Watson! JAZZ FESTIVAL '
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LISTING
MONDAY 3
I George Benson Royal Concert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 287 551 1. 7.30pm. £23—£26. The king of smooth jazz cool arrives at the festival on the back of a fine new album. Absolute Benson, which laid the emphasis on instrumentals rather than his vocal tracks. Expect the usual slick. soulful grooves and polished. crowd- pleasing playing. with the odd reminder of why he was once rated as a top 'azz improviser. The Laura MacDonale Quartet will open the show.
I Vendetta McChuill's. 40 High Street. 552 2135. 9.30pm. Free. Cabaret.
TUESDAY 4
I Ruth Lambert Trio Eat Drink Man Woman. 24—36 King Street. 552 9227. 8.30pm. Free. A new festival venue. and a new jazz singer on the scene. accompanied by guitarist Graham Thompson and bassist John Allen.
I Stephen Duffy Tron Theatre Bar. 63 Trongate. 552 4267. 9.30pm. £6 (£4). Singer Stephen Duffy celebrates the work of great gay songwriters over two concerts. starting here with Cole Porter (the second will be part of the Glasgay festival in October).
I DJ D'mented McChuill’s. 40 High Street. 552 2135. 9.30pm. Free. DJ mans the decks. plus trumpet and percussion.
WEDNESDAY 5
I Graeme Scott Trio Glasgow Airport. Abbotsinch. Paisley. 887 I 1 1 1. 5pm. Free. Promising young guitar talent greets arrivals in the now traditional airport gig.
I Paul Towndrow Quartet Merchant Square. Bell Street. 552 3552. 5pm. Free. Alto saxophonist Paul Towndrow celebrates the release of his debut album. I Aram Rustamiantz Princes Square. 48 Buchanan Street. 221 ()324. 5pm. Free. The pianist is the latest Russian contribution to Glasgow's on-going cultural interchange with Rostov-on-Don. I Tommy Smith 5 Sons And Daughters Of Alba The Old Fruitmarket. Albion Street. 287 551 1. 7.30pm. £10(£5—£8). A major new festival commission for saxophonist Tommy Smith. Sons and Daughters of Alba will feature fourteen settings of new poems by Edwin Morgan. played by a mixed band ofjazz and folk musicians. In
TOMMY SMITH The festival's official commission takes Scotland's most important jazz talent into an exciting new challenge with Sons And Daughters Of Alba. His previous collaborations with poet Edwin Mor an ave been hone on jazz with pro'ects ike Beasts 0 Scotland and Planet Wave. However, this substantial new work moves into the realm of folk music. both in his settings of the t's special y written texts and in the personnel involved, Including Capercat lie's Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw. Wed 5 Jul, Old Fruitmarket. 7.30pm.
20 THE “ST 22 Jun—6 Jul 2000
addition to Smith himself, the stellar line- up includes singer Karen Matheson and accordionist Donald Shaw of Capercaillie. dazzling uilleann piper Michael McGoldrick. and French jazz siblings Jean-Baptiste (vibes) and Gildas (bass) Bocle. with Tom Bancroft on drums.
I Ruth Lambert And Graham Thomson The Fire Station. 33 Ingram Street. 552 2929. 8pm. Free. Singer and guitar duo. '
I Morph And Ed MacFarlane Loop. 64 Ingram Street. 572 1472. 9pm. Free. Another new venue on the festival roster, with guitarist Morph and electric bassist Ed MacFarlane as the launch any.
I Strathclyde Univers' Big Band and Oxford University Jazz rchestra Ramshom Theatre. 98 Ingram Street, 287 551 1. 9.30pm. £5 (£3). A double helping of swinging big band jazz from these two student bands.
I Eddie Severn Quintet Tron Theatre Bar. 63 Trongate. 552 4267. 9.30pm. £6 (£4). Eddie Severn has matured into a fine. well-rounded jazz improviser on both trumpet and flugelhom. as well as a good composer. He leads an exciting quintet here. featuring Phil Bancroft (saxes). Paul Harrison (piano). Mario Caribe (bass) and Tom Bancroft (drums). I Bughouse McChuill's. 40 High Street. 552 2135. 9.30pm. Free. Not much to do with jazz. really. as Bughouse DJs Chris and Dan play out the funky, chunky house tunes.
I The Blind Boys Of Alabama The Old Fruitmarket. Albion Street. 287 551 l. 10.30pm. £10 (£8). A return visit for this always popular Gospel group. led by their venerable long-time boss. Clarence Fountain.
I The Festival Club Glasgow Marriott Hotel. 500 Argyle Street. 226 5577.
l lpm-3am. £2 (free with a ticket from one of today's jazz festival events). For many people. this is the place to be in the festival. and getting in can be a problem. especially at the weekend. Singer Fionna Duncan and her trio are the house band again this year. plus the usual jam session format. That can mean anyone stepping up for a blow. from the newest young talent on the local scene through to intemational stars from that night‘s main stage concerts.
THURSDAY 6
I Hung Drawn Quartet Glasgow Airport. Abbotsinch. Paisley. 887 1 l 1 1. 5pm. Free. Inventive improvisation and clever arrangements from this all-sax band.
I 2 ToTaI Merchant Square. Bell Street. 552 3552. 5pm. Free. Not quite sure of
GEORGE BENSON
George Benson's concert is something of a curtain-raiser ahead of the main block of festival concerts. The guitarist followed in the footsteps of the great Wes Mont omery by switching from t e fiery 'azz improvisations of his ear y days to slink funk and soul in the 705, and as ridden the formula with conspicuous success ever since. Look for impeccable playing. slick arrangements, and infectious soul, funk and Latino grooves.
Mon 3 Jul, Royal Concert Hall, 7.30pm.
the significance of fusion guitarist Haftor Medboe's choice of moniker for this duo with regular playing buddy Andy Mitchell on bass guitar. but it makes a change from just their names.
I Terence Blanchard Introduces Summer Of Sam Glasgow Film Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 6pm. £4.75
(£3.25) for film. The trumpeter introduces '.
one of the films he has scored.
I Rostov Children's Quartet Princes Square. 48 Buchanan Street. 221 0324. 6.30pm. Free. More cross-cultural drift (Russians come to Glasgow to play Americanjazz). featuring this youthful quartet.
I Regina Carter Quintet The Old Fruitmarket. Albion Street. 287 551 1. 7.30pm. £10 (£5—£8). Violinist Regina Carter has been grabbing a lot of attention of late with her work with the likes of singer Cassandra Wilson. trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and pianist Kenny Barron. and now gets the chance to show off her own wide-ranging music in her first visit to the festival with her
own band. The Nigel Clark Trio open the '
gig.
I Al Hughes The Fire Station. 33 Ingram Street. 552 2929. 8pm. Free. Singer. guitarist and harmonica player Al Hughes steps ottt from his band Lights Out At Nine to play some solo blues.
I Ken Colyer Trust New Orleans Jazz Band The Tall Ship At Glasgow Harbour. 100 Stobcross Road. 287 551 1. 8pm. £12 (£10). Ken Colyer was the doyen of Britain's New Orleans devotees. and a man who was universally regarded as more of a strict musical purist than the New Orleans cats themselves. This band carries on his name and his work.
I George McGowan Quintet Eat Drink Man Woman. 24—36 King Street. 552 9227. 8.30pm. Free. Drummer George McGowan is usually associated with his swinging big band. but leads a doubtless equally swinging small combo here.
I Konrad Wiszniewski Quartet Waxy O’Connor's. 46 West George Street. 354 5154. 8.30pm. Free. Another rising talent on saxophone. Konrad is joined by a young band featuring Grant Bolton (keyboards). Gordon Davidson (bass) and Alyn Cosker (drums).
I Cathie Rae Trio Cafe Rouge. 15 John Street. 552 4433. 8.30pm. Free. Singer Cathie Rae leads her trio through some jazz standards.
I 2 ToTal Loop. 64 Ingram Street. 572 1472. 9pm. Free. See above.
I Kudu McChuill's. 40 Iligh Street. 552 2135. 9.30pm. Free. DJ.
I Lorna Brown Quartet Blackfriars. 36 5
Bell Street. 552 5924. 9.30pm. Free. Yet another promising young saxophonist takes her first how at the festival. with Graeme Scott (guitar). John Allen (bass) and Patrick Davey (drums).
I Terence Blanchard Sextet The Old Fruitmarket. Albion Street. 287 551 l. 10.30pm. £l2 (£6—£10). Terence Blanchard first came to notice as a member of jazz‘s premier hard bop
academy. An Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. but is at least as well known these days as a composer ofjazz film scores (see preview). He leads his excellent sextet in this gig. his first in the festival as a leader. I The Festival Club Glasgow Marriott Hotel. 500 Argyle Street. 226 5577.
l lpm—3am. £2 (free with a ticket from one of today'sjazz festival events). See Wed 5.
FRIDAY 7
TICKETS AND INFORMATION
Glenmorangie Glasgow Jazz Festival runs from Mon 3—Sun 9 Jul.
I By phone
Call the Ticket (‘entre on 0141 287 551 1 Mon Sat 9am 9pm; Sun 10am -5pm. Tron Theatre Box Office 0141 552 4267.
I In person
The Ticket ('entre. (‘andleriggs Mon Sat 9.30am 6.30pm: Sun 10am 7 5pm. Tickets are subject to booking fee unless you pay cash at the Ticket Centre or on the door (cash or cheque).
I Old Fruitmarket. Albion Street. I Princes Square, Buchanan Street, 0141 221 0324.
I Ramshom Theatre, 98 Ingram Street, 0141 552 3489.
I Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 0141 332 6633. I Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 0141 552 8587.
I Bar 91, 91 Candleriggs, 0141 552 5211.
I Blackfriars, 36 Bell Street 0141 552 5924.
I Beardmore Hotel, Beardmore Street, Clydebank 0141 951 6000. I Cafe Rouge, Italian Centre. John Street, 0141 552 4433.
I Eat Man Drink Woman, 34-36 King Street, 0141 552 9260.
I Fire Station, 33 Ingram Street. 0141 552 2929.
I Glasgow Airport, 0141 848 4778.
I Glasgow Marriott Hotel, 500 Argyle Street, 0141 226 5577.
I Loop, 64 Ingram Street, 0141 S72 1472.
I McChuills 40 High Street, 0141 552 2135.
I Merchant Square, Bell Street. I Oblomov Merchant City, Candleriggs, 0141 552 4251.
I Waxy O Connor’s, 44 West George Street, 0141 354 S154.
www.jazzfest.co.uk