Under The Surface at Sudbury Arts Centre (UK), 21 June 2024

Under The Surface at Sudbury Arts Centre (UK), 21 June 2024

(Left to right) Annabel Laura, Bram Stadhouders, Sanne Rambags, Nathan Wouters, Joost Lijbaart [partially hidden] 

Photo: Pete Woodman

The Suffolk market town of Sudbury witnessed an event on Friday the like of which had not been seen in the town's long history.

In the magnificently restored Arts Centre (formerly St Peter's Church) the Dutch improvising trio Under The Surface presented a multi-media event of extraordinary power and beauty. Their music is inspired by folk, jazz, classical music and the musical traditions of the many countries they have performed in around the world.

The trio - Joost Lijbaart (percussion), Bram Stadhouders (guitar & electronics), Sanne Rambags (voice, harmonium, waterphone) - formed 9 years ago and since then have been performing improvised concerts at venues and festivals all over the world, but Friday's event in Sudbury was a little different.

During the last 3 years, their visits to the UK and Ireland have been documented by photographer/artist Mark Wilkinson and film makers David Lam & Hannah Thompson (On Studios Ltd) and this event marked the UK launch of both Wilkinson's book and Lam & Thompson’s short documentary on the band. Both the film and book are beautifully presented and give a deep insight into the trio's approach to their creative efforts and their musical relationships.

The performance opened with the documentary, which was beautifully shot on the River Stour, on the Essex / Suffolk border and in the west of Ireland, during which the trio discussed their motivations, inspiration and how they relate to each other musically. All shot in atmospheric soft focus, the film is a fitting tribute to a wonderfully creative ensemble.

As the film drew to a close, Lijbaart and Stadhouders took to the stage, creating an ambient wash of sound with shimmering guitar & electronics and rings and light touches from Lijbaart’s bewildering array of percussion collected on his global travels. They were soon joined by Rambags whose lilting voice and wordless improvisation added to the soundscapes being created, ebbing and flowing, holding the audience mesmerised. 

As the music increased in intensity, the trio were joined by Belgian Nathan Wouters on arco double bass, the drone of his instrument giving a further dimension and depth to the performance which gradually built to a crescendo before subsiding and bringing the first half of the evening to a close.

The trio’s eponymous first album was recorded live in the studio, whilst their second CD Trinity, recorded in 2018 comprises live improvisations from a number of venues around Europe. In a departure from their normal improvisation, for their 2022 third album – Miin Triuwa – they delved into the musical traditions that inspired their music and created a selection of pre-composed pieces with music by Stadhouders and lyrics in Oud Nederlandse (Old Dutch) by Ramgbags, and it was this that was presented in the second half of the evening.

Joined again by Wouters’ bass and also by Annabel Laura on vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion, the trio performed the album in its entirety, with several improvised passages, the music ranging from quiet, almost ambient passages with delicate percussion and almost whispered vocals, to surging, guitar heavy washes of sound with Rambags’ effortless voice soaring into the high rafters of the beautifully restored former house of worship. The standing ovation at the end of the performance was no less than the music deserved.

Since first seeing Under The Surface in 2018, almost everyone I have spoken to who attended their performances said that they had never seen or heard anything like it, and Friday night was no exception. This was improvising and musicianship of the highest calibre and, as always, pure brilliance.

Under The Surface will be returning to the UK for more gigs in October and again in 2025. If you can, do try and make it to one of their performances. I promise you won’t regret it.

Joost Lijbaart – drums, percussion
Bram Stadhouders – guitar, charango , electronics
Sanne Rambags – voice, harmonium, waterphone

with

Nathan Wouters – double bass
Annabel Laura – voice, acoustic guitar, percussion

The Under The Surface book can be pre-ordered here

https://triounderthesurface.com/

https://triounderthesurface.com/albums/

 Videos:

https://triounderthesurface.com/videos/under-the-surface-presenting-miin-triuwa-bimhuis-amsterdam/

https://triounderthesurface.com/videos/concert-for-nsrt-beaus-hoek-van-holland-video-by-hielke-grootendorst/

 

An edited version of this review has been published on

Fergus McCreadie at Leeds Jazz Festival, 24 May 2024

 

Fergus McCreadie Trio at Leeds Jazz Festival, 24 May 2024

Fergus McCreadie Trio (Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, 24 May 2024.

