What live music are you going to see tonight?

[sidewinder]

Mark Nightingale/Nigel Hitchcock Quintet at the Wigan Jazz Festival this afternoon

Saw virtuoso trombonist Nightingale last year when he was leading a Jay & Kai style two-trombone band, so didn't expect that this year he'd be heading a fusion outfit! Have to concede, though, that the level of musicianship was very high.

I'll be hopefully seeing Mark Nightingale in performance with Stan Tracey's Octet this weekend at Swanage.

[BillF]

Mark Nightingale/Nigel Hitchcock Quintet at the Wigan Jazz Festival this afternoon

Saw virtuoso trombonist Nightingale last year when he was leading a Jay & Kai style two-trombone band, so didn't expect that this year he'd be heading a fusion outfit! Have to concede, though, that the level of musicianship was very high.

I'll be hopefully seeing Mark Nightingale in performance with Stan Tracey's Octet this weekend at Swanage.

Busy time for both of them! Mark's playing in Stan's Big Band in Wigan tomorrow evening, and I'm going to see Stan's Quartet there the following afternoon.

[sidewinder]

Stan's playing twice at Swanage - with his Octet and trio. There's also Peter King with his Quartet, so some real good stuff on down there.

[BillF]

Stan's playing twice at Swanage - with his Octet and trio. There's also Peter King with his Quartet, so some real good stuff on down there.

If only we'd been blessed with a Peter King visit!

[Tom Storer]

I saw Ron Carter's Golden Striker Trio on Monday night at the New Morning in Paris, with Russell Malone and Mulgrew Miller. It's a fantastic group and they were on. Their arrangements, which I assume are Carter's, are great: memorable, deft, designed to leave space for real improvising. The only slight bummer was the sound: the bass was a little too bassy and the piano way too trebly, which I find inexcusable in a club. It was great to see Mulgrew Miller, and he was playing well, but that tinny sound was really too bad. Regardless, it was a joy to hear them.

[sidewinder]

Stan's playing twice at Swanage - with his Octet and trio. There's also Peter King with his Quartet, so some real good stuff on down there.

If only we'd been blessed with a Peter King visit!

Swanage is definitely worth checking out this year. The ubiquitous Alan Barnes as usual (premiering his 'Swanage Suite') plus interesting performers such as Back Door Too, Jim Hart Quartet, Keith Nichols, Liam Noble, Denys Baptiste, John Law, Gilad Atzmon, Dave Stapleton and Tina May - as well as Stan and Peter. A veritable cornucopia of UK jazz and right by the seaside too !

Looks like it's pretty well sold out:

Swanage Jazz

Edited July 14, 2010 by sidewinder

[kh1958]

I saw Ron Carter's Golden Striker Trio on Monday night at the New Morning in Paris, with Russell Malone and Mulgrew Miller. It's a fantastic group and they were on. Their arrangements, which I assume are Carter's, are great: memorable, deft, designed to leave space for real improvising. The only slight bummer was the sound: the bass was a little too bassy and the piano way too trebly, which I find inexcusable in a club. It was great to see Mulgrew Miller, and he was playing well, but that tinny sound was really too bad. Regardless, it was a joy to hear them.

I saw that group at the Blue Note last fall and had a very positive reaction as well.

[BillF]

Saw the Stan Tracey Quartet this afternoon at the Wigan Jazz Festival, with Simon Allen on tenor and alto, Andrew Cleyndert on bass and Clark Tracey on drums.

[A Lark Ascending]

Stan's playing twice at Swanage - with his Octet and trio. There's also Peter King with his Quartet, so some real good stuff on down there.

If only we'd been blessed with a Peter King visit!

Swanage is definitely worth checking out this year. The ubiquitous Alan Barnes as usual (premiering his 'Swanage Suite') plus interesting performers such as Back Door Too, Jim Hart Quartet, Keith Nichols, Liam Noble, Denys Baptiste, John Law, Gilad Atzmon, Dave Stapleton and Tina May - as well as Stan and Peter. A veritable cornucopia of UK jazz and right by the seaside too !

