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programme 2006

Ray's Wood Street Stompers	Sat 24 June 12.00 - 2.30 FREE	Wood Street
with Derek Kimber (Trumpet), Clive Burton (Trombone), Ray Butt (Reeds), John Beecham (Tuba) and Mike Sales (Banjo).
Richie Bryant's All Stars	Sat 24 June 12.30 - 3.00 FREE	King's Bar
with Campbell Burnap (Trombone), John Crocker (Tenor), Richard Busiakiewicz (Piano), Raph Mizraki (Bass) and Richie Bryant (Drums).
New Couriers	Sat 24 June 8.30 - 11.00 £10	Phoenix Theatre, New College
with Mornington Lockett (Tenor), Jim Hart (Vibes), Steve Melling (Piano), Paul Morgan (Bass) and Martin Drew (Drums).
Pete Long All Stars	Sun 25 June 12.00 - 2.30 FREE	King's Bar
with Frank Abrams (Saxes), Alan Bateman (Trumpet), Graham Wiltshire (Piano), Pete Long (Banjo), Bob Loveday (Bass) and Dave Prosser (Drums).
David Newton Trio	Sun 25 June 8.00 - 10.30 £10	Phoenix Theatre, New College
with David Newton (Piano), Andy Cleyndert (Bass) and Steve Browns (Drums).
Bill Taylor Trio	Mon 26 June 6.00 - 8.00 FREE	Commuter Jazz, The King's Bar
with Bill Taylor (Piano), Clive Morton (Bass) and Terry Howard (Drums).
Christian Brewer Quintet	Mon 26 June 8.30 - 11.00 £8	King's Resturant
with Christian Brewer (Alto), Jim Hart (Vibes), Leon Greening (Piano), Mick Coady (Bass) and Tristan Mailliott (Drums).
Hugh Turner Quartet	Tue 27 June 5.30 - 7.30 FREE	Commuter Jazz, Great Western, Station Road
Hugh Turner Quartet	Tues 27 June 8.00 - 10.00 FREE TO DINERS	Pizza Express
with Hugh Turner (Guitar), Anatoliy Vyacheslavov (Tenor).
Guy Gardner/Sue Hawker	Wed 28 June 8.30 - 11.00 £8	The Vaults, Goddard Arms
with Sue Hawker (Vocals), Guy Gardner (Piano), Nick Kacal (Bass) and Quinny Laurence (Drums).
John-Paul Gard's Pedalmania	Thur 29 June 6.00 - 8.00 FREE	King's Bar
with John-Paul Gard (Organ), Ben Waghorn (Saxes), Eddie John (Drums).
Roland Lacey/ Geoff Mason Quintet	Thur 29 June 8.30 - 11.00 £8	King's Jazz Room
Roland Lacey (Tenor), Geoff Mason (Trombone), Ted Beament (Piano), Ian Scott-Taylor (Bass), Adrian McIntosh (Drums).
Esther Miller Band	Friday 30 June 8.30 - 11.00 £5 before 9.00pm; £7 after	The Apartment, Havelock Square
with Esther Miller (Vocals), Bryan Corbett (Trumpet), Gerry Spencer (Piano), Jerome Davies (Bass) and Matt Skelton (Drums).
Bill Taylor Quintet	Sat 1 July 11.00 - 1.00 FREE	King's Bar
with Bill Taylor (Piano), Clive Burton (Trombone), Kevin Figes (Alto), Arni Somogyi (Bass), Frank Woodford (Drums).
Tim Collinson Quartet	Sat 1 July 1.00 - 3.00 FREE	King's Bar
with Tim Collinson (Saxes), Gianni Boscarino (Piano), Christopher Goodsell (Bass) and Lester Bennett (Drums).
Art Themen Quartet	Sat 1 July 5.30 - 8.00 FREE	The Marquee in the Lawns
with Art Themen (Saxes), John Donaldson (Piano), Arni Somogyi (Bass) and Spike Wells (Drums).
Cubana Bop	Sat 1 July 8.30 - 11.00 FREE	The Marquee in the Lawns
Graeme Flowers (Trumpet), Ian Price (Sax/Flute), Terry Seabrook (Piano), Davide Mantovani (Bass), Adam Riley (Drums and Timbales) and Satin Singh (Congas/Percussion).
Tadd Newton's Jazz Friends	Sun 2 July 12.00 - 2.30 FREE	The Bell, High Street
with Tad Newton (Trombone/Vocals), Gary Wood (Trumpet/Flugel/Vocals), Zoltan Sagi (Clarinet/Saxes), Mike Graver (Piano), Tomas Pederson (Bass), Dave Lipson (Guitar) and Graham Scriven (Drums).
Louise Parker Quintet	Sun 2 July 3.00 - 5.30 FREE	The Bell, High Street
with Louise Parker (Vocals), James Harris (Tenor), Max Turnball (Piano), Jihad Darwish (Bass) and Nick Carter (Drums).
Roger Beaujolais Quintet	Sun 2 July 5.30 - 8.00 FREE	The Marquee in the Lawns
with Roger Beaujolais (Vibes), Mark Lockheart (Tenor), David Newton (Piano), Simon Thorpe (Bass), and Winston Clifford (Drums).
Steve Waterman Sextet	Sun 2 July 8.30 - 11.00 FREE	The Marquee in the Lawns
with Steve Waterman (Trumpet/Flugel), Mark Nightingale (Trombone), Dave O'Higgins (Tenor), Nick Weldon (Piano), Andy Cleyndert (Bass) and Clark Tracey (Drums).
JATP is the Pheonix Theatre at New College, Swindon, a theatre for the performing arts. Printed Programme available. Contact Jane Ratcliffe (01793) 826856 or email: info@swindonjazz.co.uk Tickets available at: Swindon Tourist Information Centre, 37 Regent Street, Swindon (01793) 466454.