Review by Pete Woodman)

 ‘We’re going to be playing some tunes from our new album as well as some tunes from our earlier albums’. Having opened proceedings with this statement, Fergus McCreadie followed up by telling the sell-out audience that he couldn’t say which tunes they would be playing. After 10 years together, the trio no longer prepare setlists for their concerts. We’re going to be in for a good gig I thought… and I wasn’t wrong.

Fergus started with 5 minutes of solo piano on a Yamaha 9ft grand which was specially delivered for the occasion, before the band slipped effortlessly into Morning Moon from their third album ‘Forest Floor’. The trio played off each other beautifully; so accustomed are they to playing in each other’s company that the music flowed effortlessly.

Next up, a fine rendition of Snowcap from the latest album ‘Stream’, with both McCreadie and bassist David Bowden soloing. By way of a change, but in line with the unashamed ‘Scottishness’ of the trio’s playing, next came the traditional tune Old Woman Tossed Up in a Blanket, which brought the tempo down but was still beautifully observed. The slower tempo was maintained through the opening bars of Across Flatlands from ‘Cairn’, however it wasn’t long before the pace was raised to the tune’s more customary level, with Bowden delivering a fine bass solo before the trio brought the tune, and with it the first set to a rousing close.

Fergus McCreadie. Photo by Pete Woodman

 Stephen Henderson started the second set with a finely executed drum solo, before leading the band into a second offering from ‘Forest Floor’; this time Landslide, a piece whose title tells you all you need to know, McCreadie playing cascading layers of notes over a thrumming left hand bass line, while the bass and drums provided cracking support but also at times, the lightest of touches.

Landslide gave way to an as yet untitled piece which was again delivered with fluidity and fluency by all three players (David and Stephen told me after the gig ‘all we can say is it hasn’t got a title and it’s in D major’). Hopefully we’ll find out its title on a future release. Again, this piece slowed the tempo of the set, but in no way diminished the quality of the playing with all three showing a delicate touch throughout, until again lifting the pace into the set closer, Stony Gate from the latest album which was filled with fire and urgency.

A single encore, Glade, from ‘Forest Floor’, was delivered with a mellow, graceful beauty which brought the proceedings to a calming close which left the audience well satisfied.

When I first saw this trio around six years ago, I fervently hoped that they would, in time, achieve greatness. They are way beyond that now.

Fergus McCreadie – piano

David Bowden – double bass

Stephen Henderson – drums

 

Fergus McCreadie Trio, Leeds 2024. Photo by Pete Woodman

Set 1
Morning Moon
Snowcap
Old Woman Tossed Up in a Blanket
Across Flatlands

Set 2
Landslide
(Untitled)
Stony Gate
Encore: Glade

 

Nat Birchall’s Unity Ensemble with Alan Skidmore and Mark Wastell

(Café OTO, Friday 17 May 2024. Review by Pete Woodman)

 

(L to R) Adam Fairhall, Lascelle Gordon, Michael Bardon, Nat Birchall, Paul Hession, Alan Skidmore, Mark Wastell. Photo credit Sean Kelly

A sell-out crowd at Café OTO on Friday night witnessed what to my mind is one of the finest and most moving concerts I’ve seen in many a year.

Nat Birchall is a saxophonist and composer much better known in the north than in the south; he has been a key part of the Manchester jazz scene for over 20 years, having released his debut album in 1999. I have seen him perform on many occasions in that time, but last Friday night’s event at Café OTO was a sublime spiritual experience.

A sextet with a five-piece rhythm section might sound like a peculiar set-up, but this band have such an affinity with each other that the music flowed in a beautifully balanced way throughout the gig; Michael Bardon, Adam Fairhall and Paul Hession have all played with Birchall for many years, and this band knows what it means to perform as a cohesive and organic unit.

The gig opened with Elevation, the closing track on the Ensemble’s album New World, released in March this year, which set the tone for the evening with all six members of the band making exhilarating contributions. Adam Fairhall’s piano solo was followed by Wastell and Gordon exploring their variety of percussion pieces; Hession’s drums then joined in before the whole band brought the piece to a close. It was clear from the start that this was going to be an evening of highly spiritual music, and so it proved; imagine the spirit of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders transferred to the Peak District. This was deep, earthy music which held the audience spellbound.

The percussion element of the band, with Hession on drums, Gordon on small percussion and Wastell on tam-tam, gongs and other large percussion kept up an almost constant rhythm throughout, coupled with moments of delicacy which only augmented the overall performance.

