MUSIC LIST
Mixing up the noises
It has been a longtime since pianist Andy Park last led a jazz group on stage - eighteen years. in fact. with the exception of a very short-lived quintet ‘around 1977‘. Park has scarcely been idle in those years. however. They included spells as Head of Entertainment at Radio Clyde. Commissioning Editor for Music at Channel 4. and producer at BBC Scotland. where his screen credits include Tutti Frutti.
He has continued to write music throughout. and readin admits that he thinks ofhimselfas a composer and arranger (‘although the way I think about arranging now is closer to composition anyway") rather than a player. Having said that. he quickly adds that he ‘does get in there’. rather like the late Gil Evans. ‘only I didn‘t look as old and I'm not as good.
‘I see my role on stage as a stimulus. keeping it all on track. Ever since I learned what arranging was about. my work has been based on denying the Big Band idea of how you go about writing for trumpets and saxophoncs — I never have the ‘right‘ number. for one thing. and I like to mix up the noises as well. It then becomes very important to get the new balance ofsound right. and that is equally true working with an octet rather than a fourteen or sixteen piece group. which is what I would have liked.‘
Andy‘s return to performing comes through the Scottish Jazz Network. His Octet includes long-time collaborator Bobby Wishart. a member of his 6(is' Tentct. and subsequent Quintet which used to play ‘to 300 or 400 every Saturday at the old (‘adora in Union Street.‘ Park still has a solid reputation among those who played with or heard him. and his return is one of the more intriguing prospects in the current Scottish jazz scene.
The Octet are Andy and Dave Pringle on keyboards. Kevin Ferris (trumpet). Phil Bancroft and Bobby Wishart (saxophones). Duncan Finlay (guitar). Patrick Bettison (bass). and Sandro (‘iancio (drums). (Joe Alexander)
Andy Park ()(‘tets Merlin. Edinburgh. Mon 29. 8pm;
I ( 'umbernauld Theatre. 'l'ue3l).
7. 45pm; 'I'ay Hotel. Dundee, Wed 1 .il, 8pm; Henry Wood Hall.
T Glasgow, 'I‘hurs I, 8pm. '1
ROCK 31 JAZZ 32 FOLK 33 CLASSICAL 34
MUSICm LISTINGS
V CLASSICAL
Chorus of Approval
Christopher Bell . . . ringing in the changes
Just about every concert brochure you pick up these days seems to have one name which keeps cropping up again and again — Christopher Bell. Whether it’s as AssociateConductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow. conducting the SCO in Edinburgh — a huge ‘West Side Story‘ at the Usher Hall just after New Year is the latest success — or with kids at London‘s South Bank. as Chorus Master of Edinburgh Royal Choral Union. conductor ofthe Edinburgh Festival‘s Fireworks Concert or as the recently appointed Chorus Master ofthe SNO Chorus. Chris Bell. at only 28 years old. is evidently a rising star on the Scottish conducting scene.
His achievements in his newest post can be heard on Friday 26 and Saturday 27. when the SNO Chorus joins with the SNO under conductor Jane Glover for performances of Beethoven‘s C major Mass at the Usher and City Halls. Happy to work with either orchestras or choirs. Bell does however admit ‘at the moment I feel most comfortable
with chorus work. It's home ground.‘
The SNO Chorus. like most. has had its ups and downs. ‘thn I took the job on.‘ he says. ‘it was a case of here is a chorus which has been one
of the best. but has slipped and needs
a lot of work. Everybody was re-auditioned last year and 30 were not readmitted. There’s been quite a good injection of young blood, which is very important. but we‘re still on the lookout.‘
For anyone interested in joining
the SNO Chorus. now must surely be ; the best time in its whole history. Not -
“sew-3'”?
only do they have a dynamic new conductor. but what‘s coming up is well worth getting excited about. ‘This season. there‘s a Brahms Requiem and the British Premiere of ‘Sancta Susannah‘. which is a rather
. naughty opera by Hindemith about a l nun who rips her clothes off and
throws herselfon the altar. But the
i really glorious thing is that next year.
with the new Glasgow International Concert Hall. we can bring the SNO Chorus up to the size of the Festival Chorus. My plan is to brighten the sound. to work on the general corporate knowledge of how they work together and to expand the size to something like 220 from the present 140 to make a proper impact on the Usher Hall. as well as on the new hall in Glasgow.‘
) The repertoire for next season is breathtaking.
