Various: Scarborough Jazz Festival 2024
This double CD was recorded at last year’s Scarborough Jazz Festival. CD1 runs to 71.45 minutes, opening with Al Morrison’s Blues Experience and their superb rendition of Cream’s Sunshine Of Your Love. It’s followed by Family Band with Tom Rivieré’s composition, Life’s Work. Then Elaine Delmar sings Gershwin’s Embraceable You backed by Barry Green (p), Simon Thorpe (b) and Bobby Worth (d).
Guitarist David Preston’s Purple/Black perform VHS Poem with Jason Rebello (p), Kevin Glasgow (b) and Sebastian Rochford (d). Next is Fairfield Isle from Fergus McCreadie’s trio followed by A New Life from Alan Barnes’ brilliant Copperfield Suite. Jazz Samba’s set, the Music of Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd, is represented by their arrangement of Tom Jobim’s Brigas Nunca Mais. Then it’s Monk’s Round Midnight from virtuoso jazz violinist Benet McLean and his quintet, followed by Pennies From Heaven, courtesy of singer James Hudson.
CD2 extends to 61.30 minutes. Nigel Price (g) and his Organ Trio with Ross Stanley (org) and Joel Barford (d)) open proceedings with You Don’t Know Me. Then Joni Mitchell’s Coyote from the excellent septet Hejira is sung by singer and guitarist Hattie Whitehead. It’s her photo on the album cover. Next up is Speedboat In Trouble from Tom Smith’s Big Band followed by Alison Rayner’s quintet, ARQ, with Looking For A Quiet Place. Dutch vocalist Fay Claassen, supported by Barry Green (p) and Emma Rawicz (ts), sings Lennon & McCartney’s Blackbird and then it’s Gareth Lockrane’s Big Band performing Dennis Irwin, their tribute to the American bassist.
The penultimate track is Jobim’s Favela by 3D Jazz Trio from the United States – Jackie Warren (p), Amy Shook (b), Sherry Maricle (d) – who thoroughly dazzled the Scarborough audience. And lastly we have Duke Ellington’s Come Sunday from Alex Webb and Tony Kofi’s set in celebration of Ben Webster, which closed the festival in style.
This excellent snapshot of Scarborough 2024 is a great reflection of the wide variety of jazz talent in action today.
Nel Begley: Small Flame (self released)
Singer and composer Nel Begley graduated from Leeds Conservatoire and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She teaches jazz and choral singing, sings with the London Vocal Project plus other ensembles and performs with electronic jazz and spoken word band Rafe’s Dilemma.
I had the pleasure of seeing her in action with Rafe’s Dilemma when they opened Scarborough Jazz Festival in 2021. The band were top-notch and Begley’s singular poise and versatile voice mesmerised the audience. Here’s a taste of her singing Betsy Jane with vocal backing from drummer Katie Patterson in Birkenhead that same year.
Begley can be heard to good effect on her new CD where she delivers eight varied numbers. In the mix are distinctive renditions of jazz staples such as Cherokee and Social Call, contemporary pieces such as Rowles & Winstone’s The Peacocks and two self-penned compositions – Small Flame and Spill. Throughout she’s ably supported by Harry Brunt (ts), Paul Edis (p), Honey Boulton (g), Luke Fowler (b) and James Law (d). Album details and track list are available here.
Emma Smith: Hat-Trick! (Wingsor Castle Records WCR002)
London-based jazz singer Emma Smith named her recently released studio album Hat-Trick! because it’s her third recording. It follows The Huntress (2012) and Meshuga Baby (2022).
I had the good fortune to witness Smith 12 years ago fronting the National Youth Jazz Orchestra at Scarborough Jazz Festival. She’s sung with a number of big bands since then and has been a member of close-harmony trio the Puppini Sisters since 2006. She’s also performed with the likes of Georgie Fame, Quincy Jones, Cyndi Lauper and Robbie Williams. Here she is with a big band in 2021 singing Cole Porter’s In The Still Of The Night, even if the sax soloist wanted a mic.
Smith delivers 11 classics on Hatrick! in exhilarating style. She’s accompanied by the exemplary trio of Samuel Watts (p), Joe Lee (b) and Luke Tomlinson (d). Numbers include Matchmaker, Matchmaker from Fiddler On The Roof, a slow-paced Old Cape Cod that was first recorded by Patti Page in 1957, a beguiling take on Heusen and Cahn’s The Tender Trap, a recast version of Strayhorn’s Chelsea Bridge and a relaxed rendition of Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree, the war-time song made popular by the Andrews Sisters in 1942. Full album details are on her website here.
Diane Roblin & Life Force: Breath Of Fresh Air ( Zsan Records 02415)
Canadian pianist and composer Diane Roblin leads Toronto-based jazz-funk band Life Force, a unit highly regarded in Canadian jazz circles. Alongside Roblin (p, org) they comprise Kevin Turcotte (t, flh – and named trumpeter of the year 11 times in Canada’s National Jazz Awards), John Johnson (ss, as – who’s performed with Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall and been a member of Manteca for many years), Jeff LaRochelle (ts, bcl – with Danilo Perez, Brian Blade, Rich Brown), George Koller (b – Herb Ellis, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods) and Tim Shia (d – who’s led improv jazz & indie outfit The Worst Pop Band Ever for 20 years).
Breath Of Fresh Air is the band’s second album following their self-titled debut Life Force in 2019. Its six numbers, all composed by Roblin, combine jazz and funk with classical influences. She’s inspired by McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Bach and Bartok and has a background in free improvisation, electronic and pattern music. Perhaps due to the latter, the music can sometimes seem a touch repetitive but that doesn’t detract from its enjoyment. The last track, Cadenza, has Roblin displaying her considerable skills on solo piano. Full track details can be found here.
The Joymakers: Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow (Turtle Bay Records 24004CD)
The Joymakers are from Austin, Texas. They were established in 2023 by cornetist and multi-instrumentalist Colin Hancock with the aim of bringing back the sounds of the territories to today’s audience.
The US territories sit where the South gives way to the Southwest. The 1920s territory bands blended cotton-fields country blues, urban blues from cities like Shreveport and Dallas, old Mexican melodies and early hot jazz from the triangle between Kansas City, San Antonio and New Orleans.
In their debut album, Hancock and his crew (eight in total) perform intriguing arrangements of lesser known numbers from the era such as Crazy Quilt, Kiss Me Sweet and Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow (named after the blue flower that covers Texas every spring) along with unique takes on classics such as Jelly Roll Morton’s Wolverine Blues and Tiger Rag. Other gems include Papa’s Gone, Benny Moten’s Goofy Dust Rag and Jack Gardner’s I Ain’t Thinkin’ ’Bout You, originally recorded in 1925 by Irene Taylor and sung here by alto and soprano saxist Lauryn Gould.
This is an upbeat and uplifting album. To quote Hancock, “Even if you don’t like to dance, you won’t be able to help it when you hear these guys take off!” It comes with an informative 12-page booklet plus band pic and historic photos. Full track list and details are here.
