| NOVEMBER 2011 | ||
 |
3rd November Django Bates’ Belovèd Bird This concert offers the rare opportunity to hear the trio of the highly acclaimed pianist and composer Django Bates, who since 2005 has been based in Copenhagen as Head of Denmark’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory, where he also leads the 19 piece. StoRMChaser big band. Django first came to prominence on the UK jazz scene in the mid 1980s as one of the founder members of Loose Tubes, the 21 piece co-operative orchestra which also helped launch the jazz careers of Iain Ballamy, Steve Berry, Julian Argulles, Steve Argulles and Tim Whitehead among others. Since then Django has met with success with his own groups Delightful Precipice and Human Chain, as well as being a member in the early days of Bill Bruford’s Earthworks. The evening will feature music from his latest CD Beloved Bird released last year on the Lost Marble record label, a celebration of the music of Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, with Django paying homage to the 1940s bebop themes composed by or linked to Parker, his childhood hero. The trio features Swedish bass player Petter Eldh and Danish drummer Peter Bruun. www.djangobates.co.uk Django Bates – piano, Petter Eldh – double bass, Peter Bruun – drums. |
|
Tickets £16/£13* |
||
 |
10th November Michael Janisch/ Aruan Ortiz Quartet featuring Greg Osby American born bassist now UK resident Michael Janisch and Cuban pianist Aruan Ortiz, leaders of this new international musical collaboration, have since their formative years together studying at Berklee College of Music in the States, performed at the forefront of contemporary jazz with some of the world’s greatest artists, including Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Wallace Roney and Terry Lee Carrington. For their quartet they have assembled a star studded cast, calling on one of the jazz world’s most prominent and innovative artists, saxophonist Greg Osby, as well as first call New York City drummer Rudy Rushton, to perform their collective critically acclaimed original music. Their sonic artistry spans the breadth of contemporary improvised sounds, while drawing firmly and authentically from jazz’s rich tradition. Nothing short of instrumental virtuosity and ever-searching, joyous music as modern as the minute should be expected. Greg Osby early in his career worked as sideman with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie and Andrew Hill, before being invited to join Jack DeJonette’s innovative group Special Edition. Now regarded as an iconic figure, Greg went on to record in his own right on the German label JMT, then 15 outstanding recordings on Blue Note Records, before launching his own label Inner Circle Music in 2008. www.aruanortiz.net www.michaeljanisch.com Greg Osby – alto sax, Aruan Ortiz – piano, Michael Janisch – double bass, Rudy Royston – drums. |
|
Tickets £16/£13* |
||
 |
17th November A Tribute to Phil Woods featuring John Turville Born out of a love for the legendary albums made together by Phil Woods and Tom Harrell, comes a new band who celebrate the music of these two American musicians. The quintet, formed as a shared project, are fronted by American UK based alto saxophonist Bob Martin and British trumpeter Robbie Robson, with John Turville, winner of the Best Album category in the prestigious 2011 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, featured on piano. The music spans a wide range of styles- from driving swing to delicately textured ballads, allowing the quintet to select from a huge variety of material, choosing the very best of the output from this renowned group. The band comprises five of the finest players on the London scene, making this an exciting new quintet not to be missed. www.johnturville.com Bob Martin – alto sax, Robbie Robson – trumpet, John Turville – piano, Ryan Trebilcock – double bass, Steve Brown – drums. |
|
Tickets £14/£11* |
||
 |
24th November Back to Basie directed by Paul Lacey In our end of year concert, before we take our usual break during the month of December, we are delighted to welcome this 17 piece orchestra in a first appearance at Watermill Jazz. Last month saw them celebrate their 10th anniversary. Led by Paul Lacey, an ex-member of Midnite Follies, who before he formed the band spent 9 years in Terry Lightfoot’s Louis Armstrong show, Back to Basie hold the distinction of winning the big band category on five separate occasions in the British Jazz Awards, run by Big Bear Music. The Count Basie Big Band that emerged from Kansas City in the mid 1930s was struggling for work by the late 1940s and temporarily Bill Basie switched to a small group format, before reforming his big band in 1952. It will be the music of that particular band and the wonderful arrangements of the likes of Ernie Wilkins and Neil Hefti that will be performed by Back to Basie. www.basie.co.uk Colin Skinner, Mark Crooks, Robert Fowler, Alex Garnett, Mick Foster – saxes, Paul Lacey, Mike Lovatt, Mally Baxter, Danny Marsden – trumpets, Andy Flaxman, Adrian Fry, Ian Bateman, Richard Henry – trombones, Colin Oxley – guitar, Nick Dawson – piano, David Chamberlain – double bass, Pete Cater – drums. |
|
Tickets £18/£15* |
||
The Club is closed throughout December (except for Jam Session) and re-opens on Thurday 5th January 2012. |
||
