&Jazz about her UK Autumn tour with her band
Robyn Bennett & Bang Bang
“I’ve received your information from Al Nicholls who plays sax with Blue Harlem, among other groups. Al has been helping promote my band in the UK over the past year. I am an American singer based in Paris, France, with a five-piece band (guitar, doublebass, drums, trombone and saxophone).
“We tour extensively in France and we toured the UK in August, 2015, playing sold-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s, Boisdale of Canary Wharf and Blues Kitchen Camden.”
To date Robyn Bennett & Bang Bang is booked for two UK gigs:
• Friday, October 28th at Kings Arms, Fulham
• Saturday, October 29th at Boisdale Restaurant, Canary Wharf
• Sunday October 30th Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
They are also looking for another gig for Thursday, 27th October and possibly for Monday, 31st October and would appreciate any suggestions of venues to contact.
Take a look at the Robyn Bennett & Bang Bang website. It’s impressive! Then, whether you are a promoter or a fan and would like to see Robyn at your club/venue, contact her at:
[email protected]
Tel: +33 6 63 240 260 or +33 9 82 29 86 48
Website: http://www.robynbennett.com
Or you can send me any messages you may have for Robyn via “Speak Your Mind” below.
Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz
Time to book tickets for the March, April and May Club Nights!
Call: 01234 711348 without delay.
Tuesday March 1st
Joanna Eden
With the Jazz at the Movies Band featuring Joanna Eden (vocals), Mark Crooks (reeds), Chris Ingham (piano), Rev. Andrew Brown (bass) and George Double (drums) …..top show, played Ronnie’s at Christmas….. £12/£10 in advance…..www.jazzatthemovies.com
“Great songs, great films, great band, great singer…one of the finest vocal albums I’ve heard for quite a while” BEBOP SPOKEN HERE
“Movie songs like these provide good material for the best jazz singers. Joanna Eden and her
first-class band had a ball with them, so did the audience.” JAZZ JOURNAL
JAZZ AT THE MOVIES is a unique jazz group formed specifically to interpret movie themes and soundtrack songs taken from a wide-range of silver screen sources both familiar and obscure. Their refined dramatic and jazz sensibilities produce sounds that celebrate the meeting point of songcraft and swingcraft. With a reputation for vibrant music, deep repertoire and droll presentation, JATM have become a regular sell-out at Ronnie Scott’s, St James Theatre, the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room and many jazz clubs, theatres and Arts Centres throughout the UK.
JATM features evocative vocals by acclaimed singer and mentor/teacher to pop sensation Sam Smith, JOANNA EDEN; bewitching saxophone and clarinet from star reedsman of the John Wilson Orchestra MARK CROOKS. Plus atmospheric textures and grooves from CHRIS INGHAM (piano), REV. ANDREW BROWN (bass) and GEORGE DOUBLE (drums).
Tickets – £12/£10 in advance
Nearly SOLD OUT (Phonebox Magazine has a few left) – please email OJC to go on the returns list.
Tuesday April 5th
Dan Vercruysse (trumpet) and Brian Turnock (leader, bass)
Presenting The New Orleans Z’hulus – a great band hailing The Continent with sublime renditions of New Orleans Jazz. Plus a welcome return for Brian Turnock (Leader, Bass) and Jesper Larson (clt), members of Doc Hound’s Revival Jazz Band who starred at Olney in October last year!
£10/£8 in advance
Tuesday May 3rd
Alan Haughton
Richard Exall
Formerly Three Men on Third, featuring the music of the Gene Krupa Trio …. Richard Exall (clarinet/sax), Alan Haughton (piano) and John Watson (drums)….£10/£8 in advance
John Watson
All tickets are great value and you can get them from Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney or the Carlton House Club, High St, Olney, 01234 711348, (don’t forget to book separately if you would like to eat).
Check it all out at www.olneyjazzclub.com
Hoping to see you at the next OJC gig,
Cheers,
Alan
Olney Jazz Club
www.olneyjazzclub.com
[email protected]
Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz
