Notes on Past Gigs

Steve said: On Wednesday last, we were treated to some of the very best music from the Blue Note canon of the late 1950s and the 1960s, played by some of the best jazz musicians in the UK. It was a real pleasure to share their enthusiasm for this joyous, iconic music, which must be attributed in some measure to an insatiable and lifelong appetite for listening to past jazz recordings.  We were guided through the background and details of each number – who composed it, transcribed it and performed it – by the very knowledgeable and passionate trumpeter and…

Steve said: We had our third consecutive near-sellout gig at Fleece Jazz last night, which tells you a lot about these musicians and the place they hold in the hearts of our audience. A very warm feeling pervades the room as the band, minus our vocalist, strike up with Irving Berlin’s ‘Let Yourself Go’.  For the most part, each of the tunes tonight was written for or had a significant role on the silver screen although, as our compere and pianist Chris Ingham frequently points out, the quality of the song often surpasses the film and, in turn, remains more…

Steve said: Last Wednesday, Ben Crosland (BC) brought his “all-star” band to Fleece Jazz to perform arrangements of the music of Ray Davies, the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter for the rock band The Kinks. This was the third time that we’ve had this act, although not with the same line-up, which made this occasion even more special for reasons that will become apparent. If, like me, you had previously dismissed the idea of a jazz interpretation of the music of Ray Davies as a stretch too far, think again. Davies is indisputably one of this country’s greatest…

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…

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…