Titley Jazz Festival 2012
About the festival
Now in its third year, the Titley Jazz Festival is rapidly becoming one of the
leading venues for the best of British modern jazz. Extended last year from
two to three days, the expanded format showcases fourteen different
groups, each with substantial time at their disposal to demonstrate the
infinite variety of their talents – an abundant musical largess that must be
unrivalled anywhere else in the country. It is now 30 years since the great
pianist-composer Thelonious Monk died. As the jazz world owes so much
to his memory it is fitting that part of this weekend should be devoted to
his music. As would be expected, that Eminence Gris Stan Tracey will play
his part, whilst the younger generation will be represented by the ebullient
saxophonist Tony Kofi. Perhaps it is a little pedantic to note that another
musician with similar credentials, Charles Mingus, would be celebrating the
90th anniversary of his birth this year – if he had not died in 1979. However,
it may be better not to get too complicated!
The Titley Jazz festival fits well into its new home proving the Rodd Farm
Estate is ideal for such a venture, with adequate provision for all the festival
requirements, with a camping and caravan site, and adequate parking
areas. As before the facilities will include a main marquee for the concerts,
a bar manned by the Hereford branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, plus
hot and cold food, available throughout the festival, which will include a
hog roast on Saturday and Sunday.
The festival has been put forward one week this year to avoid clashing
with the 2012 Olympics – it would be unreasonable to deprive the athletic
event of support by staging our jamboree in direct competition. We of the
jazz fraternity must derive satisfaction from the fact that an event such
as this can not only survive but thrive, and it must be said without outside
sponsorship. The vision of organizer David Masters to continue the tradition
of the now defunct Appleby Jazz Festival in Herefordshire did appear
quixotic, but has proved to be sustainable and looks very much to a rosy
future.
Regular visitors will need little reminding that there is much in this attractive
neighbourhood that is worth exploring. The famous Offa’s Dyke and
Mortimer trails are popular with hikers, and the historic city of Hereford has
undoubted attractions, in particular the eleventh century cathedral that
contains the Mappa Mundi, the largest medieval map known to exist, plus
the famous chained library. For those who fancy a trip abroad, you are
close to the border with Wales, and you can take a short trip down the
road to the attractive town of Presteigne; no passport required
To secure your place at the festival
download our booking form or
contact the organisers for more information.
Friday Afternoon
TITLEY JAZZ SEXTET - 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Alan Barnes - reeds
Dave O’Higgins- reeds
Steve Waterman - trumpet
David Newton - piano
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Steve Brown - drums
The ever reliable Alan Barnes opens the third Titley
Jazz Festival with a star studded sextet that should set
a standard that will stretch subsequent performers
over the coming weekend. The two regulars at the
Titley festival, Alan Barnes and Dave O’Higgins, are
joined in the front line by newcomer Steve Waterman,
a talented trumpet player, who should require little introduction as his
skills as a jazz trumpeter, composer and educator are well known to the
jazz fraternity. The rhythm section, the Dave Newton Trio can almost be
posted as the Titley festival house group, and do much to make this event
special.
ART THEMEN/JOHN ETHERIDG - 4pm to 6pm
Art Themen - reeds
John Etheridge - guitar
Arnie Somogyi - bass
Dave Barry - drums
Art Themen can now be regarded as an elder
statesman of jazz, yet his innovative approach to
his music is, to say the least adventurous; his solos
often teeter on the edge of anarchy, yet remain
comprehensible. If the elixir of youth could be
applied to music, then Art somehow has managed
to capture it. John Etheridge, so popular at the
2011 festival, with his group Sweet Chorus can now
be appreciated in a contrasting context, both as
soloist and as a lead to the rhythm section.