JAZZ FESTIVAL – FIRST WEEKEND REVIEWS

The Seventh Swindon Jazz Festival made a splendid start on Saturday, coinciding with the opening of the Old Town Festival. Ray Butt’s Wood Street Stompers added to the colourful ambience of the occasion brining a touch of New Orleans to Old Town.

Ray's fine parading band wisely kept clear of the sunny side of the street but the clientele under the Kings Atrium certainly caught the sun, and the swinging sound of the Richie Bryant All Stars.

With Chris Barber associate John Crocker on reeds and broadcaster/raconteur Campbell Burnap (trombone) compering, mainstreams enthusiasts were in their element. The programme, from the opener, Tangerine, to the last number Juan Tizol’s Perdido, went down as smoothly as the lunchtime 3Bs.

In contract, on Saturday evening at the New College, Phoenix Theatre straight-ahead hard boppers were to treated to echoes of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes through today’s superb New Couriers band.

Fronted by drummer Martin Drew (30 years touring the world with Oscar Peterson) with Mornington Lockett on tenor sax (who must have long since sold his soul to the Musical Gods).

Steve Melling is required the backing on piano for musicians of this class, and Paul Morgan is also in the top bracket, his double bass evoking comparisons with Gary Peacock of the Keith Garrett group. As for wonder boy Jim Hart on vibes, how fortunate the groupies haven’t discovered him yet.

The New Couriers set was made up of Victor Feldman, Pat Metheny and Tubby Hayes material. Highlights: Felman’s Exodus and Tubby Hayes' Dear Johnny B.

Pete Long’s All Stars Sunday lunchtime session in the Kings was literally in Traditional Style, with the notable influence of Keith Hocking on trombone.

Although Frank Abrams and the boys had to battle with the Kings Bar acoustics, Alan Bateman on trumpet was on top form and gained new admirers.

All good stuff, but the weekend’s top gig was Dave Newton at the Phoenix.

Preceded in the foyer by the respected talent of the Swindon Youth Jazz Orchestra, Dave Newton with Andy Cleyndert on bass plus Steve Brown on drums, play as intuitively together as one might expect Siamese triplets would.

What a wonderful musician is David Newton. His play seems to induce a similar rapport with his audience as it does with his fellow musicians. A complimentary glass of wine enhances this effect delightfully.

