sidetracks & detours present PASS IT ON – The Last Post Sunday 24 11 2024

sidetracks & detours

present

PASS IT ON – The Last Post

Sunday 24 11 2024

Editor: Norman Warwick

Writers: Peter Pearson, Michael Higgins, Trevor Bannister, Steve Bewick, Steve Cooke, Graham Marshall

Contributors: Alfred Michael, Joseph Aloysius, The Poet In The Rain, Carusoe, Ralph Dent, Akela

Listings: Jazz In Reading, Music That´s Going Places, Manchester Folk, I Love Manchester, Sound Roots, Music in Portsmouth, The Camel House (Lanzarote), Mercedes Minguela

Photographer and Proof Reader: Dutton the Button

Hear The Call

Come Follow Your Art

by Akela

I am very sad to be closing the covers for the final time. Since arriving on the island of Lanzarote to retire in November 24th 2015, here I am exactly nine years later finally calling time up. In those last nine years I have written over 300 weekly arts reports to the enterntaining and informative Lanzarote Information outfit run by ´Miguel´ and Julie and have attended more tham 200 live concerts. I have also had a handful of stories published in the glossy, quarterly magazine that reminds me of ´Look and Learn the´educational comic´ I read as a lad.

Somehow, with help from the team noted above, I have also published our daily sidetracks & detours blog, creating an easy to navigate archive of around 1,500 arts related, free to read articles.

I have enjoyed support from some excellent regular writers.

Michael Higgins has delivered knowledgable articles of all sorts of folk loric and historical relevance to our typical arts diet. Michael and I often bumped into each other in Rochdale. We walked parallel songlines even if, as The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band might have said, ´we were never together but were close sometimes´. I will always have fond memories of Michael when he an I were two members of the poets Bard From The Baum. He would deliver occasional ballads of bravery, and plaintiff emotional poetry.

Steve Bewick has been a less frequent writer for sidetracks & detours and PASS IT ON, but has always been there at the portal to Jazz Junction, introducing me to producers, writers and musicans as well as leading me down to the crossroads where the real stories are only whispered. Steve and I worked together for two or three years presenting All Across The Arts, a quite daring jazz based show on Cresent Radio on which the jazz vibes only ever gave way to the call to prayer. In that time Steve introduced me to the music of British artists like Jenny Bray. Mr. Bewick and his wife Marlene have even visited Lanzarote on holiday. However, I´m most grateful to Steve for telling me about the work of Karla Harris,……..so, I´ll say this in our closing issue, Karla Harris, (and Joe and his Trio) are the real deal. Steve who still presents a weekly Hot Biscuits mixcloud jazz programme, also remotely introduced me to the good people at Jazz In Reading, one of who became our regular jazz reviewer. Trevore Bannister´s reviews turned out to be witty and wise and were all-embracing of technicians, artists and audience. To read a Trevor Bannister review is to be in the room ! Another old freind in Rochdale, Steve Cooke, has shared with us his ALL ACROSS THE ARTS pages, written for The Rochdale Observer. Steve and I were well known figures in Number One Riverside, the award winning, architeurally incredible library. As working partners we would take possession of our favourite table in the library cafe and argue about everything from Man United to Wynton Marsalis. Now three thousand miles apart Steve and I are far more,…er, what´s the word¿ Ah, yes,…tranquillo !

Graham Marshall wears lightly his knowledge and expertise of classical and secular music. His love for the genre, as well as his love for the Rochdale Light Orchestra shines through his news, previews, interviews and reviews penned for the Rochdale Music Society. I feel very proud to have included his work in our pages and am grateful for his willingness to share the Rochdale Music Society archives.

