Jazz musician Chris Ingham and folk musician Chris Wilbraham cast their expert eyes over the local music scene
JAZZ with Chris Ingham: cjr.ingham@outlook.com/chrisingham.co.uk
Sunday, May 26
ALLISON NEALE QUARTET (Yalm Food Court, Norwich, 19.30, £11.55, www.norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Shades of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall with this highly refined group featuring US-born Allison Neale (alto sax), Colin Oxley (guitar), Jeremy Brown (bass) and Matt Fishwick (drums).
Thursday, May 30
CLARE TEAL SEVEN (Apex, 7.30pm, £29, www.theapex.co.uk, 0124 758000) Popular swing singer and broadcaster with her all-star band featuring Jason Rebello (piano), Simon Little (bass), Ed Richardson (drums), Giacomo Smith (clarinet), Pete Horsfall (trumpet), Dave Archer (guitar).
FOR THE DIARY
Sunday, June 9
KYM CYPHER’S BRIGHTER TOMORROW (Colchester Arts Centre, 7.30pm, £16, www.colchesterartscentre.com) Upbeat performer sometimes described as ‘funky saxophonist meets 1940s jazz singer’, Cypher is joined by Chris Cobbson (guitar), Anders Olinder (keyboard), Mike Green (bass), Mike Cypher (drums).
Wednesday, June 12
ADRIAN YORK TRIO (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £18, 01787 211865, www.fleecejazz.org.uk) Pianist, educator and broadcaster Adrian York presents Conversations With Bill: A Celebration of Bill Evans with Paul Whitten (bass) and Mark Fletcher (drums).
Saturday, June 15
PAUL HIGGS – PAVANE (Hadleigh Town Hall, 3pm, £20, www.ticketsource/whats-on/ipswich/hadleigh-town-hall) Special matinée performance (evening is sold out) of a unique six-piece jazz-classical crossover group led by trumpeter/composer Paul Higgs. Featuring Natalie Rozario (cello), Andy Watson (guitar), Chris Ingham (piano), Jerome Davies (bass) and George Double.
Tuesday, June 18
PHIL ROBSON TRIO (Maddermarket Theatre Bar, Norwich, 8pm, £16/£8 u25, www.norwichjazzclub.co.uk) Award-winning, versatile and creative guitarist/composer Phil Robson joins forces with Hammond virtuoso Ross Stanley and the powerful and inspiring drummer Gene Calderazzo to bring their own refreshing touch to the organ trio tradition.
Friday, June 21
CROOKS/FOWLER QUINTET: AL AND ZOOT – A SALUTE (Hunter Club, Bury, 7.30pm, £19, www.headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) Witty, tuneful and unfailingly swinging, the legendary 28-year Al Cohn/Zoot Sims tenor sax partnership specialised in good-natured, cultured, straight-ahead jazz. Mark Crooks (John Wilson Orchestra, Jazz at the Movies) and Robert Fowler (Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Humphrey Lyttelton) revisit Al and Zoot’s uniquely appealing music with consummate artistry.
Wednesday, June 26
FLETCH’S BREW (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £18, 01787 211865, www.fleecejazz.org.uk) Virtuoso-heavy quintet blending the idioms of fusion, funk, bebop, reggae and rock. Led from the drums by Mark Fletcher and featuring Freddie Gavita (trumpet), Paul Stacey (guitar), Jim Watson (piano) and Steve Pearce (bass).
Thursday, June 27
MARK LOCKHEART’S DREAMERS (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 7.30pm, £20, www.cambridgejazz.org) Stylistically free and slightly psychedelic new project from saxophonist and composer Mark Lockheart featuring keyboardist Elliot Galvin (Dinosaur, Elliot Galvin Trio), bassist Tom Herbert (Polar Bear, The Invisible) and drummer Dave Smith (Robert Plant).
Friday, June 28
JAZZ AT THE GUILDHALL (Guildhall, Bury, 7pm, £55 inc. canapes and two-course supper, email: fundraising@swcab.org.uk) Regular fund-raising event for the Citizens Advice Bureau featuring singer Joanna Eden and Chris Ingham (piano), Owen Morgan (bass) and George Double (drums).
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
I noticed that today, the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust (EATMT) is running an event at Wingfield Barns, a beautiful little venue in the Waveney Valley. I thought I would ask Alex Bartholomew, who administrates the trust, what visitors to Wingfield can expect from the event and what plans EATMT have for the rest of the year.
“We’re running our third More than Melodeons day of workshops and tutor concert at Wingfield Barns today (May 25). We have a wonderful selection of tutors for the day who will be sharing their wisdom and skills with keen musicians and in return for participants’ hard work during the day, an early evening concert (5pm) will take place in the Great Barn given by the tutors.
“We have joining us the multi-talented Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne giving a multi-instrumental workshop as well as specific workshops for Anglo-concertina players and melodeon players. Megan Wisdom, local traditional folk singer now performing all over the country, is running three song workshops and we are joined by local duo Erin Brown and Barry Watson for the day – Barry will be running a piano accordion workshop and then they will both be running two workshops suitable for any instrument. Members of the recently formed East Suffolk Folk Orchestra will be sharing tunes and arrangements ‘orchestra’ style and our final tutor is Norfolk musician Richard Blake, who will be introducing attendees to the wonders of the East Anglian dulcimer.
“There are still a few places on all but Cohen’s multi-instrumental workshop and Richard’s dulcimer workshop (prices start at £15 per workshop) and you are welcome to turn up on the day and take a chance on a space as well as visit the Acorn Instrument and Mike Acott Concertina stalls. If listening is your preferred option, tickets for the tutor concert, which starts at 5pm, are still available – ring Wingfield Barns for more details: 01379 384505. Concert tickets are £15 and a combined ticket price for the day and concert is also available (via www.eatmt.org.uk).
“Coming up in June, we’ll be joining the good folk at Nowton Park for the Bury Folk Festival on Saturday, June 29 and running a stall. July 21 sees us travelling to The Compasses, Littley Green in Chelmsford, for our annual Stepdance Day (free event) and we have our BIG day of traditional music in Stowmarket on Saturday, September 21.
“Visit EATMT’s website - www.eatmt.org.uk - for more details and what else we do.“
The EATMT Music Day promises to be well worth a visit. Looking at the artists booked to perform there will be the opportunity to listen to Jackie Oates, witness the multi-talented Damien Barber, hear The Finn Collison Band and sing along with The Norfolk Broads and The Harbour Inn Crowd. Many more acts are booked to play at venues spread across the town making it a festival of folk song and dance.
Here are some events happening sooner:
Today, May 25
Wingfield Barns, 5pm, East Anglian Traditional Music Trust More than Melodeons Tutor Concert. £15.
Wednesday, May 29
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, Bury Folk Collective: From The Tradition Night.
Banham Barrel, 8pm, Later with James Veira.
Thursday, May 30
Whitings Bar, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, The Larks.
Friday, May 31
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Miranda Sykes, support from Rachel Hill. £16.
