Caption Competition

I have recently been given the photos that were taken at the Jazz Voices competition that I won in Lithuania earlier this year... Captions suggestions please!

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Applauding Live Music

"Audiences at the Proms are ignorant of the correct time to clap and need educating to avoid spoiling the music for others, according to a classical music expert."

Clapping live music is an interesting debate, and one that I found myself caught up in after a visit to the Royal Albert Hall for a Prom this year.  My brother-in-law was playing bass clarinet with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and members of our family had a very enjoyable evening in support of him, and in appreciation of an excellent program of classical music.  

It's true - quite often an audience at a classical concert doesn't really know when to clap, and in between movements of  Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto and Roussel's Symphony No. 3, I could feel the tension as people's hand moved closer together, waiting to see if someone else would initiate applause.  Annoyingly, we were sitting next to a group of young people whose main objective seemed to be to toy with the clapping habits of this anxious audience.  A movement came to an end; the conductor rested his arms; pages of music were turned; throats were cleared.  Suddenly a clean and crisp *CLAP* came from the seats next to ours which set off a Mexican ripple of applause around the hall.  Hilarious, apparently.

I can understand the difficult in knowing when to clap - and is there a right or wrong place to do it?  Certainly in jazz, the whole performance is interspersed with applause as the audience shows appreciation of individual musician's skill.  However, this is usually in response to a solo which is improvised - so you are effectively applauding the on-the-spot composition as well as the playing skills of the musician.  This wouldn't be the case in a classical concert, as the composer has laid down absolutely which notes are to be played and when - and the effect of a piece is in its entirety, not in its individual movements.  

Clapping at the Proms has initiated quite a few interesting discussions.  Jonathan Lennie, the classical editor of Time Out magazine, contributed this to the discussion "You don't have to reward the performers halfway through, this isn't opera, they do not expect it and most often resent the intrusion." [Telegraph Online]  I would be willing to bet that not a single person who was clapping between movements did it to show their appreciation of the music that had just happened - rather to break the embarrassment of silence, or to hide any embarrassment of 'not knowing when to clap.'  I am with the school of thought that it's incorrect to clap in the middle of pieces, but can understand that the Proms - a world-renowned concert series - attracts many listeners who aren't necessarily classical music aficionados.  Much better that people are actually attending the Proms and appreciating the music, than leaving the decision of when to clap to a smaller audience.

I would say that it's easier to know when to clap at jazz gig - for a start, it's rarely in a totally silent atmosphere that you would be listening to jazz, so the worry of breaking the silence doesn't exist so much.  Quite often the band leader will point to, or even announce, the soloist during the tune so inviting applause.  In fact, I've done gigs where I've felt surprised and a little uncomfortable when someone in my band has done a solo and not been applauded.  I have found myself thinking 'Doesn't this audience know anything about jazz?!'

I do find myself getting frustrated at classical concerts when the time between movements is interspersed with nervous applause.  Perhaps it's the nervousness that gets to me; if it were rapturous applause I may not mind so much.  

It's hard to know where the debate will end.  Proms director Roger Wright contributed to the above article by saying "Mozart rather enjoyed audiences clapping and Brahms was rather disappointed when they didn't clap between movements."  

Who knows what the accepted norm will be in another 100 years time?

Top Ten Anagrams

It's hard to make a list of the top 10 jazz musicians of all time in the world... ever!  So I have taken Jamie Cullum's suggestions from his recent top 10 list - The 10 best jazz musicians The Observer Sunday 23 May 2010 - and created a word puzzle.  


The names are now anagrams; the photos are random (well, they're the right people just in the wrong order)




Correct answers on a postcard please!  




1. Unlike moonshot


2.  Let lurking


3.  Tiny nasal worms


4.  Angelic knot


5.  You swim, I'll alarm


6.  Rather jet kit


7.  Conal horn jet


8.  Saved, I slim

9.  Oh, bare chicken


10.  Lush screaming

August Round-Up

It's been a good August, although perhaps not as hot as we would have liked!