The most prolific contributor to PASS IT ON has been Peter Pearson. He and I have probably known each for more than thirty years now. We only ever saw each other at gigs by thse singer-writers we both loved; John Stewart and Guy Clark etc. We would sometimes drfit into the same interval-conversatins. Shortly after launching sidetracks & detours I was amazed to receive an e-mail from Peter saying how much he enjoyed an article I had writtn on singer-writer Bill Morrissey. So, there WAS a reader out there,………………… and that meant there was a potential writer out there too ! Peter has written around fifty articles for PASS IT ON. We share an absolute love of Americana music,…….. and he has taught me more about the genre in this last year than I could have possibly imagined. Thanks Peter and all those mentioned above.

We then come to the contributors I call ´ínvisible angels´. Alfred Michael, Joseph Aloysius, The Poet In The Rain, Carusoe and Ralph Dent seem, somehow, to be messengers from the Gods. We remember them but neither see them nor hear them. Somewho, though, they offer a panoramic, global, nee universal view of the arts full of temporal and spatial awarensss.

Then we come, finally, to those listing agencies and solo correspondents who keep us informed of all the live gigs. Jim Wade at Jazz In Reading, Rob Adams with (Jazz) Music That´s Going Places and from the gang at Ribble Valley Jazz And Blues, all of whom deliver well prepared prose and photos to advertise events on time and ready for press. Similarly so do Machester Folk and Sound Roots for their own genre, and all these agencies have so raised the bar in their preferred type of music. We have also been fortunate enough to receive newsletters from organisations such as I Love Manchester and Music in Portsmouth from which we have extrapolated news and artists profiles.

The Adsubian Gallery in Spain and The Lanzarote Art Gallery here on the island have also proefessionally kept us updated of exhibitions and meet the artist events. Working independently, Claudie, our favourite artist on the island has kept us updated on events at her Gallery At Home and the tireless Mercedes Minguela has orgsanised, previewed and reviewed her self-orgnaised poetry readings and lectures.

My photographer and proof reader throughout all this has been Dutton The Button,…. and I couldn´t have done it without her. In fact, she wouldn´t have let me !!

I will be keeping the platform open so any listing agencies or writers who want to take advantage of that to publise or review events just send it across to normanwarwick55@gmail.com and I will always try to get it live for you.

Thnaks to all.

FIVE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

songwriters

male                              female

John Stewart           Karla Harris

Wes McGee            Nanci Griffith

Gary Hall                Julie Matthews

Bill Morrissey         Debra De Kaiklata

Guy Clark                Kate Wolf

tracks by males        tracks by females

Ticket To The Stars Love  At The Five & Dime

The Real Thing        Talk To Me Of  Mendocino

Rambling Boy         Tennessee Flat Top Box

Hallelujah                I´d Rather Go Blind

The Needed Time    Blue Songs On A Red Guitar

Reader´s Perspective: All Points Forward

BILLY STRINGS

By Peter Pearson

My piece in S&D Weekly Walkabout issue dated 7th January 2024 titled “The Generation Game”, expressed concern that as the baby boomer roots music concert goers get older, there may not be a younger crowd to replace them.

It was written following my attending a Sarah Jarosz concert in the UK and noticing a predominantly baby boomer crowd at a concert given by a young bluegrass/americana artist.

This observation was mirrored in an article I had read about the same phenomenon in the USA. I have since realised that, had this been a Billy Strings concert, I might have come to a different conclusion. But then I would not have attended a Billy Strings concert, in a large scale environment on a standing only ticket, to witness the audience demographic.

Billy Strings is one of several younger bluegrass artists who are bucking the trend. Some have given the name jam grass to the genre. In the USA Billy plays sell out concerts in predominantly large amphitheatres to predominantly young audiences with standing room only.

Strings´ real name is William Lee Apostol and the name Billy Strings was originated by his aunt, who recognised his ability on multiple traditional bluegrass instruments. He is now 32 and his breakthrough came with him signing to Rounder Records in 2019 and releasing his album “Home”. The album reached number one on Billboard and earned him a Grammy.

