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I I I I I
JERUSALEM QUARTET
Globally renowned Israeli foursome make their EIF debut
Making its Edinburgh International Festival debut. the Jerusalem Quartet is the final string quartet to appear at this year‘s impressive Queen‘s Hall series. Performing in the wake of the Ysaye. Belcea and Pavel Haas quartets. the quartet is. says EIF director Jonathan Mills, ‘a fantastic young quartet from lsrael.‘
Formed in 1993 while studying at the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Drama. the three Russian-born players and one native Israeli are unusual for a chamber ensemble in being based in Israel. The quartet has. however. toured all over the world. earning five star accolades along the way. and winning endless prizes and awards. After hearing him play. conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim offered the quartet 's cellist the use of the cello that had previously been played by his late wife. Jacqueline du Pre. Her specially-made Sergio Perresson cello is now on extended loan to a highly appreciative Kyril Zlotnikov. (Carol Main)
I Queen's Hall, 473 2000. 29 Aug. 7 7am. £7-E26.50.
BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Folk and gypsy influence evident in programme of two concerts
WIlllAM
FETTES JAZZ FESTIVAL
Swingin’ in the Marquee
The fourth Fettes Jazz Festival offers another attractive weekend festival housed in a marquee in the grounds of Fettes College, with a programme that combines top local talent with some exciting guests. The familiar format features an opening session with a party feel on Friday night, followed by separate afternoon and evening sessions on Saturday and Sunday, all with separate admission (and an age restriction of 18+ for the evening shows).
The main focus of attention is likely to fall on two of the hottest acts on the current UK jazz scene, and you get them both for the price of a Saturday night ticket. The Neil Cowley Trio (7.30pm) have successfully bridged the gap between jazz and the rock/club audience, while Israeli saxophonist Gilad Atzmon has carved out a distinctive niche for his high octane, politically-charged contemporary jazz.
Atzmon leads his excellent Orient House Ensemble (9.30pm) for this gig, featuring pianist Frank Harrison, Yaron Stavi on bass and drummer Asaf Sirkis. It should add up to a memorable double bill, but the attractions don’t end there.
Starting off with a programme inspired by gypsy music and Hungarian folk melodies. the Budapest Festival Orchestra give two full orchestral concerts in the last week of the Festival plus two presented by some of their soloists. Featuring some rather unusual scene-setting. the first orchestral programme is introduced by authentic gypsy music for violin and cimbalom. the folk-instrument with strings hit by wooden or metal mallets. Labelled 'lmprovisation'. no-one. including the two musicians themselves. quite knows what will be played. Genuine traditional gypsy music depends of a number of
variable factors. such as the musicians' mood. the audience. the venue. maybe even the weather. The critical outcome is not so much the tunes they perform. but the ways in
' which they are ornamented. Sticking more closely to the score will be founding conductor Ivan Fischer in the colourful and popular versions of Hungarian dances by Brahms. Liszt and Sarasate.(Carol Main)
' _ I Usher Hall. 473 2000, Sat 23 and
Men 25, 8pm. from E 70; Queen '3 Hall.
4 73 2000, Sun 24, 2pm and lire 26,
77am, from £7.
CAMERATA RITMATA Guitar virtuoso-fronted ensemble experiment in jazz, classical and world
A short bus ride heading eastwards
and in no time at all the crowds ease as the coastal community of
' Musselburgh comes in sight with its
88 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 21 Aug—4 Sep 2008
handy bus stop just outside the honest toun's Brunton Hall. Appearing here With special guest singer. Daisy Chute of All Angels
Friday’s opening session features another leading UK saxman, Dave O’Higgins, leading his soul-jazz inspired Organic Grooves quartet (9.45pm), with Phil Robson on guitar, Pete Whittaker on that quintessential groove machine, the Hammond organ, and drummer Simon Lea. Edinburgh-based American drummer Adam Sorenson’s Quartet opens proceedings (8pm).
Sunday evening is a bit of a family affair, with singer Niki King and her band (8.30pm) following on from an opening set by her dad, singer Freddie King and his quartet (6.30pm).
The Saturday afternoon focus is also on home-based talent, with a line up of Edinburgh-based pianist Paul Kirby (1 pm), the superb Colin Steele Quintet (3pm) and classic jazz in imaginative arrangements from drummer Ken Mathieson’s Classic Jazz Orchestra (5pm). Youth has its fling on Sunday afternoon, with saxophonist Leah Gough-Cooper’s Human Equivalent (1.30pm) opening for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland. (Kenny Mathieson)
I Fettes Co/lege Marquee. 332 :37 7 7. 22 Aug. 8pm, £16: 23 Aug. 1pm. 5‘15; 23 Aug. 7.30pm. 5‘20; 24 Aug. 7.30pm. 5‘9." 24 Aug, (5.30pm. £73.
tame. the ensemble Camerata Ritmata debuts a unique. new programme that mixes classical. experimental, jaw and world music like no other. Led by guitar virtuoso Simon Thacker. there is. he says. ‘everything from Billie Holliday and Cuban to modern arrangements of Led Zeppelin.‘ An award-winning classical guitarist. Thacker originally formed Cainerata Ritmata as an outlet for performing other types of music that were equally part of his musical psyche. With Edinburgh-born Chute on board. that now extends to law and popular singing as well as classical and jazz instrumentals. As Thacker explains. 'The common thread is the iiistrumentation and the people who are performing it.‘
(Carol Main)
I Brunton Ha/l, Ladywe/l Way. Musse/bur‘g/i, 665 2240. Sat 23. 7.30pm. [‘74 (E72).