Past Events
Sunday 31 January CLARK TRACEY'S tribute to ART BLAKEY Sunday 24 January MATT WATES QUARTET featuring BUCKY PIZZARELLI Sunday 17 January DYLAN FOWLER GROUP Sunday 10 January JIM BLOMFIELD QUARTET Sunday and Monday 20 & 21 December SHEPPARD's DELIGHT £8.50 / £8 Sunday 13 December NIGEL THOMAS QUINTET £5.50 / £5 Sunday 6 December WILL VINSON GROUP £4 / £3.50 Sunday 31 January CLARK TRACEY'S tribute to ART BLAKEY £10 / £9
At the Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Rd, Bedminster, a fund-raiser for the Music Space Trust.
Jean Toussaint (Tenor Sax), Guy Barker (Trumpet), Andy Panayi (Alto Sax), John Donaldson (Piano), Dave Green (Bass), Clark Tracey (Drums).
As the first of a series of special gigs to celebrate 15 years of Jazz at the Albert we present this special tribute by Clark to one of his heroes, the great Art Blakey. Clark phoned to offer me the chance to put this gig on at the Albert, but the size of band, fee and limited capacity at the Albert initially made me shy away. But after the successful benefit evening last year at the Tobacco Factory I am going to put the gig on there. It will allow us more room to maximise the whole event, to show just how potentially good this venue could be and raise some funds for the Music Space Trust. Apart from his incredible personal CV which includes Johnny Griffin, Jackie McClean, Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Sonny Rollins and Monk, Parker and Davis, he is probably best remembered for his own band/s that collectively were known as the JAZZ MESSENGERS. Apart from launching many of the aforementioned on to their own careers, it became one of the cornerstones of the Jazz tradition, regardless of its ever changing personnel. This was solely due to Blakey himself with ever enthusiastic and energetic playing.
The personnel in tonight's band are all top drawer, with the special link to Blakey being Jean Toussaint a former alumni. We will be selling tickets in advance for this one but they will not go on sale until Sunday January the 10th.
Sunday 24 January MATT WATES QUARTET featuring BUCKY PIZZARELLI £5.50 / £5
Matt Wates (Alto Sax), John Colianni (Piano), Bucky Pizzarelli (Guitar), Phil Flanagan (Bass).
Matt Wates is a rising star of the Alto saxophone, who already has two albums to his name. A composer as well as performer, he has been playing in and around London for some years with the likes of Paz, Itchy Fingers, Roadside Picnic and Sax Appeal as well as with Don Weller and Humphrey Littleton and performed with the National Jazz Youth Orchestra. This quartet has been formed to work with two Americans who Matt has come to know, Bucky and John. John Colianni was Mel Torme's musical director for many years following an association with Lionel Hampton previously. Bucky is the elder statesman of US guitar players, now in his 73rd year. He, like George Van Eps plays seven-string guitar. Self taught he progressed so quickly that professional work soon came in the form of session work with NBC recording studios, working on many albums of the good and great. He often toured with Vaughan Munroe and later moved to ABC studios as a member of Bobby Rosengarden's band who were resident on the Dick Cavett show in the 60's. After this his reputation as a jazzman grew in the 70's playing and touring with Benny Goodman and a duo formed with George Barnes. Work followed with more contemporary players such as Bobby Hackett and Bob Wilber. So, tonight promises to be of real interest to see a Jazz legend with one of the best rising British Players.Dylan Fowler (Guitars), Luke Goss (Accordion), Paula Gardiner (Bass), Gillian Stevens (Viol da Gamba,Treble Viols)
Sunday 17 January DYLAN FOWLER GROUP £4.50 / £4
Interesting and acoustically beautifully sounding music, produced by an extremely versatile and dextrous guitarist. Dylan has played here in many bands in the past, including, Matheran, The Three Amoebas and his own group Frevo. Frevo was the first band that Dylan incorporated strings into a sound that crosses Jazz and Folk/Eastern European music. Most of tonight's music is Dylan's own original material that encompasses those influences. A superb technician and soloist in his own right, especially on acoustic nylon string guitar he is able to conjure many textures and sounds to create a fantastic weave of melody and harmony with the other stringed instruments within the group. The Viol da Gamba is new to me but Dylan informs me that it is an instrument of the cello family. Cello has been used well in Jazz settings by many top artists in the past few years and its introduction gives an exciting new twist for the listener. See for yourself tonight!!Jim Blomfield (Piano), Andy Hague (Drums), (Bass and Front-line to be confirmed).
