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
Wednesday, December 18
ALAN BARNES QUINTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £23, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) A magnificent all-star quintet with the members boasting countless jazz awards between them, featuring Alan Barnes (alto/baritone/clarinet), Bruce Adams (trumpet), David Newton (piano), Andrew Cleyndert (bass) and Clark Tracey (drums).
A SWINGING CHRISTMAS (The Apex, Bury, 7.30pm, £25, theapex.co.uk) The annual Yuletide appearance of the Chris Ingham Quintet (aka Jazz at the Movies), featuring singer Joanna Eden plus Harry Greene (saxophone/guitar), Joe Pettitt (bass) and George Double (drums). *Last few seats*
Friday, December 20
REBOP PLAYS HORACE SILVER (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) The life-affirming grooves and melodies of the late, great jazz composer-pianist Horace Silver played by Paul Higgs (trumpet), Harry Greene (tenor sax), Chris Ingham (piano), Owen Morgan (bass) and George Double (drums). *Last few seats*
FOR THE DIARY
Sunday, December 22
LIZZIE WISHES YOU A SWINGING CHRISTMAS (Yalm Food Court, Norwich, 7.30pm, £14.50, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Seasonal selections from Ella Fitzgerald’s celebrated Christmas album with Lizzie Blissett (vocals), Paul Higgs (trumpet), Simon Brown (piano), Simon Wood (bass) and Tom Jiggins (drums).
Wednesday, January 8
BEN CROSLAND’S ALL-STAR BAND (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £25, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) A jazz interpretation of the songs of Kinks legend Ray Davies with Ben Crosland (bass), John Etheridge (guitars), Theo Travis (saxophone), Steve Lodder (piano), Nic France (drums).
Thursday, January 16
RONNIE SCOTT’S ALL STARS (The Apex, Bury, 7.30pm, £28, theapex.co.uk) The popular multi-media presentation plus live jazz tells the story of the famed Soho jazz club. Led by pianist and Ronnie Scott’s musical director James Pearson,
Friday, January 17
TIM GARLAND (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) A rare, not-to-be-missed UK club appearance from saxophone superstar (who spent 17 years with Chick Corea) and lauded composer. Tonight Tim blends bewitching original pieces with some of his favourite standards. With Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass), George Double (drums).
Wednesday, January 22
JAZZ AT THE MOVIES (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £22, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Relieved of Christmas duties for another year, the film music repertoire quintet deliver jazzy spins on tunes from the silver screen, featuring Joanna Eden (vocal), Chris Ingham (piano/MC), Mark Crooks (clarinet/saxophone), Joe Pettitt (bass) and George Double (drums).
Thursday, January 23
CLARK TRACEY’S JAZZ CHAMPIONS (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 2pm, £22 & £16.50, cambridgejazz.org, 01223 514777) Internationally recognised jazz drummer, band leader, composer and arranger Tracey leads an all-star quintet playing his own music and that of Stan Tracey, his father. With Art Themen (saxophone), Simon Allen (sax), Dave Newton (piano) and Andrew Cleyndert (bass).
Friday, January 24
DJANGOLIERS (Diss Corn Hall, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk, 01379 652241) Inspired by the music of the late, great Belgian guitarist, Djangoliers interpret Django’s classic arrangements and compositions Nuages, Swing 42 and Manoir Des Mes Reves and explore the thrilling contemporary developments of Gypsy Jazz. With Simon Hurley (guitar), Robert Ford (guitar), Zak Barrett (clarinet) and Andy Staples (bass).
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
I had valuable feedback from Kevin Dale, who heard us describe our difficulty finding Christmas songs to play during our sets at Sweffling White Horse last weekend. He sent a link to a fine article by Jude Rogers, recently published in The Guardian. Prompted by the release of In Winter, an album of seasonal songs recorded by The Unthanks, Jude recommends ten albums of folk music for Christmas and winter, the most recent being In Winter and the oldest Young Tradition’s The Holly Wears a Crown, recorded in 1969, but apparently not released until 1995.
I listened to as much as I could before writing and discovered plenty of variety in style and production, though I did listen to several versions of The Coventry Carol, The Wexford Carol and The Holly Bears a Berry. Burd Ellen’s stripped down version of The Coventry Carol, lightly embellished with electronica was interesting on the album Says The Never Beyond. The Unthank’s recording of it is typically beautiful with characteristic vocals, backed by harmonium. On balance, though, I prefer Young Tradition’s a capella offering. Their voices lift my spirit, sounding reminiscent of a group of villagers celebrating Christmas together in their local pub, something that still happens in parts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire. They take that feeling to the next level with The Boar’s Head Carol. The stars of that album are arguably Shirley and Dolly Collins, who sing on all of the tracks but shine on their own as they perform I Sing of a Maiden That is Makeless and The Cherry Tree Carol to beautiful effect.
With Jude being Welsh, it doesn’t surprise that she includes Plygain, a compilation of Welsh artists which includes a lovely Welsh version of In The Bleak Midwinter by Parti Penlon. Other languages are represented - Manx Gaelic is aired in The Poor Clare’s recording of Ny Kirree Fo Niaghtey (The Sheep Under the Snow) on their album Songs for Midwinter, which includes Trinquez, a Cajan drinking song. Jude also lists Ensemble Alioni – A Georgian Christmas. To my ear, the full throated East European voices sound a little like a Muslim call to prayer, reminding me of Christianity’s Middle Eastern roots.
Those of you that don’t have time to trawl through ten albums should go straight to Four Seasons in Folk: Winter, to hear gems such as Dick Gaughan’s The Snows that Melt The Soonest, June Tabor’s Winter Comes In and Waterson/Carthy’s Jack Frost.
If you want to hear one of Jade’s recommendations play live, get to Wingfield Barns tonight, Friday, December 13, to catch Janice Burns and Jon Doran, who’s album Great Joy to the
New is an entertaining and varied listen.
They are listed below with the rest of next week’s gigs:
Friday, December 13
The Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club, Chris Fox and The Running Man, support from The Larks. £12.
Wingfield Barns, 7.30pm, Janice Burns & Jon Doran. £13.
Saturday, December 14
Canopy Theatre, Beccles, 7.30pm, Christmas Folk: Peter and Jane+Silver Moon+The Goslings. £6.
Monday, December 16
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, The Albion Christmas Band. £27.
The Dove, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, round the room sesh.
Tuesday, December 17
Rose and Crown, Bury St Edmunds, 4-7pm, Daytime Folksesh.
Wednesday, December 18
Arkenstall Village Centre, Haddenham, 8pm, Ely Folk Club: London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra, support from Andy Wall, Ruth Bramley and Ann Biggs. £12.
Thursday, December 19
Six Bells, Horringer, 7.30pm, Derek Harrington, Steve Cook, Cottonfields.
Friday, December 20
Whitings Bar, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, The Larks.
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, Milkmaid Folk Club Christmas Party.
The Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Christmas Showcase with The Cyriacs. 8pm.
