Music JAZZ
JAZZ Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore and Kenny Mathieson. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 3 Edinburgh ■ The Freaky Family The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 11pm. £2 (£1). Organic hip hop and jazzy grooves.
Friday 4
Glasgow ■ Oscar Cordoba Band The Ferry, 25 Anderston Quay, 01698 360085. 7.30pm. £5. Jazz/funk/rock fusion. Edinburgh ■ Jazz Bar Quartet The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £4 (£3). Jazz four-piece. ■ Late’n’Live The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 11.30pm–3am. £5 (£3). Late night jazz and funk acts and DJs. Serious funk from James Brown is Annie (4 Feb) followed by punchy soul/funk from Federation of the Disco Pimp (11 Feb).
Cupar ■ Main Street Blues and Al Hughes Watts Eaterie, Station Road Edenside, 01334 656889. 8.30pm. £8. Mix of modern and classic blues. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival. Dunfermline ■ Evan Parker & John Russell Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01383 602302. 8pm. £10. Free improv jazz from saxophonist Parker who will be playing solo and duo with guitarist Russell. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival. ■ More Songs for Swinging Lovers Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01592 611101. 8pm. £15. Taking inspiration from Sinatra’s smooth 1956 album, Fife Jazz Orchestra with special guest Matthew Ford take on some of the best romantic, swingin’ tunes. Part of Fife Jazz Festival.
St Andrews ■ Mina Agossi and Zoe Rahman Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 01334 475000. 8pm. £15. French and African influences combine in Agossi’s rich vocals, as she turns classic rock into vehicles of seduction, while pianist Rahman plays a solo set. See preview, below. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival. ■ Havana Swing Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 01334 475000. 8.30pm. £8. Django-inspired guitar jazz from this fast-paced collective, who balance their frenetic music-making with a sense of humour. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival.
Saturday 5 Edinburgh FREE The Mellotones The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 3pm. Jimmy Taylor and band play songs by Mel Torme and other great jazz vocalists. ■ World Premiere Quintet The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £4 (£3). A different selection of five leading jazz players come together for each session with no rehearsal. FREE Dias Brazil Dalriada, 77 Promenade, Portobello, 454 4500. 9pm. Jazzy Brazilian rhythms, bossa nova, samba and salsa. ■ Late’n’Live The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 11.30pm–3am. £5 (£3). Late night jazz and funk acts and DJs. Asazi Space Funk Explosion! guest (5 Feb) and Die Scheiders provide the soul/funk on 12 Feb.
78 THE LIST 3–17 Feb 2011
Anstruther ■ Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra Craw’s Nest Hotel, Bankwell Road, 01333 310691. 2pm. £8. Richard Michael conducts the orchestra through a selection of big band standards and new pieces. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival.
Dunbog ■ Batchelors of Jazz Village Hall, 01592 611101. 8pm. £10. Traditional jazz led by trombonist and vocalist Dave Batchelor. Part of Fife Jazz Festival. Dunfermline ■ Courtney Pine Band Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01592 611101. 8pm. £17.50. The celebrated sax supremo moves into new territory with a set from his forthcoming Europa album, inspired by his travels in Europe. Part of Fife Jazz Festival.
Glenrothes ■ The Big Dance Rothes Halls, Kingdom Centre, 01592 611101. 8pm. £10. The King of Swing Big Band wants you to dance and it won’t take no for an answer. Head down to Rothes Hall and get your feet moving. There’s a quick lesson for beginners at 7pm to ensure you’re extra ready to go. Part of Fife Jazz Festival.
Kirkcaldy ■ Red Stripe Band Adam Smith Theatre, Arts and Theatres Trust Fife Ltd, Bennochy Road, 01592 611101. 8pm. £10. A selection of storming numbers from blues to jump-jive, with a dash of rock’n’roll for good measure. Part of Fife Jazz Festival Livingston ■ Besson Scottish Solo and Ensemble Championships Howden Park Centre, Howden, 01506 777666. 10am–6pm. £4 advance; £2 on the door. Scotland’s brass band talent comes together for a weekend of competition
for the prestigious title of Scottish Champion. The Junior Solo and Quartet sections will be held on the Saturday, and the Open Solo and Ensemble sections on the Sunday. ■ Besson Scottish Solo and Ensemble Championships: Gala Concert Howden Park Centre, Howden, 01506 777666. 8pm. £10 (£7.50). Scotland’s brass band talent comes together for gala concert. St Andrews ■ More Songs for Swinging Lovers Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 01592 611101. 8pm. £15. See Fri 4. ■ Trio AAB Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 01496 302250. 8.30pm. £8. Innovative jazz from the free and fusion schools, performed by Phil and Tom Bancroft (sax and drums respectively) and guitarist Kevin MacKenzie. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival.
