Please click here to see a set of photographs from the weekend by Garry Corbett.

The following review will appear in the forthcoming issue of Jazz Rag magazine. Please contact jazzrag@bigbearmusic.com if you would like more information.

The photographs used in this article are some of the many taken at the festival by Robert Burns. He can be contacted at r4burns@btinternet.com.

JAZZ ON A WINTER’S WEEKEND

The Royal Clifton Hotel, Southport, February 6-8

The Fifth Jazz on a Winter’s Weekend saw Southport Melodic Jazz reverting to the setting of the Royal Clifton Hotel after last year’s sojourn at the Arts Centre during the hotel’s refurbishment. As one whose inclination was to favour the Arts Centre as a venue, I have to report that the move back to the Royal Clifton was justified on all criteria. 

For a start the appeal of the hotel setting was apparent in the ‘All Jazz Events Sold Out’ signs in reception. Then the whole ground floor of the hotel operated as a jazz venue, with a Jazz Shop, spaces for workshops, displays of jazz paintings and exhibitions of the excellent jazz photographs of Robert Burns and William Ellis en route between the two main concert rooms. Typically, heading out for a meal between Saturday afternoon and evening sessions, I was regaled by the results of Anita Wardell’s Jazz Choir workshop, singing Li’l Darlin’ to a crowded bar.

The main criterion of success is, of course, the music. Of ten formal concerts, I caught some (in most cases, all) of nine. All were, at least, well performed and well received and about half were outstanding – particularly cheering given that, for assorted reasons, Southport had decided on an all-British programme with no reduction of quality.

The Magic Hat Ensemble apparently started the proceedings in fine style (sadly, I arrived too late to hear them), but for me the Friday evening session, David Newton and Friends, laid down a standard that was to be matched, but not surpassed, during the weekend. The pianist’s opening solo medley set the tone, with its switches from a delicately reharmonised Don’t Blame Me into a romping Stompin’ at the Savoy before moving into Wave and Jive at Five, the whole 20 minutes full of melodic and rhythmic variation. Then came a superb set with Art Themen, another musician with too many tunes in his head, half-quotations bubbling out constantly in the duo’s treatments of some great standards. After the interval the rest of the David Newton Trio appeared, the splendidly incisive drummer Steve Brown at his most inventive in his accompaniments to Andrew Cleyndert’s unorthodox double bass solos. Art recently claimed in Jazz Rag that he had none of Ben Webster’s mellow authority, then proceeded to disprove it in the opening bars of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.

One of the strengths of Southport this year was the number of loosely themed gigs like the late-nighter with Liz Fletcher singing the songs of Rupert Wates along with a quintet led by his twin brother Matt. In fact, this proved to be one of the sessions that counted only as a qualified success. The performances seemed studied in contrast with the free-flowing Newton sets and some of the Wates originals were more clever than memorable. Then temporary piano problems saw Leon Greening stalk off during the second set: the problems were real, but his reaction tended to break the mood of happy co-operation. There were compensations of course: Liz Fletcher’s agile negotiation of tricksy lyrics, some good songs new to me (I liked the atmospheric Scotch Mist) and the chance to hear and be impressed by the vibes prodigy Lewis Wright.

Two of Saturday’s concerts were outstanding. Arnie Somogyi’s Mingus tribute, Scenes in the City, launched into Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting with an enormous sound for a six-piece at 11 o’clock on a Saturday morning. The band made light of the snow-related non-appearance of Tony Kofi, with Alan Barnes taking on the baritone sax parts and Iain Dixon joining him in the sax section at the last minute. In contrast to the bluesy opener What Love? alternated a stately theme with free solos from Barnes on alto and Dixon taking the Eric Dolphy role on bass clarinet. On Fables of Faubus Barnes’ slap-tonguing baritone played up the circus element in Mingus’ mockery and Jelly Roll featured Alistair White’s gruff trombone (school of Roswell Rudd) and had fun with false endings. The programme was the perfect mix of Mingus favourites and unfamiliar material, with solo power to burn and arrangements that found huge variety from three front-line instruments.