For the start of the second set, the band were joined by 82-year old tenor player Alan Skidmore who was on fine form. Skid produced masterful solos on New World and Exaltation from the new album. Sadly, these were Skid’s only contributions to the performance due to ongoing health issues, but his soloing seemed to inspire the band to ever greater things, and these two pieces were the evening’s crowning glory.

After Skid’s departure, Bardon’s beautifully executed bass solo started the set’s third piece, Unity before the evening was brought to a close with a rousing rendition of Bill & Clifton Lee’s John Coltrane (what else?).

All in all, this was a mesmerising performance; I truly hope that Birchall gains the global recognition that he deserves.

Nat Birchall – tenor sax
Adam Fairhall – piano
Michael Bardon – bass
Paul Hession – drums
Lascelle Gordon – percussion
with
Mark Wastell – percussion
Alan Skidmore – tenor sax
 
Set 1:
New World
Kalaparusha Arha Difda
One For the Sun
Song to the Divine Mother
Set 2 :
New World
Exaltation
Unity
John Coltrane

LINK: Nat Birchall's website

 

Dreams Are Free: A Celebration of Bobby Wellins - UK Jazz News, 8 April 2024

Dreams Are Free: A Celebration of Bobby Wellins

University of Chichester's Showroom Theatre, 6 April 2024

(Review by Pete Woodman)

L-R: Mark Edwards, Mornington Lockett, Steve Watts, Spike Wells

This was so much more than a concert. It was a true celebration of the life and work of the great Bobby Wellins, with friends and family in attendance. The audience also included Adrian Kendon (from Bobby's Quartet) and multi-instrumentalist Chris Biscoe.

The evening commenced with Gary Barber's documentary Dreams Are Free, which is a beautifully crafted and detailed portrayal of the great tenor player. It shows Bobby going into great detail on his experiences throughout his career - from meeting players such as Bob Brookmeyer in New York, to a refreshing honesty about his experiences with drugs - all tinged with a light and self-deprecating humour.

In a 2018 London Jazz News interview, the film's director said "My camera operator/co-producer, Paul Dutnall, and I went over to Bobby's House with a camera and one light because we thought, let's just do a test, see what it's like filming in Bobby's living room. Three hours later and Bobby was still talking!". On the evidence of the film, listening to Bobby recount his experiences was as mesmerising as seeing him play live, which sadly I only managed on one occasion.

The second half of the evening was given over to a performance of a selection of Bobby's music by a quartet, all of whose members had plenty of experince working with the great man. Spike Wells (drums), Steve Watts (bass), Mark Edwards (piano) and Mornington Lockett (tenor sax) played a fine and varied set featuring such tunes as What's Happening, Aura and What Is The Truth?, winding up with Bobby's tribute to Clifford Brown, CUCB.

Spike Wells (top), Mornington Lockett (above)

The event was superbly staged by the University of Chichester's Show Room Theatre. I left having gained a significant insight into the life of one of the true greats of British Jazz and having experienced a great gig too!

LINK: Interview by Mike O'Brien with Gary Barber from 2018

All phots by Pete Woodman

Originally posted 8 April 2024

Sam Newbould Quintet - UK Tour 2023

Sam Newbould Quintet - UK Tour 2023

 

The Sam Newbould Quintet, winner of the Keep an Eye Records award 2019 and selected artists at the InJazz Showcase Festival 2021, will embark on a 7 date UK tour in September 2023. Following their sold out performance at the Vortex (London) in 2019 and their set at this year’s Love Supreme Festival, the band will return to the UK between 18th - 24th September. The tour will premiere brand new music written by Newbould in the build up to their third album recording, to be released in 2024.

This will be the first UK-wide tour for the band, with dates at major jazz venues across the country. The international lockdown due to coronavirus prevented the band from presenting their last album Bogus Notus (ZenneZ Records) to UK fans. With the lockdown lifted and a new album on the horizon, the tour is a chance to reconnect with their UK audience, family and friends.

The band features Sam Newbould (alto saxophone, compositions), Bernard van Rossum (tenor saxophone), Xavi Torres (piano), Guy Salamon (drums) and Jort Terwijn (bass).