Sunday 6 Glasgow FREE Blues Jam Bobar, 383 Byres Road, 339 8811. 9pm. Blues jam with Alan Nimmo. ■ Nigel Clark Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Acclaimed Scottish jazz guitarist.
Edinburgh FREE Ken Scott & Dougie Urquhart Café Grande, 184 Bruntsfield Place, 228 1188. 7pm. Lively jazz. ■ Singers’ Night The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £4 (£3). Opportunity to hear some of the latest emerging singers perform in an intimate setting with the cream of Scotland’s jazz musicians. FREE The Whighams Jazz Club Whighams Wine Cellars, 13 Hope Street, Charlotte Square, 225 8674. 8pm. All singers and instrumentalists are welcome at this jazz jam with a different host
every week and a stellar trio. Joined by trumpeter Colin Steele (6 Feb) and Leeds-based vocalist Terri Shaltiel (13 Feb). ■ The Sunday Sinners The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 11pm. £2 (£1). Motown style funk/soul from this six-piece fronted by Fiona Lynch and Joe Early.
Cupar ■ Ken Mathieson’s Classic Jazz Orchestra – Play Duke Ellington Lomond Hills Hotel, High Street Freuchie, 01337 857329. 2pm. £10. Eight-piece outfit are joined by Angie King, taking a fresh look at classic jazz and putting a new spin on original compositions. Part of Fife Jazz Festival.
Dunfermline ■ Birdland Elgin Hotel, Charlestown. 2pm. £8. Close vocal harmonies à la Andrews Sisters, from this female- fronted group comprising Jess Abrams, Lorna Reid and Marianne Patrick. Part of the Fife Jazz Festival. ■ The Cyrus Chestnut Trio Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01592 611101. 7.30pm. £16. One of the great American jazz pianists brings his big, swingin’ style to the Jazz Festival. Part of Fife Jazz Festival Livingston ■ Besson Scottish Solo and Ensemble Championships Howden Park Centre, Howden, 01506 777666. 10am–6.30pm. £4 advance; £2 on the door. See Sat 5.
Monday 7 Edinburgh ■ The Jazz Bar Big Band The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 7.30pm. £4 (£3). Jazz classics from this 17-piece ensemble. ■ Glamour & The Baybes The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298.
JAZZ ZOE RAHMAN Byre Theatre, St. Andrews, 4 Feb; Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, 5 Feb
Zoe Rahman is classically-trained and has explored the music of her father’s Bengali culture, although her own upbringing in Chichester was very English. Despite her wide-ranging musical interests, she has no doubt where her primary loyalty lies. ‘I’m a jazz musician at heart. I only really started
exploring Bengali music recently, and adapting it to my own style. To me it is all just music – I don’t like categories.’ A Mercury Prize nomination in 2006 helped establish
the pianist as a rising star in UK jazz. At the Fife Jazz Festival, she will perform solo before Mina Agossi’s set
in St Andrews, and with Courtney Pine in Dunfermline. ‘On a solo gig what I play partly depends on the
audience, the room and the piano. I’m working on new material for my band which I’m hoping to record soon, and might work some of that in.’ Courtney Pine’s concert will focus on the music from
Europa, due for release in March and inspired by places the saxophonist has visited across Europe.
‘They are a fun band to work with, although it’s very challenging – there is a lot of written music for the piano, and when he first gave me the charts I realised my classical training was going to be handy!’
Other festival highlights include American pianist Cyrus Chestnut and home-grown talent in Trio AAB, the Classic Jazz Orchestra and the Fife Jazz Orchestra. (Kenny Mathieson)