TONY KOFI 'MONK' - 7pm to 9pm
Tony Kofi - reeds
John Donaldson - piano
Arnie Somogyi - bass
Clark Tracey - drums
Leading the first group to specifically mark the Titley tribute on the 30th
anniversary of the death of Thelonious Monk is the multi-instrumentalist
Tony Kofi, who makes no secret of his admiration for the great pianist. He
was co-founder of the Monk Liberation Band and his cd Plays Monk All is
Now (2004 Specific Jazz), provides evidence of his affinities. His forthright
and varied approach to his music, can sometimes give the listener the
impression they are witnessing a larger group
THE ETERNAL TRIANGLE - 9.30pm to 11.30pm
Art Themen - reeds
Peter King - reeds
Bruce Adams - trumpet
David Newton - piano
Mick Hutton - bass
Dave Barry - drums
The title refers to the 1957 seminal recording by Dizzy
Gillespie, Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt - a 15 minute
battle between three of the jazz world’s most
combative performers. Although entirely different
in style to the previous titans, our frontline lack in
no way the same assertiveness. All three have
appeared to acclaim here at Titley, so need little
introduction to regulars at the festival
Saturday
JIM MULLEN ALL STARS - 11am to 1pm
Jim Mullen - guitar
John Donaldson - piano
Mick Hutton - bass
Steve Brown – drums
All Stars indeed; it is gratifying to have the award-winning Scottish jazz
guitarist Jim Mullen perform at Titley. His credits are too numerous to list here,
suffice to mention his fifteen year association with tenorist Dick Morrissey
and his subsequent work with vocalist Clair Martin. He has also worked
with transatlantic jazz personalities, such as Mose Allison, Jimmy Smith,
Plas Johnson and Jimmy Witherspoon. Here he is accompanied by John
Donaldson, who has done much work in the US and Britain, and played
with most of the luminaries appearing at this festival over the weekend
CLARK TRACEY QUARTET - 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Don
Simon Allen - reeds
Steve Melling piano
Arnie Somogyi - bass
Clark Tracey – drums
One of the highlights of the first 2010 Titley festival
was the Clark Tracey Quartet, on that occasion with
tenorist Brendon, here replaced by his namesake
Simon. Clark, by no means an extrovert drummer,
manages a propulsive energy that gives his various
small groups a big sound. Steve Melling has worked
in partnership with Clark Tracey over a long period,
and as well as being a sympathetic accompanist,
can produce thoughtful and startling solos.
DON WELLER BIG BAND - 4pm to 6pm
Peter King, Martin Speake, Don Weller, Mornington Lockett,
Art Themen, Alan Barnes - reeds
Steve Waterman, Dick Pearce,
Tony Fisher, Martin Shaw - trumpets
Mark Nightingale, Adrian Fry,
Martin Gladish, Sarah Williams - trombones
David Newton - piano
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Dave Barry - drum
Current economics have decreed that the great
days of the big band are but a memory, so it is
particularly satisfying to have one made up for
us here: full seventeen strong. Many familiar
faces here, and some not so well known, but all
experienced enough to produce a unified sound
that will reverberate both sides of the England/
Wales border! Set roughly in the middle of the
festival, this could prove to be the centrepiece in
more ways than one and a chance for solos and
ensemble work to make a little history.
TRACEY/WELLINS PLAY MONK - 7pm to 9pm
Stan Tracey - piano
Bobby Wellins - reeds
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Clark Tracey - drums
It is hardly a secret that the pianist here has absorbed
much from two great and very distinctive exponents of
his instrument, namely Duke Ellington and Thelonious
Monk. By some weird alchemy he has managed to wind
these disparate influences into what we know as Stan
Tracey. So it is fitting on this Monk anniversary to have a
tangential interpretation of Monk’s music, by two of our
foremost practitioners – in a way leading on from their
success last year with their Under Milkwood set.
LOCKETT/SHAW QUINTET - 9.30pm to 11.30pm
Mornington Lockett - reeds
Martin Shaw - trumpet
David Newton - piano
Mick Hutton - bass
Dave Barry - drums
Two new faces at Titley; the leads here have a vast background of
experience, and should be familiar to our audience. Mornington Lockett,
a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music, was a long-time associate of
Stan Tracey, before venturing out to recreate the music of Ronnie Scott and
Tubby Hayes, with the Celebrating the Jazz Couriers groups, subsequently
The New Jazz Couriers. He now divides his time between performing and
teaching jazz saxophone at various colleges. Martin Shaw, also a one
time student at the Guildhall School, spent some years with NYJO and has
played with Cleo Lane and the late John Dankworth. A classically trained
trumpet player he can often be heard playing in either idiom.
