Steve said:

Our final concert of 2024 lived up to expectations with top quality swinging jazz with the trademark teasing humour from the Barnes/Adams double act.  The first set began with the lead pair on baritone sax and muted trumpet with Mr T.C., the ever-spellbinding David Newton resplendent on piano together with Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey laying down a perfectly solid rhythm. Alan changed to alto sax for ‘Cannonball’ with a beautifully articulate solo standing out as a crowd-pleasing feature. We were transported back in time to the era of swing with Ellington’s ‘Morning Glory’, the swooping sound of the horns once again featuring Alan on baritone sax and Bruce’s melodic, rich-toned open trumpet with an absorbing bass solo from Andy skilfully bringing out the instrument’s deep woody sound. The Barnes’ composition ‘Tavares’, based on the chords of ‘There Will Never Be Another You’ takes Horace Silver’s middle name as its title and once again Alan switches to alto to complement Bruce’s fiery performance on trumpet. 

The tempo switches to a gentler one with the first duet of the evening, featuring David Newton’s lyricism on piano and Alan’s equally haunting mastery of the clarinet on Jobim’s ‘Brigas Nunca Mais’ which translates as “No More Quarreling”. (I can highly recommend the most recent Newton/Barnes CD, ‘Tis Autumn’, which features this number along with eight other tender interpretations.)  The tempo is raised again as the first set closes with a fast-paced blues in C, Jimmy McGriff’s ‘Motoring Along’, which featured the pulsating rhythm of Cleyndert and Tracey overlaid with the more florid sound of Newton’s pianism.  The whole sound is uplifting, one from the “happy school of jazz music”, guaranteed to put a smile on your face, get your feet tapping and send you off in a positive mood. Yet, we had a whole set more of this glorious music to come . . .

Opening the second set was Horace Silver’s ‘St Vitus Dance’ – a reference no doubt to its quirky rhythm, but such a title does not sit well with today’s social mores. Based on the chord changes of ‘Somebody Loves Me (I Wonder Who)’, Barnes’ composition ‘Rengeo’ is then followed by ‘Side Steppin’ from Barnes’ and Adams’ first album of the same name; featuring a soaring trumpet solo from Adams, followed by a cantering bass solo from Cleyndert and then an opportunity for Tracey to improvise inventively on his distinctive, green drumkit. The second duet of the evening, ‘Why Did I Choose You?’ featured the heart-rending trumpet of Adams and the sensitive pianism of Newton and produced murmurs of approval from our appreciative, listening audience.  After a festive, jazzy version of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, comes the catchy calypso sound of Blue Mitchell’s ‘Fungii Mama’ with Barnes lightning fast and fluent on baritone sax embellished by Adams virtuosic trumpet-playing and authentic Latin rhythms skilfully tapped out by Tracey. 

The evening finished with a frenetic rendering of ‘Hollywood Stampede’ by Coleman Hawkins together with solid support and solos from Andrew and Clark. A fine pre-Christmas helping of quality swinging jazz.

Dave said:

There was a party in the big room on Wednesday, guys in suits and gals in gowns. One person asked me who was playing, so I told him. He said, “sorry, don’t know much about jazz”. A woman standing by said, “you should, they are jazz royalty”.f

Indeed, they are. They have known and played with each other for decades. But their playing is fresh and fabulous. Even the banter is new.

All of us at Fleece Jazz wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

In that year we start with John Etheridge and Theo Travis in Ben Crosland’s All Star Band. We finish the season with the amazing harpist, Alina Bzhezhinska. We would be delighted to have you join us.

Take care,

Dave

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ALAN BARNES/BRUCE ADAMS QUINTET SETLIST, FLEECE JAZZ 18/12/24

1. Mr T.C.  (Alan Barnes and Greg Abate)
2. Cannonball (Cannonball Adderley)
3. Morning Glory (Duke Ellington)
4. Tavares (Alan Barnes)
5. Brigas Nunca Mais (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
6. Motoring Along (Jimmy McGriff)

*          *          *           *         *        *        *

7. St Vitus Dance (Horace Silver)
8. Rengeo (Alan Barnes)
9. Side Steppin’ (Alan Barnes)
10. Why Did I Choose You? (Michael Leonard/Herbert Martin)
11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane)
12. Fungii Mama (Blue Mitchell)

      Encore: Hollywood Stampede (Coleman Hawkins)

Steve wrote a detailed view of the first set of this wonderful gig…

JOHN LAW’S RE CREATIONS SETLIST AT FLEECE JAZZ, 11/12/24

Last night, John Law returned to Fleece Jazz with his Re Creations quartet, a project that showcases the leader’s distinctive and innovative arrangements of well-known classical pieces, jazz standards, rock and pop songs, as well as soundtracks from film and shows. They were last here in 2022 with the same line-up when they stunned us with the rapport that they had generated in such a short space of time after the hiatus of lockdown. Two and a half years later, Law’s arrangements are as inventive and tightly orchestrated as before but full of unexpected twists and turns, with plenty of room allowed for collective and individual improvisation and self-expression.  Once again, we were treated to an eclectic selection of numbers from various genres, including classical music, early ‘70s and ‘80s rock through to the well-crafted pop of Abba, interspersed with traditional folk tunes, as well as popular tunes from the 1930s and modal jazz from the 1950s.

The arrangements were wondrous and often quite complex, effortlessly held together by John Law’s prodigious skill and invention on the keyboards with the spirit and talent of each member of the band shining through, not least in the “solos”.

The rendition of ‘Cavatina’ illustrates just a snapshot of how extraordinary a gig this was and one that was sadly ill-attended.  The number was ushered in by an extended passage of unaccompanied piano, with Law making extensive use of counterpoint, a quiet, contemplative, improvised piano solo before segueing into the main tune with the highly animated Alex Goodyear producing the most delicate touch on shimmering cymbals. John doubled up on acoustic piano and electric keyboard, from which he was able to generate a broad range of sounds, including electric piano, organ and a variety of synths.  Sam Crockatt sketched the familiar melody on soft, breathy tenor saxophone, accompanied by the gentle sway of Goodyear’s brushes. A combination of piano and string synth sounds underscored Henrik Jensen’s melodic pizzicato bass solo. 

Thank you to John for being so gracious in discussing with me some of the references in the main tunes, too. He has an easy-going manner and invariably makes himself available between sets whenever I have seen him at Fleece Jazz. He enjoys discussing the music with the fans.

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 So I am busy at the sound and lighting boards, the latter not behaving. I have no opportunity to take notes. But music as wonderful as this stays in the memory. So here are a few comments on the evening.

Before “You and the Night and the Music” in the second set, John announced that what the band was about to play had been rehearsed in many soundchecks but never played to an audience; they were going to brave it. It was a fascinating, very up-tempo arrangement with some stunning rhythms. Alex laid down the vibe. The interaction between Alex and John was intense, both of them grinning. Boy, do they know how to create builds and tension. Afterwards, he told us that the tune was in 15/16 time signature. Work that one out.

The gig was constructed around John’s amazing technique, both as a player and an arranger. Everybody had opportunities to shine as soloists. Sam’s solo on “Smoke on the Water” was memorable. His obligato under other soloists was lovely.

Davis’ “So What” from the iconic recording “Kind of Blue” was rhythmically different from the original 4/4. There were echoes of Evans from John. Henrik and Alex had a great battle on this one.

After the gig, the band packed up quickly to return to the west country. The crew floated home on the memory of a standout gig.

Take care,

Dave

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JOHN LAW’S RECREATIONS “MANY MOONS” SETLIST, 

FLEECE JAZZ 13/11/24

1. Let’s Face the Music and Dance (Irving Berlin)
2. Bella Ciao (Italian Traditional folk song)
3. Va, Pensiero, sull’ali dorate (better known as the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from the opera Nabucco (Giuseppe Verdi)
4. Solo Introduction to Cavatina (John Law)
5. Cavatina – theme from The Deerhunter (Stanley Myers)
6. Mamma Mia (Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson) as performed by ABBA with aspects of ‘Canon’ (Johann Pachelbel) and ‘Go West’ (Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo, Victor Willis) as performed by Pet Shop Boys

*          *          *           *         *        *        *

7. House of the Rising Sun (American Traditional folk song)
8. Smoke on the Water (Ian Gillan/Ritchie Blackmore) as performed by Deep Purple
9. So What (Miles Davis)
10. Pavane for a Dead Princess (Maurice Ravel)
11. Eye of a Tiger (Frankie Sullivan/Jim Peterik) as performed by the American rock band Survivor
12. You and the Night and the Music (Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz) from the Broadway show Revenge with Music
13. I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You (Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss) as recorded by Elvis Presley