Sunday 10 January JIM BLOMFIELD QUARTET £4.50 / £4
Good start to the new year with a pianist of fine talent. who is continuing to excel in both his writing ability and his playing technique. Jim and his partner Shoana have just had their first addition to their family, our congratulations and best wishes go to them, all three. It's been my experience of the many musicians I have been fortunate to know, that times of great emotion in their lives give rise to some of the best compositions. These mainly revolve around affairs of the heart, a new love, being dumped by that new love, marriage and divorce. But the birth of children seems to be something extra special, so we can only look forward to some new and perhaps different material from Jim after this point in his life. His recent debut CD Peaks and Troughs pointed towards the progress in the writing of his own material, a fact not missed by Andy Sheppard who agreed to play on several numbers on the album.Andy Sheppard (saxes), Jonathon Taylor (Piano), Dave Goodier (bass), Tony Orrell (Drums).
Sunday and Monday 20 & 21 December SHEPPARD's DELIGHT £8.50 / £8
No, not the ones watching their flocks by night, but it is Christmas, and our world class jazzer is home for the festive season. So I knocked on his door and asked him if he could come out to play. He said he would, but only if he could bring some of his mates. Andy has just released his latest album ‘Learning to Wave’ which has a real mellow feel throughout, that really shows how much quality there is in his writing and playing. The band he has put together work well and is possibly the finest to date. If you haven't heard it yet, get someone to get for you for Chnstmas, it's an album you'll play over and over and still hear some things different. Tonight for our Chnstmas Special, Andy's chosen Tony on drums and DG on bass. Dave is still the areas finest on bass and Tony is an old friend who he hasn't worked with for some time and felt this was a good opportunity to do something together again. Jonathon recently did a Bristol Jazz Workshop with Andy and others, which included a performance in the evening. Andy was impressed by Jonathon’s playing during the day and suggested we asked him to do the gig this evening. Tonight will see a heavy emphasis on the music of the great Thelonius Sphere Monk, I'm looking forward to that, as Monk is one of my all time favourites, so, book early, 'nuff said.Joe Robinson (Tenor Sax), Duncan McKay (Trumpet), Mark Edwards (Piano), Nigel Thomas (Bass), Winston Clifford (Drums).
Sunday 13 December NIGEL THOMAS QUINTET £5.50 / £5
Nigel is probably best known in these parts for his playing with Bristol based folk/jazz fusion band Carmina, which has a heavy jazz influence in Pete Jacobsen (Piano), Julian Nicholas (Sax) and Nic France (Drums). This is his own jazz outfit that he plays regularly in the London area with. Joe Robinson played here recently in the Getz/Gilberto tribute band, playing most beautifully in the Stan Getz style. Duncan also played recently as sideman to the awesome Ed Jones and was far from overawed by the Jones boy, playing with power and flair himself. The combination of these two in front of the talented young piano sound of Mark, Nigel's solid bass and one of the country's top drummers Winston Clifford, makes this one to relish.Will Vinson (Alto Sax), Clive Radford (Guitar), Jonathon Taylor (Piano), Dave Goodier (Bass), Andy Hague (Drums)
Sunday 6 December WILL VINSON GROUP £4 / £3.50Bright and very talented young player who is currently studying at Bristol University. Made the Finals of the young jazz musician of the year in '97 and has become highly regarded on the local scene, by audiences and fellow musicians alike. Will has a fine tone and is inventive, melodious and extremely good to listen to. He has recently been asked to join the progressive Bristol outfit Spaceways, who are writing and performing some great stuff at the present. Many of the sidemen come from that band which has a majority of Bristol’s best in its ranks. Bright modern jazz to the fore this evening, catch this rising star before he heads home for Christmas break.
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