Listen to that studio album and listen to his recent studio album, the magnificent “Highway Prayers” and you will hear one side of Billy Strings – the songwriter, the acoustic bluegrass story teller. Listen to his numerous live releases or watch a youtube video of his live concert performances and you will see a different side.

His live performances are pure entertainment, delighting his legion of fans with his use of  effect pedals to wring rock heavy electric solos out of his acoustic guitar. One song merges with several others without a break, sometimes extending to as long as a 38 minute jam. On Halloween in the States he gave a live concert titled “O’ Billy Where Art Thou” – a skit on the film O’ Brother Where Art Thou. Mixing stage re-enactments, many of the songs from the Grammy-winning soundtrack, carefully selected band originals, traditional tunes and covers, and musical assistance from artists like Sierra Hull, Duane Trucks, original cast member Tim Blake Nelson, and many more, it was pure, though somewhat over the top entertainment, containing a liberal slice of extended jams.

Therein lies the secret of his popularity.

He appeals to americana lovers, bluegrass purists, and jam-band lovers equally but in ways that don’t overlap. His music covers the whole bluegrass to jam grass spectrum, so that people can take what they want from it and disregard the rest. Whilst he may not appeal to the bluegrass purists, there is widespread recognition in the bluegrass fraternity that he and others such as Molly Tuttle, have lead the resurgence in bluegrass music as a genre. Highway Prayers is at the top of my current playlist but I could never attend his live concerts or listen to his live concert album releases. Those jams just go on way too long with minimal variation for my liking and I can tolerate Neil Young’s jet plane in a thunderstorm electric performances.

Highway Prayers is a really nice bluegrass album that is easy on the ears and probably his most accessible album to date. Released last month on his new label, Reprise and recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, it consists of 20 original bluegrass songs; several are co-writes. Three of the songs were co-written with Thomm Jutz, a favourite of mine and one with another favourite and long time Guy Clark collaborator, Shawn Camp. His long time road band is augmented by Jerry Douglas on dobro and a number of other studio musicians. The album has gone straight to number one on Billboard’s all genre top album charts, making it the first bluegrass album since 2002 to do so. The last one was the soundtrack to the film O’Brother Where Art Thou.

No song on the album is over 5:50 minutes long and most around 3:00 or 4:00 but typically, when reprised in the live environment, they are likely to entend a good deal longer. There are 3 instrumentals on the album, all in classic bluegrass style. My personal favourite track is the lead track co-written with Thomm Jutz, Leanin On A Travelin’ Song but I don’t hear any fillers.

I love the album but I’ll not be attending his concerts.

MY FIVE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

gigs

John Stewart               The Bloomsbury

Richard Thompson Nottingham Playhouse

The Rankin Family      Bury Met

Tom Paxton                 Free Trade Hall M/C

Leonard Cohen            Mancheseter Arena

Island Insights

CAPITAL CROWDS collect concerts

by Carusoe

An estimated 4,000 people enjoyed brilliant nights in Arrecife recently, when two recitals by the Lanzarote Classical Orchestra were given. These concerts were embedded within a celebratory event organised by Arrecife City Council. The Council chose to do so to commemorate the 225th anniversary of the foundation of Arrecife, (now the island´s capital) as a municipality. El Charco de San Gines, the enclave around which Arrecife has become a fine port, (that over the past three years or so has attracted some of the world´s great sea cruises) and a bustling city, hosted these great concerts on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November.

The Mayor of Arrecife, emphasised the success of these new events scheduled by the City Council. For the mayor there is a palpable consistency that was confirmed at a major event earlier this month.

“The citizens want and applaud the revitalization of Arrecife as a capital,” he declared.

The Mayor expressed his satisfaction with the achievements of the Municipal Government, which he presides, in recovering the Sailing Concerts in Charco de San Ginés, which were resumed last autumn thanks to the drive and organisation of the Department of Tourism, headed by Eli Merino.

