A new restaurant has opened at Link Top, called Tilla, serving high class asian cuisine. Why is this of interest to jazz fans? Because the owner Mr Ali has invested mightily in facilities for live music and kindly chose your correspondant for his opening night last week. The food is of a high standard, if a tad more pricey that his local competition, but it's worth noting that many of the dishes include rice and veg in the headline price.
There won't be music every night, and a routine has yet to be established. However, if you decide to look in, please mention that you heard about the restaurant via the jazz club, as that will further endear the jazz fraternity to the owner!
Monday, 28 September 2009
Next up - New Washboard Syncopators - 11 October
We look forward to the return by popular request of Chris Carmel and his merry men. Those of us who enjoyed the band last year will recall their taste for numbers long forgotten from the 20's and 30's - numbers in the 'dont write them like that any more' category.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, borrow somebody's copy of the first compilation CD and listen to I Want to Play Piano in a Cathouse!
Chris tells me that the boys have added a string of new numbers to their list, so expect the unexpected!
If you don't know what I'm talking about, borrow somebody's copy of the first compilation CD and listen to I Want to Play Piano in a Cathouse!
Chris tells me that the boys have added a string of new numbers to their list, so expect the unexpected!
Hallam ! The Mutts Nuts!
With apologies, just a brief report as I'm disappearing for a few days hols this morning.
John Hallam fought his way down the M6 yesterday to give us an absolutely superb two sets, backed impeccably by Roger Heeley, Tony Sharp and Roy Dutton. Whether he was on clarinet, tenor or baritone, John held a full Spring Lane spellbound, and did so with a repertoire from Eubie Blake to Gerry Mulligan. It's the mark of a master jazz musician that he can generate such swing and musical excitement by playing quietly, and his backing band were just the men for the job too.
All in all one of the best nights at Malvern for ages and a privilege to be present. Not bad value for a fiver, eh?!
John Hallam fought his way down the M6 yesterday to give us an absolutely superb two sets, backed impeccably by Roger Heeley, Tony Sharp and Roy Dutton. Whether he was on clarinet, tenor or baritone, John held a full Spring Lane spellbound, and did so with a repertoire from Eubie Blake to Gerry Mulligan. It's the mark of a master jazz musician that he can generate such swing and musical excitement by playing quietly, and his backing band were just the men for the job too.
All in all one of the best nights at Malvern for ages and a privilege to be present. Not bad value for a fiver, eh?!
Friday, 18 September 2009
Next Time - John Hallam returns
The ever-popular JH makes a very welcome return. accompanied by Mssrs Healey, Dutton and Sharp. Admission £5. Don't be late!
Better Late than Never!
Sorry about the late post! It's been one of those weeks.
But much better late than not at all, to report a great evening last Sunday with Tony Pipkin, Richard Leach, Ian Jameson, Ken Jones, Derek Bennett, Len and me. The band was swinging like crazy, as the recording attested.
We had not heard Ian Jameson at Spring Lane before. He proved to be a clarinetist of taste, accuracy and a lovely liquid tone that fitted perfectly with the music we played. Must get him back! Tony Pipkin! Yet again Tony demonstrated his ability to mould his style to the men around him and he played some cracking stuff - relaxed, melodic and yet completely holding our attention. And Richard leach, freed of the onus of leading his own bands, gave us a tour of his improvisational skills which are considerable.
I hadn't played with Derek before, and it was a pleasure, not to mention a discovery. The Zeniths must be a great band to play in with Derek driving their rhythm section.
Well, its taken me till Friday to get over the cold kindly shared with me by the guys I was recording with over the weekend. That's my excuse for missing the usual deadlines, anyway.
TTFN
But much better late than not at all, to report a great evening last Sunday with Tony Pipkin, Richard Leach, Ian Jameson, Ken Jones, Derek Bennett, Len and me. The band was swinging like crazy, as the recording attested.
We had not heard Ian Jameson at Spring Lane before. He proved to be a clarinetist of taste, accuracy and a lovely liquid tone that fitted perfectly with the music we played. Must get him back! Tony Pipkin! Yet again Tony demonstrated his ability to mould his style to the men around him and he played some cracking stuff - relaxed, melodic and yet completely holding our attention. And Richard leach, freed of the onus of leading his own bands, gave us a tour of his improvisational skills which are considerable.
I hadn't played with Derek before, and it was a pleasure, not to mention a discovery. The Zeniths must be a great band to play in with Derek driving their rhythm section.
Well, its taken me till Friday to get over the cold kindly shared with me by the guys I was recording with over the weekend. That's my excuse for missing the usual deadlines, anyway.
TTFN
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Next up - 13th September - some new faces
We'll be welcoming to Malvern IAn Jameson on clarinet and Derek Bennett on drums, together with Tony Pipkin making a welcome return, with Ken Jones on piano.
And please note in your diaries that we have the great John Hallam visiting on 27th September, always a popular event.
Then, on 11th October, the second appearance at Spring Lane of the New Washboard Syncopators. If you missed them last year, catch them this time without fail, for their great repertoire of little heard popular music from the 20's. Absolutely not yer average trad band, trust me!
And please note in your diaries that we have the great John Hallam visiting on 27th September, always a popular event.
Then, on 11th October, the second appearance at Spring Lane of the New Washboard Syncopators. If you missed them last year, catch them this time without fail, for their great repertoire of little heard popular music from the 20's. Absolutely not yer average trad band, trust me!
New Vibes at Spring Lane
For those of you who couldn't be there last Sunday a Vibraphone is not the latest offering from Nokia, but the instrument played by George Cummings, who if I'm not mistaken gave us the first ever appearance at the club of this fabulous jazz instrument. And it was great to hear that luscious sound filling out the ensemble and featuring in solos.
Led by Arthur Brown, who we hadn't seen for ages at Malvern, we certainly had a full band sound going in every way. Peter Carlton was head reedsman, but was joined at times by the saxes of John Ripper and Alan Jaeger, so that by the end of the evening we had a five man front line and a four man rhythm section that included the welcome return of Rod Kelly and Ken Wright. While the overall result may have been lacking a little in discipline, we certainly had a lot of fun!
We very much hope to get George and his vibes back in the future. George told me, incidentally, that the instrument is the one he bought originally over 40 years ago, and it was only later that I reflected how much they must have cost back then! His playing was great and a first time for me after more that 40 years in jazz - presumably because none of my mates in Liverpool had dads rich enough to buy them one!
Led by Arthur Brown, who we hadn't seen for ages at Malvern, we certainly had a full band sound going in every way. Peter Carlton was head reedsman, but was joined at times by the saxes of John Ripper and Alan Jaeger, so that by the end of the evening we had a five man front line and a four man rhythm section that included the welcome return of Rod Kelly and Ken Wright. While the overall result may have been lacking a little in discipline, we certainly had a lot of fun!
We very much hope to get George and his vibes back in the future. George told me, incidentally, that the instrument is the one he bought originally over 40 years ago, and it was only later that I reflected how much they must have cost back then! His playing was great and a first time for me after more that 40 years in jazz - presumably because none of my mates in Liverpool had dads rich enough to buy them one!
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