Darek Herbasz - Vapour trails

Darek Herbasz - Tenor saxophone

Darek Herbasz had an immediate presence upon hitting British shores despite being relatively unknown in these parts. He wound up his short tour of these isles with a final gig at Twickenham Jazz Club (31/03/2014). Part of this presence is musical and some physical for Herbasz cuts a figure like a bruising bouncer on a night club door. With what looked liked a permanent five o'clock shadow he spent his 2 hours playing with one eye cocked toward the audience and one screwed shut tight. This roving eye kept us all firmly in our seats, which wasn't an arduous task by any means.

Kelvin Christiane - Tenor saxophone

Although this was billed as an expression of our Polish guest's prowess the man who shone brightest was Kelvin Christiane. Forever the facilitator at the likeable Twickenham Jazz Club in the Cabbage Patch, here was a chance for Christiane to pull away from the curb of the quintet format with his headlights blazing. Dexter Gordon's 'Cheese Cake' was set up by the rhythm section of Julie Walkington (bass) and Simon Lea (drums) and then Kelvin Christiane switchbacked, turned around and slapped us with his sharp and fluid delivery.

Julie Walkington - Bass

There was gentleness too amongst the full bloodied tenor battle of Herbasz and Christiane. We woke up slowly to John Coltrane's 'Central Park West', our eyes at first dewy, the blurs dissipating as we reached the sunny day in our minds. It was the perfect spring fare, even more so than the habitual 'Joy Spring' rendition in the second set from Kelvin Christiane.

Simon Lea - drums

It was a first appearance in my sketchbook for both Walkington and Lea. The former was hard to tease out, often with head bent, the pincers of her hair drawing over her face. Lea sat upright and proud in contrast, his mouth more often than not turned down like a Easter Island head.

Alex Hutton - Piano

Alex Hutton is always a favourite at TJC and as usual he received cheer and applause that overshadowed the headliner but this wasn't a night set up for his spirited intensity. This gig was just days before he put the finishing touches to his latest album 'Magna Carta Suite' which is expected to be released in June 2015 on the F-IRE label.

Lesley Christiane - Sings Dindi

It wouldn't be a real Jazz night at the famous Cabbage Patch pub without our hostess opening up the second act with a couple of tunes. 'Dindi' is a favourite in these parts and Alex Hutton gave it a subtle exotic twist, like opening a can of Lilt when everyone else is drinking lemonade.

Coltrane's 'Lonnie's Lament' was the perfect foil for a night such as this. The lines of tenor sound crossed chaotically above our head, complex and overlapping layers scribbled designs in my sketchbook and mind. It was though both Christiane and Herbasz were burning vapour trails above our heads, their notes clear at first then blurring as the memory of their dexterity slowly faded.

AL.

Mihaly Borbely - Transylvanian Taragoto

Mihaly Borbely - Táragotó

While most birds fly south for the winter there was one rare specimen which landed at Twickenham Jazz Club last week (16/10/2014). The sighting of Mihaly Borbely wouldn't have excited many jazz twitchers but by the end of his performance the audience proudly displayed a new feather in their caps. Borbely is a talented multi-instrumentalist who was recently voted "alto saxophonist of the year" in his native Hungary (JazzMa.hu Reader's Poll 2013).

Alex Hutton - piano

Strong, crisp and clear was his first call. The lyrical came later, as Mihaly Borbely navigated his way through a set dominated by standards. The trio that surrounded him were Alex Hutton (piano), Dave Green (bass) and Matt Fishwick (drums). Mihaly was the continuous subtle presence throughout the night. Yes, there were moment of virtuosity but showing off wasn't the raison d'etre for the man dressed in beige who stood before us.

Dave Green - Bass

Alex Hutton surprised and excelled all night. He was light and high of energy. Here is a man who is in love with life and creativity. There is always an intensity in his gaze and quite possibly his finger tips. Sometimes you fear this desire will drag him down but when he takes flight, as he did tonight, he does so on an inspiring swell.

The bookend of the first set, 'Bye Bye Blackbird', saw a rich and confident Hutton roaring with expression. With boyish golden locks bouncing, head thrust back with cavalier pride, he delighted the Twickenham Jazz Club audience. Always a favourite here, we gallivanted with his solos and danced with his daring. The reason for this positivity is that there is a new album on its way. Recently recorded with Asaf Sirkis and Yuri Goloubev, the central themes of the CD are embedded in the rich folk history of England.

Kelvin Christiane - Tenor Saxophone

It was a first entry in my sketchbook for Dave Green (bass) and exciting to capture Matt Fishwick (drums) once again. His last visit here being with New York altoist Mike DiRubbo in November 2013. Fishwick with a posture any super model would die for, was deliciously tight and unyielding on 'Caravan'. Direct might be the best way to describe his penetration. Between each steely thrust, Borbely danced an eastern odyssey. A romantic flow which erupted tiny geysers in the mind.

Matt Fishwick - drums

Between the alto breezes, Mihaly Borbely gave us the purity of his soprano on 'Round Midnight' and a delicate homage to Nature's beauty on Táragotó (Transylvania Blues). A TJC night wouldn't be complete without a fast-paced injection from Kelvin Christiane. This time John Coltrane's 'Giant Steps' gave our host a chance to park his finesse and catapult the finale with force.

Although this a was night built on standards, it still had ambition. There was a technical sparkle that will see Mihaly Borbely return I expect to these shores and it will be interesting to see how he was received at his second British date (St Bartholomew's Church) with the Paul Busby Big Band.

AL.

Renato D'Aiello - The unexpected turn

Renato D'Aiello - Saxophone

With this blog being only 18 months old we have travelled a great distance, with new music and a myriad of characters in all shapes and sizes. It is inevitable that you will see the same faces again and again in London's tight Jazz circuit but the challenge is to keep the mind, heart and sketches buoyant. Renato D'Aiello it seems doesn't have this problem, although understated and gentle at times he retains the freshness and zest of his younger self. It might also be why he surrounds himself with a carousel of young and hungry musicians to bolster flagging energy levels.

Emiliano Caroselli -
drums

Tonight at the Twickenham Jazz Club(15/05/2014) his quartet included local favourite Alex Hutton who's attire mingles a little of his Sheffield steel with his fellow Italian's flair. Resplendent in satin waistcoat and with his fair hair slicked back, it was though Little Lord Fauntleroy had taken a wrong turn and joined the heist in Reservoir Dogs.

Dario di Lecce - Bass

Hutton immediately made an impression in an otherwise gentle first set. The Bloomsbury's subtle darkness meant it took some time to familiarise ourselves with D'Aiello's newest recruits during this hour. Thrust back far into the dark was Emiliano Caroselli on drums and my drawings are a mere scribble of a man who played with great restraint. It always seems strange to comment on a drummers ability to play quietly and subtly but here it was an asset rather than an insult. There was another slender figure in the shadows, Dario di Lecce's (Bass) statuesque silhouette rose like a Brancusi bird with a Giacometti elegance and defied the gloom.

Kelvin Christiane -
Tenor Saxophone

I will skip straight to the second set which gave more to the audience. They in turn had warmed by now to Renato D'Aiello's charm which swells you with the slow upturn of his smile. A new self-penned tune epitomised this subtlety, 'The Angel' is a simple walk along what feels like a familiar path at first, a country stroll, neither too fast nor slow. Alex Hutton soon loses his way, and this is not a criticism, freed from the others he strides out scattering his notes as if they were hundreds of pine needles kicked from under his boot. Swept by Hutton's spiritual verve we no longer have our feet in London clay. Maybe because this tune is without a strong motif, you find yourself devoid of compass and happy to be led to pastures new. It is like taking that unexpected turn on a route that you have travelled all your life.

Alex Hutton - piano

'Portrait of Jenny' was painted with the thickest of impastos, and with its sweetness you could have swapped Naples Yellow for lemon curd. It had a rejuvenating effect on the main man and D'Aiello had the verve and spring of a pup. In fact his trademark flat cap now resembled that of a schoolboy's, and the tune spoke of a young man's unrequited love which swells his breast to bursting.

