Jazz musician and folk music's Chris Wilbraham with all the gigs happening in the Suffolk area
JAZZ with Chris Ingham: cjr.ingham@outlook.com/chrisingham.co.uk
Sunday, May 4
KATE WILLIAMS TRIO (Hotel Hatfield, Lowestoft, 7pm, £14/£7, milestonesjazzclub.co.uk) Distinctive and refined composer/pianist Williams performs her own work alongside material by Jobim, Bill Evans and Kenny Barron. With Oli Hayhurst (bass) and David Ingamells (drums).
FOR THE DIARY
Saturday, May 10
RAY GELATO (Haverhill Arts Centre, 8pm, £15/£10, haverhillartscentre.co.uk) Swinging Cat Jazz Club hostess Hannah Horton welcomes the Godfather of Swing, singer/saxophonist Ray Gelato, who has been taking his special brand of swing, jazz and R&B music all over the world since 1988.
Sunday, May 11
THE MILK MEN (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) British R&B group who have earned a reputation as the one of the most dynamic and enjoyable live bands on the circuit. With former Pirate Mike Roberts (drums), son of guitar legend Mick Green, Lloyd Green (bass), Jamie Smy (vocals) and Adam Norsworthy (guitar).
Tuesday, May 13
THE CLOCK WINDERS (Maddermarket Theatre Bar, Norwich, 8.30pm, £18/£9 u25s, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) A nostalgic repertoire of swing, jazz and acoustic country music with joyous three-part harmonies, bouncing upright bass and mellifluous bop guitar, featuring Nina Clark (guitar/vocals), Sam Dunn (guitar/vocals) and Ben Somers (guitar/vocals).
Wednesday, May 14
SARAH JANE MORRIS (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £23, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Highlighting tracks form her all-original album The Sisterhood, dynamic singer Sarah Jane Morris is joined by her co-writer/guitarist Tony Remy, plus Marcus Bonfanti (guitar) and Henry Thomas (bass).
Friday, May 16
DEREK NASH (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) One of hottest, funkiest saxophone players on the scene, Derek exudes an irresistible life force with acclaimed outfits The Wonder of Stevie, Picante, Sax Appeal, and as a distinguished jazz soloist, notably with Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. With Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass) and George Double (drums).
Sunday, May 25
FIVE-WAY SPLIT (Yalm Food Court, Norwich, 7.30pm, £12, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Cultured hard bop and post-bop from an all-star quintet featuring Quentin Collins (trumpet), Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor), Rob Barron (piano), Matyas Hofecker (bass) and Matt Home (drums).
Wednesday, May 28
ALAN BARNES/DAVID NEWTON (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Masterful saxophone and piano instrumentalists Barnes and Newton who between them have won countless UK jazz awards and together have been performing their sparkling, empathetic duets for over 40 years. Expect wit and musical finesse aplenty.
Thursday, May 29
ROGER BEAUJOLAIS (Corn Hall, Diss, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk) Fabulous vibraphonist Beaujolais presents his entertaining show 100 Years Of Vibes with Chris Ingham (piano), Simon Thorpe (bass) and George Double (drums).
Sunday, May 8
HORN FACTORY (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) Suffolk’s premier jazz big band specialising in their own brand of fast-moving, hard-hitting, toe-tapping contemporary jazz with an eye for some of the lesser known modern jazz composers.
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
Last Friday, Chad Mason from Norwich won this year’s Milkmaid Folk Songwriting Competition, with his song Jurnet’s Tale.
“Around a decade ago I inherited - with several other songwriters - the running of an acoustic music night at Jurnets Bar in Norwich. Between us we hosted acoustic performers every Friday in the medieval undercroft below the bar. We later found out that Elizabeth I gave the building in which the bar sits to the City Waits - a group of Norwich musicians who based themselves there, with the house becoming known as The Music House. I was thinking that the duality of its musical use and that of the Waits seemed a perfect start to a song. When it was threatened by closure, a kind of protest album was planned and I started on my song - Jurnet’s Tale. I discovered it was not the first time the building had been under attack. Its owner from 1225 and namesake Isaac Jurnet had battened down the hatches to take refuge from an antisemitic pogrom - sadly one of many in Norwich at the time. The Music House is not only the oldest residential dwelling in Norwich, but also the oldest private residence in the country to have been owned by a Jewish person. I put these historic events into the verses of the song.
“I was really honoured to get through to the final and somewhat flabbergasted to win the whole thing in the end.”
All seven finalists did their songs proud. Glyn Shipman and Martin Jeremiah, like Chad, performed solo, Glyn singing of heartbreak in Dunwich and Martin telling us of the perilous lives of tin miners. The remaining four songs were played by duos, Julie Wigley partnered by husband Steve for Bump in the Night about a ship’s cat, Dannii Reales accompanied by Saul Riaz on flamenco guitar for their song Blown Away and my singing partner Liz Miller and I, who played often for Chad at Jurnets, accompanied each other, determined not to let each other down, despite being in competition. Liz must have done a fine job, as my song was chosen as runner-up.
The audience was smaller than in previous years, yet those that attended were well rewarded. Ryan Harvey, a newcomer from Michigan was impressed: “The strong artists selected for the final must have made it difficult for the judges to select a winner as all of the artists played their best during their competition songs and all were deserving to win.”
There is opportunity to hear Chad locally over the next year. Part of his prize is a Main Stage set at Bury Folk Festival on Saturday, June 28 and a slot at The Milkmaid Folk Club later in the year.
Here are next week’s gigs:
Friday, May 2
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 7.45pm, Milkmaid Folk Club, Pete Morton plus support. £12.
Greene King Beer Café, 3-5.30pm, Folk session.
Ansell Centre, Hadleigh, 8pm, Hadleigh Folk and Acoustic, Cruel Folk and Tin River. £8.
Quay Theatre, Sudbury, 7.30pm, Richard Digance. £12.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Open Stage with guests After The Flood. £3.
Sunday, May 4
Pakenham Water Mill, Wildlife Day, 11am-4pm, music from Steve Cook & Emma Goodman. £5,
Monday, May 5
Colchester Arts Centre, 8pm, Leveret. £19.50.
Tuesday, May 6
The Apex, 8pm, Newton Faulkner. £32.
Wednesday, May 7
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, Bury Folk Collective Contemporary Night: Robin Torbitt and Nina Sumerling, Dave and Linda, George and Nancy, Becca Rose, The Kitchenettes, Martin Jeremiah. £2.
Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, Grace Petrie. £20.
Thursday, May 8
Haverhill Arts Centre, 7.30pm, The Fureys. £27.50.
Friday, May 9
Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, Kroke. £22.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Liz Simcock. £12.
Chevington Greyhound, 7.30pm, Paul Thacker and guests.
