Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City the First Herts Jazz Festival an Introduction by Simon Spillett
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JazzFestivalHerts 2011 Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City The First Herts Jazz Festival An Introduction by Simon Spillett There was a time when the words Jazz Festival ensured the paying public a variously by the ubiquitous Dave Newton, ascendant star Leon Greening bill studded with celebrated musicians whose contributions had both and, making a welcome return to the fold, the former wunderkind of the shaped and consolidated the art form. Yet nowadays with more and more 1980s’ British Jazz boom, Jason Rebello. major festivals relying on artists whose reputations have been built outside For saxophone fans, the appearance of the legendary Peter King and the idiom, and who are at best what might be termed fringe associates, it is Alan Skidmore, offering a tribute to drum icon Elvin Jones, is a must, especially refreshing to find that the first Herts Jazz Festival contains a and there is also the added fun of witnessing the hyperactive dash of roster of artists whose very names guarantee a glorious celebration of the Alan Barnes as he darts from band to band across the festival, pausing music’s core values. to present an engaging duo with long-time collaborator Dave Newton. As befits an event born out of the recent success of the revived Herts Jazz Finally the vocal touch is provided by Trudy Kerr, without doubt Club, the emphasis is on what might be termed, with total accuracy, the one of the most accomplished singers to grace our shores. Best of British, and across the 15 different performances and Alongside the group leaders, well-known British jazz names such as Tony masterclasses, there is the welcome opportunity to hear the work of Kofi, Dave O’Higgins, Tim Garland, Simon Allen, Mark Nightingale, Art several generations of the UK jazz community. Themen, Dick Pearce, Mornington Lockett, Andrew Cleyndert and Henry The diversity and breadth of the programme is notable, containing Lowther will all feature, and with an assembly of talent as rich as this it everything from solo recitals to big bands. The former is represented by the would come as no surprise if the festivals success is already guaranteed. immaculate Martin Taylor, arguably the world’s finest exponent of the guitar Mark Fletcher, a Ronnie Scott’s regular, offers an invitation to a workshop soliloquy, whereas the big bands include Pete Long’s Echoes of Ellington, surely mandatory for drummers of all stripes and Trudy Kerr provides her with its whistle-stop exploration of the legacy of one of the most prolific of insights into the world of jazz singing. all jazz composers, and, taking a more contemporary route, an all-star Finally, the Hertfordshire Youth Jazz Ensemble, a band already orchestra led by Don Weller, making a rare outing as the festival’s finale. accomplished enough to have collaborated with Stan and Clark Tracey, will In between, the mid-sized groups of Stan Tracey, Steve Waterman and provide energetic confirmation that the future of jazz is alive, well and Arnie Somogyi (the latter celebrating the music of Charles Mingus) pack prospering. their own punch, and there are three very differing piano trio sets, led In the Theatre In the Studio Day Time Act Per concert price Day Time Act Per concert price Admission | Herts Jazz Members | Students Admission | Herts Jazz Members | Students Friday 8.30pm Echoes of Ellington £18 | £15 | £8 Saturday 11am Mark Fletcher: £10 | £7 | £4 Drum Workshop Saturday 11am Jason Rebello Trio £13.50 | £11.50 | £5 Saturday 1pm Herts Youth Free entry for all Jazz Ensemble Saturday 2.30pm Martin Taylor £18 | £15 | £8 Saturday 4.30pm Alan Barnes/ £10 | £8 | £5 Saturday 6pm Alan Skidmore/Peter King £13.50 | £11.50 | £5 Dave Newton Tribute to Elvin Jones Saturday 8pm Leon Greening Trio £10 | £8 | £5 Saturday 9.30pm Stan Tracey Octet £18 | £15 | £8 Saturday 11.30pm Jam session with All tickets £5 Leon Greening Trio Sunday 11am Steve Waterman £13.50 | £11.50 | £5 Septet Sunday 11am Trudy Kerr: £10 | £7 | £4 Sunday 2.30pm Arnie Somogyi’s £13.50 | £11.50 | £5 Vocal Workshop Scenes In The City Sunday 1pm Trudy Kerr and Trio £10 | £8 | £5 Sunday 6.30pm Tim Garland’s £13.50 | £11.50 | £5 Lighthouse Project Sunday 4.30pm Dave Newton Trio £10 | £8 | £5 Sunday 9pm Don Weller Big Band £18 | £15 | £8 Echoes of Ellington Alan Skidmore & Peter King – Tribute to Elvin Jones Led by clarinettist and saxophonist Pete Long, this is the number one big band in the Alan Skidmore is the UK’s acknowledged master of the musical legacy of the UK dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington. The band recreate the sounds of Duke jazz giant John Coltrane; likewise, Peter King of the immortal music of Ellington's Orchestra in fine detail and were the first call for the Birmingham Royal Charlie Parker. King and ‘Skid’ have toured