Swanage Jazz Festival 2016
This years gathering of
the jazz fraternity in sunny (mostly but at least dry) Swanage was for me,
musically anyway, one of the best. At NO time did I feel that I was bored, or
that there was nothing worth listening to.
Sadly we learnt that is
was the penultimate Swanage Jazz Festival! All good things come to an end, and
for 27 years we who pay for our weekend stroller tickets have enjoyed the
fruits of someone else’s labour of organisation and financial management, not
forgetting the shear slog of getting all the chairs out and away at the end,
and clearing all the rubbish every night etc etc.
Now, like many of us who
only have to listen, the organisers have grown old, and tired, and at the
moment at least, no one has come forward to takeover the organising of this
prestigious event.
So a very heart felt
“THANK YOU” to all of the Swanage Jazz Team, and to Fred Lindup in particular,
who has been the driving force behind the concept of what became in the end the
template for other jazz festivals.
So, this year what did I
listen to?
FRIDAY
First listen, and for
enough time until the plastic chair made sitting no longer an option was
The Kofi/Barnes
Aggregation
This was Tony Kofi and
Alan Barnes on saxes, John Turville, piano, Adam King bass, and Clark Tracey
drums. This was in Marquee 2, the home of Swanage Modern Jazz, and it provided
a good ear opener for the weekend. Hard, swinging, modern bop. One has to be
impressed by the incredible ability of the two at the front, but also not
wishing to denigrate by not mentioning the rest. Don’t forget that young Adam
King has been seen at Marlow JC a number of times.
Mentioning Marlow JC leads
me to my next visit, next door to the (Trad!) Marquee 1, where I stood, in
order to give my backside a refresher! But the link with Marlow is that Michael
Eagleton told me to hear The Budapest Ragtime Band if I could, which I duly did
for ¾ of an hour. Fun, different, in as much as it was not your 1960’s concept
of trad, but a recreation of a 1920’s Ragtime Orchestra. It was very polished,
but in a slightly Orient Express way! The instrumentation included a violin,
but no saxophones, a trumpet, a trombone, bass, drums, and a xylophone player
who added vocals.
After this introduction to
the weekends music, and the meeting with some old friends, I retired to my
digs.
SATURDAY
After a strenuous
breakfast the first part of the day is taken up with the march up and down the
front with Dave Brennan’s Heritage Band.
Like much else, this was a thinner affair than before. Dave Brennan
himself not being well enough to attend this years Swanage Festival. His first
miss in 27 years! As can be seen in the photos there were fewer musicians and
fewer umbrellas than before as well.
Passing on from this, my
first band of Marquee 2 was The Mark Nightingale/Alistair White Quintet, with
John Horler on piano, Alec Dankworth bass and yet again, almost the drummer in
residence this year, Clark Tracey. As you may expect from a double trombone
front line, this was a tribute to Jay and Kay records of the late 50’s that
some of us had (correction, I still have mine!). Some newer material was also
played, and it was all very enjoyable.
After this, I took a walk
to The Conservative Club. In their upper room (The Churchill Room), a mixture
of jazz styles is always played. Mostly leaning more to the traditional (rather
than just Trad) styles of music, often in smaller ensemble forms. Here I heard
a tremendous set by a young guitarist called Remi Harris in a trio format. Initially
it was gypsy style, but he played at least 4 different styles of jazz guitar.
He had with him the appropriate guitar for each style, and he told us what the
differences were and why the were needed. Styles demonstrated ranged from BB
King to Eric Clapton, via Fleetwood Mac. An absolutely enthralling experience.
The room and its chairs, are also comfortable (unlike the plastic collapsible
chairs in the Marquees) and the beer and rolls great value!
Next, for me, after a walk
up the hill to the Methodist Church was a session under the leadership of
bassist Andy Cleyndert. He has written the arrangements, and formed a quartet
to play them. Andy has more than one distinctive talent. In addition to being a
renowned bass player, he is a photographer, recording engineer and record
producer. From previous visits to Swanage he must have been aware of the
reverberant acoustics of the church, and I’m sure some of his arranging for the
quartet had born this in mind.
In addition to Andy the
quartet consisted of Martin Shaw on trumpet, Mark Edwards on piano and Colin
Oxley on drums. The quartet produced some ethereal sounds, beautifully blended
and assembled together. One piece based on a work by Bach, was truly beautiful.
It allowed everyone (even I feel the audience) to stretch out. I think it drew
the most applause of the set.
The church seating, whilst
better than the marquee’s, still left enough impression on me to make me move
slightly before the end, but it was a really worthwhile and memorable part of
this years festival.
Next, and last for me for
the day, and after a break for dinner (in Beavers, quick and pleasant service
café food) I went back to Marquee 2 for a session I had looked forward to, the
Buck Clayton Legacy Band, organised by BBC presenter and bass player Alyn
Shipton.