Looks like it's pretty well sold out:

Swanage Jazz

Looks like Appleby of old!

A pity it wasn't a week later! It would be an ideal holiday jump-off point.

[Lazaro Vega]

Arno Marsh with Randy Marsh at The Everyday People Cafe in Douglas, Michigan.

[jlhoots]

Sisters Morales - fantastic show

[sidewinder]

Looks like Appleby of old!

A pity it wasn't a week later! It would be an ideal holiday jump-off point.

Yes, it looks as if they are now filling the 'Appleby' slot of old. It's been running for a fair while though - 21 years this year.

[BillF]

This afternoon at the Wigan Jazz Festival I saw a quintet under the leadership of the veteran American big band trumpeter, Bobby Shew, which also included Alistair White (trombone), David Newton (piano), Dave Green (bass) and Steve Brown (drums). What a contrast to the Stan Tracey Quartet yesterday when it was evident that members had been playing together for a very long time, so that everything was very predictable! Although Bobby emphasised at the outset that he'd played with each of the others before, he also admitted that they'd not thought of a programme for this afternoon. When he suggested a Latin number and asked for "Recorda Me", Alastair White (according to Bobby) typed it into his mobile to find the changes! In the event, the song broke down after a few bars, pianist and bassist failing to get it together during Bobby's initial statement of the melody! Unperturbed, he suggested "Blue Bossa" instead, which they managed very well. A very laid-back afternoon!

[A Lark Ascending]

When he suggested a Latin number and asked for "Recorda Me", Alastair White (according to Bobby) typed it into his mobile to find the changes!

I love that!

How was Dave Newton. His solo sets were always high points at Appleby; that and the great jams they used to put on in the evening where he often held down the piano chair.

[BillF]

When he suggested a Latin number and asked for "Recorda Me", Alastair White (according to Bobby) typed it into his mobile to find the changes!

I love that!

How was Dave Newton. His solo sets were always high points at Appleby; that and the great jams they used to put on in the evening where he often held down the piano chair.

Newton was fine - the second time I've seen him at Wigan. Clear and interesting melodic lines. He also joins that legion of pianists I know on disc who sing along with their improvisations! Was very pleased to see Steve Brown in the flesh for the first time. I first knew him from a performance backing Junior Mance at Brecon which I taped from television a few years ago. Who is this drummer with compelling swing and great fill-ins, I wondered? A photo later gave me his name. Today the man himself! Have just been reading The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz on Bobby Shew, which charts his course from Las Vegas to Wigan!!!

[sidewinder]

Good performance last night at a sold out and packed Swanage by John Donaldson and his quartet - 'Tribute to Bheke Mseleku'. Lea DeLaria's band with Janette Mason on piano also went down very well. Coming up in a few hours time - Peter King Quartet.

Edited July 17, 2010 by sidewinder

[BillF]

Good performance last night at a sold out and packed Swanage by John Donaldson and his quartet - 'Tribute to Bheke Mseleku'. Lea DeLaria's band with Janette Mason on piano also went down very well. Coming up in a few hours time - Peter King Quartet.

Clearly something to look forward to!

[sidewinder]

Predictably good Swanage performance by Peter King - I'd forgotten just how fast he runs through the keys. His band was stellar too - with Steve Melling, Geoff Gascoigne and Martin Drew. The evening show with Liam Noble (solo piano) and Stan Tracey's Octet was also fantastic. Stan is not to be missed at the moment - especially playing stuff like the 'Hong Kong Suite' which could almost have come from his 'big brass', such was the big sound that the trumpet/bone/3 saxes generated. That suite in particular (written for ex-Governor Chris Patten in the 1990s just before they pulled up the drawbridge) is well worth checking out.

Probably the most interesting music of the day that I heard was, strangely, the most sparsely attended. Dave Stapleton Quintet from Wales playing tunes from 'Between The Lines' - music that seems to have been influenced by Ran Blake/film noir, Eddie Henderson/Nucleusy jazz-rock and some of the methods of Graham Collier. Nice !

