[Dixielandjazz] Hot Antic Jazz band, was Whitley Bay Jazz Festival

[Brian Towers]

Michel,
I am just writing to support your remarks about the Hot Antic Jazz Band, who
have played several times in Toronto.  3 or 4 years ago they joined my band
(Hot Five Jazzmakers) on a Toronto Harbour sunset cruise on the Trillium, an
ancient side-paddleboat.   Some of their main strengths are, in my opinion,
the leadership and Gallic charm of the leader Michel Bastide; the rock solid
anchor of Jean-Pierre Dubois on banjo; the very gifted reed players; the
ability of the players to double on different instruments - Bastide on valve
trombone; Dubois on clarinet; the other reed player on plectrum banjo etc -
they can field three clarinets on "The Mooche";  the gifted pianist Martin
Seck, who is actually German; then there are several excellent vocalists in
the band.    The style of jazz they play, with a strong focus on the
twenties golden age of jazz - the spirit of Clarence Williams; Jabbo Smith
etc, has much to do with their appeal to me too.  Their arrangements are
well done and very tight.  I believe they only play together in the summer
months as most of them have professions outside of music, Michel Bastide,
for example, is a surgeon.  They have a terrific sound and they do it all
without a drummer!!

No, I am not their press agent!  Our two bands are good friends.  They
helped us get into the Marciac Jazz Festival in France in the year 2000 and
we had a wonderful time.

Cheers,
Brian Towers,
Hot Five Jazzmakers,
Toronto

_________________________________
From: "Michel Miconnet" <michelmiconnet.djml at free.fr>
To: "Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Whitley Bay Jazz Festival


> Mike Durham a écrit :
>
> [...]
>
> > Regarded by many as the biggest and best traditional jazz festival in
> > Newcastle in July, we are featuring 25 bands from 8 countries, playing
> > everything from Ragtime to early Swing.
> >
> > Festival Director, trumpeter, vocalist (?), bandleader and ticket-taker
> > Mike Duham has lined up a fantastic array of talent for this year's
> > extravaganza. Here's a selection:
>
> Bravo, Mike !
>
> > The Hot Antic Jazz Band from France are widely acclaimed as Europe's
> > finest interpreters of Classic jazz sounds, with an emphasis on Jabbo an
> > Bix - very hot, plus Gallic charm!!
>
> HAJB is among the better amateur OKOM-band in France, and,
> probably, in Europe. This band has a particular sound. I can't
> explain why.
> The 'stars' are : the great (and friendly) bandleader, Michel
> Bastide, cornetist, valve-trombonist and arranger, Martin Seck,
> an excellent German pianist and vocalist. I like the reedmen
> too, specifically Philippe Raspail (ts, as, cl, vcl). But the
> value is collective above all !
>
> Great choice !
>
> -- 
> Mic (mikosax) - From Burgundy (France)
> --
> Traditional-Jazz fan
> Modest old reedman
> Beginner in English language :( (Be lenient, please !)
>
>
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