Finally a trip to 'Bolivia' rounded off the evening with host Kelvin Christiane flying shotgun on Tenor Saxophone. He was a coiled spring, dressed all in white, it was though he had stepped of the bus from a Kung Fu convention. Crouching solo hidden dragon tells you all you need to know. It was also an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down, those with the lushest of locks, Hutton and Caroselli benefitted the most. As did we the audience.

AL.

Derek Nash - The Spark

Derek Nash

Ever since I have been drawing Jazz musicians Derek Nash has been part of my sketchbooks but this is the first time I have been able to contain this exuberant performer within this blog. It is not only words that struggle to restrain his energy but also my sketches which never do justice to a dress sense that features a lurid line in flowery shirts and stage choreography that would be more at home in a Bruce Lee film.

Within 90 seconds of his entrance at the Twickenham Jazz Club (27/02/2014) he had already treated us one of his trademark hitch kicks. Luckily I sat next to Derek Nash's beautiful wife, Beverley, for the evening and she confirmed that Nash youthful dance moves do not cause him any injury, even as he skirts close to his half century.



Alex Hutton- piano

The leg kicking opener soon became Ellington's "Just Squeeze Me" and we saw flashes of what has made Alex Hutton such a popular keys man at TJC. The perkiness of his recent engagement to singer Kate Winter saw his head bobbing between a pair of 'Harry Hill' style collars. Like virtually all piano players Hutton has an intensity in his gaze which is unnerving but his feet give us a clue to his more homely nature, as usual they were devoid of shoes while his socked feet jigged to each tune's melody.

Oli Hayhurst - Bass

 A favourite of the first set was Derek Nash's "Waltz for my father". With (bent) soprano in hand he painted us a colourful picture, this was a tableau of pure pointillist skill, like one of Seurat's Parisienne riversides. The small light dabs of Nash's saxophone taken in their entirety gave us a broad emotional vision of his father as we sat back and viewed it from a distance. Derek Nash is a closet culture vulture and in the break between sets divulged the sweet spots of a recent trip to Venice.

Asaf Sirkis - drums

"The Spark" of the night was rightfully reserved for a new tune of the same name. So new that Derek Nash crouched close to the floor, his chart just inches away from his face in The Bloomsbury's sombre lighting. It has a rolling lyrical quality that Alex Hutton exploited with a calypso breakdown which ultimately resulted in  Oli Hayyhurst's wonderful slow descent amongst the tumult. Hayhurst has an easy static style, often both eyebrow raised in inverted Vs, mirroring two gables on sturdy barn.



Kelvin Christiane - Tenor Saxophone

Even when Derek Nash is deep within a ballad he slipped in a leg kick or two, like an Uncle who can't resist blasting in a cheeky penalty past his nephew in the back garden. Asaf Sirkis on drums was the height of subtly and Mrs Nash was taken with his striking mallet work on Grover Washington's "Winelight". It's irresistible sexual beat inspired her to describe Sirkis as a "handsome Freddie Mercury".

Bobby Timmon's "Moanin" brought the tenor of Nash and TJC Maitre Kelvin Christiane together. The latter was surprisingly introspective but typically robust in his playing. He kept his eyes down, his body trapped between green and purple lights like he had been caught in a flickering Hitchcock film.

Derek Nash will forever be the scene stealer. How can you focus on anyone other than him when he not only plays his instrument with such aplomb but continuously looks like he's warming up in preparation for a football match. As well as his trademark hitch kick we were treated to the can-can leg flick, the bounce from foot to foot, a couple of knee bends and also the sweeping of his sax beside him like he was paddling a canoe against a strong current. Here's a musician who never stands still.

AL.

Alex Hutton Trio - Dark Fables

Alex Hutton - Keys

Alex Hutton does not perform his own compositions enough and it is mystery to us why not. The crowd at Twickenham Jazz Club would welcome him back week after week, for they listened with intense delight and finished the evening by leaping to their feet in praise.

A standing ovation was not on the cards considering the start to the evening (28/11/2013) which spluttered to life with a clashing of melodies and volumes. 'Crying Wolf' nearly brought us to tears, partly because of a new synth riding on Hutton's usual keyboard arrangement, whose temperamental volume control jumped and dipped with alarming regularity. It also took some time to digest Stu Ritchie, his drumming and all of his noise toys which he produced from his magician's bag. Here's a man who juxtaposes his diminutive appearance with a larger than life sound and persona.