DATES

18th September - Band on the Wall, Manchester
19th September - Jazz at the Spotted Dog, Birmingham
20th September - Jazz at HEART, Leeds
21st September - The Ropewalk, Hull
22nd September - The Bear Club, Luton
23rd September - The Vortex, London
24th September - Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham

Info and tickets available at www.samnewbould.com

SAM NEWBOULD

Dubbed an “archetypal jazz outsider” (Jazzwise Magazine), northern English saxophonist Sam Newbould has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices on the Dutch scene. His quintet draws together an international line-up of musicians from the UK, Spain, Israel and the Netherlands. Their latest album, Bogus Notus (ZenneZ Records 2021), mixes the melodic lyricism of jazz and folk with heavy danceable grooves and explosive improvisations. The album received international praise and was described as “compulsive listening” (All About Jazz). Based in Amsterdam, the quintet have been invited to perform at

BIMHUIS (Amsterdam), Vortex (UK), Lantaren Venster (Rotterdam) and A Love Supreme Festival (UK), amongst others.

www.zennezrecords.com

Originally posted on 10 August 2023

emuliJazz update 13 May 2023

 emuliJazz update

It's been a while since I last posted anything, but here is an update on what's been going on with me.

In January of this year I was appointed as a Director of the not-for-profit record label and book publisher Jazz in Britain, and things have been going pretty full-on ever since then.

I'm fulfilling a number of roles at JiB including all the design work. Recent releases and publications I've been involved in include the first release as a leader by British percussion maestro Trevor Tomkins, a forthcoming release to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of sax phenomenon Tubby Hayes, and a biography of composer and polymath Neil Ardley.

                                    

Another forthcoming project is a release by Trevor Watts' Original Drum Orchestra comprising performances from their 1989 UK tour, which I had the honour of designing and producing, and is set for release at the end of May.

And finally, as they say, following on from Jazz in Britain's publication of Barbara Thompson's autobiography Journey to a Destination Unknown in 2020, we are honoured to be releasing First Light, a CD of archive recordings which is being launched at a Memorial concert at London's Union Chapel on 2 June.

 

Originally posted 13 May 2023

 

emuliJazz podcast – playlist 2020-2022

emuliJazz podcast – playlist 2020-2022

The emuliJazz podcast ran for 23 episodes starting in October 2020; the final episode went live on 1 October 2022. Sadly, due to pressure of other commitments with Jazz in Britain, among others, I decided to call a halt, and the podcast is no longer available to download. However, if  anyone is interested in copies of any of the episodes, I have compiled a complete playlist below; please feel free to email me on contact@emuli.uk and I will send the episode(s) of your choice via WeTransfer.

​Podcast #1 - October 2020
1. Vuma Levin – His Imagined Histories (V. Levin)
2. Johnny Hunter Quintet – Overture (J. Hunter)
3. Keith Tippett – Thank You God for My Wife & Children (K. Tippett)
4. SFS – Unstable Cylindrical Structure (Simon H. Fell)
5. Tony Kofi – Another Kind of Soul (Nat Adderley)
6. Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra – War Orphans (Ornette Coleman)
7. Vuma Levin – The Maze (V. Levin)
8. Mike Westbrook – Outgoing Song (M. Westbrook)
 
Podcast #2 - November 2020
1. Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath – Mra (Dudu Pukwana)
2. Ben Crosland Quintet – Dead End Street (Ray Davies)
3. Nerija – Pinkham V (Shirley Tetteh)
4. Sol6 – And the World Might Bb After All (Luc X)
5. Gil Evans – Las Vegas Tango (G. Evans)
6. Gaz Hughes Sextet – Ping Pong (Wayne Shorter)
7. Enrico Rava – By the Sea (E. Rava)
8. Elton Dean – John’s Fragment (Alex Maguire)
 
Podcast #3 – Zoë Gilby interview - December 2020
1. Stuart McCallum – 7Point4Point1 (S. McCallum)
2. Sun Mi Hong Quintet – Thoughts To Be Spoken (Sun Mi Hong)
Zoë Gilby – Interview Part 1
3. Living in Shadows - For the Day (Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion)
4. Fergus McCreadie – The Black Burn (F. McCreadie)
Zoë Gilby – Interview Part 2
5. Living in Shadows - Sending Electricity (Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion)
6. Beats & Pieces Big Band – Hendo (Ben Cottrell)
 
