THE JAZZ RAG ISSUE 145 WINTER/SPRING 2017 UK £3.25 INTAKT AT THE VORTEX Photo by Stefan Postius CONTENTS INTAKT RECORDS (PAGE 13) IVORIAN ALY KEITA, MASTER OF THE BALAFON, IS AMONG THE STARS PERFORMING AT INTAKT RECORDS’ FESTIVAL AT THE VORTEX, LONDON. 4 NEWS 7 UPCOMING EVENTS 9 NAT HENTOFF THE GREAT JAZZ WRITER REMEMBERED 10 JAZZ CENTRE UK DIGBY FAIRWEATHER INTRODUCES A MAJOR NEW PROJECT 12 LAST OF THE GUNSLINGERS? SIMON SPILLETT STIRS UP DEBATE 14 ELLA AT 100 SUBSCRIBE TO THE JAZZ RAG SCOTT YANOW ON A NOTABLE CENTENARY THE NEXT SIX EDITIONS MAILED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR FOR ONLY £17.50* 16 JAZZ RAG CHARTS CDS AND BOOKS Simply send us your name. address and postcode along with your payment and we’ll commence the service from the next issue. 18 JAZZ FESTIVALS MARCH-JUNE OTHER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: EU £24 USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA £27 21 SOUTHPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL REVIEW Cheques / Postal orders payable to BIG BEAR MUSIC Please send to: 22 CD REVIEWS JAZZ RAG SUBSCRIPTIONS PO BOX 944 | Birmingham | England 31 BOOK REVIEW To pay by debit/credit card, visit www.paypal.me/bigbearmusic and enter the correct amount for your subscription 32 BEGINNING TO CD LIGHT * to any UK address THE JAZZ RAG PO BOX 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT, England UPFRONT Tel: 0121454 7020 33 – AND COUNTING! Fax: 0121 454 9996 The listing of jazz festivals on pages 18-20 suggests a very healthy scene – and, to an Email: [email protected] extent, that is the case -, but doesn’t hint at the hard work, determination and Web: www.jazzrag.com enterprise needed to keep a jazz festival in operation over many years. Having put together 33 Birmingham Jazz Festivals – it has operated under slightly different names Publisher / editor: Jim Simpson at different times, now Birmingham and Solihull Jazz Festival –, Big Bear Music has News / features: Ron Simpson decided it’s time for a celebration concert. Reviews editor: Nick Hart International editor: Yue Yang Why 33? No particular reason, except that the scale of the achievement has suddenly Commercial Director: Tim Jennings dawned. The number of bands and musicians employed, the visitors and revenue Subscriptions & accounts: Nick Hart brought into the city, defies calculation, so let’s stay with one of the simpler sums: the Designed by Nerys James number of gigs at Birmingham festivals comfortably exceeds 6,000! Printed by Warwick Printing www.warwickprinting.co.uk Now there’s a chance to celebrate in the company of festival favourites Tipitina and King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys at the Holiday Inn, Hill Street, Birmingham on © 2016 THE JAZZ RAG. All original material including advertising May 25. artwork remains the sole copyright of the Publisher and may not be reproduced without permission Tickets: 0121 454 7020 email [email protected] 2 THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG 3 NEWS NEWS JAZZ AT THE band has been assembled, RONNIE’S JAZZ MARDI GRAS ON THE Museum and Art Gallery, Preston the Jim Marshall Auditorium or CONCORDE including Enrico Tomasso, Alan Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club’s NORTH SEA (March 8) or Summerseat Stage 2 include Joy Shenoy’s Barnes, Simon Spillett and Ian Garden Centre (April 21). organ quartet Draw by Four Jazz nights at Eastleigh’s programme takes in not only the P&O Ferries Mardi Gras Bateman. www.poferries.com (March 7), the FB Pocket Concorde Club are normally evening sessions in the main club Minicruise sails out of Hull on Orchestra (22), the Temperance Wednesday and Sunday, with the room, but Upstairs gigs and March 31, allows a whole day for Bands on Sundays include the Seven on their Diamond Dave Lewin Trio also playing the Sunday lunch-time jazz. Among visiting Amsterdam and returns STABLES JAZZ usual selection of top traditional the many top attractions for the Anniversary Tour (April 13), Moldy Fig wine bar every Friday. from Rotterdam to Hull on April Monthly Sunday morning jazz bands, with the Savannah Jazz main club in March are the Kenny Wednesday Jazz Nights in March 2. A packed line-up of New performances in the Mancini Solstice (May 2), the Dutch Swing Band making the pilgrimage from Garrett Quintet (7-10), London feature Ray Gelato’s Enforcers Orleans-style and rhythm and Forum at the Stables, Wavendon, College Band (13) and Courtney Yorkshire on March 5 and the Supersax (Alex Garnett, Nigel (1), Marlene VerPlanck (8), Pete blues bands and musicians continue with the Mark Crooks Pine with Omar (18). An John Maddocks Jazzmen doubling Hitchcock, etc.) celebrating the Long’s re-creation of Benny consists of The Revolutionaires, Quartet: Kings of Clarinet (March interesting addition to the jazz up on March 12 and April 9. Jazz genius