WHEN JAZZ GOES MARCHING IN

WHEN JAZZ GOES MARCHING IN

Norman Warwick is in that number

When Jazz Goes Marching In, Rob Adams is usually the first to let us know about this music that´s going places, and it is because of his diligence that today, at the end of the month,  that we can tell you of the route-march that will undertaken from tomorrow.

March brings the first jazz festivals of the year and a surprise inclusion from the thespian world

First, though, Jazz at the Merchants House in Glasgow continues its current successful season with a visit from saxophonist Martin Kershaw’s octet on Sunday 12th. As well as being a Scottish National Jazz Orchestra stalwart and a founder of Edinburgh’s Playtime sessions, Martin (left) is a hugely accomplished composer who often takes great inspiration from literature. Drawing on poets from Virgil to Sylvia Plath and more, Martin’s latest work reflects life in all its experiences and he has a superb band to bring his reflections off the page including Scottish National Jazz Orchestra colleagues, Sean Gibbs (trumpet) and Liam Shortall (trombone), Playtime playmate Graeme Stephen (guitar), and Paul Harrison (piano)

The New Focus Duo, pianist Euan Stevenson and saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski (right) bring their superbly informative, witty and entertaining Classical Connection to the inaugural Dark Sky Jazz Weekend at Catstrand in New Galloway on Friday 17th. To their weighty jazz credentials, Euan has lately added an arrangement for the great classical violinist Pinchas Zukerman. Expect Mozart, Ellington, Evans, Satie, Miles and more as they open the weekend with brilliant playing across the styles. Full details of the event here.

The cast from BBC Scotland’s River City don’t often feature in these newsletters. In fact, Joyce Falconer (left) is the first to do so. Joyce will be acting as narrator when the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra revisits director Tommy Smith’s adaptation of Peter and the Wolf for Aberdeen Jazz Festival on Saturday 18th with a special translation into Doric. The festival programme also includes Aberdeen-born drummer Sebastian Rochford, the aforementioned Martin Kershaw Octet and saxophonist Helena Kay. Full details available here.  

Tommy Smith (right) moves from large scale music making to a solo saxophone celebration of melody when he plays in Paisley Abbey on Friday 24th. Tommy’s solo concerts, mostly in churches or former churches, have been receiving rave notices. A recent review placed Tommy “among the saxophone greats who came before him.” His Paisley concert is the opening event of this year’s Tannahill Arts Festival.

Also attracting enthusiastic reviews is saxophonist Helena Kay (left), whose second album, Golden Sands has earned praise in Canada and Australia as well as in Italy and the UK. The album features Helena’s KIM Trio (with Calum Gourlay on bass and Dave Ingamells on drums) plus Peter Johnstone on piano. They’ll be playing music from it at the Beacon Jazz Club in Greenock on Thursday 30th and at Heart of Hawick on Friday 31st. More concerts coming in Apri

Two albums from Ireland to tell you about. Guitarist Louis Stewart (right) is Ireland’s most successful jazz musician, having engaged with top level players including Benny Goodman, George Shearing, Tubby Hayes, Stephane Grappelli and Ronnie Scott. Louis also formed mutual admiration societies with fellow guitarists Joe Pass, Jim Hall and Martin Taylor. You can hear why on Out on His Own, his recently reissued solo album, which was given this testimony in the Irish Times. It’s available from Bandcamp.

Christine Tobin has a voice that’s distinctive, dark and wonderfully expressive. She also has a tendency to invite interesting people to participate on her albums. The film actor Gabriel Byrne, Christine’s former drama teacher, read some WB Yeats poems on her Sailing to Byzantium album and her new one, Returning Weather, (left) has Irish music legend Donal Lunny’s daughter, Cora, on violin. We’re hoping Christine will be over from Ireland later in the year. Meanwhile, you can check out the music from Returning Weather here

Jazz in March   Aberdeen Blue Lamp Thu 2: Paul Towndrow Trio Sun 5: Aberdeen Jazz Collective & Further On (2pm) Thu 9: Nimbus Sextet Thu 16: Maridalen Fri 17: Martin Kershaw Octet and Rachel Duns Duo/Atom Eyes Sat 18: Georgia Cécile & Fraser Urquhart/Kyla Brox Sun 19: Dee Don Danube Thu 23: Raf Ferrari Qrt Fri 24: Dock in Absolute/Dave Milligan/Gerry Jablonski Sat 25: Fergus McCreadie & Matt Carmichael/Funk Connection Sun 26: Torus Edinburgh Jazz Bar Wed 1: Paul Towndrow Sun 12: Marianne McGregor Wed 15: Pangea  Thu 23: Dr Lee’s Prescription Thu 30: Brian Kellock-John Burgess Qrt Fri 31: Boptimism Outhouse Thu 2, Thu 16, Thu 30: Playtime Glasgow Glad Cafe Tue 21: Kai Reesu Merchants House Sun 12: Martin Kershaw Octet Greenock Beacon Jazz Club Thu 30: Helena Kay KIM Trio plus Peter Johnstone Hawick Heart of Hawick Fri 31: Helena Kay KIM Trio plus Peter Johnstone London 606 Club Wed 1: Dave Bristow Qnt Sat 4: Brandon Allen Sun 5: Claire Martin Wed 8: Iain Ballamy Sat 18: Alex Hitchcock Wed 22: Tim Garland & Jason Rebello Thu 23: Jas Kayser Ronnie Scott’s Wed 1: Oddgeir Berg Trio Sat 4: Village of the Sun Mon 6: Ed Richardson Big Band Tue 7: Frank Gambale Band Wed 8: Isobella Burnham Group & Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra Thu 9: Richie Goods & Chien Chien Lu ‘Connected’ Fri 10: Daniel Casimir Big Band Sat 11: Bobby Watson’s New Horizon Mon 13: Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra Tue 14: Darius Brubeck Qrt Wed 15: Michael Janisch Band Thu 16: Chris Potter Mon 27: Marius Neset Qnt Tue 28 – Fri 31: Curtis Stigers Nairn Dunbar Golf Club Sat 11: Quattro MacJazz Paisley Paisley Abbey Fri 24: Tommy Smith solo saxophone As always, this list isn’t intended to be comprehensive – other gigs are available.\