MUSIC: LUTE WHO’S COMING TO COLLABORATE WITH HENRIKSEN
by Peter Bacon’s Jazz Diary
Birmingham Post, UK
July 9, 2007, Monday
1ST Edition
Jazz has always been a meeting place between cultures – that was how
it was born. So it’s the musical area where a Tunisian singer and
oud-player (it’s like a lute) who is steeped in the Sufi tradition
can get together with a Norwegian trumpeter and singer who takes his
sound inspiration from the Japanese wooden flute.
The magical results will be heard late on Wednesday evening when
Dhafer Youssef and Arve Henriksen play in the intimate and beautiful
setting of Lichfield Cathedral’s Lady Chapel.
They will be joined for this concert, part of the Lichfield Festival,
by the Armenian duduk-player (it’s like an oboe), Djivan Gasparyan.
Other Lichfield Festival contributions to the jazz diary this week
are the Kyle Eastwood Band on Thursday evening and Anita Wardell with
the Laurence Cottle Big Band on Friday. Both these gigs are in the
Lichfield Garrick Theatre.
Eastwood has stepped out of his father’s shadow to become a respected
jazz bassist and film composer. His current band includes the excellent
Andrew McCormack on piano.
Wardell is something of a secret treasure among British-based jazz
singers. She is an immensely talented vocalist whose latest disc
featured her singing her own lyrics to famous Blue Note recorded solos.
The art of scat and vocalese demands fearsome technique and great
understanding of the jazz tradition – Wardell has both.
Cottle is also a bass player and has done session work for both Black
Sabbath and Cher. Given his head, he arranges punchy charts for his
big band and should provide all the fireworks needed by the big band
fans as well as sensitive support for Wardell.
For all these gigs, go to lichfieldfestival.org or call 01543 412121
to book tickets.
No tickets needed for the many Birmingham International Jazz Festival
gigs going on around the city this week.
And the festival’s influence extends even further this year, all the
way to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley.
Jazz at the Museum is on Thursday from 7.30pm and performers include
Val Wiseman, the Miskolc Dixieland Band from Hungary, the New Orleans
Jump Band from Sotogrande, Spain and local group Dennis Mowatt’s
Dixie Syncopators.
There will be bands everywhere from the reception area to the
fairground and, of course, the Bottle and Glass Inn.
Jazz on the decks at the Yardbird on Sunday from mid-afternoon to
late, as the Sidewinder session features celebrated producer Mark de
Clive-Lowe. He has worked with Bugz In The Attic and 4Hero and is a
bit of a hero himself in the nu-jazz world. The Sidewinder house band
includes Sugarbeats bassist Chris Mapp and Summary alto saxophonist
Mary Wakelam, so there are two more good reasons to go. Get there
about 3pm and you won’t have to go home till 10. You only have to
pay for your drinks.