Music / Jazz
A fortnight in Jazz December 19 – January 1
The festive season may bring excess in all directions but as always it’s a lean time for live music and jazz is no exception (hence the stretched timing for this bulletin). And with most of the regular jazz sessions shutting down for Christmas it’s full marks to The Fringe for keeping on keeping on, with an undoubted pair of party nights that should pack ‘em in. First up it’s cabaret swing favourites Moscow Drug Club (Wednesday 21) with vocalist Katya Gorrie (pictured above) slinking through material ranging from Leonard Cohen to Jacques Brel, followed by Denny Ilett’s Sinatra Special tribute (Wednesday 28). With guitarist Denny also taking vocals he’s got a pretty cool combo including Jonny Bruce (trumpet), Dan Moore (keys), Riaan Vosloo (bass) and Ian Matthews (drums).
The Bebop Club rounds off a particularly eclectic and interesting autumn season with the great pianist Malcolm Edmonstone joining fellow NYJOS tutor saxophonist Nick Dover and Bebop director Andy Hague’s trumpet for a Christmas Special. With Mr Edmonstone’s highly respected arranging skills it’s likely to be a fine refreshment of some familiar tunes and with the rhythm dream team of Will Harris and Mark Whitlam it’s to expected that robins will be rocking.
Canadian saxophonist Len Aruliah returns to No 1 Harbourside (Thursday 22) with his cosmopolitan post-bop music, with a fresh pairing of new generation players at the same venue the week after (Thursday 29) in the shape of Kate Mac & Joe Armer. Kate MacDonald combines her vocals and trumpet playing with Joe Armer’s guitar. Sister venue Canteen offers ‘filthy swing’ on the night before (Wednesday 28) with early jazz specialists Bama Mine .
And then there’s New Years Eve and if you want to round the year off with some party-friendly jazzy sounds the principle choice would seem to be either cool grooving instrumental hip-hoppers Herbaliser (Spiegeltent, Saturday 31) or the Leftbank’s popular in-house funk merchants LBJB. Or else it’s Jools, of course …
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