EDINBURGH JAZZ FESTIVAL listings
EDINBURGH JAZZ FESTIVAL LISTINGS cont
WEDNESDAY 6
I Cotton Club University Staff Club. 7.3()pm~lam. £8. The festival tradition of turning a session over to women performers continues here tonight. with a showcase fora half-dozen singers from the Scottish scene — Fionna Duncan. Violet Leighton. Wendy Weatherby. Liz McEwan. Edith Budge. Kim Proven -- and a visit from a new name to the event. the seven-piece Dutch ensemble Alice in Dixieland.
I Jazz Festival Gala Concert Usher Hall. 8pm. £8--£l5. The Gala Concert returns to the Usher Hall after a couple of sojourns to the Festival Theatre. and offers four separate strands this year. btit the main focus of attention will fall on a very rare visit from French pianist Jacques Loussier. and the Woody Herman tribute by the American Swing All Stars (see preview). Loussiers politely swinging reworkings of Bach have proved unaccountany popular over three decades. and he now gives \‘ivaldi the treatment as \\ ell. but the Herman tribute will provide the meat of the programme. Also featured are Claude 'l‘issendier's Saxomania from Paris. and singer Lillian Boutte.
I Peter King and David Milligan Trio Tron Ja/z Cellar. 8pm. £8 (£6). Alto saxophonist Peter King is one of the greatest jazz. musicians ever produced in Britain. and his previous appearances at the Tron have been nothing short of sensational. lixpect a packed house and incendiary modern jazz of a high order. I Late Night Club Carriages Restaurant. lt).3()pm—1.30am. £5. See Mon 4.
I David Milligan Trio Tron Jazz. Cellar. 11.3(lpin. £3 (£2). additional £1 discount to 8pm ticket holders. The pianist and his troops will be well warmed up after their gig with Peter King - or exhausted mabe
I Spiegel Jazz 1997 Spiegeltent. Top of Waverer Centre. Princes Street. 558 Sllll). See Sat 2.
THURSDAY 7
I Will Gaines — Jazz Hoofer (‘afe (iral'fiti. 5.45pm. £6 (£5). The veteran jaI/ hoofer's slick tap routines are now a well-established Fringe favourite.
I Cotton Club l'niversity Staff Club. 7.3(lptlt laltt. £12. Another stellar night
at the Cotton Club. with ace American mainstreamers Scott Hamilton. Warren Vache. Jake Hanna. Howard Alden and Michael Moore featured in one band. and another fronted by veteran British saxman Kenny Baker. Lillian Boutte and Thomas I'Etienne make another appearance. as does the all-women Dutch outfit Alice in Dixieland.
I Peter King Tron Jazz Cellar. 8pm. £8 (£6). See Wed 6.
I Gil Scott-Heron Queen‘s Hall. 8.30pm. £13. £9. The godfather of rap does his stuff. See picture caption.
I Late Night Club Carriages Restaurant. l().3()pm~1.3()am. £5. See Mon 4.
I David Milligan Trio Tron Jazz Cellar. 11.30pm. £3 (£2). additional £1 discount to 8pm ticket holders. See Sat 2.
I Spiegel Jazz 1997 Spiegeltent. Top of Waverer Centre. Princes Street. 558 8010. See Sat 2.
FRIDAY 8
I Herbie Flowers with Mike Hatchard Cafe Graffiti. 2.30pm. £6 (£5). An eclectic musical journey front ex-Sky bassist l-lerhie Flowers and ex- l)ankworth pianist Mike Hatchard. taking iii Mozart. Duke Ellington and Frank Zappa along the way.
I Will Gaines - Jazz Hoofer Cafe Graffiti. 5.45pm. £6 (£5). See Thu 7.
I South African Gospel Singers and Lillian Boutte St Ciiles‘ Cathedral. 7.3()pm— lam. £10. The sanctified tradition goes back to its roots iii Mother Africa with this colourful gospel ensemble led by singer l’inise Satil. and they should light tip the dour interior of St Giles‘ with their vibrant music. Singer Lillian Boutte lends some New ()rleans- style assistance.
I Cotton Club L'niversity Staff Club. 7.30pm. £10. Tl'lllllpt‘lt‘l' Kenny Ball is the big name on tonight's bill. and it will be interesting to hear whether the strong lidinburgh-based baiid he will join for his first set of the evening. featuring Jack McDuff. Stan Greig. Ronnie Rae and Tony McLennan. will push him to play rather more real jau. than he does with his own showbiz-orientated .la/znien. Also featured are Fat Sam‘s Band (with and without Ball i. and singers l-ionna Duncan. lidith Budge and Freddie King. I The Hot Club Tron Jan Cellar. Spiti. £5 (£4). l-lot-(‘lub style swing with a contemporary slant from this popular
LAZY LESTER: The blues programme is distinctly short on novelty this year, but does bring a chance to check out the Louisiana blues harpist and Singer, Lazy Lester. He first appeared on the scene working with Lightnin' Slim in the mid-SOs, and got his nickname from producer Jay Miller at the Excello label, reflecting his somewhat laid-back approach to life. His
harmonica style draws on the Cajun and count
influences of his native
region as well as blues, while lovers of pop trivia should note that his early 605 Single 'I'm A Lover Not A Fighter’ was covered by The Kinks.
l Caledonian Brewery, Sat 9 Aug.
