Jazz musician Chris Ingham and folk music's Chris Wilbraham with all the gigs happening in the Suffolk area
JAZZ with Chris Ingham: cjr.ingham@outlook.com/chrisingham.co.uk
Thursday, March 20
ALEX HITCHCOCK’S DREAM BAND (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 7.30pm, £22 & £16.50, cambridgejazz.org, 01223 514777) New York-based, London-born saxophonist is a distinctive improviser and a provocative, playful composer. With Will Barry (piano), Mats Sandahl (bass) and Marc Michel (drums).
FOR THE DIARY
Saturday, March 22
HANNAH HORTON WITH DENNIS ROLLINS (Haverhill Arts Centre, 8pm, £15/£10, haverhillartscentre. co.uk) Swinging Cat Jazz Club hostess Hannah Horton welcomes funky jazz trombonist Dennis Rollins, whose credits include Courtney Pine, Maceo Parker, Jamiroquai, US3, The Brand New Heavies, Blur, Monty Alexander, Pee Wee Ellis and Jean among many others.
BACK TO BIRDLAND (Sheringham Little Theatre, 7.30pm, £17, norwichjazzcluib.co.uk) A celebration of George Shearing led by pianist Simon Brown and featuring Lizzie Blissett (vocals), Nat Steele (vibraphone), Simon Hurley (guitar), Andy Staples (bass) and Neil Bullock (drums).
Sunday, March 23
DIXIEMIX (Yalm Food Hall, Norwich, 7.30pm, £13, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Popular Norfolk-based traditional jazz group led by cornettist Simon Nelson and featuring Chris Wigley (trombone), Karl Wirrmann (clarinet/ saxes), Kevin West (banjo/guitar), Maurizio Borgna (bass) and Tony Wilkins (drums/vocals).
Wednesday, March 26
DEAN STOCKDALE QUARTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Based in the north of England, this skilled four-piece celebrate the centenary of Oscar Peterson’s birth, with Dean Stockdale (piano), Tim Williams (guitar), Gavin Barras (bass) and Gaz Hughes (drums).
Friday, March 28
JAZZ SAMBA **SOLD OUT** (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009)
Wednesday, April 9
PAUL HIGGS’ PAVANE (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £22, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) The celebrated jazz/classical crossover band led by trumpeter/composer Paul Higgs and featuring Natalie Rozario (cello), Andy Watson (guitar), Chris Ingham (piano), Jerome Davies (bass) and George Double (drums).
Thursday, April 10
RALPH MOORE (Diss Corn Hall, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk, 01379 652241) UK-born, US-based since 1972, saxophonist Moore played with Horace Silver (1981-85), the Dizzy Gillespie Reunion Band (1987) and was in The Tonight Show band for 15 years. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to hear one of the leading tenor saxophonists of his generation in a UK jazz club. With Chris Ingham (piano), Simon Woolf (bass) and George Double (drums).
Friday, April 11
JO HARROP (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) One of the busiest and most distinctive singers on London’s music scene garnering received rave reviews for her live appearances and recordings. Jo’s latest album The Path of a Tear was produced by the legendary Larry Klein (Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Joni Mitchell). Tonight, her powerful, evocative songs and rich, sultry voice are accompanied by Sam Braysher (sax), Chris Ingham (piano) and Malcolm Creese (bass).
Sunday, April 13
THE 251s (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) An afternoon of jump blues, jazz and swing from one of Southend’s most popular retro acts.
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@ tinyonline.co.uk
I was reminded last month how important music can be and of how it can help us.
More than 90 people gathered into a cliff top Filey Hotel function room to celebrate the life of our friend Phil, who died in January, aged 60. His wife Julie told me the day should reflect his great passions, music, beer and rugby league. Of the three, music played the greatest part.
His life in music was described from his early one chord performances with a guitar on Scout camps, loading bands in and out of university gigs and performing bass with his friend Jim as The Trophy Cabinet, playing songs inspired by what they were hearing on the Indie music scene. Jim was too emotional to speak but his words, spoken for him, were some of the most moving of the day. He described how the band was revived after Phil’s cancer diagnosis: “Recording was a way of creating something lasting, while playing live was living.”
He finished with this: “Music creates intense emotions and the journey forges unbreakable friendships. It is good fortune to have been on that trip with Phil – friend, bandmate, top bassist, inspiration and the strongest man I will ever know.”
In the evening, the landlady of the Imperial Music Bar gave over her pub to Phil’s musical friends, who entertained the congregation with music relevant to Phil’s life. The Lark’s played first, our set including songs by The Cure and one from Elbow’s album, Seldom Seen Kid. Friend of Ours, written by the band for their late friend Bryan Glancy, opens with the words:
Before leaving get to the bar,
No one round here makes you pay
Never very good at goodbyes
So gentle, shoulder charge
Love you mate
Though Phil said he expected it to be played at his funeral, I didn’t think I’d be performing the song, which was in my head throughout November and December. Learning to play it was almost unavoidable. It felt cathartic. Once learnt it would have felt wrong not to share. I suspect the same was true for his pal Martin, lead singer of Phil’s last band, who sang songs by Echo and the Bunnymen.
Jim managed to sing two Trophy Cabinet songs, one of them, Mettle, written by him about Phil, before local band Doghouse filled the dance floor with a mix of covers and songs they had written at Phil’s encouragement, performed publicly for the first time. It felt like a collective relief for us to be moving to the music.
The last two songs were played by all the musicians as the pub heaved in time to Laid by James and Iggy Pop’s The Passenger.
Looking from the crowded stage to see everyone, including Julie and her children, dancing with smiles on their faces at the end of such a day, showed me the positive power of music. It is a sight I will never forget.
Here are next week’s gigs:
Friday, March 14
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Dave Ellis and Boo Howard. £11.
Monday, March 17
The Dove, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, Folk session.
Colchester Arts Centre, 8pm, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman. Support from Peter and Jane.
Tuesday, March 18
Rose and Crown, Bury St Edmunds, 4-7pm, daytime Folk session.
Cambridge Junction, 7pm, Ferocious Dog Acoustic. £25.50.
Wednesday, March 19
Arkenstall Village Centre, Haddenham, 7.30pm, Ely Folk Club: Jez Lowe. Support from Isle ‘Ave a Shanty. £13.
Banham Barrel, 8pm Later with James Viera.
Friday, March 21
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 7.45pm,
Milkmaid Folk Club: Eric Sedge and Tom Leary. £12.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer. £11.