Podcast #4 – European edition - January 2021
1. European Union Quartet – Licks ‘06 (Iman Spaargaren)
2. Baldo Martinez Grupo – Octubre, Otono en Galicia (B. Martínez)
3. Emile Parisien – Missing A Page (Joachim Kühn)
4. Leo Cuypers – Floris en Rosa (L. Cuypers)
5. Italian Instabile Orchestra – Ballata (Renato Geremia)
6. Laura Toxværd – ING [edit] (L. Toxværd)
7. Joost Lijbaart – Interstellar (J. Lijbaart)
8. Mal Bigatto Trio – Neves (Alessandro Garau)
9. Eve Risser White Desert Orchestra – Earth Skin Cut (E. Risser)
 
Podcast #5 – New Jazz and Improvised Music (NEWJAiM) Special - February 2021
1. Sun Mi Hong Quintet – Bumble Bees (Sun Mi Hong)
2. Arun Ghosh – After the Monsoon (A. Ghosh)
3. Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio – Reverence (Dennis Rollins, Ross Stanley, Pedro Segundo)
NEWJAiM interview part 1
4. Paul Taylor – Via III (P. Taylor)
NEWJAiM interview part 2
5. John Pope Quintet – Plato (J. Pope)
NEWJAiM interview part 3
6. Andy Champion & Graeme Wilson – Caröm (A. Champion, G. Wilson)
7. Frequency Disasters – Cosmic Blunders (Steve Beresford, Valentina Magaletti, Pierpaolo Martino)
8. Sam Newbould – Concrete Caterpillar (S. Newbould)
 
Podcast #6 – International Women’s day special edition - March 2021
1. ARQ – There Is a Crack in Everything (Alison Rayner)
2. Alcyona Mick & Tori Freestone – Mrs P.C. (Tori Freestone)
3. Helen Anahita Wilson – Neeleshwar (H. A. Wilson)
4. Kika Sprangers – Pelle (K. Sprangers)
5. Karen Sharp – Eronel (Thelonious Monk)
6. Ingrid & Christine Jensen – Old Time (Kenny Wheeler)
7. Annie Whitehead – Sanctimonious Funk (A. Whitehead)
8. Alina Bzhezhinska with Tony Kofi & Joel Prime – Alabama (John Coltrane)
9. Carla Bley – Sing Me Softly of The Blues (C. Bley)
 
Podcast #7 – Vuma Levin interview - April 2021
1. Abbie Finn Trio – Ginnungagap (Harry Keeble)
2. Fergus McCreadie Trio – Across Flatlands (F. McCreadie)
3. Stan Tracey – Matinee Days (S. Tracey)
Vuma Levin Interview part 1
4. Vuma Levin – Rebirth (V. Levin)
Vuma Levin Interview part 2
5. Vuma Levin – Antique Spoon (V. Levin)
Vuma Levin Interview part 3
6. Vuma Levin – Airport Terminal (V. Levin)
7. Louis Moholo Octet – You Ain’t Gonna Know Me Cos You Think You Know Me (Mongezi Feza)
 
Podcast #8 - May 2021
1. Eric Dolphy – The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks (E. Dolphy)
2. Sugarwork – Goodbye Hello (Graeme Stephen)
3. Jeff Williams’ Bloom – A Word Edgewise (Michael Formanek)
4. Lol Coxhill – Insensatez (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes)
5. Chris Bachelor’s Pigfoot – Pusherman (Curtis Mayfield)
6. Harry Miller Quintet – Flame Tree (H. Miller)
7. Martin Archer Anthropology Band – People Talking Blues (M. Archer)
8. Dreamtime – Call The Devil (Roberto Bellatalla)
 
Podcast #9 - June 2021
1. Alan Barnes +11 – Boogie Stop Shuffle (Charles Mingus)
2. Johnny Richards – The Moths (J. Richards)
3. Mike Walker – In Two Minds (John Ellis, Sylvan Richardson, Mike Walker, Myke Wilson)
4. Alexander Hawkins Trio – Sweet Duke (A. Hawkins)
5. S.O.S. - Goliath (Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, John Surman)
6. Laura Cole – Extinguish (L. Cole)
7. Ben Crosland Quintet – A ‘Lil Sark Funk (B. Crosland)
8. Télémaque – St. Elmo’s Fire [edit] (Joe McPhee, Paul Hession, John Pope)
9 The Wrong Object feat. Harry Beckett & Annie Whitehead – Tinseltown (H. Beckett)
 
