Music / Jazz
Bath New Year jazz binge returns
They’re back – as promised! At last year’s launch the Bath Jazz Weekend was confidently presented as the first outing for an annual event that would bring a burst of New Year jazz to the city. Comes January 2020 and, sure enough, here it comes again, with a pianotastic three day programme of big name British performers, many with connections to the West of England, and all taking part on a co-operative basis. Their website has full details of the festival programme and reasonably priced weekend passes are exceptional value for the under-25s.
Joanna MacGregor
Promoter Nod Knowles must be investing in a pretty good piano because there’s some amazing keyboard operatives on offer this year. Genre-busting genius Joanna MacGregor – a former Artistic Director of The Bath International Music Festival – brings a show celebrating the passion of Argentinian Tango Nuevo composer Astor Piazzolla. It’s one of three solo piano showcases, the others being improvisational Monk disciple John Law and celebrated collaborator and accompanist Nikki Yeoh.
Nikki Yeoh
Despite quickly gaining a great reputation as a player in the 90s it was not until 2016 that Nikki Yeoh released her solo debut album Gemini. Her Bath performance revisits that eclectic set of original compositions. The collaboration of pianist Huw Warren with saxophonist Iain Ballamy is most associated with June Tabor’s folk-jazz trio Quercus so it will be interesting to see if those pastoral themes emerge in their duo performance in Bath. It’s certain that the Huw Warren Trio (pictured at top), also appearing, will head for the Brazilian territory of their acclaimed 2019 album Everything In Between.
is needed now More than ever
Robert Mitchell (centre) with True Think’s Saleem Raman and Tom Mason
Innovative pianist, poet and composer Robert Mitchell has very much created his own territory with a fearlessly jazzy blend of electronic and acoustic influences. His multi-instrumental True Think quartet is a talent-stuffed explosion of fresh ideas. Pianist/composer Mike Westbrook is someone whose fresh ideas have been an important element in the development of British jazz since the 60s and his appetite for new projects with singer/improviser Kate Westbrook remains undimmed. The Westbrook Quartet’s latest presentation focuses on the film songs of German composer Friederich Hollaender who wrote Falling In Love Again, among many others.
Tony Orrell’s Big Top
Local-based pianist/composer Rebecca Nash will be at the festival as part of the Sam Crockatt/Andrew Bain Quartet with bass player Riaan Vosloo. That contemporary line-up is a cracking combination of talents that have settled hereabouts, and Riaan also figures in Tony Orrell’s Big Top, a twin drum improvising quintet that includes Get The Blessing’s Jake McMurchie and Tony’s fellow Pushy Doctor Dan Moore on keyboards. Idiosyncratic drummer Tony also appears in Defective Comet, his jazz-dub duo with multi-instrumentalist Ross Hughes.
With more acts to be announced and a promised screening of It Must Schwing, director Wim Wenders affectionate profile of the Blue Note label story, it’s fair to say the Bath Jazz Weekend is becoming a most reliable kickstart to the local jazz calendar. As their manifesto proclaims – ‘whatever happens, the music will remain!’
The Bath Jazz Weekend runs at the Widcombe Social Club, Bath, from Friday January 3 to Sunday January 5.
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