Music / Jazz

The week in jazz – May 23-29

By Tony Benjamin  Monday May 23, 2016


In a real Bank Holiday treat two excellent jazz treats come together on Sunday 29 when the Hen & Chicken welcomes String Theorists Partikel while an unusual afternoon gig (4.30 start)at Future Inn hosts the Olie Brice Quintet. For those that make the effort to catch both sets the rewards should be great, as bass player Brice (pictured above, formerly of this parish) is very much a rising star who combines compositional structures with free playing and his band also includes George Crowley’s sax and the drumming of Jeff Williams. Duncan Eagles’ vigorous saxophone quartet Partikel, meanwhile, have a different line-up from the one that visited Future Inn a while ago and will feature the thoughtful and impressive guitar of Ant Law in their neo-classical jazz fusions.

The Play Jazz Weekend at Wiltshire Music Centre is an annual opportunity for fledgling jazzers to work on their improvisation skills with respected professionals, including Bristol-based trumpeter Andy Hague. Andy also organises the Bebop Club, however, so for some years now he has cunningly cherry-picked the tutor squad to make an all star session for the club. This year he’s persuaded two brilliant sax players – Damian Cook and the ebullient Alan Barnes (above) – to join him on Friday 27 for an evening of triple-front-line arrangements in the Blue Note/Jazz Messenger style. It’s unfortunate that this date coincides with a rare Friday gig at the Hen & Chicken, however, as the two venues usually manage to avoid that problem. The H&C event is an unusual folk-jazz project from accordionist and artist Karen Tweed and incorporates fellow squeeze box artists Karen Street and Richard Hughes as well as saxophonist Andy Tweed in the 7-strong line-up. Incidentally, Richard’s idiosyncratic cabaret-jazz duo Dromedary will be at the Tobacco Factory later in the weekend (Sunday 29).

If you missed Snarky Puppy guitarist Andrew Bailie’s guest spot with Cory Henry last week you can still catch him playing with singer-songwriter Saskia Maxwell at No 1 Harbourside (Thursday 26), possibly on your way home from swinging violinist John Pearce’s gig (with those ubiquitous ‘friends’) at Future Inns that night. No 1 Harbourside also hosts the guitar/sax duo of Giles Barratt and Dino Christodoulou (Wednesday 25) who bring a range of Eastern European and Greek influences to modern jazz interplay. 

The jazz week at The Fringe starts on Monday (23) with their monthly  Improvised Music Night hosted by the regular quartet, while the Wednesday session (25) sees the return of the powerful Kevin Figes Quartet, with Kevin’s melodic compositions getting the creative attentions of Jim Blomfield (piano), Riaan Vosloo (bass) and Mark Whitlam (drums).

 

Fans of singer/songwriter Nuala Honan may well be surprised (and impressed) to know that she has quite a way with jazz vocals, too, and she will be demonstrating that at the Colston Hall foyer on Friday 27 in a duo with composer/pianist Jools Scott. And, finally, the jazz week rounds off at the Alma Tavern with fusion guitarist Jerry Crozier-Cole  and those inevitable ‘friends’.

Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
I want to receive (tick as many as you want):
I'm interested in (for future reference):
Marketing Permissions

Bristol24/7 will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:

We will only use your information in accordance with our privacy policy, which can be viewed here - www.bristol247.com/privacy-policy/ - you can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected]. We will treat your information with respect.


We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

Related articles

You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Independent journalism
is needed now More than ever
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Join the Better
Business initiative
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
* prices do not include VAT
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Enjoy delicious local
exclusive deals
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Wake up to the latest
Get the breaking news, events and culture in your inbox every morning

Are you sure you want to downgrade?

You will lose some benefits you currently enjoy.
Benefits you will lose: