jazz
listings
Dates listed below are for one-off shows: see separate section for residencies. Gigs are listed by date, then by city. Performances will be listed, rovided that details reach our 0 ices at least one week before publication. Jazz Listings compiled b Kenny Mathieson. '
FRIDAY 7
Glasgow
I Glasgow Jazz Record Club Unitarian Church. 72 Berkeley Street. 7.30pm. Contact Ernie Spiers. l4 Glendee Road. Renfrew (886 2949) for membership details. 7.30pm. John Parkes looks at ‘Some Recent Releases‘.
I Simon Thoumire Quintet Basement Jazz. The Ramshorn Theatre. 98 Ingram Street. 552 3489. Doors l()pm. band 10.30pm. £4 (£3). A new commission from this dazzling concertina player. with David Milligan (piano). Phil Bancroft (saxes). Kevin MacKenzie (guitar). and Iain Copeland (drums). See preview.
Edinburgh
I Scott Hamilton Queen's Hall. Clerk Street. 668 2019. 8.30pm. £8.50. £7 (£5). Saxophonist Scott Hamilton has long since thrown off his ‘Ben Webster re- born' image. and established himself as a majorjazz practitioner in his own right. Not that there is anything wrong with being compared with the mighty Webster. but it does less than full justice to the breadth and original stamp of Hamilton‘s mainstream-oriented playing. He is joined here by the excellent Brian Kellock Trio. with Kenny Ellis (bass) and John Rae (drums). The saxman plays in Glasgow- tomorrow with a different trio (see listing). and is back fora further gig at the Music Hall. Aberdeen. on Thurs 13 Mar. I Burt MacDonald Five Piece Henry‘s Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street. 221 1288. l()pm—late. £4 (£3). For those not familiar with the band. Burt MacDonald is not a musician whose mum loved Hollywood tnovies. but rather two people. guitarist George Burt and saxophonist Raymond MacDonald. Their music is an imaginative take on contemporary jazz. and they have upped the numbers by adding vocalist Sophie Bancroft to the ranks. alongside George Lyle (bass) and Alan Pendreigh (drums). I The Wizards The Bongo Club. 14 New Street. 556 5204. 10pm—3am. £5 (£3). Kulu presents this eight-piece jazz. funk and hip hop combination. plus DJs.
SATURDAY 8
Glasgow
I Scott Hamilton Moir Hall. Mitchell Theatre. Granville Street. 227 5511. 8pm. £8 (£6). The saxophonist's gigs in Edinburgh and Aberdeen are part of Assembly Direct’s Teachers Jazz Directions series. but this one is taking place under the aegis ofJazz Co-op. At the
saxman's request. he will be accompanied by the David Milligan Trio. which is an astute move. since it lets him play with the two best piano trios in Scotland in a single visit. No fool. this man.
I lain Copeland Quartet Pizza Express. 151 Queen Street. 221 3333. Dining from 8pm. band from 9pm. £5. Jazz quartet led by drummer Iain Copeland. with Ronnie Finlay (piano). Brian Shiels (bass). and special guest Pauline Copeland (saxophone and vocals).
Edinburgh
I Fionna Duncan with the Ronnie Rae Trio Henry's Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street. 221 1288. l()pm—late. £4 (£3). Swinging mainstream jazz from this powerful Scottish singer and her regular trio. plus a special guest in saxophonist and clarinetist AI Gay.
I Basic Collective The Lizard Lounge. Cafe Graffiti. Mansfield Church basement. entrance via East London Street. 10.30pm—3am. £5 (£4). A sizzling concoction ofjazz. blues. soul. funk. hip hop and beyond frotn members of various Edinburgh groove merchants. featuring singer Nicola King and DJ Joseph (East Coast Project). guitarist Barney Strachan (3 Bag Brew). bassman Simon Tomlinson (Freshly Squeezed). and drummer Toby Shippey (Salsa Celtica). plus an array ofguests.
SUNDAY 9
Glasgow
I Al Gay Pizza Express. 151 Queen Street. 221 3333. Dining from 8pm. band froin 9pm. £5. Saxophonist and clarinetist Al Gay has played with all manner of bands in his time. including a stint with rock 'n‘ roller Bill Haley in the 50s. and Long John Baldry's rhythm and blues outfit in the 60s. Hisjazz collaborations include touring with Harry ‘Sweets' Edison. and he has strong Scottish connections as well. having worked for both the late Alex Welsh and pianist Stan Greig at various times. He is joined here by the Brian Kellock Trio. with Ronnie Rae (bass) and John Rae (drums). plus (in a reversal of the Edinburgh bill of Sat 8) special guest Fionna Duncan.
Edinburgh
I Kulu's Jazz Joint Opening Jam Session Walker Bar and Nightclub. l2 Shandwick Place. 476 7013. l()pm—3am. £5 (£3). Kulu has now finalised details of his jazz sessions at Walker's (see Mon-Thttrs listings below). and will launch the new venture with this grand opening party. Music will include ajazzjam session. a Salsa band. and DJ Joseph frotn East Coast Project. as well as an exhibition ofjazz photographs by Marc Marnie. whose work appears regularly on these pages.
I Live Jazz Henry's Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street. 221 I288. l()pm—late. £2 (£1). Drummer John Rae's Trio usually fills the Sunday night residency. but unless he has discovered how to be in two places at once (see above). he will presumably be putting in a deputy tonight.
Assembly Direct presents
And
heppar
Moving Image Qt
Thurs 13 March, Moir Hall. 0141 287 5511 3.50ll338l’383fl. Fri 14 March. Queen's Hall, 0131 553 4000
54 TllEUST 7—20 Mar 1997
MONDAY 10
Glasgow
I Dixieland Swing Club Pizza Express. 151 Queen Street. 221 3333. Dining from 8pm. Free to diners. Traditional jazz from this month’s guest band. the Dave Batchelor Quartet.
Edinburgh
I Power Of Scotland Big Band Walker Bar and Nightclub. l2 Shandwick Place. 476 7013. l()pm—late. £4 (£3). The Monday night big band became a jazz staple when the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis band took tip residence at the Village Vanguard in New York. Kulu aims to establish a similar slot for this powerful band. which launched late last year at Henry's. and is co-led by drummer John Rae and trumpeter Eddie Severn. with the brief of getting top-notch Scottish-based musicians together to play charts arranged or composed by — you guessed it — Scottish musicians. More power to them. we say. There are two venues within Walker's. and Kttlu is also using the opportunity to present new young bands working in jazz. funk and hip hop settings (much like the old Sunday afternoons at Henry’s) in a late-night slot he has called The ()ther Scene. which he eventually hopes will run alongside his main features each night. It is Monday orin this month. though. and will feature the Jabba Collective (midnight—3am. £2). an eight-piece band looking to make their mark.
I Lindsay Cooper Free Underground Henry‘s Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street (opp ABC cinema). 221 I288. l()pm—late. £2 (£1). Bass player Lindsay Cooper leads a regular free and experimental jazz session. Take your instrument and sit in. or just listen.
TUESDAY 11
Edinburgh
I The Dreamliners Fat Sam‘s Down Town Diner. 56—58 Fountainbridge. 228 31 l I. 7.30—10.30pm. No cover charge. Swing meets rock ’n‘ roll.
I John Coltrane Tribute Band Walker Bar and Nightclub. l2 Shandwick Place. 476 7013. l()pm—very late. £4 (£3). A set rhythm section of Steve Christie (piano). Demus Donnelly (bass) and John Rae (drums) will be joined each week by three tenor saxophonists (the rota will vary. but Phil Bancroft. Russell Cowieson and John Burgess are likely to figure prominently). playing Coltrane tunes over funk and soul grooves. Sacrilege or in-the-spirit experiment? Judge for yourself.
WEDNESDAY 12
Edinburgh
I Colin Steele Quintet Plus Walker Bar anti Nightclub. I2 Shandwick Place. 476 7013. IOpm—late. £4 (£3). A classic. meaty hard bop sound is on the menu here from trumpeter Colin Steele and his band. which will include a rhythm section of David Milligan (piano). Brian Shiels (bass). and John Rae (drums). with a more flexible selection of front-line horn partners and guests.
I Late Call Jazz Henry's Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street. 221 I288. 11.30pm—Iate. £2.50 (£1.50). The late callers on stage are John Burgess (saxes). Tom Finlay (piano). Lindsay Cooper (bass) and Alastair Morrow (drums).
