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JUNE ’10 FEATURES |
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| All the latest news, views and developments in the jazz world: | |||
July-Aug10 - June10 - May10 - Apr10 - Mar10 - Feb10 - Sep09-Jan10 - Feb-Aug09 - Sep08-Jan09 - Feb-Aug08 - Jul07-Jan08 - Jan-Jun07 - Jul-Dec06 - Jun-Jan06 - Dec-Jul05 - Jun-Feb05
MUSIC AT THE GARDENS The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful open-air venues in the region. The curving Main Lawn creates a natural amphitheatre with the Victorian Bandstand at its focus where this summer some exciting performances will set feet tapping. Throughout the summer there is music on the Bandstand from 2pm every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday – jazz, swing, brass – June 13th Swing Museum, spirited violin and guitar led quartet, Sunday 20th June Kel Elliot, singer and double base player leads her own quartet. Music for everyone, for those who just like to relax and listen or for those who want to explore the 15 acres of glorious landscaped gardens. On Sunday 20 June Gary Allcock and his ‘All Star’ Big Band offer their tribute to the big band sounds of inter war years, most notably the music of Glenn Miller. On Sunday 18 July Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival presents a very special exclusive solo performance by international musician, local boy and star of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, Julian Smith. For information on tickets and times contact the Gardens on 0121 454 1860 or the web site: www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
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Jazz On The Water have 2 dates in June which we got just too late to go in the June magazine. They are: 
25th to 27th UPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL
This is a cracking little Jazz Festival with a great line-up featuring some top international talent alongside some of the very best that Birmingham has to offer and Craig Charles presenting. Read all about it in March Features!
Pianist Graham Dent is a well established midlands-based musician, both as a performer and a composer. He has worked extensively accompanying vocalists, and supporting visiting musicians such as Dave O’Higgins and Alan Barnes. Jucamaya, which about 5 years ago grew from the close musical collaboration between Graham and saxophonist Ian Hill, successfully unites Graham’s writing talents with a fine quintet. Jucamaya’s music, ranging from the energetic to the introspective, is fresh, stylish, and in tune with the jazz tradition, mixing originals and standards into memorable live performances. The band has two CDs to its credit, both well received by jazz audiences and the musician community alike. Check out the band at www.jucamaya.com
“Jucamaya’s performance and Graham’s original compositions were like a breath of fresh air” Mill Hill Jazz Club
Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival In an unspoilt corner of Scotland Only 1 hours drive north of Carlisle, this unique small Scottish picturesque harbour and Artists town” is holding its 13th festival from 10 - 13 June. Experience music to suit all tastes, from trad, ragtime, early swing, New Orleans, Dixieland to Rhythm & Blues and even some Country & Western. Join in the Saturday street Parade and Sunday Jazz Service, there is also opportunities to dine to Jazz in local restaurants.
With an extraordinary blend of Jazz, Blues, Soul, Country and Gospel, TJ Johnson, widlely considered to be one of the UK’s finest Jazz & blues singers, is appearing at Kirkcudbright with his band. His distinctive voice and unique stage performance creates an intimate and exciting atmosphere.
The first thing that strikes you when listening to this debut album from Belfast-born, London-based Vocalist Orla Murphy is her lustrous timbre. Sounding like the forgotten lovechild of Joni Mitchell and Terry Callier - seamlessly combining the liquid phrasing of the former with the soulful sonorities of the latter - Murphy’s captivating tone really draws the listener into the song. It comes as no surprise when she dusts down Mitchell’s ‘Be Cool’ midway through the set...to the stripped down voice/bass duet ‘The Old Country’, in which Murphy’s great feel and time come strongly to the fore. Also including an intimate cover of Sting’s ‘Fragile’...an impassioned ‘Make Sure You’re Sure’ (one of Stevie Wonder’s standout songs penned for Spike Lee’s, Jungle Fever) with pianist Simon Wallace... This impressive debut should help to put this affecting singer well and truly on the map.
This article was published in JAZZWISE, October 2007. Our thanks to Peter Quinn and to Jazzwise magazine for permission to publish.
www.orlamurphy.com - www.myspace.com/ommurphy
Birmingham Jazz’s weekly Rush Hour Blues spot has slowly become the cities most popular jazz event. Set in the impressive modern surroundings of Symphony Hall, Rush Hour Blues offers the best of British jazz every Friday, absolutely free.
