Matthew Bourne Tours New Songs From A Lost Piano Project
Category : Breaking News
06/01/09
New touring organisation Sound and Music has commissioned Leeds pianist Matthew Bourne to tour next month in a project called Songs From A Lost Piano. The pianist, one of the most influential figures on the local Leeds scene, has used the stories and folklore behind a series of “lost” pianos which he has traced and images of which will also feature in an accompanying photographic exhibition. Bourne has used the broken down pianos with their missing hammers and wonky keys as a source of new sounds to add to his improvising palette for the project. The pianos themselves range from an an instrument found in a junk shop, to a family piano handed down through the generations for nearly a century, to one played on by veteran bluesman Champion Jack Dupree when he took up residence in Halifax late in his career. Bourne wil be joined by a quartet for the project which features much-talked about singer, Andrew Plummer. Dates for the tour are The Venue, Leeds (27 February), Bush Hall, London (1 March) and De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill (3 March). For more go to www.soundandmusic.org
|
Julian Siegel, Cuong Vu and Liam Noble Booked For Birmingham
Category : Breaking News
05/01/09
Birmingham Jazz, the stalwart jazz organiser in the midlands, has announced its busy line-up of concerts for this month and next. Local favourite trumpeter Bryan Corbett kicks off the programming at the Jam House on 20 January while at the CBSO Centre on 23 January Julian Siegel’s transatlantic trio with Joey Baron and Greg Cohen visits Birmingham. Vietnamese trumpeter Cuong Vu, best known for his tenure in the Pat Metheny Group, hits the Rainbow on 28 January with his Vu-tet, while the Liam Noble Trio finishes off January on the 31st at the CBSO Centre. February dates include new group Ma with drummer Steve Arguelles on 11 Feb at the Hare and Hounds, the Martin Speake Quartet at the CBSO Centre on 14 February, Percy Pursglove on the 17th at the Jam House, the Damon Brown Quintet at the Polish Club on 21 Feb and The Final Terror at the Rainbow on 25 February. For more go to www.birminghamjazz.co.uk
|
Courtney Pine Awarded CBE In New Year’s Honours List
Category : Breaking News
31/12/08
To add to his OBE Courtney Pine has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to jazz music. A tireless ambassador for the music in the UK and beyond, Courtney this year gigged with a new version of the Jazz Warriors and released a well-received album Afropeans, in part his own reflection on the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery in the former British Empire. He has also dedicated much time and effort to his own record label Destin-e, which released the debut album by the critically acclaimed band Empirical. In February Courtney releases a new album, Transition in Tradition, a homage to saxophone pioneer Sidney Bechet and returns to his busy touring programme which includes a gig at Ronnie Scott’s. On receiving news of his CBE Courtney said in a statement: “I am deeply moved to be honoured. I never imagined that I would be recognised for playing improvised music in the United Kingdom in this way. The acknowledgement for what I think of as a noble mission in uniting people through sound could not have been realised without the love, support and dedication of my family, management, band and the many supporters of music throughout this land. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Last Updated ( 31/12/08 )
|
Hard bop legend Freddie Hubbard dies
Category : Breaking News
30/12/08
Freddie Hubbard will always be identified with the pulsating, tough sound of 1960s Blue Note hard bop but the curiosity of his career was that he was also present on some of the pivotal free jazz records of the 60s, Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz, Dolphy’s Out To Lunch and Coltrane’s Ascension. His death on 29 December at the age of 70 came after a heart attack the month before and followed a tentative comeback after years of reduced activity associated with a collapsed embouchure in the 90s which required surgery on his lips. Born in Indianoplis, Hubbard played in the school band and came under the influence of famed guitarist Wes Montgomery and his brother, Monk. In the late-50s Hubbard moved to New York, jamming with Coltrane in Harlem and becoming part of a thriving jazz scene at the time. He was signed to Blue Note records and made his debut for the label, Open Sesame which paved the way to his becoming a fixture on the label, not just as a leader but also as a sideman on important albums such as Herbie Hancock’s debut Takin’ Off and Maiden Voyage. His explosive, quick-witted approach made him a popular draw on the live circuit and a key member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.
Read more...
|
John Randall Quintet Wins Peter Whittingham Award
Category : Breaking News
19/12/08
Drummer John Randall and his group, the John Randall Quintet, have been announced as recipients of this year’s Peter Whittingham Jazz Award. Worth £4,000 to the winners, who will use the money to develop their website, the prize was awarded by a judging panel which included saxophonist Dave O’Higgins, drummer Clark Tracey, Steve Rubie of the 606 Club and Chris Whittingham, son of Peter Whittingham who the award is named after. A former student of the Birmingham Conservatoire, Randall issued the quintet’s debut album Insomnia featuring Phil Robson earlier in the year and also was announced as a Yamaha-Classic FM Jazz Scholar. A further MBF Development Award of £3,000 was made to guitarist Mark McKnight.