54 THE LIST 2‘) Jul /'i'ttitj 199/
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GIL SCOTT-HERON: Gil Scott Heron has achieved an almost legenda? status in black music circles, and if jazz is just one flavouring in h s distinctive musical fusion, there is no doubting the magnitude of his contribution since he first broke throu h to wide attention with the ' smooth but politically-charged 'Johannes urg' back in 1975. He began as a poet rather than singer, but both aspects of his work became increasingly fused over the years, and he has been seen as the godfather of rap, as well as the voice of the disenfranchised ghetto consciousness.
Oh, yeah, and he‘s funky with it. I Queen’s Hall, Thu 7 Aug.
band. which adds Nigel Clark to the well- established line tip of Alex Yellowless and Sandy Wright on guitars. and bassist Roy Percy.
I A Tribute To Maxine Daniels Cafe Graffiti. 8pm. £6 (£5). An interesting variation on the standard format. since the lady paying the tribute to singer Maxine Daniels will be — well. actually. Maxine Daniels herself. Pianist Mike Hatcltard will both accompany the singer and narrate her story. and the show will carry on into the Fringe.
I Hue and Cry Queen‘s Hall. 8.30pm. £12.50. £9. Pat and Greg Kane rather shot down any sceptics who doubted their ability to pull off this jazz- orietitated project when it was first launched on the back of their .lri::.\'ui.lri:: album. The results proved more than acceptable. helped along by a high-quality band. and they will be joined on this occasion by saxophonist Tommy Smith as well.
I Blues Festival Caledonian Brewery. 9pm. £10. The Blues Festival looks a little lightweight this year. although not as lightweight as the Glasgow jazz festival's token affair at the Brewhouse. which surely has to be radically re- thotiglit. liach night at least has a solid headliner however. and tonight that man is ex-Bluesbreaker and Rolling Stone Mick Taylor. The guitarist leads his own Blues Band. with support sets from Long Distance Call and Rev l)oc and the Congregation.
I Late Night Club Carriages Restaurant. lt).3()pm--1.30am. £5. See Mott 4.
I Salsa Celtica Cafe Graffiti. 1 1pm. £6 (£5). This exhuberant Latin-jazz outfit have won a big following in lidinburgh for their vibrant combination of jazz soloing with owerhouse Latin rhythms. I David Milligan Trio Tron Jazz Cellar. 11.30pm. £3 (£2). additional £1 discount to 8pm ticket holders. See Sat 2.
I Spiegel Jazz 1997 Spiegeltent. Top of Waverer Centre. Princes Street. 558 8010. See Sat 2.
SATURDAY 9
I Blues Festival Caledonian Brewery. 1pm. £5. The acoustic afternoon session is headlined by London-based Washington bluesman Michael Roach. with the aid of Ian Briggs. Singer- guitarists Bob Pierce and Perry Foster are among the support artists.
I Herbie Flowers with Mike
Hatchard Cafe Graffiti. 2.30pm. £6 (£5). See Fri 8.
I Will Gaines - Jazz Hoofer Cafe Graffiti. 5.45pm. £6 (£5). See Thu 7.
I Cotton Club University Staff Club. 7.30pm—1am. £10. A bit of a change of pace and idiom here tonight. with a last night jive and funk party. featuring ex- Roy Ayers saxman Ray Gaskins as the main attraction. as well as the Peristalsis Brothers. Jazz Amiga. and the Jazz Aces. I Violet Leighton Tron Jazz Cellar. 8pm. £5 (£4). The singer isjoined by guitarist Nigel Clark and bassist Ewan Vernal. See preview.
I A Tribute To Maxine Daniels Cafe Graffiti. 8pm. £6 (£5). See Fri 8.
I Blues Festival Caledonian Brewery. 8pm. £10. The main evening slot features Louisiana blues harp specialist Lazy Lester (see picture caption). who will be accompanied by the opening act. Big Joe Louis and His Blues Kings. James Hunter and the Jokers and Big Joe Turner‘s Memphis Blues Caravan complete the somewhat underwhelming programme. I Ralph Towner Queen‘s Hall. 8.30pm. £1 1. £9. A rare opportunity to hear this great guitarist play solo — or. for that matter. play here at all. See preview.
I Late Night Club Carriages Restaurant. 10.30pm—l .3()am. £5. See Mon 4.
I David Milligan Trio Tron Jazz Cellar. 11.30pm. £3 (£2). additional £1 discount to 8pm ticket holders. See Sat 2.
I Basic Collective Cafe Graffiti. Midnight. £6 (£5). Lizzard Lounge present the jazz-soul grooves of Basic Collective. featuring singer Nikki King.
SUNDAY 10
I Blues Festival Caledonian Brewery. 1pm. £5. The aftemoon session begins with a workshop ( 1pm) and a seminar on the topic of Blues in Scotland (2.10pm). followed by Mojo Pep. then a session led by harmonica man Spider McKenzie. plus special guests.
I Herbie Flowers with Mike Hatchard Cafe Graffiti. 2.30pm. £6 (£5). See Fri 8.
I Blues Festival Caledonian Brewery. 8pm. £ 10. And so it ends. The Nimmo Brothers set the ball rolling for the final session. but the most interesting item on tonight‘s bill is not the final one. featuring the distinctly ordinary Johnny Mars. btit rather an all-too rare opportunity to hear our own Tam White in front of his Big Band.