I made my first visit to the Princess of Wales, Chalcot Road in Primrose Hill.  There is jazz every Sunday with the Pete Chapman Trio + guests.  A very enjoyable gig followed by a very good roast.  (Incidentally, the Princess of Wales is the site for the latest Banksy (or is it a fake?) and I forgot to go down and take a look!  I guess I'll have to return for some more jazz)


On Monday 16th, I was invited to attend the 2010 London Jazz awards, to report on the evening in my role as a contributor to the LondonJazz publication.  It was a wonderful evening, and you can find the report here: http://londonjazz.blogspot.com/2010/08/london-jazz-awards-winners.html

My quartet's August gig was at the Bull's Head in Barnes.  A wonderful venue, and well-attended (which can be unusual for a weeknight here), it was great to be playing again with the band.  We haven't performed all together since mid-June when we were on tour, so it was fantastic to get an hour or two of playing together.  The gig was recorded by UK Jazz Radio, and will be broadcast on Sunday 12th September at 8pm.  Visit www.ukjazzradio.com to listen.

And finally, August saw the birth of my new jazz group Sector 7.  A jazz trio fronted by 4 vocalists, we're still in the rehearsing stages as yet, but it will be going places soon.  Watch this space.  It's going to be filled magnificently.

Jazz @ Le Petit Parisien

Sunday evening sees the quaint French bistro Le Petit Parisien transformed into the most happening jazz hub in South East London.  Booked by the same organisation that books Jazz Live @ The Crypt - Camberwell's answer to Chelsea's 606 Club - it's no surprise that the jazz is always of the highest standard.  


The night is labelled ‘On The Up’ – perhaps a reference to the continuing regeneration plans of Camberwell and the surrounding areas.  Regular musicians include vibraphonist Jim Hart, drummer Pete Cater and flautist supreme Gareth Lockrane.  


That the gig can happen weekly, and for no entrance fee, is testament to the organisation and hard work of Simon Fernsby – regular guitarist here, and MD of the On The Up house band. 

It’s well worth a visit.

September line-up:

5          Tommaso Starace Quartet

12        Marama Café Band

19        Bob Martin with the On The Up House band

26        Tony Kofi with the On The Up House band

Sunday evenings 7:30pm  |  Free entry  |  16 Grove Lane, Camberwell SE5 8SY

   

London Jazz Awards 2010

It was an enormous privilege to be attending the London Jazz Awards last evening, at Pizza Express Jazz Club.  A whole host of people were there - of course the calibre of musician on the shortlist meant that there was a melange of talent present. The evening began with wine and pizza (and continued with wine and wine).  About half of the club had been emptied of its tables, leaving room for mingling and chatting - making for an unusual and great atmosphere.

It wasn't only the London Jazz Awards that were presented last night, but also the London New Poetry award.  The shortlisters were announced, and then the winner - Carrie Etter for her work The Tethers - read something from her winning entry.  It was truly wonderful.  I don't know much about poetry (even though some parallels can be drawn with singing jazz) but the words were so deliciously woven that I found myself - to my surprise - moved and captivated. http://carrieetter.blogspot.com/

There was a great feeling of community between two societies that don't often mix, but have shared experiences and interests.  Even so, the jazz community was certainly more vocal!  The shortlist was announced, to degrees of applause for each candidate.  It was the job of London Fringe director Greg Tallent (what a wonderful name!) to announce the nominees.  Unfortunately for him, his list was incomplete, and he wasn't familiar with all the names.  With true camaraderie, corrections and missing candidates were offered and applauded suitably.

Helen Mayhew stepped up to the stage to present the jazz awards.  The instrumental award went to John Turville, particularly in reference to his album Midas.  The vocal award was split between two singers - apparently the judges had such a hard time separating these two, that it was decided there should be two vocal awards this year.  They were Cleveland Watkis, and Norma Winstone.  As a singer myself, I am thrilled that two singers were recognised in such an award ceremony, despite the fact that there was already a separate category for vocalists.  

It's often very difficult to decide on who is a better singer, or who is your favourite, because even though the instrument is the same, the way two people sing can be worlds apart from each other - in effect, two totally different instruments.  It's only a shame that not everyone could be awarded last night, because each jazz musician who was nominated brings something particular, individual and special to this diverse UK jazz scene.