Examining the program, May promises to be an exciting month of events. It features local artists such as Sara Coleman and N.O.M.A.D, as well as the more eclectic sounds of Matt Hallsal and Zdinoera African Blues Band. Over the years Rush Hour Blues has build up a loyal and handsome audience that pays the performers the utmost respect. In fact, the silent and generous nature of the audience is one of the things that makes Rush Hour Blues such a special event. The mixture of good acoustics and good sound ensures everything is audible wherever you are sitting. Although the drinks prices seem a bit steep, you are in essence subsidising the music, as you don’t pay to get in. Besides, with Birmingham’s second city syndrome, you are often paying over the odds in the City Centre anyway.
Rush Hour Blues is the ultimate way to escape the bustling Broad Street and start the weekend in style. It runs from 5.30pm onwards every Friday. For more information, see www.birminghamjazz.co.uk
NOW CLOSINGAnother Jazz club is sadly closing. We have just been sent the following press release by Derek from Jazz Connection at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry:
It is with regret that The Jazz Connection is closing down the last session being on the 12th May 2010 Derek Geoff & Team would like to thank the Sports Connexion and all our loyal supporters of the Jazz Connection over the past 10yrs. Thanks also to all who have helped and contributed to the raffle.
Regards
Derek
Jazz Connection
The annual jazz spectacular at Upton-upon-Severn reaches its 25th anniversary in 2010 with a programme of over fifty bands appearing during the weekend. With a mix of styles to suit all tastes including New Orleans, Dixieland, Traditional, Swing, Jump Jive, Boogie, Mainstream, Modern and ‘Hot Club’ festival goers will be spoilt for choice in the ten venues. In addition the festival will host a dedicated venue for the 2nd year of The Best of Young Jazz, an initiative that proved extremely popular in 2009 providing an opportunity for many talented young musicians to receive professional tuition and for school and youth bands to perform at the festival.
Dennis Rollins continues to electrify audiences wherever he performs and enjoys a high profile as a regular member of legendary Maceo Parker’s band. This is a classy, high-energy and engaging act along the lines of friend and colleague Courtney Pine with whom he toured for several years.
There's a tribute to Mike Turner & Ashley Middleton at The Trumpet, Bilston. Sunday April 25th. It's full day of music, with special guest appearances throughout the day, from Bruce Adams, Roy Williams, Ben Holder, John Smith, Gary Bell and mny others.
Sam Waller, who died peacefully on Thursday the 11th of March, was a quiet, unassuming man with a ready smile. He was the sweetest, kindest man imaginable who never had a bad word to say about anyone.
He was well known and liked amongst the jazz and folk fraternity in Birmingham and for the last few years ran a successful music venue on his Barge which I have performed on and attended as part of the audience.
I’m sure that most of the Birmingham audiences would have attended those events at some time and experienced his down to earth and friendly hospitality. When I performed my first gigs at the Fiddle and Bone in 2001 Sam Waller was first in line to purchase one of my cd’s. Since that night, he had become a true and loyal friend and fan and I shall miss him terribly.
He was born on the 26th Aug 1942 and is survived by his brother Andrew, sister-in-law Shirley and their children, Robert and Helen. Rest in Peace Sam, you were one of a kind.
Esther Miller
Located just off the picturesque St. Paul’s Square, the Actress and Bishop is one of Birmingham’s most popular music venues. As well as putting on an armada of rock and pop bands, it also features live jazz and blues every Sunday.
The music tends to be local musicians playing a mixed repertoire of standards, rhythm ‘n’ blues and even some old pop songs. However, what makes the Actress special is the friendly environment and relaxed atmosphere. Boasting a healthy selection of real ale and quality pub food, the Actress is perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the hectic city centre, just down the road.
Although you might not find the cutting edge of jazz here, the Actress offers a light hearted aura with top local musicians catering to the audiences needs. Definitely recommended for a spot of Sunday dinner and a reasonably priced pint.
Birmingham Jazz’s weekly Rush Hour Blues spot has slowly become the cities most popular jazz event. Set in the impressive modern surroundings of Symphony Hall, Rush Hour Blues offers the best of British jazz every Friday, absolutely free.