Podcast #10 - July 2021
1. Dean Stockdale Trio – On the Sunny Side of the Street (Jimmy McHugh)
2. Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble – Spring In New York (G. Atzmon)
3. Dylan Howe – Some Are (David Bowie, Brian Eno arr. D. Howe)
4. Archipelago – Chemical (Faye MacCalman)
5. Hexagonal – Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit (McCoy Tyner)
6. SFQ – No.10.5.21 – Recording With Roger (Simon H. Fell)
7. Mike Gibbs – Five for England (M. Gibbs)
8. Dead Capo – Horn of Plenty (Javier Adán)
 
Podcast #11 - August 2021
1. Harry Keeble Quartet – The Sunken Forest (H. Keeble)
2. Dave Stapleton – Shimmers (D. Stapleton)
3. Byron Wallen – No Stars, No Moon (B. Wallen)
4. Donkey Monkey – Wonky Monkey Boogie (Carla Bley)
5. Soft Machine – Kings and Queens (Hugh Hopper)
6. Alan Skidmore Quintet – One On, One Off (John Warren)
7. Paradox Ensemble – Entanglement (Nick Walters)
8. Richard Iles – All Good Things (R. Iles)
 
Podcast #12 - September 2021
1. Mike Taylor Quartet – To Segovia (M. Taylor)
2. Not Now Charlie – Keep Your Eyes on The Prize (and your feet off the table) (Jamie Toms)
3. Melody Gardot – Bad News (M. Gardot)
4. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Controversy (Donald Harrison)
5. Alcyona – Monkey (Alcyona Mick)
6. Article XI – I Dreamed I Spat out A Bee (Anton Hunter)
7. Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath – The Serpent’s Kindly Eye (C. McGregor)
8. Sons of Kemet – All Will Surely Burn (Shabaka Hutchings)
 
Podcast #13 - October 2021
1. Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat – Sun Stones (E. Johnson)
2. Abdullah Ibrahim – Kippy (A. Ibrahim)
3. Art Themen’s New Directions – Autumn In New York (Vernon Duke)
4. Ornette Coleman & Prime Time feat. Jerry Garcia – Singing in the Shower (O. Coleman)
5. Corey Mwamba’s NTH – Situations (C. Mwamba)
6. Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra – Song for Che (C. Haden)
 
Podcast #14 – Marsden Jazz Festival special edition - November 2021
1. Shri Sriram & Dennis Rollins – Mind Run Free!! (S. Sriram & D. Rollins)
2. John Pope Quintet – The Right Hand Path (J.Pope)
3. Marcus Joseph – Lola’s Lullaby [Wavey Mix] (M. Joseph)
4. Sloth Racket – Dismantle Yourself (Cath Roberts)
5. Xhosa Cole Quartet – The Moontrane [Take #1] (Woody Shaw)
6. Zoë Gilby – In It Together (Zoë Gilby, Andy Champion, Mark Williams)
7. Rod Mason’s Elements – Alder Lea, Real Lead (R. Mason)
8. Ivo Neame – The Rise Of The Lizard People (I. Neame)
 
Podcast #15 – January 2022
1. Vuma Levin & Theo Duboule – His Imagined Histories (V. Levin)
2. Spike Heatley Trio with Art Themen – Pulling Strings (S. Heatley)
3. Neil Yates – When Starlings Capture the Sky (N. Yates)
4. Graeme Wilson – Turquoise (G. Wilson)
5. Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter – Roll Out the Barrel [Beer Barrel Polka] (Lew Brown, Wladimir Timm, Jaromir Vejvoda & Vasek Zeman)
6. Group Sounds Five – Celebrity Stomp (Ken McCarthy)
7. Metamorphic – Little Woman, Lonely Wing (Ornette Coleman, Jimi Hendrix, Laura Cole)
 
Podcast #16 – February 2022
1. Tony Kofi & The Organisation – Full House (Wes Montgomery)
2. Miles Davis – All Blues (M. Davis)
3. Blake Wilner – Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
4. Alexander Hawkins’ Mirror Canon – Stamped Down, or Shovelled (A. Hawkins)
5. Paul Edis – Muddle Through (P. Edis)
6. Yazz Ahmed – Ruby Bridges (Y. Ahmed)
7. Alina Bzhezhinska – Annoying Semitones (A. Bzhezhinska)
8. Ray Ellington Quartet – Stomp, Look & Listen (Duke Ellington)
 
