Jazz musician Chris Ingham and folk musician Chris Wilbraham cast their expert eyes over the local music scene in and around Bury St Edmunds
JAZZ with Chris Ingham: cjr.ingham@outlook.com/www.chrisingham.co.uk
Saturday, September 7
ALAN BARNES (Haverhill Arts Centre, 8pm, £15/£10 u18, haverhillartscentre.co.uk, 01440 714140) Multi award-winning, multi reedsman Alan Barnes kicks off the Swinging Cat Jazz Club hosted by saxophonist Hannah Horton and her regular team Tim Lapthorn (piano), Rob Statham (bass) and Nic France (drums).
Sunday, September 8
BLUE TOWN TRIO (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15, ipswichjazzandblues.com) Grooving standards with a blues tinge fronted by Zoe Francis (vocals) with the legendary Jim Mullen (guitar) and ever-resourceful Ross Stanley (organ).
Wednesday, September 11
VASILIS XENOPOULOS/PAUL EDIS QUARTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, 01787 211865, fleecejazz.org.uk) Classy group co-led by Greek tenorist Xenopoulos and British pianist, the quartet specialise in eclectic, groove-based, melodic sounds blending hard bop, Latin jazz, gospel and even folk. With John Williamson (bass) and Billy Pod (drums).
Friday, September 13
FLANAGAN (Diss Corn Hall, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk, 01379 652241) Mark Flanagan is a blues guitarist who has played with Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra since 1988. Tonight he fronts his acclaimed blues/folk/roots trio Flanagan spotlighting his own heartfelt original songs and featuring Adam Double (bass) and George Double (drums).
FOR THE DIARY
Tuesday, September 17
NIGEL PRICE ORGAN TRIO (Maddermarket, Norwich, 8.30pm, £18, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Reliably exciting and inventive touring juggernaut purveying dynamic groove-based jazz with Nigel Price (guitar), Ross Stanley (organ) and Joel Barford (drums).
Wednesday, September 25
CHRIS INGHAM QUARTET - HOAGY II (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, 01787 211865, fleecejazz.org.uk) More appreciation of the great American singer-songwriter-pianist Hoagy Carmichael and his uniquely wry and joyful oeuvre. With Chris Ingham (piano/vocal), Paul Higgs (trumpet), Simon Thorpe (bass) and George Double (drums).
Thursday, September 26
ADAM GLASSER QUARTET (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 6pm & 7.30pm, £5 & £20, cambridgejazz.org, 01223 514777) Harmonica virtuoso Glasser leads a workshop (6pm) on South African Jazz and shares insights as a chromatic harmonica player, followed by a concert (7.30pm) of rarely heard township jazz standards from South African composers Abdullah Ibrahim, Caiphus Semenya, Victor Ndlazilwana and Themba Mkhize. Featuring Ant Law (guitar), Steve Watts (bass) and Corrie Dick (drums)
Friday, September 27
ART THEMEN (Hunter Club, Bury, 7.30pm, £18, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) Long-awaited return to Bury St Edmunds of the indestructible and legendary tenor saxophonist Art Themen with Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass) and George Double (drums).
Tuesday, October 8
SIMON SPILLET BIG BAND (Maddermarket, Norwich, 8.30pm, £25, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Acclaimed as the best British big band in years, tenorist and author Simon Spillett leads his salute to Tubby Hayes Dear Tubby H with an all-star ensemble featuring, among others, Mark Armstrong, Freddie Gavita (trumpets), Mark Nightingale, Ian Bateman (trombones), Pete Long, Alex Garnett (saxes), plus Rob Barron (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Pete Cater (drums).
Wednesday, October 9
ROGER BEAUJOLAIS QUARTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Bringing his ‘Bag Of Vibes’ show saluting MJQ vibraphonist Milt Jackson, Roger Beaujolais leads a superb quartet featuring Robin Aspland (piano), Paul Jeffries (bass) and Milo Fell (drums).
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
East Anglian Traditional Music Trust’s Music Day happens in Stowmarket in a fortnight. Alex Bartholomew has sent details of what will be the last Traditional Music Day under her administration. She has been working for EATMT since 2001 and next year the charity celebrates 25 years. The event has grown under her influence over the last few years as you will read below:
“Our day of music, song, dance and storytelling is fast approaching! Traditional Music Day is coming to the streets of Stowmarket on Saturday 21st September from 10.30am and running throughout the day and into the evening. We have an exciting programme of entertainment showcasing the very best of British Trad and Folk musicians as well as local musicians and community groups.
A dedicated team of volunteers has been working throughout the year to get everything ready for the big event, which brings in more than 300 artists/performers during the day and into the evening.
Activities will take place on the streets of the town with Morris, Molly and Rapper dancers and a host of buskers, as well as in 12 key venues in the town – the John Peel Centre, The Royal British Legion, Stowmarket Scout Centre, Stowmarket Library, St Peter’s and St Mary’s Church, St Peter’s Church Hall, 11 Market Place, The Royal William, The Pallet Bar, The Queen’s Head, The Royal Oak and Bonitas.
We have concerts, showcase performances, talks, storytelling, music workshops and music sessions scheduled throughout the day from 10.30am until 5.30pm – all of which are FREE thanks to funding from both Stowmarket Town Council and Mid Suffolk District Council as part of our Stowmarket on Show project which is focused on community development. The event takes place on the same day as the town’s monthly Farmers’ Market so there will be a lovely bustle and atmosphere to the town.
In the evening, we have two ticketed concerts – one in the John Peel Centre and one in the Royal British Legion where many of our headlining guests, including Damien Barber, Jackie Oates, Finn Collison and The Harbour Lights Trio will be performing. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are available in advance for both concerts from the John Peel Centre box office.
There are also FREE events in the evening: an evening of Sea Songs and Shanties led by Capstan Full Strength shanty group in 11 Market Place, 7.30-10.30pm; Bonitas has a pop-up bar and nibbles with local band High Mileage, 6-9pm; The Queen’s Head is hosting local brother and sister musicians Jack & Molly Bishop 9-10pm and if that’s still not enough, The Royal William on Union Street welcomes musicians in the evening to run their own session.
For more information, head to eatmt.org”
Alex leaves the trust in a strong position with a fine local and national reputation. Anyone interested in joining this successful music charity as Alex moves on, should visit its website over the next month or two.
Plenty more gigs here to take in before Music Day:
Friday, September 6
Hadleigh Folk Club, Ansell Centre, 8pm, John Ward Trio, plus Terry Hiscox. £8.
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, Milkmaid Folk Club: Arfur Doo, support from Peter and Jane. £12.
Greene King Beer Café, Bury St Edmunds. 3-5.30pm, Folk session.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club, Open Stage with All My Trials. £3.Bungay Folk Festival, various venues until Sunday evening.
Wednesday, September 10
Banham Barrel, 8pm, Later with James Viera.
Friday, September 13
John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, 7.30pm, Baka Beyond. £18.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club. Tom McConville, support from Den Miller. £12.