Eli Merino, praised the good organisation and large attendance of spectators at this double performance by the Lanzarote Classical Orchestra, which, at the request of the Department of Tourism, included a show designed especially for the whole family, young and old, with the evening concert of Magical Dreams, set to soundtracks from Disney films. The characters from these films were present at El Charco de San Ginés, where they arrived on board small feluccas.

The Arrecife City Council set up a huge seating area with capacity for around three thousand people on the Paseo de la Ribera del Charco, near the Cuatro Esquinas and Multicines Atlántida, which was all occupied. As admission to these events was free and for that reason, and because many hundreds of people were ambling around El Charco de San Gines, couples standing arm in arm to listen to particular pieces, and family groups too, as parents and grandparents often stopping to allow children to listen to certain instruments.

Roberto Fuentes, manager of the Lanzarote Classical Orchestra, said a word of thanks to not only the audience, but also the City Council, just before diving into the water with the Councillor for Tourism.

The City Council is supporting these events to enhance culture, and he later expressed his satisfaction with the institutional collaboration he has received from the City Council, the Government led by Mayor Yonathan de León, and closely from Councillor Eli Merino.

Around 50 musicians from the Lanzarote Classical Orchestra took part in the two  recent performances. In addition, in the Concert in Vela, dedicated to ‘A Night at the Opera’, the soloists Arantxa Cooper, soprano, tenor Gabriel Álvarez, mezo Alba Cruz and bass Pau Armengol took part, under the direction of maestro José María Vicente.

So, the above offers some facts and figures of two wonderful arts nights. I think our report manages to convey the friendly atmosphere between the different age groups and nationalities amongst what I would wager was far higher than four thousand because as yet no mention has been made of all the diners in the twenty or so full restaurants along the promenade.

Only fifty metres away on the new marina where the big boats berth there was a concert going on, that involved X factor winners, and a winner of The Voice as well as footballers and other sporting stars and celebrities and social media stars.

There was plenty for the pensioner generation, of which my wife Dee and I are now senior members and for pre-teens and teenagers to enjoy.

In 2024, this being the commemoration of the 225th anniversary of Arrecife, it had been decided that the traditional Concert in Candlelight be focused on the young ones accompanied by a musical with an orchestra, under the baton of Luis Montesdeoca, whose songs from children’s film soundtracks were performed by Almudena Hernández and Altahay de la Guardia, winner of the Arrecife Song Festival. The presence of the Disney characters brightened the evening for the thousands of families who attended.

Fran Vega was the conductor of the children’s concert that started at 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., and at night, the Candlelight Concert. Between both, and in a planned manner, the City Council sponsored Bohemian Nights in Marina Lanzarote, a few steps from El Charco de San Ginés restaurant area.

César Manrique, a favourite son of Arrecife, who was born in El Charco de San Ginés area in 1919. At the start of the Concert in Vela, the world premiere of “A César” by the composer Leandro Quinteros and the stage design of the Tenesa Sol Gymnastics Club was performed.

Manrique, of course, is a hugely ubiquitous figure not only on the Lanzarote arts scene, but also on these pages at Lanzarote Information.

The same would apply to my own daily blog, sidetracks & detours and also the major glossy media here on the island, and the forty year old magazine, Lancelot even carried my review of Manrique The Musical (that I still say should become a film).

The students of the Antonio Zerolo, La Destina, Mercedes Medina and Adolfo Topham schools, all in Arrecife, participated with the contribution of decorated candle jars where the families of Arrecife and Lanzarote placed candles in the Morro Elvira in memory of the victims who died due to the tragedy of the intense rains that the Dana left in Valencia, and other areas of the Peninsula. This area of ​​the Morro Elvira was created by the brilliant artist together with the master builder Luis Morales.

To enjoy two such wonderful evenings had a kind of ´what have I done to deserve this´ air about it. Not only were the chosen compositions from the very top drawer of classical and film score but it was also confidently and charmingly delivered.