Arnie Somogyi and the fine pianist Mark Edwards were also there for the other Saturday highlight, With Strings Attached. The first half was a lengthy and hugely enjoyable set by the Don Weller/Bobby Wellins Quintet (Spike Wells on drums), bebop standards like This Here given extended hard-blowing work-outs (4 tunes in 70 minutes), but the second half was a revelation. Mark Edwards’ ballad arrangements (string arrangements by Patric Harrex) have already been heard on CD by Weller and Wellins with a string quartet. Now, with students from the Royal Northern College of Music, there were four musicians to each part. The results were beautiful, with the tenor saxists taking it in turns on a distinctly off-beat selection of ballads, from Cabin in the Sky to a Chopin Nocturne, until they finally joined forces on a moving Don Weller original dedicated to his wife.

The theme for Saturday afternoon was The Sinatra-Basie Sessions Revisited, with Todd Gordon singing with the SMS Swingswift Big Band on Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones and Billy Byers arrangements. Few types of singer can be as irritating as Sinatra imitators/followers, but Todd Gordon avoids all the finger-clicking mannerisms and sings the songs straight, with plenty of jazz feeling – and very good songs they are, too, Where or When, Street of Dreams and the rest. The 20-piece augmented Swingshift Big Band offered crisp section work and fine solos from leader/tenor saxist Phil Shotton and guests Alan Barnes and Alistair White.

Though I found less to enjoy in British Composers Played Here, the late-night show from the Clark Tracey Quartet, next day people were raving over tenor saxophonist Brandon Allen. Certainly a crowd-pleaser, he seemed to me to lack depth, certainly coming straight after Messrs. Wellins and Weller. The emphasis on British compositions was somewhat dissipated by rather self-indulgent solos, but there was no lack of excitement and a bonus came with a brief appearance from Bobby Wellins.

I only took in about half-an-hour of the Royal Northern College of Music Big Band under Mike Hall – long enough to hear some polished section work, a precise and delightfully sly Huntin’ Wabbits and a highly impressive young soprano sax soloist – before heading for Steve Voce’s lunch-time talk on The Humour of Humphrey Lyttelton. With many of the great man’s own tapes and Steve’s own reminiscences, entertainment levels were guaranteed and it was an inspiration to close with the joint Lyttelton/Condon bands’ gloriously rowdy Ole Miss from 1958, Humph and Wild Bill to the fore.

And there was still time for two more excellent concerts, followed by an unpredictable late-night jam session. Anita Wardell was in superb form in the afternoon, resisting all stereotypes, moving from East of the Sun, full of exuberant scatting, using the voice as an instrument, swapping fours with Steve Brown, to Little Girl Blue, taken at a daringly slow tempo, with Lorenz Hart’s lyrics the prime focus of attention. The trio (with Robin Aspland both attentive accompanist and expansive soloist) got plenty of space and the audience had to work as well, Anita insisting on some not at all bad community scat singing.

Alan Barnes’ Ellingtonians, billed as Stray Horns, are a safe bet for a festival finale. With the music of the Duke and soloists of the quality of Andy Panayi, Bruce Adams and Alan himself, plus the droll insults heaped by the leader on an ageing audience, it’s a real ‘come back next year’ event. As well as the predictable excellences, I was most impressed by the inventive arrangements of Tony Faulkner which seldom use the original and employ odd combinations like two clarinets and one bass clarinet and by the wide-ranging choice of frequently obscure bits of Ellingtonia. The admirable Adrian Fry, depping at short notice, even managed some convincing Tricky Sam moments and it was a constant delight to hear Tony Coe on clarinet, still an absolutely original voice.

