THE MATT WATES SEXTET & THE FRANK GRIFFITH NONET
At The Ealing Jazz Festival Friday 31st July 2015
Now in it's 31st year The Ealing Jazz Festival draws large crowds to Walpole park for five days over the first weekend in August. Compered by genial host, drummer and leader of The Sound of Seventeen Big Band Dick Esmond the festival this year boasted fifty eight performances over three stages plus fringe events.
Most of the musicians are based in West London including a number of the "A" listers helping to give the festival a warm,friendly and relaxed feel. Although enjoying Duo sessions in the Piano Bar along with up and coming bands on the South Stage my prime purpose was to review two acts in the Main Arena during the evening.
First up was The Matt Wates Sextet. The band has been running for over twenty years and have thirteen albums to their name So as you would expect the empathy between the musicians is very close. The style is along the lines of The Art Blakey and Horace Silver groups of the 50's and 60's. It would be very easy for the band trot out a string Blue Note covers but this is far from the case. Most of their repertoire is self penned by the leader with the occasional standard for good measure. Those on stage were: Martin Shaw (tpt flg) Matt Wates (alt) Steve Main (tnr) Leon Greening (pno) Malcolm Creese (bs) and Matt Home (drs).
You realise from the beginning what a well rehearsed and tight band this is. All eight compositions during the seventy five minute set were both composed and arranged by the leader. The ensemble sound of the front line excited from the opening strains of the first number "Ioni" through to the final latin tinged extravaganza "Mohitto".
This is hard bop at its best by a band that has five superb soloists to call on while Matt Home on drums keeps immaculate time whilst dictating changes in tempo whenever needed.All the compositions are of sufficient length to allow the everyone to stretch out ,but leaving time enough for the overall collective sound to be experienced.
The leader himself is a fine alto player,more Pepper than Parker, plus between numbers delighting the crowd with hilarious jokes and anecdotes delivered in an immaculate Queens English.Ex NYJO tenor player Steve Main is a master of controlled invention and was at his very best on the atmospheric ballad "Night Time". At the forefront of things is the evergreen Martin Shaw on trumpet and flugel horn, his a superb solo on "The People Chain" a track from the bands current album "Emanga"was outstanding.
Recently the band have recruited one of Britian's finest and exciting pianists Leon Greening. His highly percussive style adding a further dimension to the overall sound and contributing telling solos on most numbers. Malcolm Creese is a highly acclaimed bass player and has on his cv gigs with the likes of Lee Konitz, Clark Terry and Johnny Griffin. His powerful and expressive solo on "Dark Energy" a number reflecting the power of the universe was one of the highlights of the set.
Overall this was great performance by a top quality band with a charismatic leader and well appreciated by a packed audience.
Most of the musicians are based in West London including a number of the "A" listers helping to give the festival a warm,friendly and relaxed feel. Although enjoying Duo sessions in the Piano Bar along with up and coming bands on the South Stage my prime purpose was to review two acts in the Main Arena during the evening.
First up was The Matt Wates Sextet. The band has been running for over twenty years and have thirteen albums to their name So as you would expect the empathy between the musicians is very close. The style is along the lines of The Art Blakey and Horace Silver groups of the 50's and 60's. It would be very easy for the band trot out a string Blue Note covers but this is far from the case. Most of their repertoire is self penned by the leader with the occasional standard for good measure. Those on stage were: Martin Shaw (tpt flg) Matt Wates (alt) Steve Main (tnr) Leon Greening (pno) Malcolm Creese (bs) and Matt Home (drs).
You realise from the beginning what a well rehearsed and tight band this is. All eight compositions during the seventy five minute set were both composed and arranged by the leader. The ensemble sound of the front line excited from the opening strains of the first number "Ioni" through to the final latin tinged extravaganza "Mohitto".
This is hard bop at its best by a band that has five superb soloists to call on while Matt Home on drums keeps immaculate time whilst dictating changes in tempo whenever needed.All the compositions are of sufficient length to allow the everyone to stretch out ,but leaving time enough for the overall collective sound to be experienced.
The leader himself is a fine alto player,more Pepper than Parker, plus between numbers delighting the crowd with hilarious jokes and anecdotes delivered in an immaculate Queens English.Ex NYJO tenor player Steve Main is a master of controlled invention and was at his very best on the atmospheric ballad "Night Time". At the forefront of things is the evergreen Martin Shaw on trumpet and flugel horn, his a superb solo on "The People Chain" a track from the bands current album "Emanga"was outstanding.
Recently the band have recruited one of Britian's finest and exciting pianists Leon Greening. His highly percussive style adding a further dimension to the overall sound and contributing telling solos on most numbers. Malcolm Creese is a highly acclaimed bass player and has on his cv gigs with the likes of Lee Konitz, Clark Terry and Johnny Griffin. His powerful and expressive solo on "Dark Energy" a number reflecting the power of the universe was one of the highlights of the set.
Overall this was great performance by a top quality band with a charismatic leader and well appreciated by a packed audience.