The ambience of these two evenings was, as always, of tolerance and shared enjoyment, or as somebody in the sixties once mooted it as Peace And Love And Understanding. 

Never has Arrecife, nor perhaps any other part of Lanzarote, seemed more resplendent. Sails on moored boats and ships were adorned with so many fairy lights that the tall boats looked like the Pechiguera lighthouse down at our end of the island, in Playa Blanca.

But El Charco de San Gines is, in the dark nights at this time of year, warm and welcoming, lilting in the bright lights silhouetting the people waltzing on the promenade around the lagoon.

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

groups

The Incredible String Band

The Flatlanders

The Judds

Beausoliele

Poco

Live Jazz

ACANTHA LANG

Bishop’s Court Farm

Dorchester on Thames OX10 7HP

Sunday 17 November
Doors 6pm | Concert 7 – 9pm | £23

previewed by Jazz In Reading

“Acantha Lang is brilliant….an independent artist destined for world domination.” Craig Charles – BBC 6 Music

“I absolutely love Acantha’s sweet, soulful voice.” Jools Holland

Born in New Orleans, Southern soul songstress Acantha Lang was raised on a heady diet of Aretha Franklin, Mavis Staples, Al Green and Bill Withers. Having established herself in New York, she relocated to London and became one of the most talked about artists to emerge in years.

After making her U.S television debut singing live on the prestigious CBS Sunday Morning show, she performed at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, as well as a string of major venues throughout Europe. She quickly built up a fiercely loyal fanbase on both sides of the pond after the recent release of her critically acclaimed debut album, Beautiful Dreams, which reached the top of The Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart and has amassed over 2.5 million streams on Spotify.

For this special Snug Sessions show, Acantha and her drum-tight band will be playing songs from her debut LP alongside some of her favourite soul and funk classics.

Drinks will be available to purchase on the evening.

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

theatres

Jameos Del Agua                      Lanzarote

Royal Northern College                Manchester

CIC El Almacen                            Lanzarote

Alhambra                                       Bradford

Mayfair                                          London

Live Jazz

Stan Tracey’s
A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS: JAZZ SUITE 
Inspired by Dylan Thomas’
‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’

Saturday 23 November  7:45pm
The Alan Cornish Theatre, Oakwood Centre, Headley Rd, Woodley, Reading RG5 4JZ

£14.50
Enquiries 07728 547603

previewed by Jazz In Reading

Thanks to everyone who has already booked their seats; just to say there are some tickets left.

The Mike Goff Quartet
with Dylan Thomas read by Tom Neill
Mike Wilkins Tenor Saxophone
Martin Pickett Piano
Steve Kershaw Double Bass
Mike Goff DrumsJ
Tom Neill Narrator

Following their sold-out performance of Under Milk Wood Jazz Suite, the Mike Goff Quartet return with a second Stan Tracey classic, this time inspired by Dylan Thomas’ much-loved short story: A Child’s Christmas In Wales.

With antics in the snow, snoring uncles, doting aunts, and an errant hippopotamus, Thomas’ nostalgic tale evokes the happiest memories of Christmases past. Energetically interpreted and elevated in seven tunes by the great British composer Stan Tracey, and played in full by the region’s top performers, A Child’s Christmas In Wales promises new memories to cherish this festive season.

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

theatre events

Under Milk Wood             Mayfair London

with John Malcovich         Jameos Del Agua

Manrique The Musical Jameos Del Agua

Homeless                           M6 Theatre

1984                             Royal Exchange M/C

Live Jazz Sunday 1^st December 2024

SIMON SPILLETT (saxophone)
Backed by  the Pangbourne Jazz Club rhythm section:
Jim Pollard (piano)

Jerry Hutchins (guitar)
Stuart Barker (double bass)

Brian Greene (drums)

previewed by Jazz In Reading

Over his twenty-five year career Simon Spillett has worn almost as many hats as it’s possible to wear within jazz; multi-award-winning instrumentalist (BBC Jazz Awards, British Jazz Awards, Jazz Journal’s Album of The Year), quartet and big band leader, recording artist, author, historian, record producer, archivist, magazine columnist and latterly blogger.

