[Dixielandjazz] Food for the Band and Cleethorpes Jazz Festival

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi Marek et al,

I can't be bothered with attempting to compartmentalise jazz according to vague stylistic definitions and I tend to think of jazz as being all the one music up to the point where rock and ethnic rhythms started to supplant swinging time and Coltrane started to alter the basis of improvisation, so I tend to think of all the swinging stuff as belonging to the broad mainstream of jazz. 

The bill at Cleethorpes had, among others, Scots-born, London-based guitarist Jim Mullen, whose primary influence was Wes Montgomery, although he's very much his own man playing in a similar hard-hitting vein as Montgomery. Great swinging jazz that defies categorisation and makes me feel good. There were two English singers who are truly world-class: Claire Martin and Tina May, both tasteful, accurate, swinging and inventive interpreters of great songs working with fine swinging rhythm sections. An afternoon concert featured the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra, a multi award-winning band of great youngsters whose repertoire covers big band music from the 1930s to '90s. Throughout the weekend David Newton (piano), Alan Barnes (reeds) and Dave Green (bass), genuine world-class, hard swinging players who cover a wide range of jazz idioms with class worked with various soloists and singers. There were also loads of locally-based players of quality playing Hot Club music and the music of such as Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Art Blakey etc, so the programme had variety and quality and it all swung hard. No banjos or tubas or funny hats or silly uniforms - just swinging jazz played well, so I'll settle for that.

Cheers,

Ken

 

---- Original Message ----- 
  From: Marek Boym 
  To: Ken Mathieson 
  Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 3:38 PM
  Subject: Re: Food for the Band and Cleethorpes Jazz Festival


  I wonder.

  It did occur to me that Ken might have been in jest - oh, well, perhaps I am too bloody serious about food and drink!

  As to the festival - so there was Benny Carter's music, and perhaps another act of interst; what then?  "Mainstream" is such a wide term!  So wide as to be meaningless.  Not to mention that to REAL mouldy fygges Benny Carter music might no appeal (it usually does to me).

  Cheers




  On 3 July 2013 14:11, Ken Mathieson <ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk> wrote:

    Hi Marek:

    I think you should lay off the extra-strong beers and get out a bit more! Ken Yates was having a laugh and I was describing a festival whose content may not have been to an ultra-mouldy fig's taste (no banjos or tubas), but was solidly in the jazz mainstream (no squeaky-bonk stuff either). And what's not to like about Benny Carter's music, whether you're a fig or not?

    Regards to all,

    Ken Mathieson



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