jazz in the papers part two ...........

[Byas'd Opinion]

Here are a couple of recent online interviews which go into a bit more depth than the usual "tell us about your career then plug your latest album or tour" routine:

• Pianist Vijay Iyer on improvisation, the importance of rhythm, the benefits of having a regular working group, and more.
• Bassist and Whirlwind Recordings label boss Michael Janisch on Berklee, an American's view of the UK jazz scene, how to make a decent living as a serious jazz musician, and more.

If you've not come across Whirlwind before, they've put out some really good stuff in the couple of years they've been up and running. Mainly it's recordings by the younger generations of UK players - Alex Garnett, Mark McKnight, Jim Hart, Konrad Wiszniewski, Phil Robson, Gareth Lockrane - with the occasional bit of involvement from US musicians including Greg Osby, Mark Turner and Ralph Alessi. Definitely a label worth keeping an eye on.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

thanks for that Byas'd Michael Janisch reads v well and makes me v interested in his label ... [which is on emusic too!]

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

J Fordham's October in jazz

seems i have missed some serious gigs in London!

[charles t]

Byas'd: As Calum noted, Jim Hart's Cloudmakers Trio w/Ralph Alessi live date @ The Pizza Express is indeed, on emusic.

Speaking of Berklee College...during a two week Hawaiian cruise, I spent time exchanging cd's, etc. with the ship's electric bassist, who graduated from Berklee over 20 years ago and has been on the seas ever since (excluding time-off to invest in a failed marriage, on land).

[Byas'd Opinion]

Thanks, I'm still a CD man myself, though. I'm obviously getting old: I remember when they were trendy new technology, but now they seem to be on the way out.

I'm about to send off for a physical copy of the Cloudmakers/Alessi album, plus the Michael Janisch / Greg Osby one which is due out this week.

Also on Whirlwind, Konrad Wiszniewski and Euan Stevenson's "New Focus" (with Janisch on bass) is great. Lovely melodic jazz with some excellent arrangements and top-class soloing (esp. from Wiszniewski). It's tuneful and romantic without ever becoming MOR or schmaltzy. It's officially released on November 5th but copies have been on sale at their gigs for a month or so. http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-e...lwind.19098693. Plug over.

For those who didn't read the Michael Janisch interview, his comment about Berklee was that the chance it gave him to play with a lots of other good young musicians and develop friendships and contacts was at least as useful as the classes themselves. The cruise liner bass player presumably either hadn't been "networking" (horrible word) enough or had just decided a decent steady income beat a lifetime of scuffling for gigs.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Jack de J on playing with Miles at Ronnie Scotts in the sixties ..

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

country open air jazz festival

Glynde Place, East Sussex.

hosts the Love SUpreme festival

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

the Roller Trio impress the Tgraf

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

aha the Graun have Mr Fordham's January ....[must have missed the other months]

check out the clip of the young Scott & Hayes

[Byas'd Opinion]

Promoter and drummer Bill Kyle (who runs the excellent The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh) talking about jazz funding in Scotland (or more precisely the lack of it): http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/mu...ting-1-2754424

[Serial_Apologist]

Promoter and drummer Bill Kyle (who runs the excellent The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh)

...and is no relation of Jeremy Kyle (I understand).

[Byas'd Opinion]

Interview with Norwegian squeezebox player Stian Cartensen, currently touring the UK with Iain Ballamy (as Little Radio): http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-e...ttons.19946845

And before you mock, remember that "the accordion is the grand piano of social democracy".

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

No wonder that project collapsed in the face of neo-liberalism!

BN. Penny whistle...the NEW proletarian horn.

[eighthobstruction]

Or egalitarian lip whistling....ah I've got it sea level yodelling....

[Tenor Freak]

Cheers for that Mr B. Actually I like the sound of the accordian (never played it - too many buttons).

Let's not forget that not only Joe Zawinul but also Stan Tracey were once also accordianists so the "grand piano of social democracy" idea has some traction.