A jam session ensued, during which John took to the stage along with Norma and Cleveland, finishing Blue Monk with an epic last note that they clearly didn't want to end!  Other nominees including Nia Lynn, Fini Bearman, Derek Nash, Gary Husband, Patrick Bettison performed, as did panel members Barry Green, Asaf Sirkis and Mark Hodgson.  An enormous treat.  A notable performance was an improvised duet between Gary Husband (drums) and Jazzcotech dancer Perry Louis (feet).  Unfortunately the carpetted stage meant that it didn't quite have the impact it should have.

I want to make a personal mention of one of the nominees - Emma Smith.  Emma was my 'student' at NYJO (when I was the principal vocalist and vocal coach, Emma came to my workshops each week and began singing with the band at various gigs.)  I am so proud to know that she was nominated this year, as she is by far the youngest of all the candidates both in years, and experience on the London jazz scene.  I remember when she first came to NYJO... I was 24 (meaning that apparently I had only one year left of being a 'youth'), and although I wasn't planning on leaving the band, I knew the time was near when I would have to start considering my replacement.  As soon as she opened her mouth to sing I knew I could leave the band without worrying about who would be able to take on the job.

July round-up

July started with a sleepy train ride home from Sheffield after our last gig of the Jazz Services tour (read all about my exploits over the last 3 days of the tour on my previous blog by clicking here.)

Then back to the reality of teaching... 
No time to go home - I rushed straight to a school for a recorder concert, squeaks aplenty.  Eventually at 18:30 I finished my day's work and could sit down on my sofa - which I'd been wanting to do for 2 months! - and do nothing - again, something I'd been waiting to do for a long time.


July 4th saw the start of a beautiful relationship.  I appeared as a guest singer with the Hot Orange big band and we had such a great gig that they asked me back to appear with them whenever I can - a terrific pleasure.  I have some big band arrangements in the pipeline, so I'm hoping to try them out with this band.  
(On the same note, I'm working again with Mark Armstrong's big band on September 25th in High Wycombe - well worth a trip - and I'll be showcasing my very own big band at Ruislip Manor in December.)  The next Hot Orange gig is in Whitechapel on Sunday 22nd August.


So you must have noticed this article by now:? (I know the caption says 'and trio' but you just have to imagine the other two musicians!)


On July 10th, my quartet appeared at Marlborough Jazz Festival.  We had a short set just after lunch, which was part of UK Jazz Radio's "Women in Jazz" feature.  The other women were Verona Chard and Linley Weir (they played their sets after mine.)


Hopefully we'll be back next year.


I couldn't get a lift to Marlborough because my entire band had to set off to different places afterwards, so I decided to take the train.  The nearest station is Swindon - a mere 13 miles, so I merrily set off with my bike in tow, imagining an enjoyable 1 hour cycle ride at the other end.  Unfortunately, google maps hadn't chosen the best route for me, so - despite the road being pretty much a straight line from Swindon to Marlborough - I had an epic hill which made my bike feel twice as heavy as normal, then the downhill appeared to be a dirt track for approximately 4 miles.  Now, 4 miles usually takes me about 20 minutes - and that's with London traffic lights.  After 35 minutes I was still bumping and jumping along this track which could only have been made by a tractor in wetter conditions, then baked over the last few good-weather weeks.  Argh!  It was already soundcheck time and I was in the middle of nowhere with a great big yellow trail stretching into the distance in front of me.  No choice but to keep going.  Eventually I found a diversion through some woodland and somehow made it onto the road - and miraculously I was on the outskirts of Marlborough.  Brake pads in questionable condition.


So after the gig, I continued my journey to Andover, where I was staying the night with friends.  Only another 22 miles!  So basically, I had cycled 35 miles in one day and done a gig in the middle.  That breaths new life into the song Workin Hard!


As well as all this, I spent a lovely day in my home town of Hitchin at the Rhythms of the World festival, and had a very enjoyable gig at the Archduke.  Jazz at the Archduke is well-worth supporting.  It's the best quality jazz you'll get for free anywhere in London, and I'd go as far as to say the entire country.  A stylish setting, excellent food, and free music with some of London's best musicians.  I'm next appearing there with my duo for the early set on a Saturday evening - check my website listings for exact dates.