THE JAZZ RAG ISSUE 134 WINTER 2014 UK £3.25 CONTENTS COUNT BASIE (PAGES 20-21) WARNER JAZZ HAS REISSUED A PACKAGE OF FIVE CLASSIC ALBUMS BY THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA, INCLUDING THE ATOMIC MR. BASIE, SURELY THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BIG BAND ALBUM OF ITS ERA. CURRENT LEADER OF THE BASIE BAND, SCOTTY BARNHART, JOINS BRITISH JAZZMEN IN REFLECTING ON THIS GREAT MUSIC. 4 NEWS 5 UPCOMING EVENTS 7 JERRY BROWN: A PERSONAL REFLECTION 8 LADY SINGS THE BLUES 10 NEWPORT: NEVER PLAIN SAILING 12 BRIAN LEMON (1939-2014) SUBSCRIBE TO THE JAZZ RAG 14 2014 MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL THE NEXT SIX EDITIONS MAILED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR FOR ONLY 16 TIERNEY: FROM OMAHA TO PARIS £17.50* 18 BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS 2014 Simply send us your name. address and postcode along with your payment and we’ll commence the service from the next issue. 22 CD REVIEWS OTHER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: EU £20.50 USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA £24.50 29 LIVE REVIEWS Cheques / Postal orders payable to BIG BEAR MUSIC Please send to: 30 SWINGTIME FOR HITLER JAZZ RAG SUBSCRIPTIONS PO BOX 944 | Birmingham | England 32 BEGINNING TO CD LIGHT * to any UK address THE JAZZ RAG PO BOX 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT, England UPFRONT Tel: 0121454 7020 BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS RESULTS Fax: 0121 454 9996 Jazz Rag is delighted to announce the results of the 2014 British Jazz Awards: see Email: [email protected] pages 18-19. For nearly 30 years the awards have honoured the best in British jazz Web: www.jazzrag.com irrespective of fashion on the basis that class is permanent, fashion is temporary. Publisher / editor: Jim Simpson For this reason there is a certain similarity among the winners year on year, but News / features: Ron Simpson who would sensibly deny great musicians such as Mark Nightingale and Alan Reviews editor: Russell Fletcher Barnes their awards simply because they were already great musicians a decade or International editor: Yue Yang Commercial Director: Tim Jennings two back? However, it’s always pleasing to find new names among the award- Subscriptions & accounts: Russell Fletcher winners, especially when they are such fine musicians as Steve Waterman and Designed by Nerys James Soweto Kinch who have somehow missed out in the past. Printed by Warwick Printing www.warwickprinting.co.uk The individual and band winners of the Jazz Oscars and the trade awards for CDs are joined by a special award for Services to British Jazz, the only one nominated, © 2013 THE JAZZ RAG. All original material including advertising not voted for on-line and via Jazz Rag. This year we are delighted that the award artwork remains the sole copyright of the Publisher and may not be reproduced without permission goes to Paul Adams, the inventive and indefatigable boss of Lake Records. 2 THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG 3 NEWS NEWS/UPCOMING EVENTS Larry Goldings WATERMILL JAZZ BRISTOL PROGRAMME Dr. John Gilad Atzmon Watermill Jazz at the Friends Life ANNOUNCED Social Club in Dorking takes a The third Bristol Jazz & Blues rest in December except for the Festival (March 6-8) has just monthly Jam Session (7) on the announced a full and exciting first Sunday afternoon of every event in the Colston Hall, with month, except for January - the two main concert spaces: the second Sunday (11). The main Main Hall and the Lantern, plus Thursday club re-opens on the foyer. Between Friday evening January 8 with an early and the two following afternoons celebration of Billie Holiday’s and evenings, the Lantern hosts centenary: the Billie Holiday ten events and the Main Hall Songbook with Gwyneth eight. Of especial interest is the Herbert and the Buck Clayton presence of Ricky Riccardi, Legacy Band, led by Alyn Shipton, Curator of the Louis Armstrong with such luminaries as Matthias Museum in Queens, New York. RONNIE’S AT from two or three other bands Seuffert and Alan Barnes in the Ricky begins Saturday in the (in this case, the John Maddocks line-up. The Allison Neale Lantern with a talk on Louis and CHRISTMAS Jazzmen ad Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Quartet (15), Larry also spends two weeks in Bristol, What with Main Shows, Late Late Giants) and Denise’s own band Goldings/Peter Bernstein/Bill visiting local schools. Louis Shows, Lunch Shows and bands in with guest clarinettist (Ron Stewart (22) and Dylan Howe’s Armstrong is also honoured in a Ronnie’s Bar, the festive Drake). April brings the Mercure Subterraneans with the Music of Sunday afternoon concert, with a programme at London’s Ronnie Albrighton Hall Hotel & Spa, David Bowie (29) follow. 