Logistics mean that I'll unfortunately miss Stan's trio gig this morning but hope to check out Colin Hodgekinson and 'Back Door Too' in a few hours time. And then to check out some Alan Barnes.

Edited July 18, 2010 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Probably the most interesting music of the day that I heard was, strangely, the most sparsely attended. Dave Stapleton Quintet from Wales playing tunes from 'Between The Lines' - music that seems to have been influenced by Ran Blake/film noir, Eddie Henderson/Nucleusy jazz-rock and some of the methods of Graham Collier. Nice !

Stapleton (always seems odd punching his name in!) seems to be one of those workaholic types - as well as playing, writing and (I think) teaching, he's put together a very professional label, drawing to it some marvellous current talent. I also like his determination to make his way from Wales rather than shifting to London. The previous record is worth getting too...marvellous guest vocal from Julie Tippetts at the end, doing a rare bluesy piece, something she is brilliant at. I believe Dave S. studied with Keith.

Re: Steve Melling - try and get to hear the title track of the New Jazz Courier's 'Brazilian Thoroughfare' - he does a particulary striking solo on that.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Bev Stapleton

[sidewinder]

I also like his determination to make his way from Wales rather than shifting to London.

To be applauded, for sure ! That place is like a damn black hole..

I'll try to check out the Steve Melling track that you have mentioned. I'm sure I've seen him before at Swanage - possibly as part of Don Weller's Octet.

Edited July 18, 2010 by sidewinder

[Guest Bill Barton]

Yesterday it was Sounds Outside in Cal Anderson Park (Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.) One to eight p.m., adventurous sounds, lots of sun, good friends... Great day of music. Kudos to Beth Fleenor, John Seman and everyone in the Monktail Creative Music Concern. The next one is August 14th. Not to be missed! Kahil El'Zabar and Hamiet Bluiett in duo are the "headliners."

Sounds Outside

[jlhoots]

Bitches Brew Revisited

Cindy Blackman was great. The rest I'm not so sure.

Unrelenting tempo.

Volume & mix were O.K..

Blood Ulmer did not appear "due to illness".

Vernon Reid substituted.

[sidewinder]

Tina May with Nicky Illes sounded (and looked) very good on the last day at Swanage.

Alan Barnes' 'Swanage Suite' for his octet was also a treat - and very funny too with the Barnes 'repartee' in full swing. Jim Hart on vibes and a young Swedish trombonist who's name I didn't catch both outstanding.

Gilad Atzmon performed with the Meier Group and in a cutting contest with Alan Barnes. He took no prisoners in both performances - probably the best playing I have seen from him.

After checking out the performance on the beach by Mr A Punch (beating up his wife, kid and croc), really enjoyed hearing 'Back Door Too' in the revamped 'Bar Seven' venue just opposite the Town Quay too. Very cool.

Edited July 19, 2010 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Sounds like a great weekend, sidewinder.

I wish Nikki Iles would record more - the 'Printmakers' sextet she toured with last autumn (including Norma Winstone, Stan Sulzman and Mike Walker) was superb. Her website says she is doing another trio record in the autumn for spring release.

I've often thought that if the BBC put on a 45 minute jazz club series with Alan Barnes as compare, jazz could capture the general public's imagination again. You're never in any doubt that it's all about having fun.

[sidewinder]

I've often thought that if the BBC put on a 45 minute jazz club series with Alan Barnes as compare, jazz could capture the general public's imagination again.

What a great idea - he would be a natural in that role. He could probably have made a living as a stand-up comic. Had the audience in stitches for most of his (unscripted I think) interludes. His story about cooking a meal for Harry Diamond was priceless (the 'Old Harry' tune in the suite was for both the local landmark rocky outcrop and also served as a nice tribute to the late Mr Diamond).

First time I've ever seen Tina May and Nikki Illes - but I liked it. Too bad I missed the Barnes/May 'grand finale' (which was packed out at the time I left).

Other than that, nearly ran over 3 cows strayed into the road in Wareham Forest on the way back. A close thing...

Edited July 19, 2010 by sidewinder