Lockdown Lowdown - what jazz is doing now (part two)
Written, researched and compiled by Sammy Stein
Following on from Lockdown Lowdown, part 1, here is part 2 with more events, gigs and things to get involved in. As before, lists to contact and find out more about any of the events and/or artists are at the end.
For more live events you can find some really good music at the moment. Seattle improviser Gregg Miller told me the Racer Sessions - usually a regular Sunday meeting with music in Seattle. The events are now 'meeting' via Zoom, Sundays 4pm PST. The live stream is on FB but anyone can join the Zoom meeting either as an improvisor or audience member. Last heard there were well over 20 musicians taking part.
Jazzlines (Town Hall and Symphony Hall) in Birmingham are hosting free 'watch parties' on their Facebook page. Find out more from the webpage listed below.
Birmingham jazz have several interesting looking events on their Facebook Page. An example of on event is 'Joey Walter's Me & 3' featuring saxophonists Joey Walter, Ben Markland and Tom Martin and Rosie O’Callahan on baritone. Check the site for more details. On Friday May 1st, as another example there is a watch party featuring BBC Young Jazz Musician of 2018, saxophonist Xhosa Cole with his quintet featuring Francis Tulip (guitar), Will Markham (piano), James Owston (double bass) and Nathan England Jones (drums).
Following on from Lockdown Lowdown, part 1, here is part 2 with more events, gigs and things to get involved in. As before, lists to contact and find out more about any of the events and/or artists are at the end.
For more live events you can find some really good music at the moment. Seattle improviser Gregg Miller told me the Racer Sessions - usually a regular Sunday meeting with music in Seattle. The events are now 'meeting' via Zoom, Sundays 4pm PST. The live stream is on FB but anyone can join the Zoom meeting either as an improvisor or audience member. Last heard there were well over 20 musicians taking part.
Jazzlines (Town Hall and Symphony Hall) in Birmingham are hosting free 'watch parties' on their Facebook page. Find out more from the webpage listed below.
Birmingham jazz have several interesting looking events on their Facebook Page. An example of on event is 'Joey Walter's Me & 3' featuring saxophonists Joey Walter, Ben Markland and Tom Martin and Rosie O’Callahan on baritone. Check the site for more details. On Friday May 1st, as another example there is a watch party featuring BBC Young Jazz Musician of 2018, saxophonist Xhosa Cole with his quintet featuring Francis Tulip (guitar), Will Markham (piano), James Owston (double bass) and Nathan England Jones (drums).
London based Jazz organisation Blow the Fuse are doing a few interesting things. On Friday 1st May they are streaming the recent ARQ album launch event at Pizza Express London. A Zoom party may well follow. They also plan to put out some archive videos of Blow the Fuse sets - going right back to the 1980s and the Guest Stars - special guests will feature in the sets. Some of these are already posted so check out the link at the bottom of the page.
George Simmonds is a trombonist. He has created arrangements of jazz standards with 4 parts for trombone - all played by the ever inventive George himself.
If you like improv drums and guitar ( and who doesn't)? Tom Bankcroft (dr)and Graeme Stephen (guit) have put together some music and it can be found at the link below. Tom told me, "it is an interesting time exploring the technical limits of what is possible in creating genuine improvisation opportunities."
George Simmonds is a trombonist. He has created arrangements of jazz standards with 4 parts for trombone - all played by the ever inventive George himself.
If you like improv drums and guitar ( and who doesn't)? Tom Bankcroft (dr)and Graeme Stephen (guit) have put together some music and it can be found at the link below. Tom told me, "it is an interesting time exploring the technical limits of what is possible in creating genuine improvisation opportunities."
Andrew Lorien told me about some interesting things going on in Sydney at Johnston St Jazz and the motivation behind the streamed gigs. He says, "For 20years we've been a community, a not for profit weekly gig. Acoustic, improvised, instrumental ( pick any two). It's a minimal set up; no bar, bring your own food and alcohol; it's about the welcome and high quality music. During the lockdown we want to keep music live because jazz= improvisation=live. We want to keep the community together ( because part of our audience is older and at risk). We want to maintain hope, remind ourselves that out the other side there will be gigs again. So, we've found a new lockdown venue, shipped in a grand piano, Sydney's favourite volunteer jazz recordist is doing the sound , somebody donated lights and a video/network guy came out of the woodwork. Each time, a crew of 3-6 sets up and gets out of the way for the band and the crew in their lounge-rooms do (remote) welcomes and chats, like we could normally do at the front door. Musicians are getting paid as we say 'pay at the door as for a normal gig; if you're working from home, donate your commute'.