I Fat Sam's Band Fat Sam‘s Down Town Diner. 56—58 Fountainbridge. 228 3111. 8—11pm. No cover charge. Swing andjump-jive.
THURSDAY 13
Glasgow
I Andy Sheppard Moving Image Quartet Moir Hall. Mitchell Theatre. Granville Street. 227 5511. 8pm. £9 (£6). It‘s been a while since we heard Andy Sheppard as leader of his own band up here (his most recent visits have been in the company ofclassical saxophonist John Harle). Andy's public career slipped
into something of a lull after an ill-fated flirtation with the Blue Note label. but has now relaunched with a new album on Verve. Moving Image. and a similarly named band featuring Steve Lodder (keyboards). Dudley Philips (bass) and Mark Mondesir (drums). Good to see him back.
Edinburgh
I Phil Bancroft Quartet Henry‘s Cellar Bar. 8 Morrison Street. 221 1288. l()pm—Iate. £3 (£2). The saxophone- playing Bancroft twin leads his quartet. with brother Tom on drums. Kenny Ellis (bass) and Brian Kellock (piano).
I D. S. Murray Quartet Walker Bar and Nightclub. l2 Shandwick Place. 476 7013. l()pm—late. £4 (£3). Guitarist D. S. Murray's exciting band mix classic jazz (spanning traditional elements through to avant-garde) with hip hop and drum ‘n' bass grooves in convincing fashion. The band will feature DJs. and an additional drum ‘n' bass unit on some of the gigs as well.
I Vintage Jazz Quartet Fat Sam's Down Town Diner. 56—58 Fountainbridge. 228 3111. 7.30—10.30pm. No cover charge. Traditional jazz.
FRIDAY 14
Glasgow
I Glasgow Jazz Record Club Unitarian Church. 72 Berkeley Street. 7.30pm. Contact Ernie Spiers. 14 Glendee Road. Renfrew (886 2949) for membership details. 7.30pm. A double-header. with Bill Colgan followed by Bill Newman on ‘Louis Armstrong'.
I David Milligan Trio Basement Jazz. The Ramshorn Theatre. 98 Ingram Street. 552 3489. Doors 10pm. band 10.30pm. £4 (£3). The pianist has not been around all that long. but he has already proved to be an immensely gifted irnproviser. while his services as an accompanist are much in demand. He leads his own trio on this occasion. in the estimable company of Brian Shiels (bass) and John Rae (drums). I Shakatak Bourbon Street. 108 George Street. 552 0141. 8.30pm. £9.50. dinner package £29.95. Even before its refurbishment. it was obvious that Bourbon Street was moving away from itsjazz orientation (running a commercially viable jazz club seven nights a week is a tough prospect in New York. never mind Glasgow) toward a more mainstream pop-cabaret style. and the new programme has confirmed that drift (see Rock and Pop listings for further details). Shakatak’s bland jazz- fusion hardly compensates. but they were popular in their 70s heydey.
Edinburgh
I Andy Sheppard Moving Image Quartet Queen‘s Hall. Clerk Street. 668 2019. 8.30pm. £1 1. £8 (£6). See Thurs 13.
Stirling
I D. S. Murray Quartet The Jazz Club. MacRobert Centre. University of Stirling. 01786 461081. 10.30pm. £5 (£2.50). One of the most exciting recent arrivals on the Scottish jazz scene. See Thurs 13.
SATURDAY 15
Glasgow
I Andrew Gordon Quartet Pizza Express. 151 Queen Street. 221 3333. Dining from 8pm. band from 9pm. £5. Pianist Andrew Gordon has already won a lot of admirers. and he is joined in this band by another award-winning young musician. singer and multi- instrumentalist Eliot Murray. with Stephen Coutts (guitar) and Mark Austin (bass).
I Shakatak Bourbon Street. 108 George Street. 552 0141. 8.30pm. £9.50. dinner package £29.95. See Fri 14.
Edinburgh
I Basic Collective The Lizard Lounge. Cafe Graffiti. Mansfield Church basement. entrance via East London Street. 10.30pm-3am. £5 (£4). See Sat 8.