and recorded at the top level in Ballet's tour of The Nutcracker Suite as arranged by Ellington. For this event they will jazz for decades, performing with the biggest names from around the world uniquely be presenting the complete concert performance of possibly Ellington's most including Elvin Jones (Coltrane's drummer throughout the 1960s), the famous show – The Newport Suite. Watch out for surprise guest appearances subject of tonight's performance. Two unparalleled forces of the saxophone, from stars from the Festival weekend. powered by a superb trio. Jason Rebello Trio Receiving an award for Most Promising Newcomer of the Year in 1988, Jason has lived up to all expectations, releasing his debut album in 1990, produced by Wayne Shorter, to worldwide acclaim. The next ten years saw Jason working alongside Shorter, Branford Marsalis and Gary Burton as well as classical performances with the Nice Symphony Orchestra and the Hallé Orchestra. In 1999 Jason joined Sting and toured the globe for two years. More recently collaborating with Jeff Beck, Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, he has been termed ‘probably the finest young jazz musician this country has produced’. Martin Taylor Stan Tracey Octet The award winning guitarist has established a unique musical career Stan Tracey CBE is an outstanding figure in the jazz as an internationally acclaimed musician, and his inimitable style has world. His distinguished career has almost seven seen him recognised as the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz decades of flourishing creativity. He has been a guitar playing. As well as being a true guitar innovator, Martin Taylor highly influential and stimulating musical voice, not MBE is also a master concert performer, dazzling audiences with his only to his peers but to each successive generation solo shows, which combine virtuosity, emotion, humour, with a strong of musicians with whom he has worked, including stage presence. He has also collaborated with musicians from many the members of his Octet. A master of harmony, different musical genres including, Stephane Grappelli, Bill Wyman, he possesses a potent and compelling George Harrison, Dionne Warwick and Sacha Distel. He spends much of improviser’s intellect. Through Stan Tracey’s the year travelling the world, playing in concert halls in Europe, North unflinching commitment and dedication has America, Japan, Asia, and Australasia as well as presiding over the emerged a very rare artist who has sustained an output of highly uniquely innovative Martin Taylor Guitar Academy online. exceptional music throughout his career. JazzFestivalBiographies Steve Waterman Septet Steve studied at Trinity College of Music, and has since worked regularly on the British and European jazz scene as well as recording five critically acclaimed CDs under his own name. He has also co-written, with John O’Neil, a highly acclaimed book, The Jazz Method for Trumpet and endorses his own range of trumpets for the company Geneva. As well as teaching at the RNCM, he is professor of Jazz Trumpet at Trinity College of Music and visiting Jazz Trumpet specialist at The Welsh College of Music. A gifted musician and composer, he has been associated with the likes of Mal Waldron, John Surman, Carla Bley and Victor Mendoza. Arnie Somogyi's Scenes In The City Don Weller Big Band Arnie is one of this country's leading bassists with a To close our first Herts Jazz Festival, we simply had to have the long track record of outstanding musical legendary Don Weller leading his sensational big band. Borne collaborations as a bandleader as well as a sideman. from the now legendary Appleby Jazz Festival, this is a line-up Drawing its repertoire from the music of the great jazz of world class musicians, playing music from the highly composer and bassist Charles Mingus, the band idiosyncratic pen of Don Weller, a giant on the tenor embodies the freedom of interpretation and drive that characterise the music saxophone in his own right. Don has graced the scene for of one of the most important and colourful figures in jazz. Expect to hear many years performing with the likes of Stan Tracey, Alan lesser known Mingus compositions as well as familiar favourites such as Price and the Gil Evans Orchestra, appearing on TV and on ‘Boogie Stop Shuffle’, ‘Fables of Faubus’ and ‘Better Get Hit in Your Soul’. film and leading his own groups for over 30 years. Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Project The latest version of the Lighthouse Project is a quartet featuring Mike Hertfordshire Youth Jazz Ensemble Outram on guitar, Pat Bettison on bass and harmonica, and continues an An impressive line-up of budding talent from Hertfordshire, HYJE works both in full and evolutionary partnership with Asaf Sirkis who brings the same customised kit small ensembles, exploring the many sides of jazz including Rock and more Contemporary including Hang Drum and Udu for this band.