Podcast #17 – March 2022
1. Dave Kane – Rip (for John Zorn) (D. Kane)
2. Julian Siegel Quartet – Pastorale (J.Siegel)
3. Andrew Hill – Flight 19 (A. Hill)
4. Alan Skidmore Quintet – Once Upon a Time (John Surman)
5. Dean McPhee – Smoke and Mirrors (D. McPhee)
6. The Blue Notes – Now (Chris McGregor)
7. Dee Byrne’s ‘Entropi’ – Interloper (D. Byrne)
8. Hugh Hopper – Miniluv Reprise (H. Hopper)
 
Podcast #18 – April 2022
1. Marquis Hill – New Gospel (M. Hill)
2. Under The Surface – Vrohta Endi Bivunga (Sanne Rambags, Bram Stadhouders)
3. Fergus McCreadie – Morning Moon (F. McCreadie)
4. Arun Ghosh – Hanji! (A. Ghosh)
5. Stomu Yamash’ta – One Way (S. Yamash’ta)
6. Alina Bzhezhinska – After The Rain (John Coltrane)
7. Black Sea Songs – Dereler (Trad arr. Sanem Kalfa, George Dumitriu, Joachim Badenhorst)
8. Charlie Haden LMO – War Orphans (Ornette Coleman)
 
Podcast #19 – May 2022
1. Mike Westbrook Concert Band – Waltz (for Joanna) (M. Westbrook)
2. Gilad Hekselman – Fast Moving Century (G. Hekselman)
3. Joy Ellis – Begin Again (J. Ellis)
4. The Project – Mad Max (Panagiotis Kotsiopoulos)
5. Something Else! - Rear Quarters (Mick Beck, Simon H. Fell, Paul Hession)
6. Floorkin – 19:53 Gdansk (Robin Forkin)
7. Sophia Domancich – Django (S. Domancich)
8. Abbie Finn Trio – Seven Steps to Heaven (Victor Feldman, Miles Davis)
 
 
Podcast #20 – June 2022
1. Nikki Iles, Duncan Hopkins & Anthony Michelli – Fly’s Dilemma (N. Iles)
2. Partikel – The Restless Children (Duncan Eagles)
3. Preston Glasgow Lowe – Fumes (David Preston, Kevin Glasgow, Laurie Lowe)
4. Hugh Pascall – Making Peace (H. Pascall)
5. Orchestre National de Jazz – Rangers in the Night (Robert Wyatt)
6. Roland Kirk Quartet – Once in A While (Michael Edwards, Bud Green)
7. Emily Francis Trio – 2 Bed Flat on Mars (Emily Francis, Trevor Boxall, Jamie Murray)
8. Mole – Albert (Dave Kane)
 
Podcast #21 – July 2022
1. McCoy Tyner – Passion Dance (M. Tyner)
2. Bourne Davis Kane – Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk)
3. Microscopic Septet – Second Avenue (Joel Forrester)
4. The Blue Notes – Ithi Gqi (Johnny Mbizo Dyani)
5. Zoe Rahman – Shiraz (Z. Rahman)
6. Elton Dean’s Ninesense – Seven For Me (E. Dean)
 
Podcast #22 – August 2022
1. Shabaka & The Ancestors – Joyous (arr. Shabaka Hutchings)
2. The Impossible Gentlemen – Dog Time (Mike Walker)
3. John Taylor Sextet – Interfusion (J. Taylor)
4. Johnny Hunter’s Pale Blue Dot – Endless Cruelties [edit] (J. Hunter)
5. Beats & Pieces Big Band – Let’s Dance (David Bowie arr. Ben Cottrell)
6. Dinosaur – Living, Breathing (Laura Jurd)
7. MUMPS – Amber (Albert Mangelsdorff, Stu Martin, Barre Philips, John Surman)
 
Podcast #23 – October 2022
1. Don Rendell-Ian Carr Quintet – Shades of Blue (Neil Ardley)
2. Shabaz Hussain & Helen Anahita Wilson – Azar (S. Hussain, H.A. Wilson)
3. Henry Lowther’s Quarternity – Zemlja (H. Lowther)
4. Ben Crosland – Peter the Wolf (B. Crosland)
5. Trevor Watts & Liam Genockey – Dedicated to Eric D. (T. Watts, L. Genockey)
6. Betty Acorssi Quartet – Lively House (B. Acorssi)
7. Elton Dean’s Ninesense – Nicrotto (E. Dean)
8. Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath – Union Special (C. McGregor)
 

Fergus McCreadie Trio at Sheffield Jazz, 3 September 2021

 Fergus McCreadie Trio

Sheffield Jazz, 3 September 2021

Fergus McCreadie’s award winning trio came to Crookes Social Club on Friday 3 September as part of the Sheffield Showcase event and put on a mesmerising show which delighted the sell-out crowd.

