Titley Jazz Festival - 31st July - 1st August 2010
About the festival
For years the one great event on the festival circuit for British modern
jazz was The AppIeby Jazz Festival. Appleby located in the
beautiful Cumbrian countryside, and famed for the annual Horse Fair, was
where Neil Ferber founded the jazz festival in 1989; starting off modestly
(it is said the initial concert, featuring a single group was held in Neil
Ferber’s house), it grew to be one of the prestigious festival events in the
jazz calendar. By the time the last festival was held in 2007 anyone who
wanted to keep up to date with the best of British modern jazz would head
for Appleby, and this included a group of dedicated supporters called
The Friends of Appleby. When funding problems signalled the demise of
this beacon of great music, it seemed to mark the end of an era.
However, one Friend decided not to be defeated by this misfortune,
and has taken on the Herculean task of organising a similar, if slightly
compressed, but still highly ambitious festival in Titley, Herefordshire.
David Masters, who had recently had a celebration at Titley Junction, and
engaged The Alan Barnes Quintet, has taken the plunge to create a new event,
to feature some of the best modern jazz musicians in the country. With the
likes of Stan Tracey, Alan Barnes, Peter King and Dave Newton there will be
a veritable cornucopia of talent on display, which should satisfy the most
demanding enthusiast. It should be mentioned that this event is entirely
privately funded, and its degree of success will dictate whether this could
be made into an annual celebration.
Titley Junction is one of those old railway stations that look back on that
lost era much beloved by TV period film producers. Set in lovely countryside
this jewel is privately owned by Lesley and Robert Hunt and run by
enthusiasts; it has a mile of track and a working steam engine and coaches.
The facilities on the festival site will of course include the railway, and
a marquee for the concerts; there will be a bar manned by the Herefordshire
branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. There will be hot and cold food
available and a hog roast on both days of the festival.
For those who may wish to extend their stay in the vicinity for longer than
the two day festival there are many attractions in the nearby countryside.
The famous Offa’s Dyke and Mortimer trails are a favourite with walkers.
Nearby there is the Stagg Inn that was the first public house to be awarded
a Michelin star in 2001. Further afield there is the magnificent Hereford
cathedral with the 13th century Mappa Mundi and chained library; and the
historic city of Hereford itself is well worth a visit.
To secure your place at the festival
download our booking form or
contact the organisers for more information.
Saturday Afternoon
Alan Barnes Quintet - 1pm
Alan Barnes - saxophones
Don Weller - tenor saxophone
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Steve Brown – drums
Multi instrumentalist, composer, arranger, record producer and raconteur
Alan Barnes leads a stellar group to open proceedings at the 2010 Titley
Jazz Festival. Featuring veteran tenor saxophonist Don Weller, and
backed by award winning trio Dave Newton, Andy Cleyndert and Steve Brown,
(who regularly accompany Alan), we can expect an eclectic programme to
set the standard for the coming weekend.
Stan Tracey Quartet - 3.30pm
Stan Tracey - piano
Simon Allen - tenor saxophone
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Clark Tracey - drums
It may be something of a cliché to describe Stan Tracey as the Godfather
of British Jazz, but on the evidence of his vast and enduring career, it
is an epithet that seems singularly appropriate. Age has not withered his
infinite variety, and by constantly employing younger musicians such as
tenor man Simon Allen he maintains his position in the vanguard of
contemporary jazz.
Saturday Evening
Peter King Quartet - 7pm
Peter King - alto saxophone
Steve Melling - piano
Geoff Gascoyne - bass
Martin Drew - drums
Peter King alto and soprano saxophone, composer and arranger attracts accolades like a magnet iron filings. Respected broadcaster and critic Dave Gelly refers to Peter King as “the finest alto saxophonist that Britain has ever produced and one of the finest in the world today”; and pianist composer Lalo Schifrin: “Peter King is one of the best musicians in the world”. Here he is with his quartet, which along with Geoff Gascoyne and Martin Drew includes Steve Melling on piano, who has performed to great acclaim both sides of the Atlantic.
Stan Tracey Octet - 9.30pm
Stan Tracey - piano
Simon Allen - tenor saxophone
Dave O’Higgins - tenor saxophone
Sammy Mayne - alto saxophone
Guy Barker - trumpet
Mark Nightingale - trombone
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Clark Tracey – drums
Like Art Blakey, Woody Herman and Coleman Hawkins, Stan Tracey constantly incorporates exceptional young talent into his various groups. Here with the Octet there is no exception; most of the performers emerged from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and have been associated with Stan on a fairly regular basis. Not so much influenced by Ellington and Monk, Stan Tracey somehow manages to extend their styles into a uniquely personal and instantly recognisable musical experience. His compositions while giving freedom to the individual soloists produce a homogeneous sound that makes an eight piece band sound more like a much larger group.
Sunday Afternoon
Clark Tracey Quartet - 1pm
Clark Tracey - drums
Brendan Allen - tenor saxophone
Steve Melling - piano
Arni Somogyi - bass
Like his father Stan, drummer, composer and record producer Clark Tracey has a knack for securing exceptionally talented performers for his group. One of the major successes at one of the last Appleby Jazz Festival concerts was his quintet that incorporated pianist Zoe Rahman. Here his pianist is Steve Melling, yet another graduate of NYJO, who has played with the likes of Phil Woods and Benny Golson; who adapts to the contrasting approaches of Peter King and Clark with deceptive ease. With the aggressive playing of Brendon Allen we can again expect a big sound from a small group.
Art Themen Sextet - 3.30pm
Art Themen - tenor saxophone
Don Welle - tenor saxophone
Dave O’Higgins - tenor saxophone
Dave Newton - piano
Geoff Gascoyne - bass
Martin Drew – drums
Three individual tenor saxophonists, of longstanding experience backed by a premier rhythm section can only produce an electrifying session. Now that Art Theman has retired from his day job as an orthopaedic surgeon, we hope to see more of him on occasions like this. A long time member of Stan Tracey’s larger groups Art can match any reedman on an equal basis. This should be an enlightening and invigorating session with such able practitioners as Don Weller and Dave O’Higgins.
Sunday Evening
Clarinet Marmalade - 7pm
Tony Coe - Alan Barnes – clarinets
Dave Newton – piano
Andrew Cleyndert – bass
This promises to be one of the most exciting sessions of the festival. These two highly experienced performers have, coincidently put in time (if that is the right term) with the Humphrey Lyttelton band, Alan (1988) and Tony (1965), besides leading and playing with a wide variety of groups. What is of interest here is their contrasting styles, which with the backing of Dave Newton and Andy Cleyndert should produce rich harmonic results.
Alan Barnes Octet - 9.30pm
Alan Barnes - baritone saxophone
Art Themen - tenor saxophone
Sammy Mayne - alto saxophone
Guy Barker - trumpet
Mark Nightingale - trombone
Dave Newton - piano
Andy Cleyndert - bass
Steve Brown - drums
Andy Cleyndert – bass
The final session of the festival will make a nice contrast to last night’s finale with the Stan Tracey Octet. Although performing with a very similar line-up, the contrasting rhythm section, and led by Alan Barnes we can expect a different impact. Much in the way Ellington contrasted with Basie, but by the same token both have in common that innate ability to swing and produce a joyous sound. What better way to tie up proceedings?
To secure your place at the festival download our booking form or contact the organisers for more information.
Programme notes by Liam Keating. Graphics by Carl Durose - email.