This season of STV’s “The Jazz Show” was the first to be hosted by Ronnie Scott, his quartet, and his jokes. It’s also the only one to have six, rather than five, episodes. There are lots of big names in this one.
Series Three
Date: Summer 1980 Host: Ronnie Scott House band: Ronnie Scott Quartet
While there aren’t as many big names there, it’s a great chance to see some of leading Scottish talent of the day, particularly those like Jimmy Feighan and Gordon Cruickshank (seen playing tenor in Head) who are sadly no longer with us.
One gig I forgot to mention in my last article was Carol Kidd and Todd Gordon’s Christmas Concert, which is on at the Old Fruitmarket tomorrow, Sunday 12th December. They’ll be singing a selection of Christmas songs, plus several associated with Frank Sinatra, who was born 95 years ago tomorrow.
There’s no word on who will be in their band, but close harmony group the Swingcats are the support band.
The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £20.
Carol Kidd
(With Paul Harrison, Nigel Clark, Alyn Cosker, and a bass player who I recognise but whose name escapes me at the moment).
Todd Gordon
(David Patrick on piano, Calum Gourlay on bass, Paul Booth on saxophone (I think), but who’s the drummer?)
The Swingcats
(Karen MacIver piano, Ed MacFarlane bass, Stuart Brown drums)
For a variety of reasons I’m unlikely to be able to post much for the rest of the month. In the meantime, I thought I’d simply flag up a few things that you might have missed over the last few weeks.
Press Round-up
There have been some jazz interviews and other articles in the Herald:
An interview with Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, saxophonist John Fleming. I hadn’t realised that he’s baritone player Bill Fleming’s brother.
A review of Robin D G Kelley’s biography of Thelonious Monk. The book has been getting consistently excellent write-ups, of which this is one. If you think the current price is a bit high, even with some of the online discounts which are available, there’s apparently a paperback edition due out towards the end of the year. You know what you can get me for Christmas.
Last month saw the death at the age of 81 of the Chicago saxophonist and club owner Fred Anderson, a key figure on the American free jazz scene. One of the early members of the AACM, he chose to stay in Chicago while contemporaries like the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Anthony Braxton moved away to find what passes for fame and fortune in the jazz world. Anderson was involved in running several venues, eventually ending up owning a club called The Velvet Lounge, which became one of the main venues for avant-garde jazz in the city. As one of his colleagues put it, “a lot of musicians, if they couldn’t play there, they might not play at all.” But like Ronnie Scott in London, his success as a club owner shouldn’t overshadow the fact that he was a very fine player.
The best obituary I’ve seen of him is the one in the Chicago Tribune, although he got a fairly full tribute in the Guardian too.
Anderson has an odd discography, in that he recorded a bit in the 60s, then released little or nothing until the 1990s. But there’s plenty of him on YouTube. Here he is with one of his regular partners, drummer Hamid Drake, and bass player Jaribu Shahid.
The 3rd Fife Jazz Festival is on this weekend in venues across Fife. The festival presents a wide range of styles of jazz, from traditional jazz to contemporary trios via an assortment of big bands. Some of the highlights are:
Norrbotten Big Band with Peter Erskine. The renowned American drummer with what is apparently a very fine big band. Dunfermline on Friday, St Andrews on Saturday.
The Swedish trio of Fredrik Nordström (tenor), Palle Danielsson (bass) and Fredrik Lindqvist (drums). They’re all very fine players individually, and I reckon this could be very good indeed. St Andrews, Friday.
Colin Steele’s Stramash. Folk-jazz fusion. Also in St Andrews on Friday.
Acker Bilk. Glenrothes, Friday.
Swing 2010 with Brian Kellock. Django lives! In fact, he turned 100 last month. Strathmiglo, Saturday
Carol Kidd. Kirkcaldy, Saturday.
Angie King and Bruce Adams. Charlestown, Sunday.
Local musicians who are appearing include Calum Gourlay, Jonathan Cairney, the Fife Jazz and Youth Jazz Orchestras, and the New Columbians. The full programme, plus details of venues, times and prices, can be found on the Fife Jazz Festival web site. The Scotsman has an article about The New Columbians online which goes on to preview the festival in general.