Opening with an extended version of the Satie-esque North from this year’s Edition Records release Cairn, the trio ably demonstrated why they have taken the jazz world by storm since the release of Turas in 2018.

From lilting melodies through brooding musical depictions of rugged landscapes and stormy

seas this performance was a bit of an emotional roller coaster with McCreadie leading at the piano, alternating between lyrical melodies and driving rhythms and ably supported by David Bowden on bass and Stephen Henderson on drums, both of whom contributed excellent solos throughout the 2 sets.

With tracks from both albums, including Across Flatlands, Jig, and the title track from Cairn, and Mull & The Old Harbour from Turas plus a couple of new tracks which gave an indication of the flavour of things to come, this was a performance which delivered power and beauty in equal measures and I’m sorry for anyone that missed it.

Needless to say the crowd called for an encore and the trio closed the evening with a delicately beautiful rendition of An Old Friend. I would have loved to have heard more, but as the old saying goes, all good things come to an end, and this was undoubtedly a very good thing.

All photos © Pete Woodman photography © emuliJazz 2021

Originally posted 5 September 2021

Keith Tippett & Matthew Bourne - 'Aeolian' review 31 August 2021

Keith Tippett & Matthew Bourne - 'Aeolian'

Discus Music - Discus 120CD/DL *****

Martin Archer's Discus Music continues its run of Keith Tippett releases with Aeolian, documenting Keith's collaboration with fellow pianist Matthew Bourne which started in 2017 and ran until Keith's untimely death last year.

Aeolian is a 2 disc set made up of both studio recordings and a live set from London's Union Chapel in October 2019 which proved to be Keith's final concert performance. Disc 1 was recorded over 2 days at Leeds Conservatoire and consists of 8 duo pieces, all named after winds from various parts of the world plus a short solo piece by Keith to close out part 1.

Etesians opens with a staccato flurry of notes and sets the tone for what proves to be an absorbing and immersing ride through everything from light zephyrs to howling gales and this continues throughout. Bise sees both Tippett and Bourne delving into the inner workings of their instruments; Bourne plucking and bending strings while Tippett modulates the sound of his instrument with his customary array of wood blocks and toys. Buran opens in imposing fashion with Tippett opting for a heavy left-hand presence. All is not doom and gloom though and there are many lighter touches and even the odd snatch of humour here and there. 

I did wonder whether I was wise listening to this recording on the morning that hurricane Ida made landfall in New Orleans, and listening to Bora confirmed my suspicions. The piece seemed to encapsulate what was happening in Louisiana. Threatening at the start, one could almost see the storm building on the horizon, followed by the devastation as the wind blasts through the city before finally continuing on its journey leaving behind scenes of carnage. In contrast Samoon opens with Tippett playing variations on the 1st movement of Beethoven's Moonlight sonata with Bourne improvising gentle melodies which increase in intensity before gradually subsiding as the storm abates and the opening theme returns.

The first disc closes with Something I Made Up, an exquisitely beautiful solo improvisation by Keith which restores calm after the intensity of all that has gone before.

The live recording on Disc 2 was the final performance from a series that had started almost 12 months earlier at Marsden Jazz Festival and I was privileged to be part of the team that officiated on the day. That gig was Keith's first in 11 months the pair gave a breathtaking performance on that occasion. A year on and it is remarkable how much the pair's musical relationship has developed. The unbelievable level of cohesion in this improvised performance is remarkable. Changes of mood occur in an instant with some passages having a playful, almost nursery rhyme quality. The levels of almost telepathic understanding are astounding and remind me very much of Keith's long standing collaboration with Stan Tracey. Sympatico / Trade Winds clocks in at just over 36 minutes - around the same as the Marsden performance - and marks the final moments of Keith's long and illustrious career as a live performer and it is fitting that this piece ends literally on a high note.

 Aeolian, which will be released on 1 October is a wonderful and fitting memorial to Tippett's genius as a performer, and highlights Matthew Bourne's talents as a secure keeper of the flame for the future. 

Keith Graham Tippetts (25 August 1947 – 14 June 2020)

 

Concert photographs by Pete Woodman photography © emuliJazz and were taken at Marsden Jazz Festival on Sunday 14 October 2018

Originally posted 31 August 2021