of Charlie Parker (11), a Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall Dale Storr, Brass Volcanoes, Dom 19). On April 23 there is a change scene – and an equally interesting and jazz-related events outside double bill of Tim Garland and concert (22) and the Ben Waters Pipkin, Paddy Milner’s Londonola of programme, with Tina May comparison with the Mark the Wednesday-Sunday evenings Julian Arguelles (18) and the Quartet (29). The future and Tipitina. replacing Poly Gibbons and Crooks gig – is the appearance of schedule include the Mayor and Wallace Roney Quintet (20-21). programme includes the Scott appearing with James Pearson award-winning classical Mayoress of Eastleigh hosting an April brings, among many others, Hamilton Quartet (John Pearce, TRIBUTE TO BOBBY Fans of Tipitina looking to hear and they are followed by the Jay clarinettist Emma Johnson with evening of Swinging at the Cotton Alan Broadbent and Georgia Dave Green, Steve Brown) on Highlight of Watermill Jazz’s programme at Betchworth Park Golf them nearer their home base can Phelps Quartet (May 21). Jazz pianist John Lenehan and Club (March 11), Mother’s Day Mancio (3) starting off a Club is a Tribute to Bobby Wellins on April 4. The first half of the make their way to the Harris and jazz-related evening events in drummer Paul Clarvis in Clarinet April 12, but a major highlight Lunch with GOJO (Girls Only succession of big names such as comes on April 19 with 60 Years Jazz Orchestra (March 26) and evening will be a showing of Gary Barber’s documentary about Bobby and in the second half Bobby’s trio on four albums, Mark Benny Golson (10-11), Joey De of Jazz at the Concorde, the Snake Davis Band with Francesco (12-13), Eliane Elias celebrating the music of the many Classic Sax Solos (April 7). Edwards, Andrew Cleyndert and Spike Wells, is joined by tenor saxist Josephine Davies. Also on the Watermill programme are two (19-21), Nicholas Payton (25-26) great artists who have played the Tel.: 023 8061 3989 and Lionel Loueke (30). Sunday www.theconcordeclub.com American pianists, Bob Dorough (March 21) and Patricia Barber club during its remarkable lunch-times feature artists of the history. A wonderful 11-piece (April 11). Jim Hart’s Cloudmakers Trio (March 7), the David Newton Trio (14), Jasper Holby’s Fellow Creatures (28) and the calibre of Elaine Delmar (9) and a special double concert (16) – 55 YEARS ON FROG ISLAND Scott Hamilton Quartet (April 18) complete the programme before a one week’s closure on April 25. both lunch-time and evening – of The longevity of some of our best regional traditional jazz bands is Tel.: 07415 815784 the Humphrey Lyttelton Band a constant source of amazement. Latest to clock up a memorable www.watermilljazz.co.uk with guest compere Barry Cryer. anniversary is the Essex-based Frog Island Jazz Band, 55 years of Tel.: 020 7439 0747 playing jazz. What is particularly striking is the stability of the line-up GATSBY AT THE SHEFFIELD JAZZ www.ronniescotts.co.uk over such a long time. Rob Fullalove, brass bass and band manager, Sheffield Jazz’s Friday evening attributes it to the fact that they are all friends. He is one of two GRAND SERIOUS DATES founder members still playing with the band, John Whitehead On April 1 in Wolverhampton it’s concerts are now normally at Serious is bringing two major jazz (cornet) being the other. In addition Chris Marchant has been on the Grand Theatre’s Great Crookes Social Club to the artists to the Barbican. On May drums since 1965 and pianist Keith Durston claims not to Gatsby Night. It’s billed as a party South of the city. The Tom 31 Madeleine Peyroux returns remember when he joined, but knows it was over 45 years ago! Jim night with music from the Harrison Quintet appears on for an additional concert to her Hurd (clarinet) and Brian Lawrence (banjo) are also established Charleston and Black Bottom March 10, followed by the recent tour, this time with John Frog Islanders and John Jeanes joined in 2008, having initially started through the classic songs of the Sirkis/Bialas International Etheridge in support, then on playing revivalist trombone in 1955 and having taken a 40-year 1930s to jazz and swing. Michael Quartet (17) and the Tony Kofi June 24 it’s the turn of the Chick sabbatical. Law’s Piccadilly Dance Orchestra Quartet (31). After an Easter Corea Elektric Band, with Eric and the Gatsby Girls head the bill break the season’s programme Marienthal, Frank Gambale, John The band features classic New Orleans jazz, citing such bands as and audiences are encouraged to concludes with the Hannes Patitucci and Dave Weckl. Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers, Papa Celestin’s Tuxedo Jazz play their part by donning Riepler 4 featuring Chris Cheek Peyroux and Etheridge can also Band and Johnny Dodds’ Blackbottom Stompers as influences, with ‘Gatsby dress’.