Jazz musician 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
Friday, April 11
JO HARROP (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) One of the busiest and most charismatic 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).
FOR THE DIARY
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.
Friday, April 18
MARK CROOKS/ROBERT FOWLER (Southwold Arts Centre, 7.30pm, £20, southwoldartscentre.co.uk) Two of the UK’s finest tenor saxophonists present From A to Z, a swinging salute to the legendary twin-tenor team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. With the George Double Trio.
Saturday, April 19
MARK CROOKS/ROBERT FOWLER (Hadleigh Town Hall, 7.30pm, £20, georgedouble.com) See April 18.
Wednesday, April 23
BZHEZHHINSKA/KOFI/PRIME (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £20, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Ukranian harpist Alina Bzhezhinska joins forces with saxophonist Tony Kofi and percussionist Joel Prime for a unique trio originally gathered to salute Alice Coltrane and who have developed their own mysterious take on the jazz harp tradition.
Friday, April 25
BEN HOLDER/JULIAN STRINGLE (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) A sensational pairing of two of the UK’s most exciting and virtuosic swing musicians; the genius jazz fiddler Ben Holder and the prodigious clarinettist Julian Stringle. The quintet is completed by Chris Ingham (piano), Simon Hurley (guitar) and Paul Jefferies (bass).
HANNAH HORTON WITH IAN SHAW (Haverhill Arts Centre, 8pm, £15/£10, haverhillartscentre.co.uk) Swinging Cat Jazz Club hostess Hannah Horton welcomes singer/songwriter Ian Shaw, routinely cited, along with Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling, as one of the world’s finest male jazz vocalists.
Sunday, April 27
JACQUI HICKS (Yalm Food Court, Norwich, 7.30pm, £12, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) A versatile, musical singer who regularly appears with Shakatak and the Back To Basie Orchestra, tonight Jacqui performs a selection of her favourite jazz standards and some original compositions from her latest album. With Simon Bates (tenor), Simon Brown (piano), Simon Wood (bass) and Tom Jiggins (drums).
Sunday, April 11
THE MILK MEN (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) British R&B group who have earned a reputation as the one of the most dynamic and enjoyable live bands on the circuit. With former Pirate Mike Roberts (drums), son of guitar legend Mick Green, Lloyd Green (bass), Jamie Smy (vocals) and Adam Norsworthy (guitar).
Friday, May 16
DEREK NASH (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) One of hottest, funkiest saxophone players on the scene, Derek exudes an irresistible with acclaimed outfits The Wonder of Stevie, Picante, Sax Appeal, and as a distinguished jazz soloist, notably with Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. With Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass) and George Double (drums).
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@ tinyonline.co.uk
Last week I had my first glimpse of this year’s Milkmaid Folk Songwriting Competition. My singing partner Liz and I both entered songs which we sang in the third of four heats, this one happening in the small upstairs room at Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds. The room was filled with seven artists, most of whom had travelled quite a distance to perform, three judges, MC Holly De Vert, sound engineer Chris Bullen, organiser Tony Phillips and several audience members, some of whom had performed in previous heats.
Claudia Myatt from Woodbridge started the night, playing Appalachian harp accompanied by friends Penny and Julia, who with her make up The Quaysiders. They sang Golden Wreck, celebrating 100 years of the shipping forecast.
Liz performed Song2Hemi, about the lads Freddie Flintoff took under his wing on cricket tour to India. I played guitar for her and we were followed by Richard Pink, who had travelled from Bedford to sing about the serendipity of a gift, the blue guitar that he was playing.
Martin Jeremiah finished the first half with his song about the dangerous life of Cornish tin miners, whose average life expectancy was apparently just 24.
The interval was a welcome chance to socialise with fellow musicians as they relaxed post performance.
The duo South of Polaris, Danni Reales, who is a fine performer with a beautiful voice and guitarist Saul Diaz, have been active in the south Cambridgeshire area recently and started the second half with their flamenco-influenced song, which explores how wind can create discomfort and chaos but can also be soothing.
We shared a heat last year with the next performer, Julie Wigley from Derby, who, with husband Steve, sang of an engineer on the Titanic who saw his cat carrying her kittens from the ship at Southampton and decided to leave the ship as well, probably a life-saving decision. As usual, their warm-up song was a singalong gem, which the room willingly joined in for.
With Liz’s support, I finished the evening with Best of the Day, reflecting on changes in my life over the last 17 years.
The standard of performance was high and the atmosphere in the room unfailingly supportive, partly thanks to the continued tradition of an inclusive meeting of entrants beforehand, hosted by Tony, exploring our perspectives on the why and how of songwriting and performing, as Holly collected information to aid introducing us.
With 25 songs vying to reach the final over four heats, our experience suggests the judges will have a hard job selecting the six finalists. I would highly recommend getting tickets for the final on Friday, April 25 at Risbygate Sports Club. I intend being there to witness a seriously fine night of fresh, varied and beautifully played contemporary folk music.
Here are some gigs happening sooner:
Friday, April 11
Wingfield Barns, 7.30pm, Niepold-Cutting. £17.
Saturday, April 12
Arkenstall Centre, Haddenham, Ely Folk Club fundraiser, Ruth Bramley and Ann Brigg, Andy Wall, I, Claudia, Camus. £10.
Canopy Theatre, Beccles, 8pm, Katie Spencer. £12.90.
Sunday, April 13
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 2pm, Nick Cope. £19.
Monday, April 14
Colchester Arts Centre, 8pm, Gigspanner Big Band. £27.50.
Tuesday, April 15
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, Gigspanner Big Band. £29.
Wednesday, April 16
Arkenstall Centre, Haddenham, Ely Folk Club, 8pm, Hunter Muskett, support from Keith Pearson’s Hat-Trick. £13.
Thursday, April 17
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, Feast of Fiddles. £27.50.
Friday, April 18
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, Lucy Spraggan. £29.50.
Risbygate Sports Centre, Bury St Edmunds, 7.45pm, Milkmaid Folk Club, Samantha Penman/George & Nancy. £12.