RON SIMPSON

This review is taken from the Spring 2009 edition of 'Crescendo & Jazz Music' magazine with the publisher's permission. For information about the magazine ring (020) 8440 5526 or write to
13 Buckfast House, Priory Close, Southgate, London N14 4AZ

JAZZ ON A WINTER'S WEEKEND

SOUTHPORT – FEBRUARY 2009

By Bernard McAlinden

Promoted by Southport Melodic Jazz, (SMJ) this was the fifth JOAWW and the notice that greeted everyone arriving at the venue was 'all Jazz Concerts completely SOLD OUT', heartening indeed and a promoter's dream. Staged so early in the year this festival was just the thing to banish any winter blues and recharge the batteries. SMJ had selected a first rate, well balanced line-up focusing on UK musicians, composers and arrangers.

Steve Chadwick's quintet, The Magic Hat Ensemble, got the festival underway with Chadwick, on trumpet, Tony Ormesher, guitar, Andrzej Baranek, piano, Nick Blacka, double bass and Rob Turner on drums, with Horace Silver's How Deep The Roots. Taken at a quick tempo Ormesher lost no time at all to demonstrate his prowess powered along by drummer Turner. Kenny Barron's Voyage followed with a nicely stated theme, some neatly arranged passages and subtle, clever changes of tempo with Turner again impressive. Chadwick then switched to cornet on C'est Si Bon immediately producing a warmer group sound. Good solos all round and straight into the final piece of the first set with a cleverly arranged Darn That Dream. Again there were imaginative shifts in tempo from ballad to hard driving up-tempo passages.

The second set started with a long intro from Chadwick on cornet for a thoughtful take of Who Will Buy, from 'Oliver', with drummer Turner again taking the ear and eye. A rousing version of Monk's Epistrophy was next, Chadwick on trumpet, and again clever tempo changes used this time to bring in a new soloist. They closed their session with an imaginative rendition of The Song Is You with some precision timing and playing from Baranek and Turner in introducing the theme. This is a good, young, integrated band each member a capable soloist but it's strength being to play as a unit demanded by the clever arrangements. It was an excellent way to open the festival.

For the first of the two evening concerts it was Dave Newton and Friends. The applause that greeted Newton to the stand was that of genuine admiration for a master. For the first half of the set Dave played solo piano and played a medley of four songs. He opened with Don't Blame Me and drew every nuance from this great old tune that had a freshness about it that one would have thought that it had just been written. Moving seamlessly into Stompin' At The Savoy he gave it a thorough work-out sculpting out some lovely patterns at a tempo that was made for this theme. Jobim's Wave was next and Newton did it full justice as he let his imagination roam much to the audience's delight. He ended this segment with a lovely stated Jive At Five. There is a sophistication about Dave's playing that runs deep, whether ballads, swingers or flag wavers, it's all there. This was great jazz and the audience let him know it.

For the second half of this set Newton was joined by Art Themen and it was as a duo that they played. Opening with Like Someone in Love their interplay, right from the start, was there for all to hear. Art's sound on tenor, as always ever distinctive, was heart warming and their take of The Nearness Of You was top drawer. Total empathy was the key to it all. Themen is just as distinctive, but more quirky, on soprano as he showed on Darn That Dream and his sly quote from Holiday For Strings had the audience nodding their approval at it's impudence. Closing with You Do Something To Me, Newton played lines rather than feeding chords to Themen, as though he was playing a solo and Art reversed the pattern playing counterpoint as Dave soloed. Classic jazz and thoroughly stimulating, they left to a rousing reception.

(Note: Couldn't some promoter arrange for them to tour the UK as a duo?)

They were joined by Andrew Cleyndert and Steve Brown for the second set. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You and Watch What Happens were examples of a tightly knit group that seemed to have been made to play together and Cleyndert's solo on the latter was met with approval by all. Newton's opening statement of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square before the rest of the quartet came in was a thing of beauty. Some wonderful brush work from Steve Brown then his cymbal, just a whisper behind Cleyndert, and his use of mallets as the piece closed was exemplary. Closing with Speak Low, given a Latin treatment, it was quality all the way.