A stellar line up (Karen
Sharp, Alan Barnes Robert Fowler reeds, Ian Smith trumpet, Adrian Fry trombone,
Martin Litton piano and Bobby Worth drums) that failed in my view to generate
the swing and excitement I associate with Buck Clayton and the “legacy” Clayton
had from the Count Basie Orchestra. A lot of hasty reading from the parts,
interspersed with individual solos, all of good quality, just didn’t do it for
me. It lacked that spark of spontaneity. I had sat for the first set, I admit
that I was sitting near the back, and therefore the weight of sound may have
had an influence. I got up at the interval to talk to friends at the bar, and
stayed for the start of set 2, but then succumbed to the idea of a bed before
the end!!
Sunday this year had a
special significance for me, as it fell on the 14th anniversary of
the death of my son Stuart from Cancer. I made my way to Marquee 2, and was
nearly undone emotionally when the Alton Collage Jazz Band, with guest Alan
Barnes played Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday”. This band of young people had one
or two good soloists (baritone sax, trombone for example) and a leader
(teacher?) on trumpet that was also very good. She appeared young enough to be
one of the sixth form, but was probably a teacher! They were fun to listen to,
and made a good start to the day.
I then went to church!
Sadly not for worship, but to hear The Dave Newton Trio with saxophonist Greg
Abate. On drums was Matt Skelton with Jeremy Brown on bass. Greg Abate is an American
saxophonist, who plays in the UK quite often and has played Swanage many times.
He plays bop style, and with Dave Newton’s trio stayed with alto sax and flute.
This was another really enthralling session. Dave Newton is a real star, and so
is Matt Skelton. Even with the acoustics of the church, which could be
described as “lively”, the abilities of all to play together and yet improvise
during their solos was greatly entertaining. Great jazz.
Back down the hill and up
again to the Green, and the idea of a burger struck home.
Whilst standing in line
for my burger I glanced to my right, and was surprised to see a certain Mr
Williams who was also ordering a burger. So I asked him where he was playing,
and he replied that he had been invited to guest with the TJ Johnson band, a
band that I had not previously considered going to see. I found a sheltered
spot to sit and eat my burger and looked at my full program. It should be noted
at this time that I only had readily available my program amendment sheet,
which gave who and where, but not personnel. In the full program for the said
TJ Johnson band I saw mention of one of Hedsor jazz’s favourite saxophone
players, Al Nichols, who is a regular member of that band (I found out). So I
hastened to Marquee 1, and enjoyed all of the second set, with Al playing
alongside the great Roy Williams. For those of you too young to remember the
Alex Welsh band, Roy was his trombonist, and after that he played trombone with
one of Humph’s great bands, alongside John Barnes and a very young Alan Barnes.
TJ Johnson plays keyboard and sings (very well) in a style rather like Dr. John
(but with clearer diction!). A very enjoyable, and unplanned interlude. Great
music.
After this, and a short
break for fresh air and further chat with friends, I returned to Marquee 2 for
the session that got my vote for the best band session of the weekend. The
Skelton-Skinner Septet.
Billed in the notes to the
program as “The Skelton-Skinner AllStars” they were indeed all stars. A small
version of a big band, their timing and attack and musical ability could not be
surpassed in my view. They swung like crazy, and played excellent solos. But so
they should, because the all stars are Matt Skelton drums (and announcements),
Colin Skinner alto sax, Alan Barnes reeds various, Mike Lovate trumpet, Gordon
Campbell trombone, David Newton piano and Jeremy Brown bass. Playing some Basie
and Ellington tunes, but with a sprinkling of other music as well it brought
broad an infectious smiles to everyone’s faces! A real WOW set.
After this, I gave my
posterior a 2 hour break, took onboard chicken and chips, and made my way back
from the town to hear the last band of the festival for Marquee 2, Pete Long
and Richard Pite Tribute to Jazz at the Philharmonic. Loads of great talent,
with pianist Dave Newton and including another Hedsor favourite, guitarist
Nigel Price it was a band that I felt was a bit too over indulgent. Loads of
long solos, loads of brassy noise, but not a lot worth remembering really. It
was fun, but not great jazz.
However I think I can say
that for me this penultimate Swanage Jazz Festival was one of he most enjoyable
I have been to in my 25 years of attendance. I have already booked my residence
for next year (a week later than this years festival), and hope that it really
wont be the last. I have made many friends over the years, some I have seen
every year, some only more recently. Many people have retired from the scene
due to advancing age or ill health, but life will not be the same for any of us
if Swanage Jazz is allowed to disappear into memory.
Again, well done Fred, and
all your hard working team.
Geoff C 2016