From the weekend one especially carries the memory of David Newton’s version of Pennies from Heaven in an Afro-Cuban disguise, and a version of Like Someone in Love, from which alone this man could earn a good living.

SWINDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2006 - MID WEEK GIGS

Swindon Jazz Festival’s inter-week offerings started with a laid-back early Monday evening session from the Bill Taylor trio in the Kings Bar, followed, in the adapted Restaurant, by the Christian Brewer Quintet. These young lions are wonderful examples of the liveliness and remarkable talent there is on the modern jazz scene.

On Tuesday another early evening session featured the Hugh Turner Quartet in a funky, high energy set. Hugh on guitar and Anatoliy Vyacheslavov, a fine tenor sax player, later entertained diners at the Pizza Express.

In the Goddard Arms Cellar Bar on Wednesday, a diverse programme included Thelonious Monks’ ‘Round Midnight’, plus a tango and ended with a spot of blues shouting (‘Every Day’…). All courtesy of Guy Gardner, (keyboard) and Sue Hawker (vocals) and their well matched bass and drums backing. What a great location for jazz or a late night rendezvous this could be.

Back to the Kings on Thursday. John-Paul Gard’s Pedalmania showcased John-Paul on organ, Ben Waghorn on tenor with Eddie John on drums. Another appreciated early evening session which was followed in the music room by Roland Lacey (tenor) and Geoff Mason (trombone leading a well-seasoned quintet.

And what a super show this was, laced with Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter and Roland Kirk material. The quality perhaps not surprising with Ian Scott-Taylor on bass, Ted Beament on piano and Adrian McIntosh (currently with Humphrey Lyttelton) on drums. The latter two quintet members were featured in the definitive BBC TV film documentary on British rhythm and blues – along with Eric Clapton, Van Morrison et al.

SWINDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2006 – CLOSING WEEKEND REVIEW

What a wonderful weekend of warm sun and music all round. The jazz festival continued on Friday with the Esther Miller Band. A sparkling, poised young vocalist, Esther struck an immediate rapport with her guest trumpet player, Steve Waterman. On everything from ‘Soft, As In A Morning Sunrise’, to ‘Bernies Tune’.

Saturday afternoon (pre-football), saw the Kings graced by the Bill Taylor Quintet, the trombone of Clive Burton and alto sax of Kevin Figes providing a satisfying fully acoustic front line sound under the Kings atrium. They were followed by the Tim Collinson Quartet – another well balanced group led by Tim on tenor and Soprano sax. A well balanced programme too. What a delight is Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Little Sunflowers’.

Saturday evening kicked off with the Art Themen quartet. Hard bop from the maestro. Followed by Cubana Bop fiery Latin sounds echoing around the Lawns marquee venue. Were any of those in the marquee, or picnicing outside, aware that on exactly the same site over 60 years ago they would have heard authentic American swing music?

Come Sunday and Tadd Newton’s Jazz Friends provided a polished mellow mainstream blow in the Bell. A nice contrast too to the follow up group the Louise Parker Quintet. Another young artist with stage presence and a voice that holds an audience, Ms Parker’s version of Miles Davis’s ‘All Blues’ was captivating.

In the Lawns marquee on Sunday evening the first eleven literally got together. The Roger Beaujolais Quintet including David Newton on piano and Theo Travis on reeds/flute made a fascinating combination. Judging by that ‘Old Devil Moon’, that pianist and the leader on vibes had never played together before would never have been guessed.

The festival rounded off with the Steve Waterman Sextet, and discount drinks in the beer tent. A programme of fine arrangements of Benny Golson’s music couldn’t go wrong.

And with the band including Dave O’Higgins on tenor and Clark Tracey on drums it didn’t. Steve Waterman’s designer trumpet was on top form, and of compositions including ‘Whisper Not, ‘Killer Joe, ‘I Remember Clifford’ and ‘Blues March’, the latter tune ended the festival on a high.

Thanks to the Old Town Festival for their co-operation and help, and of course Nationwide especially for their generous support.

Keith Brain.