I caught the first set as Liz Fletcher joined forces with the Matt Wates Quintet - altoist Matt, leading Leon Greening on piano, Lewis Wright on vibes, Luke Steele bass and Sebastian de Krom drums. They opened with Harold Arlen's My Shining Hour driven along by de Krom. Liz then concentrated on a set of attractive songs composed, words and music, by Rupert Wates, Matt's twin bother. Liz lost no time in establishing her credentials and on Morning Bird, Rupert had left a note with the music saying that 'Birds are the most beautiful singers' - Liz was certainly giving the birds a run for their money! Jazz Birds followed and Fletcher took flight on this leading to some impressive soloing from Wates, Wright and Greening. All New is a lovely song, words and music, as is Scotch Mist, a bluesy number that had some fine playing from Greening. Ghost Dance, a memorable song, got a memorable performance and had Lewis Wright showing what a great prospect he is. Wates had plenty of room to solo and the quintet provided first class accompaniment for Fletcher who was well comfortable with the material. Travellin' featured some explosive drumming from de Krom.

'This is one of the finest quintets that you will hear anywhere', was the introduction given by SMJ's Geoff Matthews for the Bobby Wellins/Don Weller Quintet. Accompanied by Mark Edwards, Arnie Somogyi and Spike Wells and sub -headed With Strings Attached, they opened with Bobby Timmons' This Hear. From the familiar opening bars of the intro, the quintet were into their stride immediately. Wellins first, then Weller taking long interest filled solos leading to exciting exchanges between the two horns, piano and drums. Bobby then recalled the late Dick Morrissey suggesting Lover Man, played as a Latin piece. 'You'll love it' Dick said. Weller took the first solo then Mark Edwards gave the harmonies a thorough examination with the melody always just under the surface. Wells provided plenty of accents and punctuations leading to Wellins' solo. As Bobby played the closing theme Don played some nice counterpoint and then played the middle eight.

On Green Dolphin Street was taken at a fast clip and Wellins took off for a lengthy solo. There was some great comping from Edwards with Wells driving the band forward before Weller came in really flying. The quintet concluded the set with Tadd Dameron's theme Good Bait which brought a terrific solo from Arnie Somogyi that had some amusing and clever interjections from Spike Wells, revealing an impish sense of humour before Weller took charge. Then it was Mark Edwards, steadily building his solo with great authority and intensity.

For the second set the quintet were joined by a seventeen piece string section from the Royal Northern College of Music playing arrangements by Mark Edwards and Patric Harrex. The tenors alternated pieces so that it was really a quartet with strings. Wellins played Cabin in the Sky dedicating it to the memory of Humphrey Lyttleton, the warm rich sound of the strings providing a nice cushion for his probing tenor. His phrasing on David Rose's Our Waltz seemed so right against the strings. Bobby told the audience that the idea to play Frederick Chopin's Nocturne No15 had come from Andrew Cleyndert. The purity of the melody was made for Wellins and there was more fine piano from Edwards, as indeed throughout the two sets.

Weller played Killing Me Softly that brought out the softer side of his playing. It was a thoughtful, tender reading that was complimented by the strings and a beautiful solo from Edwards. The rhythm section, so important in this setting, was well nigh perfect in the support provided. Don's rendition of Mal Waldron's haunting theme Soul Eyes was Weller at his best, his expressive phrasing enhancing this lovely piece. Somogyi contributed a thoughtful solo before Edwards had the audience sitting up in their seats with his clear piano lines but it was Weller's voice that lingered.

The Quintet concluded with the best piece of the set as the two tenors joined forces on Weller's memorable theme Di's Waltz. This also contained what I thought was the best of the string arrangements, lush and sumptuous. It is quite clear that Wellins and Weller love playing together, perfect foils for each other, the contrast in their respective tones fascinating, the respect total. The string section certainly acquitted themselves admirably providing a lovely backdrop and this was something really different that the audience appreciated.

