[Dixielandjazz] UNESCO International Day of Jazz

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi All,
In case you weren't aware, next Thursday, April 30th, is the UNESCO 
International Day of Jazz. Glasgow is one of the UNESCO Cities of Music 
and this year the city's cultural organisation is marking Jazz Day with 
an all-day event at the city's Royal Concert Hall. There are concerts in 
the afternoon with free entry by several local schools' jazz orchestras 
and an evening concert featuring three bands. First on is an interesing 
duo comprising an excellent jazz guitarist, Graeme Stephen, and a 
renowned multi-instrumentalist folk musician, Fraser Fifield, who plays 
a wide variety of flutes, whistles and bagpipes (yes believe it or not, 
bagpipes come in a wide range of sizes and sounds). Their music is a 
fascinating blend of jazz and the Scottish folk music tradition. That 
these two traditions blend easily should be no great surprise: Scottish 
folk music generally has a compelling, driving beat and was one of the 
many strands that had input into jazz.

Next on is an a capella quartet of three saxophones and one trombone 
called Brass Jaw whose music draws on diverse sources such as hard bop 
and hip-hop, but is always highly musical and entertaining. The three 
saxophonists are all outstanding jazz players with international 
reputations: Paul Towndrow on alto sax, Konrad Wiszniewski on tenor - he 
also pays in my band - and Allon Beauvoisin on baritone. The trombonist, 
Michael Owers, is no less accomplished and is a very extrovert guy with 
great stage presence.

My Classic Jazz Orchestra closes the concert with a short programme 
comprising jazz of different styles from Jelly Roll Morton to Charles 
Mingus, or ragtime to hard bop. I've still to decide on our programme, 
but it's likely to include Jelly's Grandpa's Spells, Duke's 
Happy-Go-Lucky Local, Sam Jones' Del Sasser and closing with an 
old-fashioned rave-up on Mahogany Hall Stomp, so something for just 
about all tastes. The following day, May 1, we're off to the picturesque 
Isle of Bute for its annual jazz festival, so a good time is expected by 
all. Incidentally, if any listmates want to hear CJO, there are 3 of our 
CDs on Lake Records and one on Alan Barnes' Woodville label available to 
hear free-of-charge on Youtube. Just put my name into the Youtube search 
field, ignore the videos - all unauthorised and with dodgy sound and 
editing - and look for audio tracks by *various artists - Topic*. These 
were uploaded by the labels' international distributor and apparently we 
will ultimately receive some derisory royalties via the record companies.

On a sadder note, one of the great characters of Scottish Jazz, pianist 
Sandy Taylor, died on Tuesday of this week aged 92. He was perhaps best 
known as singer Carol Kidd's pianist and musical director on her 
earliest albums, but hadn't played much in public following a severe 
stroke a few years back, but was as sharp as a tack right to the end, 
which was mercifully instantaneous. What a way to do it: laugh your way 
through a very long life playing lovely music, then make a few curtain 
calls before a swift exit!

Vale Sandy!
Ken