Examining the program, May promises to be an exciting month of events. It features local artists such as Sara Coleman and N.O.M.A.D, as well as the more eclectic sounds of Matt Hallsal and Zdinoera African Blues Band. Over the years Rush Hour Blues has build up a loyal and handsome audience that pays the performers the utmost respect. In fact, the silent and generous nature of the audience is one of the things that makes Rush Hour Blues such a special event. The mixture of good acoustics and good sound ensures everything is audible wherever you are sitting. Although the drinks prices seem a bit steep, you are in essence subsidising the music, as you don’t pay to get in. Besides, with Birmingham’s second city syndrome, you are often paying over the odds in the City Centre anyway.
Rush Hour Blues is the ultimate way to escape the bustling Broad Street and start the weekend in style. It runs from 5.30pm onwards every Friday. For more information, see www.birminghamjazz.co.uk
‘Sharing a legacy - a second generation of Swing’ is a 2-hour treat featuring Jan and Ray Jnr, who are visiting the UK with their Eberle Orchestra, and will perform many of the tunes their father made famous with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. The Big Band sound will be fused with rare footage, photos and personal stories of their famous father. Only two shows in the UK! An event not to be missed by Big Band lovers.
Famous for presenting Robot Wars and roles on Red Dwarf and Coronation Street, Craig Charles has become known as a champion of all things funk and soul after getting his own radio show on BBC 6 Music in 2002.
Inspired by Craig’s UK Fantasy Funk Band feature, The Mostly Jazz Festival invited the presenter to attend the brand new event and put his enthusiasm to good use introducing the likes of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro, James Taylor Quartet and Polar Bear.
In alignment with Craig, the festival has a passion for uncovering fresh new talent. The second stage will feature Lizzy Parks, The Fantastics!, Nick Pride & The Pimptones, The Getup and Groove Cartel, many of which have featured on the DJ’s BBC 6 Music radio show.
Craig will also be kicking off the after party with a session from his renowned record collection, which will draw the festival vibe on into the small hours of the night.
Craig Charles said:
‘I’m really looking forward to this – The Fantastics! & the Mr James Taylor Quartet – it’s going to be double groovy. Bring on the sunshine and get those sunglasses ready.’
Tickets are now on sale. Adult day tickets cost £28.50+b/fee and weekend tickets cost £48.50+b/fee.
For more information about The Mostly Jazz Festival and the full line-up please visit www.mostlyjazz.co.uk. For further details contact Charlotte on 07512 378 818 or charlotte@mostlyjazz.co.uk or Carl on 07973764023
The theme tunes to The Avengers and Weekend World are two of many. The name Johnny Dankworth came to stand as an enduring symbol of British jazz in the eyes of the general public. Despite ill-health, he continued to perform in his twilight years. Viewers of Jools Holland’s Later programme witnessed a feisty studio performance from British jazz’s first couple last year, and at the London Jazz Festival concert at the Festival Hall, Dankworth gave a spirited display from a wheelchair.
He and his wife Cleo Laine, were champions of musical education and launched a
cultural programme based at their home at Wavendon, “The Stables” dedicated to bringing together musicians of all styles and cultures. Among the activities which he inaugurated in recent years were informal chats about music by him and an invited guest or two. He was appointed CBE in 1974 and received a knighthood in the 2006 New Year Honours. He is survived by Dame Cleo Laine and their two children, the double-bassist Alec Dankworth and the singer and actress Jacqui Dankworth.
In Remembrance of Sir John Dankworth“Some weeks ago I visited John Dankworth as he was very keen to discuss artwork ideas for his new CD. I had been working for John and Cleo’s record label Qnote for a couple of years and determination and attention to detail from John was something I had often witnessed. These character traits, along with musical genius must have contributed to his long and prolific career as both composer and performer. As I left the hospital room John was opening his laptop to make some adjustments to a few charts – I think he lived and breathed music right to the end.” Sara Colman |
Kidderminster Library:
Saturday 6th 8.00pm Free
Sam, whose real name was Ron Daley, arrived in England from his home in Jamaica during the 2nd World War and saw service with the RAF, an organisation that he maintained close links with. He eventually settled in Birmingham, where in 1949 he met the newly arrived fellow Jamaican Andy Hamilton.
