PREVlEW JAZZ
LIONEL LOUEKE
Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Fri 26 Jun
Guitarist Lionel Loueke came to jazz via an early immersion in African music in his homeland of Benin. a grounding that has contributed to the distinctive style that caught the ears of Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard. both of whom have called on him on a regular basis.
Alongside those high-profile associations. Loueke has carved out his own niche as a leader. both with the collective trio Gilfema (which he says is now ‘kind of dying' as the artists pursue other interests) and his own trio.
L0ueke is currently signed to Blue Note Records. and is well versed in the jazz guitar lexicon. He cites Wes Montgomery as ‘still my favourite guitar player'. and acknowledges the influence of the likes of Pat Metheny. John Scofield and Pat Martino. as well as Hancock and Wayne Shorter.
It has all combined to produce a very individual musician. but one who still values the early lessons he absorbed back in Benin. where he started out playing percussion before taking up guitar.
'I never lost the way we play in Africa — how the music is related to everyday life and what you play is definitely yetir heart first of all. When I was in music school in New York. at one point I almost lost that — I started becoming very intellectual in everything I was playing. But the good thing is I found my way to go back to that natural thing I didn't want to Iose.’ (Kenny Mathieson)
PREVIEW JAZZ HOMEGROWN
Various venues, Glasgow, Sat 27 & Sun 28 Jun
The Homegrown showcase at the Glasgow Ja// Festival is now in Its fifth year and offers an opportunity to both the public and a number of inVited promoters and agents to catch up Wllll the latest work of a range of Scotland's best musicians.
More established names featured in the programme include guitarist Nigel Clark. bassist Mario Caribe. trumpeter Colin Steele. saxophonist Paul Towndrew. pianist Steve Hamilton and drummer Stu Brown's excellent Raymond Scott Project.
Emerging talents include baSSISt Calum Gourley and saxophonist Joe Wright. who Wil be joined by Julian Argt'ielles for his concert.
The Tommy Smith Youth Ja/z Orchestra. already a notable arena for developing young talent. will also be featured. as Will singer Subie Coleman.
Concerts take place in the Ramshorn Thetare. the Recital Rooms of the City Hall. and the Tron Theatre's Vic Bar. and are moderately priced.
Two rather more laVIsh concerts at the Old Fruitinarket that same weekend prowde further reminders of the talent pool available on the Scottish scene. Trumpeter Ryan Ouigley leads a Big Band on Saturday with special guest Justin Currie. and on Sunday the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra present a double bill of Tommy Smith's expansive arrangement of Gershwui's Rhapsody in Blue (released on CD to coincide with the concert) and their Buddy Rich tribute.
This year's festival Will also include the presentation of the inaugural Scottish Ja/x Awards at the Tron Theatre (Mon 2? Jun). (Kenny Mathieson)
62 THE LIST ’21") Jun (l Jul .9009
PREVlEW JAZ/ CHICK COREA O2 Academy, Glasgow, Tue 30 Jun.
Chick Corea has been a fairly regular visitor to Scotland over the years, but I can’t recall him playing a solo concert here before now. It is a format that he has returned to periodically over the years, both live and in recordings, including an early classic example on ECM, Piano Improvisations, and a pair of discs on Stretch that divided between standards and originals.
The pianist is looking forward to the gigs he is playing in solo format this summer. The Glasgow date is his only solo show in the UK, which makes it an even more unmissable opportunity. By way of preparation Corea has admitted that he revisited one of the towering greats of jazz piano — although not one that you might immediately associate with his own work.
‘I’m looking forward to playing solo again, and I’ve been listening to Art Tatum these past months. What an inspiration that man is!’
Whether any direct Tatum influence will be detectable
at the 02 Academy remains to be seen. The concert comes on the back of a number of projects that have seen the pianist return to associations from early in his career, including re-forming the fusion outfit Return to Forever, and linking up with guitarist John McLaughlin in their jointly—led Five Peace Band (a double live CD has just been released on Corea’s current label, Concord Records).
Last year he released the The New Crystal Silence with Gary Burton, again taking a fresh look at their seminal duet album of the early 70$ on a 35th anniversary tour, and a more recent duo collaboration brought another double CD of two-piano music with the strongly Corea-influenced Japanese pianist, Hiromi, also recorded live. The reunions remain forward looking projects, reflecting an ongoing desire to create new music — and to keep the contact with his audience live.
‘I always see myself being with the audience that’s right in front of me, and that communication is as solid and unchanging as anything in life. I love that and I never want to let that go.’ (Kenny Mathieson)
Colin Steele