However, for all these varied skills he identifies most strongly as a powerfully swinging, straight-ahead tenor saxophonist, one capable of taking the audiences who hear him on a roller-coaster ride encompassing everything from energetic bebop to heartfelt balladry.

And it’s in this guise that he’s become a solid fixture on the UK jazz landscape, regularly playing sold-out gigs at major festivals (EFG London Jazz Festival, Brecon, Swanage, Scarborough, Wigan etc.) and world famous club venues (Ronnie Scott’s).

A charismatic performer, gifted with a dry observational wit, he’s never lost sight of the fact that jazz is entertainment as much as self-expression and whether playing, writing or articulately holding forth on his favourite subject – UK jazz history – he’s an infectiously passionate communicator.

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

galleries

Claudie´s Gallery At Home     Lanzarote

Lanzarote Art Gallery             Costa Teguise

Tate Northern                          Liverpool

The Lowry                               Salford

Reina Sofia                              Madrid

Live Jazz

Friday 13 December 2024

SOULTIME

Play The Music of Bobby Timmons!

previewed by Jazz In Reading

Friday 13 December  Progress Theatre, Reading  7:30pm  £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.  Bar at all gigs from 7:00pm. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium.

Steve Fishwick trumpet,

Leon Greening piano,

Matyas Hofecker bass,

Matt Home drums

Soultime Play The Music of Bobby Timmons!

Tickets are selling quickly so don’t miss out on Soultime!, a new and exciting jazz quartet co-led by renowned pianist Leon Greeningand exceptional trumpeter Steve Fishwick. Matt Homeon drums and Matyas Hofecker on double bass complete the top-flight rhythm section.

Soultime! is dedicated to one of their musical heroes, pianist Bobby Timmons, composer of such timeless classics as ‘This Here’, ‘Dat Dere’ and most famously, ‘Moanin’: hit recordings for the Cannonball Adderley Quintet and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.  

This group is committed to presenting the music in the spirit in which it was originally created, with plenty of melody, soul, and down-home grooves.

Our thanks to Hickies Music, Music retailers since 1864, for the hire of the Yamaha piano that Leon will be playing.

Live Jazz

A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS WITH JORDAN JACKSON
Bishop’s Court Farm Dorchester on Thames OX10 7HP   Sunday 8 December
Doors 6pm | Concert 7 – 9pm | £23 (+ booking fee)

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preview by Jazz In Reading

A Soulful Christmas with Jordan Jackson

“One of the finest soul singers to have emerged from these shores in years” – Jazz FM

Fast becoming one of the most talked about jazz and soul singers in Europe, Jordan Jackson has cooked up a very special feast of festive songs paying tribute to a galaxy of iconic stars including Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and the Ronettes. 

Together with her superb band and a four-piece brass section, she’ll be taking the audience on a musical sleigh ride that goes from Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus to traditional carols and feelgood soul classics. 

Stirring up an ear-watering cocktail of vintage soul, jazz and R&B, Jackson effortlessly blurs the boundaries between Sade and Corrine Bailey Rae. Having performed everywhere from Ronnie Scott’s to some of the world’s most prestigious music festivals, she has built up a burgeoning fanbase since she first burst into the spotlight. 

Jordan Jackson blew everyone away when she made her show-stopping Snug Sessions debut last year, so we are very excited to welcome her back to Bishop’s Court Farm for what is sure to be an unforgettable night of sweet soul music with a swinging festive twist.

Line-up:
Jordan Jackson – Piano and Vocals
Claudio Suriano – Guitar
Santi Viale – Bass
Juan Jacinto – Drums
Plus a four-piece brass section

Drinks will be available to purchase on the evening.

