Music / denny ilett
Three weeks in Jazz: December 18 – Jan 7
As we go on the headlong dash through seasonal cheer and its inevitable consequences it’s good to know there’s a steady supply of jazzy entertainments to help us on our way. Naturally there’s a big push for New Year’s Eve (Sunday 31) with acid jazz legend James Taylor bringing his quartet to headline Funk Yeah! at the Colston Hall. Still very much a lively performer, James’ energised Hammond playing was at the core of the 80s rare groove scene’s rediscovery of 60s boogaloo and soul jazz.
Jonny Bruce blows out the year
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – there’s good stuff before the inevitable bank holiday break with Friday 22 looking like this year’s official jazz celebration night. The Bebop’s final session of 2017 is The All-Stars with Kev & Jonny – the traditional modern jazz knees up of local heroes led off by Jonny Bruce’s trumpet and Kevin Figes’ saxes and promising the inevitable ‘special guests’. The club then skips a week and returns in January with the equally all-star George Cooper Quintet (Friday 5), with the versatile pianist bringing Leeds-based drummer Joost Hendrickx for his Bebop debut.
Pete Judge (left) and Jim Barr (right)
Over the river in Southville El Rincon has a one-off seasonal outfit aptly named The Stuffy Turkey Trio, with Get The Blessing’s bassist Jim Barr and trumpet player Pete Judge teamed with Dakhla drummer Matt Brown. The name’s doubly apt because it derives from a Thelonious Monk tune and the great piano legend’s music will feature throughout.
is needed now More than ever
James Morton thinking about Christmas
Meanwhile over at the Greenback there’s James Morton’s Christmas Special, with the funky jazz sax tyro calling in another top quintet including Denny Ilett on guitar, John Pearce’s violin and the prospect of yet more ‘special guests’ TBA. The final jazz choice of the night will be at The Exchange with Birmingham’s electroswing pioneers Electric Swing Circus set to sell out well in advance.
The ubiquitous Jonny Henderson
Before Hammond player Jonny Henderson shows up as one of James Morton’s friends his psychedelic jazz-funk trio Moksha plays the Canteen (Thursday 21) and he’ll be showing up there again on Saturday 30 as part of the Afro-Latin Freedom Blues Dance Quartet that also includes Los Gusanos guitarist Mark Goudswaard. He’s back in the New Year too, as part of guitarist Dan Waldman’s mightily grooving trio (Canteen, Wednesday 3)
… and the equally gadabout Denny Ilett
Another keyboard maestro Ev Newman may not be quite as prolific but he will be appearing twice, firstly leading his Organ3man (Canteen, Thursday 28) and then at the heart of the heavy duty Manfredi Funk Initiative (No 1 Harbourside, Saturday 6). And not to be outdone, guitarist (and Friend of James Morton) Denny Ilett gets his hat-trick by adding a vocal turn to his celebrated Sinatra Special (Fringe, Wednesday 27) as well as guesting when singer Ruth Royall presents at The Gallimaufry (Thursday 4).
Stereocilia loops away
Fans of Bristol’s ever-growing improvised music scene are in for a lean time over Christmas once they’ve enjoyed this months Sound Cupboard session at Crofters Rights (Wednesday 20) but Fat Paul at the Exchange more than makes up for the wait with a nine-hour Supersession (Saturday 6) featuring Stereocilia, Saltings and Calcine Quartet amongst nearly a dozen idiosyncratic acts. You’ll be hard put to find any Gypsy Swing amongst all that lot, of course, but if that’s your groove then The Fringe has Moscow Drug Club (Wednesday 20) and Canteen hosts Buckfastleigh’s Skedaddle (Thursday 4).
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