‘Mahler 8. Berlioz‘s ‘Grande Messe dc Mort‘. a new commission for 1990. Stravinsky‘s ‘Symphony of Psalms‘. Vaughan Williams‘ ‘Sea Symphony‘. Debussy Nocturnes. Britten‘s ‘Spring Symphony'.‘ enthuses Bell. And ifyour appetite it whetted. he‘s looking for new members of all ages. all voices — and
there‘s even a scheme to subsidise I singing lessons ifyou‘re really keen.
(Carol Main) | The SNO and SN () Chorus appear on Fri 26 at the Usher Hall. Edinburgh and on Sat 27 at the City Hall. Glasgow.
imm- Trash Queen
:ss (‘5‘.
The gender may have changed. but those who swooned to the outrageous image and knock-'em-down rock’n'roll ol Jayne (nee Wayne) County will have another chance to see her in action on Thurs 8. And it this isn't enough. how about hassling for a Jayne County Iilm season -which would include such wonders as ‘The Punk Rock Movie’,
returns
‘Jubilee' and Rosa von Praunheim’s 1983 film ‘Clty of Lost Souls’, in which the tormer Warhol ‘superstar' rose lrom a sleazy Berlin punk scene to lantasy pop tame.
Jayne County and The Electric Chairs play The Venue. Edinburgh on Thursday 8.
V BOOK NOW ROCK
I GLASGOW BARRDWLAND (041 226 4679) Gun. 17 Feb; Lloyd Cole.19 Feb; The Cramps. 21 Feb; The Mission. 9 March; Curiosity Killed The Cat. 13 March; The House at Love. 18 March.
I GLASGOW HENRY WOOD HALL (031 557 6969) Martin Stephenson G The Dainiees. 24—25 March.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 332 1846) Del Amltri. 24 Feb; 60s Golden Greats. 4 March; Joe Longihome. 15-17 March; Mark Knopller's Notting Hillbillies. 25 April.
I GLASGOW MAYFAIR (031 557 6969) Kevin McDermott Drchestra.18-19 Feb.
I GLASGOW SECC (041 248 3000) Tanita learam. 10 Feb; Van Morrison. 13 Feb; Chris Rea. 445 March; U840. 6 March; WetWet Wet, 20 March.
I EDINBURGH GEORGE SOUARE THEATRE (031 557 6969) Martin Stephenson 8 The Daintees. 23 March.
I EDINBURGH NETWORK (031 225 4583) Birdland. 12 Feb; Kevin McDermott Orchestra. 20 Feb.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHDUSE (031 557 2590) Barry Manilow. 27-28 Feb; Stranglers. 5 March; Spandau Ballet. 6 March; Everything ButThe Girl. 10 March; Brother Beyond. 26 March; Fish. 27 March; James Last. 9-10April;
Five Star. 14 April; Yngwle
Malmsteen. 19April; New Kids On The Block. 25 April; Mark Knoptler’s Notting Hillbillies. 26 April; Roy 'Chubby' Brown. 27 April;
' Suzanne Vega, 5 May;
Magnum. 28 May.
I EDINBURGH DUEEN'S HALL (031 668 2019) Del Amitri. 22 Feb.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (031 228 1155) Van Morrison. 15 Feb; Lloyd Cole. 17 Feb; Bobby Vee/‘The Searchers. 1 March.
JAZZ & FOLK
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 332 1846) Glenn Miller Orchestra. 11 Feb.
I CUMBERNAULD THEATRE (0236 732887) The Acoustic River Detectives. 6 March; Michael Marra. 27 March; Aly Bain 8 Phil Cunningham. 17 April; Tommy Smith. 21 May.
I EDINBURGH ASSEMBLY ROOMS (031 668 2019) Danish Radio Big Band. 25 Feb.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (031 557 2590) Daniel O'Donnell. 25 March; James Galway 8 The Chieftains. 7 June.
I EDINBURGH DUEEN'S HALL (031 668 2019) Tommy Smith Quartet. 9 Feb; Edinburgh Peace Festival. 14 Feb; Martin Taylor. 16 Feb; Eberhard Weber. 23 Feb; Steve Lacy Sextet. 2 March; Gil Scott
30'I‘he List 26 January — 8 February 1990