Sam, known to friends at the time as “Big Boy” was over 6 foot tall with the build of a heavy weight boxer. He was not a regular musician, having just dabbled in playing organ, but he was a regular at dances where his great sense of rhythm and his huge hands caught Hamilton’s eye.
Andy persuaded Sam to take lessons from local musicians and he soon started to play the occasional session at dances and parties with Andy and the gold toothed Willie Rogers. By 1953 Sam had become a regular with Andy. They put together The Blue Notes and started to perform regularly in church and school halls across the city. It was at one of these gigs, at The Good Companions on Coventry Road, that Sam met his future wife Evelyn with whom he had two children.
Sam became Andy’s closest friend as they shared over 50 years of playing music together, Sam leading the rhythm section with his own unique style of playing drawing on Caribbean, gospel and blues influences. During the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s at venues such as St Johns Restaurant and The Tower Ballroom they organised hugely popular dances.
It was Sam Brown who Andy telephoned from his hospital bed in the late 1980’s to sing the melody of Silvershine, a song Hamilton wrote in the 1940’s for Errol Flynn which came back to him in a diabetic coma. Together they arranged the song which was to change their lives.
In 1990 Sam led the rhythm section on the internationally acclaimed debut album Silvershine, which took the band from Sundays at The White Swan in Aston and Accafess to top venues in Paris, Milan and St Lucia. Sam was also a central figure in the residencies at Dirty Betts, The Bear and The Drum where he accompanied some of the worlds greatest jazz musicians along with many complete novices for whom he always had a kind word of encouragement.
It became a regular delight at gigs to open the 2nd set with a “Sam Brown Blues”, starting with a long solo reflecting his mood of the day and almost always ending with a big smile to the audience.
Sam Brown, who was in his late 80’s will be terribly missed by his family and Andy, as well as the church community in West Bromwich where for many years he was warden and organist and the music community of Birmingham which has lost one of the key figures in its post war history.
As Andy often said,
“Nobody can play the Blues like Sam Brown”
Sadly this will be the very last Whitley Bay Jazz Festival featuring, as always, the very best in classic jazz from Ragtime to Swing. This year, there is a wider geographical coverage than ever before, to illustrate the theme of the worldwide spread of jazz as a musical common language.
The 150 or so musicians present will represent the USA, Japan, Australia, Chile, Hungary, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the UK. Get your tickets early, its bound to be a sell out
Peter Quinn writes:The first thing that strikes you when listening to this debut album from Belfast-born, London-based Vocalist Orla Murphy is her lustrous timbre. Sounding like the forgotten lovechild of Joni Mitchell and Terry Callier - seamlessly combining the liquid phrasing of the former with the soulful sonorities of the latter - Murphy's captivating tone really draws the listener into the song.
It comes as no surprise when she dusts down Mitchell's 'Be Cool' midway through the set...to the stripped down voice/bass duet 'The Old Country', in which Murphy's great feel and time come strongly to the fore. Also including an intimate cover of Sting's 'Fragile'...an impassioned 'Make Sure You’re Sure' (one of Stevie Wonder's standout songs penned for Spike Lee's, Jungle Fever) with pianist Simon Wallace... This impressive debut should help to put this affecting singer well and truly on the map.
This article was published in JAZZWISE, October 2007.
Our thanks to Peter Quinn and to Jazzwise magazine for permission to publish.
www.orlamurphy.com
www.myspace.com/ommurphy
Dear Readers & Advertisers,
After five years of producing JazzWestMids magazine we’ve decided to take a back seat, and we’ve handed over to your new Editor, Stella Draper (tel: 01788 553884).
Stella lives in Rugby, is a keen jazz fan, and she’s determined to develop the magazine. Barry and I want to thank all the friendly, humorous and delightful people we have met and spoken to in the course of the last five years. Please continue to support the magazine, and of course to support live jazz.
With our very best regards,
STRATFORD JAZZ HAVE MOVEDOn the 29th they host Sarah Gillespie, Gilad Atzmon and Ben Bastin. Admission is £8 on door and the show kicks off at 8pm.
www.stratfordjazz.org.uk - www.shakespearestreet.co.uk
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