Doors: 6pm, show 7 – 9pm.

Bishop’s Court Farm, 91 High St, Dorchester on Thames OX10 7H

About Jazz in Reading
  Jazz in Reading stages regular events with top-class bands at Reading’s Progress Theatre.

We list jazz events in Reading and the wider area at no charge – simply submit your gig details. We also offer an affordable service to further promote events – such as the one above – by email:
Jazz in Reading, using its extensive contacts in the jazz world, is in an excellent position to help you find the right band for your wedding, party or other special occasion.

Jazz On Air

HOT BISCUITS

sharede by Steve Bewick

Hi, Steve Bewick here.

I thought you´d like toi know that our main jazzes on HOT BISCUITS this week are David Black (Sax) joining with Alice Coulam on vocals, Vinnie Parker (Piano), Dave Turner (Bass) and Tim Franks (Drums) in session with jazz favourites at Wilmslow a little while back recorded by Ian Brown.

Also included in the show are the explosive Kyoto Jazz Massive seeing in The Dawn. Furthermore, Michael Chillingworth tells us about the, Ladies In Mercedes.

We will also hear the laid back sounds of Søren Bebe Trio on Alba. I´m pretty sure Norman Warwick will tune in for that, as i´ve heard it on the grapevine that he is very impressed with Soren, not only by his music but also his novel and refreshing approach to career-building. There might be an interview in the offing !

We will also welcome  Chun-Wei Kang Trio with their take on, Bye, Bye, Blackbird.

 Phil Portus offers up another Pip Squeak Production with reflections on Manchester before lockdown.

James Chadwick,  guitarist offers up a clever, Beetroot To Me. from his new CD, Inside/Out.`

We also feature Unfrequented Love, a CD from Tommy Smith, with a track called, `A Flower Is A Lonely Thing.

We will finish with Nigel Aubrey Thomas in search of his `Restless Soul.`

I am confident you will find the programme interesting  so check out the link below and have a listen. The feel free to PASS IT ON to fellow readers who might like to join use 24/7 at

MIXCLOUD.COM

L

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

books

The Jungle Book         Rudyard Kipling

Cold Blood                  Truman Capote

Billy The Kid              Michael Ondaatje

Accordian Crimes       Annie Proulx

The Pearl                     John Steinbeck

Live Jazz Over The Water

KARLA HARRIS

Norman Warwick shares

news, previews and reviews from newsletter

This catch-up letter comes to you with early season greetings from Karla Harris during what she considers to be her favourite time of year. Even though it was 80 degrees in Atlanta as she sat down to update her fan base, with one of her always informative newsletters, Karla found herself in what she called a ´Fall Mood´ (you know, crispy leaves underfoot and a cup of steaming mulled wine on arriving back home). Karla has apparently  been taking a lot of walks in the woods. Of course, she is offering  plenty of live music to sink into. You’ll find highlights below of what she´ll  be up to throughout the season and you know she´d love to see you at some events if you in that part of America at the time.

Sidetracks And Detours and our PASS IT ON  weekly supplement unreservedly recommend Karla Harris and her music to you. Her album Moon To Gold was released nearly two years ago now, but it has never been off my playlists since I first heard it. The arrangements are adventurous and yet still remind me of the more elegant days of Jazz.

Her voice is charming, with a throaty chuckle reminding us of her sense of humour and yet she can sing tender love songs and Julie London style bar room blues. The track that inspired the album title, Moon To Gold, was of coursed Blue Moon and Karla´s rendition is my firm favourite version of a song I have loved for so many years in so many genres.

Karla´s newsletter tells of the launch of a new series of ´Locals And Legends´ that took place on 15^th November, This saw Karla performing with Joe Alterman, her stage and studio colleague, as they joined up with Ken Peplowski. 

