Jazz musician Chris Ingham and folk musician Chris Wilbraham cast their expert eyes over the local music scene
JAZZ with Chris Ingham: cjr.ingham@outlook.com/www.chrisingham.co.uk
Sunday, October 13
ERROL LINTON (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15, ipswichjazzandblues.com) Chicago-style blues from harmonica ace Linton and his band.
Wednesday, October 16
JEFFERY WILSON & JOHN HUMAN (Theatre Royal, 1pm, £10, theatreroyal.org, 01284 769505) Jeffery Wilson (clarinet/saxophone) and John Human (piano keyboard)present their ‘The Reduced History of Jazz’.
Friday, October 18
KING OF SWING: PETE LONG PLAYS BENNY GOODMAN (Diss Corn Hall, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk, 01379 652241) Acclaimed musical director of the Ronnie Scott’s Orchestra and one of the country's most exciting clarinettists salutes the irresistible swing of Benny Goodman. With Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass) and George Double (drums).
FOR THE DIARY
Sunday, October 20
IVARS GALENIEKS MEMORIAL JAZZ JAM (Yalm Food Court, Norwich, 7.30pm, £6.50, norwichjazzclub@ gmail.com) In honour of the late, great Latvian bassist who was a stalwart of the East Anglian jazz scene, with the Simon Brown Trio and guests.
Wednesday, October 23
BRYAN CORBETT QUINTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Sounds from classic Blue Note records with Bryan Corbett (trumpet/ flugelhorn), Chris Bowden (alto sax), Paul Deats (piano), Tom Hill (bass) and Andrew Wood (drums).
Thursday, October 24
JOSEPHINE DAVIS SATORI (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 6pm and 7.30pm, £15 & £20, cambridgejazz.org, 01223 514777) Dynamic ensemble led by award-winning saxophonist and composer Josephine plays music inspired by Josephine’s Nordic roots in the Shetland Islands, weaving contemporary jazz with a hauntingly evocative folk influence. Also featuring Alcyona Mick (piano), Dave Whitford (bass) and Jay Davis (drums).
Friday, October 25
ALLISON NEALE QUARTET (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £18, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) US-born, London-based saxophonist Allison Neale is a fine exponent of the melodic, West Coast style. She evokes the exquisite 1960s collaborations between altoist Paul Desmond and guitarist Jim Hall with the experienced, expressive and empathetic Colin Oxley (guitar), Jeremy Brown (bass) and Matt Fishwick (drums).
Sunday, October 27
JE SUIS SWING (Maddermarket Theatre Bar, Norwich, 7.30pm, £17.30, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) French and American standards with a Hot Club feeling featuring Julie Hewitt (vocals), David Rees (vocals), Zak Barrett (clarinet), Simon Hurley (guitar), Robert Ford (guitar), Andy Staples (bass), Simon Brown (piano), Alex Best (drums).
Friday, November 1
ELECTRIC ALCHEMY (St Peter’s By the Waterfront, Ipswich, 7.30pm, £17.30/£14.50, stpetersbythewaterfront. com) A dynamic fusion of classical, jazz, Indian and gypsy music with Marianne Olyver (acoustic and electric violin), Oliver Steggles (electric guitar), Tristan Stocks (vocals), Jeffery Wilson (saxophone), John Human (piano/keyboard), Jonathan Woolston (bass) and Sirishkumar Manj (table).
Sunday, May 10
PETE LONG SALUTES BENNY GOODMAN (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15, ipswichjazzandblues.com) An electrifying romp through the classic Benny Goodman small group repertoire of the 1930s and early 40s, plus an opening set from FNY with Yula Andrews (vocal), Felix Serrano (guitar) and Neil Bateman (sax).
Wednesday, November 13
SIMON SPILLETT QUARTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Reliably exciting hard bop from author/saxophonist Spillett with Rob Barron (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Pete Cater (drums).
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
Last week I was sent this interesting story by friend and poet Eamonn Harvey:
“I just thought I’d share an anecdote with you as told to me by my friend Mr Bird, who turns 80 on New Year’s Eve, and his wife ‘Lady Bird’. Back in the 60s, Mr Bird was involved in a small capacity with Bury Folk Club. They booked an act to appear at the village hall in Hawkedon in 1964. The hall was just a couple of wooden huts that were used by the Army for accommodation in World War Two. The act was Tom Paxton, a prime mover in the burgeoning Greenwich Village Folk Scene, along with the likes of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez back then. How he was persuaded to agree to play in a small village hall in Suffolk remains a mystery. The audience sat cross-legged on the wooden floor and serious amounts of alcohol and, erm, ‘alternative tobacco’ was consumed as was the norm back then. The nearby Queen’s pub supplied glasses and they quickly ran out, forcing Mr Bird to use a handy vase in the hall to house his pint!
Fifty years later almost to the day, they both went to a Tom Paxton concert at Cambridge Junction. The coincidence continues as, unknown to them, their son booked the Queen’s in Hawkedon for a meal for their whole family to celebrate his 50th birthday. I was wondering if this tale would inspire you to start a thread on 'syncronicities' in the column?”
Feedback and contributions are always welcome.
Back in the present, local folk musicians Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage have released a new album, In The Dark We Grow. It has been well received, selling well enough to feature in the Folk Album Charts. It is truly TransAtlantic, with songs like Say Darlin’ Say and The Lilac Bloom drawing on Appalachian influences, while The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood sounds like an Irish ballad. Save My Life sounds more English with its line “Sing like a little wren”. Production is exquisite throughout, drawing on the skills of Ben Savage’s former band mates from The Willows and Jess Morgan. Hannah’s pure voice features beautifully, with Ben’s harmonies and dobro playing constantly catching the ear. Sometimes Ben takes the lead, with Hannah in support. They dedicated the album to singer/songwriting guitarist Johnny Dickinson who died recently. His song, Land of Castles and Kings, is the second track.
They are playing The Junction in Cambridge on November 4 and Kings Place, London, in February.
Here are this week’s gigs:
Saturday, October 12
John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, 7.30pm, Undercover Hippy. £17.50.
Canopy Theatre, Beccles, 8pm, Lizzie Hardingham. £12.90.
Monday, October 14
The Dove, Bury St Edmunds, 7pm, Round the Room Session.
Cambridge Junction, 8pm, Leveret. £25.
Colchester Arts Centre, 8pm, French Night with Bof, Paul Riley & Gwendal Moële and Les Hirondelles. £13.
Tuesday, October 15
Rose and Crown, Bury St Edmunds, 4-7pm, Daytime Session.
Wednesday, October 16
Arkenstall Village Centre, Haddenham, 8pm, Ely Folk Club: Christina Alden and Alex Patterson, support from Erin Brown and Barry Watson. £13.
Friday, October 18
Risbygate Sports Club, 8pm, Milkmaid Folk Club, Ray Cooper. £12.
Pakenham Church, 7pm, Lady Maisery, support from The Larks. £21.68.
Sudbury Arts Centre, 8pm, The Sam Chase Trio. £18.
Fisher Theatre, Bungay, 8pm, Terence Blacker. £15.
Saturday, October 19
Locks Inn, Geldeston, 8pm, Songs of the Heron. £10.84.
Waldringfield Village Hall, 7pm, Songs of The Folk+Ellie Spencer. £13.70.