17-piece big band and New Scott’s Club is so crowded that a Shrewsbury (17-29, with the February starts with another Orleanians Lillian Boutte, Evan few highlights must suffice. In Grenfell Band again, the Phoenix anniversary celebration - Tubby Christopher and Don Vappie, residence most nights from Jazzmen, Annie Hawkins’ Jazzmen Hayes’s 80th - with a quintet featuring big band scores last December 15 to 30 are Ray and Denise and Tony as a duo) headed by Simon Spillett and played by Armstrong in 1947. Gelato’s Giants and they are and May takes them to the Bobby Wellins (5). After Jo Fooks Among other attractions are Ray joined by Georgie Fame and the Mercure Castle Hotel, Windsor Quartet (12) and Laura Jurd’s Gelato and his Giants, the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars for a (1-4, Dart Valley Stompers, Laurie Chaos Orchestra (19), Danish Bruce/Ilett Big Band, the Andy Black Tie New Year’s Eve Party. Chescoe’s Reunion Band and singer/songwriter/saxophonist Sheppard Quartet, Django a la On December 26 and 27, the Ron Drake joining the Lawrence Mads Mathias (26) completes the Creole with Evan Christopher, (18), Art Themen (19), Bill (23) and the Syd Lawrence Wakefield Jazz’s Christmas Friday night jazz gig features Giants take a break and Liane band) - and seven more February programme. Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, the Posters Will Be Band, with hints Orchestra (30), among others, celebration takes place on Curtis Stigers (February 6). Carroll’s Christmas Carol! is the weekends to come in 2015! Tel.: 07415 815784 Huey Morgan and Pee Ellis Funk of Spike Jones (21/28) and Peter whilst Stage 2 hosts Joanna Eden December 12 at Wakefield Tel.: 023 8061 3989 main show. Christmas Cabaret Tel.: 01189 690625 www.watermilljazz.co.uk Assembly, and Dr. John. Miles and the Duncan Lamont (23) and a resumption of Live Sports Club, with the Steve www.theconcordeclub.com Lunches are the order of the day www.jazzbreaks.com Tel.: 0844 887 1500 Quartet (23). Jazz Matters with pianist Tim Melling Trio joined by Dick and the late sessions feature such KING PLEASURE AND www.bristoljazzandbluesfestival.co.uk Tel.: 020 8876 5241 Richards (25 - 11.30 am). Pearce and singer Esther Miller. Southport Melodic Jazz, warming bands as the Brandon Allen CHANGE OF VENUE www.thebullshead.com Tel.: 01908 280800 Tel.: 01977 680542 up for Jazz on a Winter’s Quartet (10/17), the Femi THE BISCUIT BOYS DECEMBER IN BARNES www.stables.org www.wakefieldjazz.org Weekend on February 2-5, have a Temowo Quartet (12/13) and AT STAFFORD splendid Christmas Special at the King Pleasure and the Biscuit The Bull’s Head in Barnes has a MORE ELASTIC AT THE Fletch’s Brew (5/6/19/20). Into Stafford Jazz Society’s Sunday Now celebrating ten years of Lady Sings the Blues, Val Wiseman’s Royal Clifton Hotel on Boys are due to spend New nightly music programme, with the New Year, January’s Main lunch-time sessions continue at HALF MOON presenting weekly jazz in Billie Holiday show, kicks off its December 14. Alan Barnes leads Year’s Eve at the Musician, varied jazz events figuring largely. Shows include NYJO (5-7), Stafford Rangers Social Club on Dick Laurie has been kind Wilmslow, Graham Brook has a 2015 tour celebrating Billie’s an all-star octet for the premiere Leicester. Other public gigs in In December the jazz and jazz-ish Carleen Anderson (8-10), Booker December 7 with Martin enough to give Jazz Rag (and, nicely varied programme of 100th at Durham’s Gala Theatre of his new suite based on Charles December include Greystones, acts includes Chris Ingham with T. Jones (14-17), Larry Bennett’s Swamplanders. doubtless, everyone else) a stop Tuesday Jazz and Swing at the on March 27. Further dates Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in the Sheffield (12) and Norwich Arts his ‘Hoagy’ Quartet (4), Sara Goldings/Peter Bernstein/Bill However, the following week’s press exclusive news story. The Wilmslow Conservative Club. arranged so far include the New afternoon, followed by Christmas Centre (13). January 2015 takes Spade & the Noisy Boys, vintage Stewart (19/20) and the Harold Christmas Special sees a move to Elastic Band is booked in to the Rather mysteriously December 2 Vic at Newcastle-under-Lyme Dinner accompanied by Harry the band to Artrix, Bromsgrove acoustic swing with ukulele to Mabern Trio (21). The Sunday Stafford’s White Eagle Polish Half Moon, Putney, for 24 gigs in features Howard Murray and the (April 27) and the Winter Hussey’s accordion and a trio (3), the Tivoli, Wimborne (16), the fore (7), Zeeteah Messiah, lunch-time sessions feature such Club, a move that continues with 2015, the first and third Sundays Masked Jazzman with the Tom Gardens, Ventnor, IOW (May 3). performance with Alan joined by Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham jazz/blues/reggae/pop singer (12), bands as the Jive Aces (18) and the 2015 concerts. Featuring on of the month.