Sunday
STAN TRACEY DUO - 11am to 12 noon
Stan Tracey - piano
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Stan Tracey is justifiably feted for his many bands, of
varying size, and for his vast repertoire of compositions
and arrangements. But for many his prime appeal
is as a soloist, and this morning we have an hour in
which he can stretch out and display his undoubted
talents as a solo pianist. Here supported by the
admirable Andrew Cleyndert his final appearance
at the festival makes an appropriate introduction to
the varied programme to follow
BLUE NOTE SEXTET - 12.30pm to 2.30pm
Dave O’Higgins - reeds
Art Themen - reeds
Mark Nightingale -trombone
Steve Melling - piano
Alex Dankworth - bass
Clark Tracey - drums
The Blue Note jazz record label was founded in 1939
by Alfred Lion and Max Maguls, who with the help of
Francis Wolff issued recordings of the hot groups of
the time (Boogie Woogie with Albert Ammons; Sidney
Bechet’s Summertime was their first commercial hit).
Later, especially in the 1950’s and 1960’s they became
the principal outlet for hard bop – showcasing virtually
all American modern jazzmen of any consequence.
The legacy of this music is still relevant today, as can be heard from most
of the music performed here over the weekend; especially from this group.
The contrasting styles of Art Themen and Dave O’Higgins, balanced by
Mark Nightingale’s trombone and Steve Melling’s piano, should produce
that full blooded sound we associate with the record company
FIVE TAKES ON BENNY GOODMAN - 3pm to 5pm
Alan Barnes, Mark Crooks, Julian Stringle, Robert Fowler,
Andy Panayi - clarinets
David Newton - piano
Alec Dankworth - bass
Steve Brown – drums
Rumours of the death of the clarinet in modern jazz may
have been much exaggerated, although the heyday
of the clarinet led big bands is now history. Even arch
rival Artie Shaw once admitted that Benny Goodman
was a consummate technician, and although the
latter had his detractors, there is no gainsaying his
enduring popularity as soloist, and leader of big
bands and small groups. In the Python tradition of –
'and now for something completely different' we are
treated a parade of clarinets (collective noun? 'A
Clutch'?), that must be unique on the festival circuit?
ANITA WARDELL & TRIO - 6pm to 8pm
Anita Wardell - vocal
Robin Aspland - piano
Jeremy Brown - bass
Tristan Maillot - drums
In the early 1960’s The Lambert Singers (Dave Lambert,
Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross) popularised the art of
vocalese - using the human voice as an instrument
and replicating established instrumental solos with
lyrics. Since then there have been few to venture
into this difficult genre. Currently one of the foremost
exponents to have mastered the form, and now
leading the field is Anita Wardell. The award winning
singer, born in Britain, but brought up in Australia,
performs with a consummate technique, and uses
scat or vocalese without any sacrifice of feeling for
the music. We are fortunate to welcome her to the Titley festival along
with her long-time associate Robin Aspland and colleagues with a set that
should contrast, yet dovetail into the other weekend offerings.
CANNONBALL - 8.30pm to 10.30pm
Alan Barnes – reeds
Don Weller - reeds
Dick Pearce - trumpet
David Newton - piano
Andrew Cleyndert - bass
Steve Brown – drums
Alan Barnes closes the weekend with one of his big little groups, which
should send us all home in a happy mood. Familiar faces
all, with the addition of newcomer Dick Pearce. By no
means new to the jazz scene the trumpet/flugel horn
player, who started his career as a military instrumentalist,
and then a member of the early NYJO organisation, has
spent some years playing with the late Ronnie Scott.
Regarded as a disciple of the great Jimmy Deucher, he
should hold his own in this august company. The session
title refers to Don Weller’s recording, featuring Alan
Barnes and John Donaldson, celebrating the music of
Cannonball Adderley, which received the accolade
‘album of the year’ in the 2001 British Jazz Awards.
To secure your place at the festival download our booking form or contact the organisers for more information.