Ken (the legend) took the wheel as Karla and Joe´s trio (known as the locals !?), combined with his incredible artistry and fun sense of showmanship. Ken has played or recorded sax and clarinet with everyone from Peggy Lee to Benny Goodman to Madonna. These were nights of feel-good jazz and a lot of laughs.

Excellent audience turn out on 15th November at The Lawrenceville GA Arts Centre and on the following night at The Roswell GA Cultural Arts Centre.

Karla was delighted to have Ken on stage as she and he had been scheduled to work together a few years ago, but ´life got in the way´. She really loved that this other opportunity presented itself.

.

Karla also gave a shout out in her newsletter to some of the young musicians in her community as she reminded local jazz fans that Tritone Youth Orchestra, filled with aspirant jazz musicians were also in concert that night at Roswell GA.

She tells us that Tritone is a wonderful organisation mentoring the next generation of jazz artists. This particular concert, Castle In The Sky, explored classical and jazz inspirations behind famous film scores.

The arrival of December sees the festive jazz season start in earnest, and Karla will be ringing in the season on December 5th with The Atlantic Pops Orchestra at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville GA.

A couple of nights later, on 7th December, Karla will be creating A Little Peace Of The Holidays at The Peacock Performing Arts in Hayesville, NC. Over the past few years Karla has taken this concert out to a different city each December, and she will joined on stage this year by The Tyrone Jackson Quartet for what is always one of her favourite concerts on her calendar.

On 19th and 20th December Karla Harris will be appearing in St. Louis Blue Strawberry Showroom. These two home-town gigs will see her perform with the local, but internationally recognised bass playing musician,  Tom Kennedy.  It is more than twenty years since Karla and Tom were last on stage together in St. Louis, as he is now based in New York. Karla is really looking forward to this “Home For The Holiday” event, but she points out that tickets are disappearing, so she advises fans to grab them fast.

When our Jazz dude, Steve Bewick, first introduced me to the work of this singer, I dreamed of how wonderful it would be to hear Karla Harris and Joe´s band playing in our glorious theatre in the caves at Jameos Del Agua here on Lanzarote. I hoped to hear much more of her on UK Radio and perhaps even catch her touring  Great Britain and hitting some of our wonderful clubs, championed by the likes of Jim Wade and Jazz In Reading, Rob Adams with his Music That´s Going Places (from Edinburgh to London) and those clubs that are fed by those platefuls of HOT BISCUITS warmed in the ovens of the mixcloud by Steve Bewick.

Covid forced me to put such dreams on hold, and now old age and poor health have forced me to close these pages for the final time. A sad time for me, of course.

And yet how wonderful it is to know that all the music I have loved over the past sixty years is alive and well and is being nurtured in a myriad ways by a new exciting generation of musicians

Jazz On Air

HOT BISCUITS

prepared by Steve Bewick

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

artists and installations

Steven Raw                             linguistics

Antony Gormley                     Another Place

Cintia Machin                         sculptor

Cesar Manrique                       polymath

Georgia O Keefe                     painter

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

poets

Eileen Earnshaw                      M62

Seamus Kelly Entire catalogue

Robert Frost                            Mending Walls

William Blake                         London

Pam Ayres                               I Wish I´d Looked After My Teeth

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

paintings & sketches

Turner                    Fishermen At Sea

Lowry                    Going To The Match

Bewick                  Sketches Of Lanzarote

Constable              The Haywain

Picasso             Picasso´s Mandolin

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

films

Dances With Wolves         Kevin Costner

Gone With The Wind        Vivien Leigh

Yankee Doodle Dandy      Jimmy Cagney

The Lost Horizon              Robert Donat

Grease                               John Travolta

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE EVERYTHINGS

by Norman Warwick

my interviews

Jane Danson                actress (live)

Kevin Kennedy           actor    (live)

Mickey Newbury        musician (Detour)

Ian Macmillan             poet

Norman Prince            musician (radio)