[Dixielandjazz] Jazz in Scotland

[Louis Lince]

Hi Ken,

What about Bill Salmond's band and Violet Milne's Spirits of Rhythm, to say 
nothing of the excellent Criterion Brass Band....all from Edinburgh!

My two-pennyworth!

best

Louis


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Mathieson" <ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk>
To: <louislince at neworleansmusic.demon.co.uk>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 11:19 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz in Scotland


> Hi Listers and Listees!
>
> I spotted Judy's post about the non-existence of quality jazz in Scotland, 
> but decided to let it pass on the grounds that she obviously just hadn't 
> heard the right bands or musicians. Then in today's Issue 40, Robert 
> Calder made his response (which I've snipped in the interests of brevity, 
> sorry Robert), in which I got named and thereby converted from a lurker to 
> a protagonist (I'm not sure if that makes me a lurkee now, an ex-lurker, 
> or a reformed lurker). I think I pefer disgraced ex-lurker.
>
> Jazz in Scotland is indeed in good health and, since most of the list's 
> active posters seem to be in California, you'll all be aware of a couple 
> of bands from hereabouts which are/have been regular visitors to your fair 
> land: Mike Hart's Syncopters and Fat Sam's Band. I played drums and 
> arranged for Fat Sam for a protracted period (I was sentenced to 15 years 
> but got 3 years off for outrageous behaviour), during which I worked the 
> Sacto Jubilee and the LA Classic many times and remember some of you guys 
> fondly. Bill Gunter's name came up the other day and I just about remember 
> marathon joke and anecdote sessions in his yard, fuelled by Mr Coors' 
> giggly juice.
>
> To business: there is an astoundingly talented pool of young musicians 
> coming up in Scotland. Almost of all of them play in fairly modern styles, 
> but a few are interested enough in the older forms of jazz to  get 
> involved in playing them. Brian Kellock, mentioned by Robert in his post, 
> is a ferociously swinging piano player who has welded an amazing range of 
> influences from Waller to Cecil Taylor into a highly personal style and is 
> equally at home in a Dixieland rhythm section or in a very modern jazz 
> trio. He is unquestionably a world-class player and well worth catching if 
> you get the chance.
>
> Another fine pianist is the much younger Paul Kirby, whose personal style 
> reminds me a lot of Bud Powell, but who has spent time studying the 
> Armstrong Hot 5 & 7 as well as Jelly Roll and other old-timers. He plays 
> with my band as first-call dep/sub for Tom Finlay. Paul Harrison is 
> another fine keyboard player (he plays piano and Hammond organ) whose 
> playing transcends styles: he's a musical chameleon who can fit in with 
> pretty well anyone.
>
> Trombonist Phil O'Malley is a name to watch out for: He's academy-trained, 
> a wizard sight-reader, has a great sound and is developing into an 
> outstanding soloist, who reminds me a bit of John Allred when he first 
> burst on the scene. There's also a superb young tenor-player, Konrad 
> Wiszniewski (born and bred in Scotland in spite of his name), similarly 
> well-trained, possessed of a gorgeous tone, who is a lyrical soloist with 
> plenty to say regardless of style. Both Phil and Konrad play in Tommy 
> Smith's excellent big band, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (as does 
> Brian Kellock). They also play in my Classic Jazz Orchestra (CJO) and 
> enjoy the experience of playing a wide range of music from Jelly Roll 
> Morton to Horace Silver. I've only mentioned a few of the brightest 
> youngsters: the ones who take the time and trouble to learn about the 
> earlier forms of jazz and to play a vital role in keeping these styles 
> alive.
>
> In addition to Fat Sam and Mike Hart, two professional standard 
> traditional bands exploring the older styles have been created in the last 
> 4 years: my own CJO and a 4-piece called Quattro McJazz. My band is an 
> 8-piece, whose repertoire covers lots of Bix, Louis, Oliver, Ellington and 
> Morton as well as mainstream/modern material by Slide Hampton, Oscar 
> Pettiford, Clark Terry, Buck Clayton, Buddy Tate, Horace Silver etc. 
> There's planty about us on our website: www.classicjazzorchestra.org.uk if 
> you can be bothered to have a look (N.B. the site is due a major update, 
> which is timed to concide with the release of our new CD on Lake Records 
> later in April).  Most of the guys in CJO are escapees from Fat Sam, 
> although trumpeter Billy Hunter, saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski and 
> pianist Tom Finlay are still there and play with my band when out on 
> parole.
>
> Quattro McJazz is a great wee hard-driving quartet comprising Forrie 
> Cairns (wonderful fierce clarinettist), Lennie Herd (great hot trumpet 
> lead and soloist), Alastair McDonald (an outstanding banjoist - they do 
> exist!, guitarist and singer, well-known in Scottish folk music circles) 
> and Roy Percy (bass), who also plays in my CJO and with almost every other 
> band in Scotland it seems. There are a couple of reasons why Judy isn't 
> aware of people of this calibre: They're all busy professionals working in 
> a variety of settings outwith the Dixieland festivals, and it's often 
> economically inviable to tour the jazz clubs and festivals in England, so 
> Scottish musicians tend to be better known in Europe and beyond than in 
> England. As Robert points out, there seems to be less cross-border touring 
> going on nowadays
>
> Finally (whew!), Robert mentioned George Chisholm in his post. Alas George 
> passed on many years ago, but his great buddy in the bands of Ambrose, the 
> Squadronaires, Danny Polo, Benny Carter, Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins etc, 
> trumpeter Tommy McQuater died recently at the age of 93, although it 
> should be pointed out that his liver was 186. Tommy was an outrageous 
> character, but a great player and a consummate pro. He was greatly admired 
> by people like Manny Klein and Clark Terry, which tells you he could play 
> a bit.
>
> Enough already. Regards and best wishes to old pals everywhere.
>
> Ken Mathieson
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