Last Updated ( 19/12/08 )
|
Brecon Jazz Festival calls in receivers
Category : Breaking News
17/12/08
After suspending its payments in the autumn the Brecon Jazz Festival has called in the receivers after suffering significant financial loss and failing to obtain additional funds to cover the deficit. A further announcement from the board is expected later today. The festival, which has been in existence for 25 years, regularly attracted up to 70,000 visitors and received financial assistance from Arts Council of Wales, HSBC, Powys council and the Brecon Beacons National Park Association. But in recent years it has struggled to balance its books and accounts posted on the Charity Commission website for the financial year ending March 2007 showed Brecon International Festival of Jazz Limited had a deficit of £66,100.
|
Open University researchers awarded big grant to study Black British Jazz
Category : Breaking News
17/12/08
A grant of £495,643 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council has been awarded to researchers from the Open University to explore the question What Is Black British Jazz? over a two year period. Dr Jason Toynbee for the Open University team says: “We’re absolutely delighted to win the award. It’s a terrific opportunity to document and understand this important musical genre, and the cultures from which it has emerged. Black British Jazz (BBJ) is a hybrid with tributaries in Caribbean and African music, as well as North American jazz. We’ll be looking at it in the light of this rich history of migration. But we will also be examining the way it is organised as a business, as well as analysing recordings, performances and evolving style. One of the key issues for us concerns how the music represents black British people and identity.” The research team members are: Dr Mark Banks, Sociology; Mark Doffman, Sociology; Dr Byron Dueck, Music; Dr Catherine Parsonage, Music and Dr Jason Toynbee, Sociology.
Last Updated ( 17/12/08 )
|
100 Club Hosts Benefit Night For Hugh Hopper
Category : Breaking News
16/12/08
A couple of hundred friends, colleagues and well-wishers turned out at London's 100 Club last Sunday night to pay tribute and support to Hugh Hopper, a much-valued brother in jazz, currently ill with leukaemia. All styles of music that Hugh Hopper has pioneered were on show. From jazz-rock from Phil Miller’s In Cahoots and a trio of John Etheridge, John Marshall and Roy Babbington to free improv from Alex Maguire’s group and a duo of pianist Sophia Domancich and drummer Simon Goubert and on to poetry and performance art from Japanese pianist-vocalist Yumi Hara-Cawkwell and later from poet Michael Horowitz. Perhaps the highlight of the evening, however, was the Delta Saxophone Quartet’s lovely, pastoral 'Everything Is You'. Truly beautiful. I think Hugh would have enjoyed every minute. We’re all thinking of you, Hugh, and wishing you well. Duncan Heining
|
Soweto Kinch To Programme Sunday Sessions at Rich Mix
Category : Breaking News
15/12/08
London venue Rich Mix, a multi-discipline arts centre on Bethnal Green Road, has announced details of a new season of its free Sunday afternoon jazz sessions. Following on from its association with Tomorrow’s Warriors, Rich Mix has now teamed up with saxophonist/MC Soweto Kinch who will programme the sessions from January until the end of March. Soweto himself will perform at some of the jams with guitarist Femi Temowo and hotly tipped new group Z-U also set to perform. For more go to www.richmix.org.uk
|
New bands line up for Vortex triple bill
Category : Breaking News
11/12/08
Minghe Morte, World Sanguine Report and Bilbao Syndrome will play a one off gig at the Vortex next week on 15 December. Comprising ten musicians from the London and Leeds jazz scene, the three bands will take to the stage to display their individual and diverse styles. Minghe Morte will be making their London debut with their blend of garage-house, speed-punk and death-jazz. The music of drummer Chris Bussey, reeds player Christophe de Bezenac and guitarist Colin Sutton has been described in these very pages as, “gore-spattered car-crash jazz.” World Sanguine Report form a frightening and formidable ensemble who take influence from Messiaen, Waits and Patton to name a few. Consisting of James Allsopp (reeds), Alex Bonney (trumpet), Matthew Bourne (keys), Tom Greenhalgh (drums), Dave Kane (bass), Andrew Plummer (vocals) and Chris Sharkey (guitar) their performance promises to blur the lines between jazz, blues and punk. The enigmatic Bilbao Syndrome headline the evening. Consisting of members from two bands mentioned above (Bourne, Bussey, Plummer, Sharkey and Sutton) – expect the unexpected. For more go to www.vortexjazz.co.uk
|
Mike Westbrook Performs Settings of Blake’s Poetry
Category : Breaking News
09/12/08
The poetry of William Blake, with its searing commentaries on human greed, cruelty and other failings, has a particular resonance in these uncertain times. Toynbee Studios in Commercial Road in London’s East End last weekend were the appropriate setting for the latest manifestation of Mike Westbrook’s songs and musical settings of the poems of the 18th century London visionary. Westbrook’s basic group, featuring the leader on piano, Karen Street (accordion), Billy Thompson (violin) and Steve Berry (double bass) was augmented by the 40-strong London College of Music Chamber Choir, directed by Paul Ayers. At its core is Westbrook’s pared-down, hymn-like piano accompaniment and majestic introductions with Berry’s double bass playing a pivotal role. While Karen Street’s accordion and Billy Thompson’s violin provide effective instrumental colour in the arranged sections, their expressive improvisations raised the overall performance to fresh heights.
Read more...
|
| |
|
news 
features
features
features
gig guide
the player
Jazzwise Newsletter
Be the first on your block to know what's in the next issue of Jazzwise by signing up to the Online Magazine Newsletter
|
jazzwise magazine - digital edition
Jazzwise online CD store
reviews
Top UK Jazz Venues
instrument guide
the write stuff
video features
|