As the sun set and the mid evening crowd began to grow, it was time for regular contributors to the festival The Frank Griffith Nonet. A saxophonist, arranger and composer, born in Eugene Oregon in 1959 Frank worked for many years in America with the likes of Buddy Rich, Mel Torme, Ron Carter and Lionel Hampton. For a time he was lead alto for the revived Glenn Miller Orchestra. Since moving to the UK during 1996 he has arranged and composed for many of our leading musicians including Norma Winstone, Tony Coe and Mark Nightingale whilst playing and recording with his own groups.
The Festival line up was: Frank Griffith (tnr clt) Henry Lowther (tpt flg) Robbie Robinson (tpt flg) Adrian Fry (tro) Aliso Neale (alt flt) Mick Foster (bar) Tim Lapthorn (pno) Paul Morgan (bs) Andy Ball (drs) Tina May (vcl).
The bands style was very relaxed, loose and sophisticated with an enormous in built sense of swing. After a short piano introduction the nonet tore into the unnamed opener at very high tempo with solo's from the leader, commanding bass player Paul Morgan and Alison Neale on alto showing what a thrilling and complete player she now is. Second up was a superb arrangement by trombonist Adrian Fry on Jimmy Van Heussen and Johnny Burke's great ballad "It Could Happen To You". One of our finest trumpet players over many decades Henry Lowther was featured on a Kenny Dorham composition "Uma Mass"which was included in the band's 2004 recording of "The Coventry Suite". An unusually up tempo version of "You Won't Forget Me" a song originally brought to the jazz public's attention by Shirley Horn followed with the leader on clarinet and Robbie Robinson's flugel horn taking the honours.
The Festival line up was: Frank Griffith (tnr clt) Henry Lowther (tpt flg) Robbie Robinson (tpt flg) Adrian Fry (tro) Aliso Neale (alt flt) Mick Foster (bar) Tim Lapthorn (pno) Paul Morgan (bs) Andy Ball (drs) Tina May (vcl).
The bands style was very relaxed, loose and sophisticated with an enormous in built sense of swing. After a short piano introduction the nonet tore into the unnamed opener at very high tempo with solo's from the leader, commanding bass player Paul Morgan and Alison Neale on alto showing what a thrilling and complete player she now is. Second up was a superb arrangement by trombonist Adrian Fry on Jimmy Van Heussen and Johnny Burke's great ballad "It Could Happen To You". One of our finest trumpet players over many decades Henry Lowther was featured on a Kenny Dorham composition "Uma Mass"which was included in the band's 2004 recording of "The Coventry Suite". An unusually up tempo version of "You Won't Forget Me" a song originally brought to the jazz public's attention by Shirley Horn followed with the leader on clarinet and Robbie Robinson's flugel horn taking the honours.
The band have a great liking for the music of Billy Strayhorn and provided a superb overall sound on "Snibor" followed by the leaders lengthy and inventive tenor solo on one of the most revered compositions in jazz "Lush Life". Andy Ball was depping for Paul Clarvis in the drum chair. His playing drove the band throughout and had his chance to shine even more on an extended version of "Gone" from Porgy And Bess with trombone and Henry Lowther's trumpet taking the solo honours.
Time was running out on the scheduled length of the set and the packed audience was almost baying for "The Girl Singer". They were not to be disappointed, the time extended by another twenty minutes. Tina May entered the stage to a great ovation looking every inch a glamorous, confident and seasoned performer.
Her set began with another Strayhorn classic, "Sittin' And A Rockin' taken at a relaxed tempo on Henry Lowther's arrangement, with the leaders tenor to the fore. The vocal,s were straight forward, pleasant but with little risk taking on the ballad interpretations of the Raye/DePaul classic "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Day Dream" from A Mid- Summer Night's Dream.Closing precedings was the semi-comedic vocal on "An Occasional Man" from the ever popular 1944 film "Gold Rush"with the leader's tenor once again out front.
So ended two high quality sets showing the great diversity of approach that can succeed in this music, and underlining what a wonderful asset the Ealing Festival is to the jazz calender.
Reviewed By Jim Burlong
Time was running out on the scheduled length of the set and the packed audience was almost baying for "The Girl Singer". They were not to be disappointed, the time extended by another twenty minutes. Tina May entered the stage to a great ovation looking every inch a glamorous, confident and seasoned performer.
Her set began with another Strayhorn classic, "Sittin' And A Rockin' taken at a relaxed tempo on Henry Lowther's arrangement, with the leaders tenor to the fore. The vocal,s were straight forward, pleasant but with little risk taking on the ballad interpretations of the Raye/DePaul classic "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Day Dream" from A Mid- Summer Night's Dream.Closing precedings was the semi-comedic vocal on "An Occasional Man" from the ever popular 1944 film "Gold Rush"with the leader's tenor once again out front.
So ended two high quality sets showing the great diversity of approach that can succeed in this music, and underlining what a wonderful asset the Ealing Festival is to the jazz calender.
Reviewed By Jim Burlong
