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
Friday, January 17
TIM GARLAND (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) A rare UK club appearance from saxophone superstar and lauded composer. Tonight Tim blends bewitching original pieces with some of his favourite standards. With Chris Ingham (piano), Malcolm Creese (bass), George Double (drums).
Sunday, January 19
THE WONDER OF STEVIE (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) Fronted by Morrissey Mullen and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band vocalist Noel McCalla and saxophonist Derek Nash, a sizzling, jazz-infused selection of arrangements of songs by the great Stevie Wonder.
Tuesday, January 21
CHRIS COOPER QUARTET (Maddermarket Theatre Bar, Norwich, 8.30pm, £18/£9, norwichjazzclub.co.uk) A Norfolk all-stars outing on swing, blues, bossas and ballads, featuring Chris Cooper (piano), Jasper Smith (guitar), Andy Doyle (bass) and Rob Masters (drums).
Wednesday, January 22
JAZZ AT THE MOVIES (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £22, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) Relieved of Christmas duties for another year, the film music repertoire quintet deliver jazzy spins on tunes from the silver screen, featuring Joanna Eden (vocal), Chris Ingham (piano/MC), Mark Crooks (clarinet/saxophone), Joe Pettitt (bass) and George Double (drums).
Thursday, January 23
CLARK TRACEY’S JAZZ CHAMPIONS (Hidden Rooms, Cambridge, 7.30pm, £22 & £16.50, cambridgejazz.org, 01223 514777) Internationally recognised jazz drummer, band leader, composer and arranger Tracey leads an all-star quintet playing his music and that of Stan Tracey, his father. With Art Themen (saxophone), Simon Allen (saxophone), Dave Newton (piano), Andrew Cleyndert (bass).
Friday, January 24
DJANGOLIERS (Diss Corn Hall, 7.30pm, £18, thecornhall.co.uk, 01379 652241) Inspired by the music of the late, great Belgian guitarist, Djangoliers interpret Django’s classic arrangements and compositions Nuages, Swing 42 and Manoir Des Mes Reves and explore the thrilling contemporary developments of ‘Gypsy Jazz’. With Simon Hurley (guitar), Robert Ford (guitar), Zak Barrett (clarinet) and Andy Staples (bass).
FOR THE DIARY
Sunday, February 9
DIRT ROAD BAND (Venue 16, Ipswich, 2.30pm, £15/£7.50, ipswichjazzandblues.com) Powerful blues from former Dr Feelgood guitarist Steve Walwyn, plus Specials bassist Horace Panter and ex-Badfinger drummer Ted Duggan.
Wednesday, February 12
CHRIS COULL’S BLUE NOTE SEXTET (Stoke By Nayland Golf Club, 8pm, £22, fleecejazz.org.uk, 01787 211865) A broad array from the much-loved recordings of Lee Morgan, Dexter Gordan, Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, to name a few from the golden era of the ’50s and ’60s. With Chris Coull (trumpet), Andreas Panayi (saxophone), Mark Bassey (trombone), Terry Seabrook (piano), Dan Sheppard (bass) and Peter Cater (drums).
Saturday, February 15
ADRIAN COX & DENNY ILETT (Hadleigh Town Hall, 3pm & 7.30pm, £20, georgedouble.com) Former Kansas Smitty’s clarinettist Cox meets the fabulous blues-flavoured guitarist Ilett, plus Chris Ingham (piano), Joe Pettitt (bass) and George Double (drums). A matinée and evening show.
Friday, February 21
FLANAGAN (Hunter Club Arts Centre, Bury, 7.30pm, £20, headhunterslive.org, 07799 650009) Mark Flanagan, long-time guitarist in Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, brings his own delightful trio comprising Adam Double (bass/vocal) and George Double (drums/vocal) to showcase original, heartfelt blues/roots/Americana songs.
FOLK with Chris Wilbraham: chris.wilbraham@tinyonline.co.uk
About 20 years ago I received a compilation CD of New Wave music, the highlight of which for me was Another Girl Another Planet, released in 1978 by The Only Ones, written by their lead singer Peter Perrett.
I enjoyed the humour in his lyrics:
You get under my skin, But I don’t find it irritating,
You always play to win, But I don’t need rehabilitating
I think I’m on another world with you, With you
I think I’m on another planet with you.
And the fabulous guitar riff played by John Perry.
Last month I came across a review of a new album from Peter Perrett entitled The Cleansing, a collection of songs with startling lyrics and a classic guitar-driven sound. I’ve learned that Perrett has given his body a hard life. He and Zena, his wife of 45 years, both have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, apparently secondary to drug use but have somehow survived to have their two sons lacing gorgeous guitar riffs around Peter’s laconic, drawling vocal, which delivers songs looking back on his life with lines like “All that time I thought I was having fun” and to the shorter future “I don’t want to overstay my welcome”. There is challenging tongue in cheek humour in My Secret Talliban Wife as well as the honest bleakness of I Wanna Go With Dignity.
Perrett’s reputation as a musician and songwriter is obviously high within the musical fraternity. Carlos O’Connell, a neighbour of Peter, who is experiencing huge success with Fontaines DC, helped shape the arrangements, Johnny Marr plays on Solitary Confinement and Douglas Hart (synths/drum programming) and Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie appear on The Cleansing, the first time they’ve shared a track since they played for The Jesus and Mary Chain decades ago.
Some might be wondering why I’m writing about the music of an aging rocker like Peter Perrett with guitar sound that makes the hairs in my nose quiver in a column that is supposed to be about folk music. I would argue that any music about people and the challenges we all face is folk music, no matter how it’s delivered. Perrett declared: “I’m still writing about love and the human condition, but perhaps more sentimental, and with less abject cynicism, than usual.”
In 2007 he said: “Something inside me would like to make my best-ever album. Seeing Johnny Cash doing his best work right at the end makes me feel like just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m useless.”
Fixing to die music might not be to everyone’s taste but it will always have a place in the Folk genre. And Another Girl Another Planet went down well when I played it at The Beer Café Folk Session last Friday.
I thoroughly recommend listening to this album.
Assuming we both live that long. . .
Here are some gigs happening sooner:
Friday, January 17
Risbygate Sports Club, Bury St Edmunds, 8pm, Milkmaid Folk Club. Tony Winn/John & Pauline Pearce. £10.
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Christina Alden and Alex Patterson, support from Helen Woodbridge. £12.
Sunday, January 19
John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, 5-8pm, Folk Session.
Rabbits in The Bush, Shimpling, 5-7pm, The Larks.
Monday, January 20
The Dove, Bury St Edmunds, 7pm, Round the room session.
Tuesday, January 21
Rose and Crown, Bury St Edmunds, 4-7pm, Daytime Session.
Wednesday, January 22
Banham Barrel, 8pm, Later With James Viera.
Thursday, January 23
The Bell, Rickinghall, 8pm, Tunes and Song Session.
Friday, January 24
Golden Hind, Cambridge, 8pm, Cambridge Folk Club: Double header with Rachel Hill and Rob Clamp. £10.
Saturday, January 25
Canopy Theatre, Beccles, 7.30pm, Sarah McQuade. £12.50.