The Clark Tracey Quartet with a programme of British Composer's Played Here, concluded Saturday's music with the late session and was raring to go. Tracey, had Brandon Allen on tenor, Gareth Williams on piano and Arnie Simonyi, straight from his With Strings Attached session, on bass and played a couple of straight ahead sets that had what was an indefatigable audience roaring its approval. They kicked off with Tubby Hayes' On The Wagon with Allen wailing straight from the start. Victor Feldman's Joshua was introduced by Somogyi, his big sounding bass lines beckoning Allen to come flying in with a meaty, no nonsense solo. Williams then threatened to take all before him handling the sudden changes of tempo brilliantly before the piece closed with a solo from Tracey.

George Shearing's Lullaby Of Birdland had Allen's big, full-bodied sound stating the theme with great authority at a lovely tempo. Williams again came in and simply 'went to town'. The set finished with the bonus of Bobby Wellins making it a quintet and playing Wellins' CUCB, his tribute to Clifford Brown. There was a great deal of excitement generated here as first Wellins then Allen put down some lively choruses. Somogyi and Tracey laid down some heavy duty rhythm as Williams weighed in. There was an enthusiastic outburst of applause as the two tenors brought the piece and the first set to a close.

The second set quickly picked up from where it had left off with a Tony Crombie / Benny Green theme, So Near, So Far. Tim Garland's Simple Simon was given a long thorough workout and there was yet another rollicking solo from Williams that had the audience chuckling with glee. Who Can I Turn To, the lovely Leslie Bricusse song had Williams soloing first then Allen who produced a thoughtfully swinging solo. The set finished with an exciting take on Victor Feldman's Seven Steps to Heaven. Brandon stated the theme with Williams taking the first solo, a roaring exhibition of uninhibited swinging piano. Allen then took over and driven on by the rhythm section sent the temperature rising further and it was concluded by a trademark solo from Tracey. This was a rousing, swinging session that provided the perfect nightcap. A super quartet that was cheered off the stand.

The Royal Northern College of Music Big Band, under the leadership of Mike Hall, Co-ordinator of Jazz Studies / Director of the Big Band played the Sunday morning session. Opening with a swinging take of Harold Arlen's My Shining Hour the band had the large audience sitting up at once. They followed with Dancing Eyes, a composition by Mike Tomaro, a nicely scored Latin arrangement that had some effective unison playing by the brass against the drums. Miles Davis' So What followed and was described by Mike Hall as 'an up-dated take' on Miles' theme. It introduced the impressive playing of trumpeter Jack Davis, who would contribute immensely to the band's performance, and the tenor of Rory Duffy. There was some marvellous writing on this John La Barbara arrangement. Another Brick In The Wall, a Pink Floyd piece arranged by Jack Davis, showed the contemporary leanings of the band. It provided a platform for solos by trombonist Heider Nasralla, tenorist Duffy and altoist Rob Cope all showing imagination and the precise playing by the band was matched by its enthusiasm.

Chelsea Bridge was a feature for Jack Davis who, again, impressed on this terrific Sammy Nestico arrangement. A Latin flavoured composition by Andy Scot, Early Hours, gave the band the feel of 'a big mambo band' that one used to hear. It had the two altos of Rob Cope and Anthony Brown playing against each other and a chase-like sequence drawing great applause before a fine drum solo from Jonathon Ormston brought things to a close. Maynard Ferguson's Caught In The Current generated a lot of excitement that had solos from Jack Davis, Rob Cope on soprano, some thrilling 4's, and fine trumpet from both the lead Owen Bryce, and Chris Snead. Flautist Emily Ogilvie joined the band and played the charming Sonata Latino, a composition by Mike Mower. She delivered some impressive playing as did pianist Tom Taylor with solid support from the rhythm and percussion.