Music / Jazz
New jazz for the Old Vic
The announcement of a short series of three jazz gigs at the recently refurbished Bristol Old Vic could mark the return of one of Bristol’s top jazz promoters to active service. Beginning with saxophone tyro Gilad Atzmon (pictured above at the Hen & Chicken) on April 28 the Sunday evening events will also bring livewire Indojazz-rocker Arun Ghosh and the classic piano jazz of Jonathan Gee to the theatre’s Weston Studio. If successful, the gigs could be the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between BOV and Jazzata promoter Ian Storrer.
As landlord of The Albert in the 80s Ian developed the Bedminster pub into one of the UK’s top touring jazz venues, with star names like Stan Tracey, Tal Farlow, Don Byron and Wayne Krantz gracing the tiny backroom stage. Local boy Andy Shepherd began to establish himself at those sessions, returning regularly as he developed into the international star he has become.
Andy Sheppard was a regular at the Albert Inn
Unfortunately Ian’s tenure at the pub ended in 2005 but, undeterred, he began promoting jazz at Bordeaux Quay, where he worked as drinks manager. It was an awkward fit – he had to quickly build a stage out of dining tables whenever there was a gig – but the eco-restaurant’s music-loving chef Barney Haughton would often reward audiences with trays of bread, ham and cheese left from the days deli action. From that improvised set-up Ian moved on to launch the music at Future Inn’s purpose-built basement jazz club and thence to a five year residency in the Hen & Chicken comedy club room.
is needed now More than ever
Kit Downe’s The Enemy at the Hen and Chicken
Having established himself at the Southville venue with excellent gigs, including Kit Downes The Enemy, Robert Mitchell’s Epiphany Three and Mike Westbrook’s Uncommon Orchestra, Ian decided that the time had come to get a good grand piano, knowing that this would allow him to attract more of the country’s top players. Sadly this investment in 2018 would prove his downfall, however, as the pub’s music policy changed and he was asked to remove it, suggesting he should use an electronic keyboard instead. Knowing that this would not be acceptable to most good jazz pianists Ian put the piano into storage and the popular sessions came to an end.
Happily, however, fruitful discussions with the Old Vic have led to this trial series of gigs in the Weston Studio, with the possibility of more to come. It’s a great opportunity that gives Ian the hope of re-establishing his mission to bring the best of the national jazz scene to a Bristol audience he has been instrumental in building over his forty year promotional career.
The Gilad Atzmon Quartet appears at the Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic on Sunday April 28. Arun Ghosh brings his quintet on Sunday May 12 and Jonathan Gee’s New Beginnings Quartet will perform on Sunday 26 May
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