Now is the perfect time to learn a new instrument or find out more about a part of the music you had somehow missed in all the business of life. If you find yourself yearning to take up a new instrument, why not now? (neighbours discomfort notwithstanding). If it is guitar you fancy learning, Francesco Lo Castro is providing lessons on line. You can find out about his music on soundcloud and also on YouTube. Francesco says, " Given that I am not a doctor or a key worker , I thought I would do a series of lessons on learning guitar for people in Lockdown "- what a great spirit.
If drums are more your noise thing then the ever resourceful Kevin Brady is producing a series of jazz drum tuition on YouTube and Instagram. I would commend Kevin as I know his music well.
Now is the perfect time to learn a new instrument or find out more about a part of the music you had somehow missed in all the business of life. If you find yourself yearning to take up a new instrument, why not now? (neighbours discomfort notwithstanding). If it is guitar you fancy learning, Francesco Lo Castro is providing lessons on line. You can find out about his music on soundcloud and also on YouTube. Francesco says, " Given that I am not a doctor or a key worker , I thought I would do a series of lessons on learning guitar for people in Lockdown "- what a great spirit.
If drums are more your noise thing then the ever resourceful Kevin Brady is producing a series of jazz drum tuition on YouTube and Instagram. I would commend Kevin as I know his music well.
Robin Phillips
If you have ever wanted to know more about the Blues but were afraid to ask (this being jazz and all) the Edinburgh Jazz Festival are putting on online classes to learn jazz and blues. There is a community which is strong which you can become part of too and who knows what you will connect with?
It is also worth checking out Daniel Bennett's Twitter feed because he offers on-line mini-lessons and links to his other connection pages for more on his unique take on jazz. Daniel is also posting 1 minute tips daily on YouTube. So if sax is your thing, and you want to improve, this might be good. 1 minute tips include triads, 'your horn is a piano' and other interesting ideas to improve your playing. New Yorker Daniel posts regular uplifting messages and is full of positive ideas so it is worth a look at what he is doing.
For pleasure and fun , the ever dapper singer Marvin Muonekesinger is doing 'Medley time With Marvin' on Facebook every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm. Marvin will perform jazz standards, soul and requests are welcome.
You can also request jazz covers with Robin Phillips. Robin will send a cover of a jazz standard to someone during lockdown. You can help people celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and other milestones with a jazz standard of their choice.
For an hour or more ( Ivo Perelman's recent show went almost 2 hours they had such fun) of interesting interviews you can check out the JazzBites Shows on Jazzbites radio at Jazzbiteradio.com. Full interviews and music choices from stars of the music world and the odd writer (ahem) .The latest one is with improv supremo Ivo Perelman. Besides JazzBites 3 ( soon to be 4) channels, many radio stations like 24/7, meridian FM, Jazz FM continue to offer superb jazz music. I mentioned some of them before but they are definitely worth finding and tuning in to. On the wee-end of Sat/Sun 2/3 May you can hear my latest show 'Jazz Unhinged' which features a good deal of banter with Anthea Redmond, my co-host as well as an eclectic mix of music form Tony Kofi, Mohamad Assani, Witch 'N' Monk, Ellis Marsalis and many others. Join us for some jazz fun.
Mike Kearney has started a new radio programme on social media to profile Edinburgh musicians (jazz/blues) and staying up to date with what they are doing. The good news is you don't have to be in Edinburgh - anyone can listen in.
It is also worth checking out Daniel Bennett's Twitter feed because he offers on-line mini-lessons and links to his other connection pages for more on his unique take on jazz. Daniel is also posting 1 minute tips daily on YouTube. So if sax is your thing, and you want to improve, this might be good. 1 minute tips include triads, 'your horn is a piano' and other interesting ideas to improve your playing. New Yorker Daniel posts regular uplifting messages and is full of positive ideas so it is worth a look at what he is doing.
For pleasure and fun , the ever dapper singer Marvin Muonekesinger is doing 'Medley time With Marvin' on Facebook every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm. Marvin will perform jazz standards, soul and requests are welcome.
You can also request jazz covers with Robin Phillips. Robin will send a cover of a jazz standard to someone during lockdown. You can help people celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and other milestones with a jazz standard of their choice.
For an hour or more ( Ivo Perelman's recent show went almost 2 hours they had such fun) of interesting interviews you can check out the JazzBites Shows on Jazzbites radio at Jazzbiteradio.com. Full interviews and music choices from stars of the music world and the odd writer (ahem) .The latest one is with improv supremo Ivo Perelman. Besides JazzBites 3 ( soon to be 4) channels, many radio stations like 24/7, meridian FM, Jazz FM continue to offer superb jazz music. I mentioned some of them before but they are definitely worth finding and tuning in to. On the wee-end of Sat/Sun 2/3 May you can hear my latest show 'Jazz Unhinged' which features a good deal of banter with Anthea Redmond, my co-host as well as an eclectic mix of music form Tony Kofi, Mohamad Assani, Witch 'N' Monk, Ellis Marsalis and many others. Join us for some jazz fun.
