JAZZ MUSIC

MARC MARNIE

Singer Melanie O’Reilly was one of the first recipients of a Scottish Arts Council Jazz Project award when they were instituted last year, and the fruits of that investment will be revealed in the Scottish debut of the Melanie O’Reilly/Richard Niles Dectet. The award was granted to allow her to commission a set of arrangements from Niles, a noted London-based American arranger who has worked not only with jazz artists, but also for the likes of Ray Charles. Tina Turner and Paul McCartney.

The basic material includes jazz standards and newer tunes, given a treatment which Niles describes, perhaps not entirely seriously. as ‘like Count Basie playing Prince tunes’. That implied fusion ofjazz mores with a more contemporary groove is very much the singer's thing, however.

‘l’ve said this before. but what I am really into is bringing together the jazz feel of the 40s with the freshness of the 90s. When 1 work with the trio. for example, i love singing standards. but 1 don‘t want to get stuck in the same old way of doing them, and at the same time 1 love to take pop tunes and give them a jazz treatment.

‘1 have worked a lot with small groups. and done a fair bit of singing in front of big bands, but this project is the realisation of a desire I‘ve had for a long time to work with a band of this size. l‘ve spent a lot oftime in the last year working with Richard in London, and 1 have to say that the arrangements he came up with are so close to what 1 always had in mind for this set-up. It’s been frustrating not being able to get out and actually perform them. and l‘m really excited about these gigs'.

This will be the biggest project the singer has undertaken, and she will front a high-quality band for the occasion, with Niles himself on guitar, Guy Barker and John Thirkell on trumpets. Tim Garland. Nigel Hitchcock and Snake Davis on saxophones, Pete Beachill on trombone, Malcolm Maddock on piano, Alex Dankworth on bass. and drummer Neil Wilkinson. (Joe Alexander)

The Melanie O'Reilly/Richard Niles Decter play at the Queen '3 Hall on Fri 28.

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I Brian Kellocir Trio Queen’s Hall. Clerk Street. 668 20l9. 8.30pm. £7. £5 (conc £4

on door if available). Regular readers will know that 1 hold the Edinburgh-based pianist in high esteem. He is in the middle of a particularly fruitful phase of development at the moment. and has proved his mettle with a range of top British and American players in the past few months. The last time he had a headline concert at this venue. he disappointed me by essentially handing the gig over to arranger Brian Keddie. and recruiting a sub-standard band. but there should be no such problem this time. The trio format will allow him full expression of his immense talents, and he will be supported by regular collaborators Kenny Ellis and John Rae. There are a lot of big- name visitors around just now, but don’t miss out on this one.

WEDNESDAY 26

I AShIOflIl/CIaI'k/Dllllin Jazz at The Tron. Tron Cellar Bar, 9 Hunter Square. High Street. 220 1550. 9pm. £3 (£2). Triple guitar line-up of Dominic Ashworth, Nigel Clark and Graeme Duffrn launch a series of four concerts at The Tron. as K ind of Blue focuses on a varied weekend of European music in three venues.

THURSDAY 27

I Jan Garbarelt and Miroslav Vitous Queen's Hall, Clerk Street. 668 2019. 8pm. £9.50. £7.50 (conc £4 on door if available). Two great masters of European jazz in a fascinating duo. See preview.

FRIDAY 28

I G’Beilly/lliles Bectet Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street. 668 2019. 8.30pm. £7.50—£6 (concessions £4 on door if available). Singer Melanie O'Reilly has been working on this exciting project with arranger Richard Niles over the past year. and Scottish audiences now get a chance to hear the results here. and at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on Thurs 27. See preview.

I nick lee and llamish Moore Tron Cellar Bar. 9 Hunter Square, High Street. 668 2019. 9pm. £5 (£3.50). The first of two gigs bringing together innovative Scottish musicians with players from the L’ARFI collective. See Sat 29 and preview.

SATURDAY 29

I lluit AI'II Assembly Rooms, George Street. 220 4349/668 2019. 7.30pm. £7.50 (£5). The Lyons-based jazz collective L’ARFl (L‘association pour la Recherche d'un Folklore lmaginaire) have no counterpart in this country. and their multi-media spectacular visits Scotland for the first time. See preview.

l’Mi: m dolls I Grange Ear Ensemble Jazz at The Tron. Street, 220 1550. 1pm. £3 (£2). Drummer

Tom Bancroft leads his smaller band in a collaborative concert with CARE]

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I Ilelene Delavault in l’llbslnthe Queen's Hall. Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. £9. £7 (£4). The great French chanteuse is likely to draw in the classical audience as much as the jazz one for this show. based in the classic French cabaret tradition. See preview.

I Kevin MacKenzie Quintet Jazz at The Tron. Tron Cellar Bar, 9 Hunter Square. High Street. 220 1550. 9pm. £3 (£2). There is a highly acceptable change to the advertised programme for this concert. since the guitarist will bejoined by two contrasting saxophonists, with Julian Arguelles (.see Jazz listings. Fri 28) and Phil Bancroft both featured on special arrangements of the quartet‘s material. The band were highly impressive when they toured earlier this year with Julian, and the addition of a player as strong as Phil makes it an even more exciting prospect to round out the event.