Mike Kearney has started a new radio programme on social media to profile Edinburgh musicians (jazz/blues) and staying up to date with what they are doing. The good news is you don't have to be in Edinburgh - anyone can listen in.
Fergus McCreadie
Described as the best pianist to emerge from Scotland in decades, Ferus McCreadie will be live streaming improv solo shows each Tuesday from his Facebook page and wonderful Georgia Cecile (Best Vocalist 2019 Scottish Jazz Awards) will be live streaming a duo concert with Fraser Urqhuart (piano/vox) and if you miss this, there will be more so it is worth checking her page regularly.
Producer-musician-composer corto.alto (AKA Liam Shortall) has released his latest track, fully written and recorded in lockdown (with other musicians recording remotely). Well worth a look Joshua Elcock is working on a Quarantine Big Band project, rearranging charts, etc and recording in lockdown whilst the hugely entertaining Tenement Jazz Band are also recording new music from remote and you can tune in to check out their material.
From the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival come a series of live concerts which will be broadcast on their Facebook page and you can watch a trailer on YouTube as well.
And, as we are all inclusive, if blues is your thing then there is currently a Blues Festival going on - digitally- it centres around video footage of recordings at the Scottish Blues Weekend from February 2020. If you are missing the feel of a live gig - check these out. There is a Q and A to get involved in as well as other events.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, whilst not happening live so much - is putting a lot of video footage, information and links on their site to support musicians. They tell me that no donations will go to the organisation but it will be given directly to the acts involved so this is something very worthwhile. Artists have set up their own donation buttons which you can use to donate and the EJBF is promoting these.
Producer-musician-composer corto.alto (AKA Liam Shortall) has released his latest track, fully written and recorded in lockdown (with other musicians recording remotely). Well worth a look Joshua Elcock is working on a Quarantine Big Band project, rearranging charts, etc and recording in lockdown whilst the hugely entertaining Tenement Jazz Band are also recording new music from remote and you can tune in to check out their material.
From the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival come a series of live concerts which will be broadcast on their Facebook page and you can watch a trailer on YouTube as well.
And, as we are all inclusive, if blues is your thing then there is currently a Blues Festival going on - digitally- it centres around video footage of recordings at the Scottish Blues Weekend from February 2020. If you are missing the feel of a live gig - check these out. There is a Q and A to get involved in as well as other events.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, whilst not happening live so much - is putting a lot of video footage, information and links on their site to support musicians. They tell me that no donations will go to the organisation but it will be given directly to the acts involved so this is something very worthwhile. Artists have set up their own donation buttons which you can use to donate and the EJBF is promoting these.
Evelyn Laurie
Award winning singer/songwriter Evelyn Laurie is writing a show about the friendship between Frank Sinatra and Billie Holliday told through narration and song. You can find out more and see when live dates are at evelynlaurie.com and Facebook@evelynlauriemusic.
One of the great things about on line creative events is that you can see things which would normally be outside your locality such as events in London if you live in Scotland or vice versa so , whilst live music will always be best, people are getting a taste of what is out there. It doesn't matter either if you are half a world away, you can still watch events in Sydney, London, Jamaica or wherever you like. You can also get to see award winning musicians performing live or recorded recently and find out more about them and their music. There has never been a better time to get acquainted - or reacquainted with the music. It and those who write and perform will always welcome you.
Oh, and if you want to read something new - here is my website. https://www.sammystein.org/
Below is a list where you can find out more information about events above and there are a couple of additional sites which might prove interesting because they are run by creative people. Once you start with these, you may be led to more and suddenly, you are incredibly well connected. So much to do.
One of the great things about on line creative events is that you can see things which would normally be outside your locality such as events in London if you live in Scotland or vice versa so , whilst live music will always be best, people are getting a taste of what is out there. It doesn't matter either if you are half a world away, you can still watch events in Sydney, London, Jamaica or wherever you like. You can also get to see award winning musicians performing live or recorded recently and find out more about them and their music. There has never been a better time to get acquainted - or reacquainted with the music. It and those who write and perform will always welcome you.
Oh, and if you want to read something new - here is my website. https://www.sammystein.org/
Below is a list where you can find out more information about events above and there are a couple of additional sites which might prove interesting because they are run by creative people. Once you start with these, you may be led to more and suddenly, you are incredibly well connected. So much to do.