JAZZ

LISTINGS

Dates listed below are for one-oil shows: see separate section for residencies. Gigs are listed by date, then by city. Performances will be listed, provided that details reach our offices at least one week before publication. Jan Listings compiled by Kenny Mathieson.

FRIDAY 21

Glasgow

I Swing ’93 Downstairs at The 13th Note. 80 Glassford Street. 10pm—12.30am. £3.50 (£2.50). A rare Glasgow visit for this well-established Django-style swing quartet. with Dick Lee on reeds. Phil Adams on lead guitar. John Russell on rhythm guitar. and Roy Percy on bass.

I Allan lloldsworth Renfrew Ferry, Clyde Street, 227 5511. 7pm. £7 (£5). Final jazz(ish) gig of Mayfest features the great guitarist. whose music falls somewhere between jazz and rock.

Edinburgh

I Brian Kelloclr Trio See Kind of Blue listing.

SATURDAY 22

Glasgow

I Graig McMurdo Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. 887 1010. 9pm. £6 (£3). The Edinburgh based swing andjnmp-jive specialist is always a highly popular visitor to the Arts Centre, and tickets are likely to be at a premium.

I John Murray Big Band Society of Musicians. 73 Berkeley Street. 221 6112. 2—5pm. £1. Mainstream.

I George Penman’s Jamnen Society of Musicians, 73 Berkeley Street, 221 6] l2. 8.30pm—midnight. £3. Leading Dixieland band, plus guests.

I Maurice Traveller and the Jumpstarts Theatre Bar, 60 The Pleasance. 8pm—l2.30am. £4 (£3) on door. A lively evening of swing and rhythm and blues. organised by the local Labour Party.

SUNDAY 23

Glasgow

I Dlg Band Session Society of Musicians. 73 Berkeley Street, 221 6112. 2—5pm. £1. The Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra alternate with the Tim Barella Big Band.

Edinburgh

I Bill Simpson Guintet Jazz at The Tron. Tron Cellar Bar. 9 Hunter Square. High Street, 220 1550. 9pm. £3 (£2). The saxophonist leads a band in a bop-into- postbop vein. with club regulars Eddie Severn (trumpet). Robert Pettigrew (piano). Kenny Ellis (bass) and Dave Swanson (drums).

MONDAY 24

Glasgow

I Kit Carey’s Jan Band Society of Musicians. 73 Berkeley Street. 221 6112. 9pm—midnight. £2. Traditional.

WEDNESDAY 26

I Sandy Taylor and Henry Fullerton Society of Musicians. 73 Berkeley Street. 221 6112. 8.30pm. £1. Mainstream piano and bass duo. plus guests.

Edinburgh

I Ashworth/ClarK/Duiiin See Kind of Blue listing.

THURSDAY 27

Glasgow

I Carol Kidd in Strike Up The Band Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street. 227 5511. 7.30pm. £7.50—£20. A celebration of the great popular song repertoire with singer Carol Kidd and the Adrian Drover Orchestra. as well as a musically dodgy-looking list of special guests, including Una McLean, Peter Morrison and Danny Street. The concert is a Campaign Gala in aid of Cancer Research. an organisation which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.

Edinburgh

I Jan Garbarelt and Miroslav Vitous See Kind of Blue listing.

FRIDAY 28

Glasgow

I Julian A uelles with the Kevin MacKenzie uartet Downstairs at The 13th Note. 80 Glassford Street.

930-] 1.30pm. £5 (£3.50). This band toured very successfully for Assembly Direct earlier this year. and confirmed the impression that saxman Arguelles and guitarist MacKenzie are highly compatible musical associates. Kenny Ellis (bass) and Tom Bancroft (drums) round out a strong outfit.

I Glenn Miller Orchestra llK Town Hall. Abbey Close. Paisley, 887 1007. 7.30pm. £10 (£6). John Watson directs this highly competent band in a re-creation of the authentic Glenn Miller dance sound.

I 1st Arran Jazz and Blues Festival Various venues on the isle of Arran. The emphasis is on blues in a weekend bill headlined by Tam White. but also features the Chick Lyall Quartet (Brodick Bar. 9pm) and the Wee Swing Band (Duncan’s Bar. Brodick. 9pm) tonight. The festival continues with blues programmes in Whiting Bay and Brodick on Sat and Sun. Details from Arran Tourist Office. 0770 302401/302140.

Edinburgh

I G’Beilly/lliles Dectet See Kind of Blue listing.

I Biclt lee and Hamish Moore See Kind of Blue listing.

SATURDAY 29

Glasgow

I John Murray Big Band Society of Musicians, 73 Berkeley Street, 221 6112. 2-5pm. £1. Mainstream.

I George Penman’s Jamen Society of

"l he List 21 May—3 June 1993 35