Dave Whitford - Bass

Both the first and second tune 'Clouds' were from Alex Hutton's most recent album Legentis. The Trio now restored some serenity with this tender tune and the warm front of Dave Whitford rolled in with a subtle rumble. Whitford often gets so low whilst playing you would think he was competing in a limbo competition rather than a concert. He is a thoughtful player who I have sketched in a clutch of gigs recently, here he was the nimbus nexus.

No Alex Hutton gig could be without his signature tune  'JJ' and Ritchie's drive on drums supported Hutton as he played with intensity and commitment. As an audience you get caught in the drama of the tune, it is a hurtling nose dive you just cannot pull away from. This wasn't the show stopper though. 'Shenandoah' created such a hush in the ample audience that we heard the footsteps of Dave Whitford in Alex Hutton's snowfall of notes. Hutton usually plays with an intense bow but here he leaned back and with mouth open unshackled his wrists.

Stu Ritchie - Drums

If our ears were tuned to bass and piano then our eyes were fixed on Stu Ritchie and his drums. His versatility is so impressive you feel you are experiencing more than just one man. Here with drumstick in mouth he gave us the drummer's equivalent of a Jew's harp. It fitted perfectly with his wily coyote image, Ritchie is wonderful to draw as he looks like one of those gnarled compact Gauls from an Asterix book.

The synth which housed Alex Hutton's 'Flute in a box' was a hit and miss affair, but it set the mood on the atmospheric 'Robin Hood's Cave'. Its hollow call combined with Ritchie's bowing, and created a growling smear of retro emotion. It reminded us of those dark fables so keenly animated in the 1970's where children's tales weren't spoiled by a sugary coating. I am full of admiration for the Twickenham Jazz Club audience who digested both Hutton's sweet frosting and his bitter laments with equal relish.

AL.

ps. After this gig I tracked down the music for Noggin the Nog which you can download here.

Yearning for Delirium - Joanna Strand



Joanna Strand

Before I started my journey into the realm of 'Delirium' I had to be prepared. Although I'd read Joanna Strand's manifesto for a future

including altered states and celebrated imperfections I knew not whether I would find a dystopia or utopia at the Pizza Express last Thursday (07/02/2013).

 

The previous days I had been sketching in a simulated mental health ward at Kingston University for a commission so I did (for once) feel qualified. The 'patients' I had worked with had been potentially violent, addicted, anxious and possessed minds searching for salvation. Understandably I found myself sitting in Pizza Express' tomblike catacomb in an agitated and exhausted state myself.

 

As I dropped into my seat and looked across the table at the stranger opposite, alarms bells sounded in my skull. Underlit by the venue's dramatic lighting he turned to me and said 'Jekyll or Hyde?'

John Gregson

The stranger took another swig of Peroni and I wondered whether this was his 'potion'. Within moments I was luckily put at my ease, this wasn't a challenge to my sanity but an introduction. The charming man opposite was none other than the guitarist John Gregson who had worked with Joanna on the hit musical, Jekyll and Hyde.

 

Before we could exchange our life stories the lights abruptly dimmed and we plunged into 'Delirium'.

 

Yazz Ahmed

Strand had promised a world of juxtapositions and the group of musicians before us didn't disappoint. She occupied the centre of the stage, fully at ease and with an open warm face. Her wide gestural arms enticed us into her embrace and although absolutely confident (at least on the outside) she still displayed a hint of fallibility.

 

Where Strand offered us openness, in contrast, Trumpeter Yazz Ahmed's magnet pull was through her crisp understated playing and the those thick lashes under a heavy fringe.

Ahmed epitomises Delirium's statement to represent the yearning, longing and craving represented in music and poetry. To quote it word for word, the audience found themselves 'Wishing for the unattainable'.

 

Romano Viazzano -
Accordion

To my right was Romano Viazzano, and his bright red jumper was the only colour in a understated 6 piece group. He is a hard man to describe, this night his smile spread slowly, like an assassins, but a few days earlier I'd sketched him in the National Theatre Foyer, where he performed in front of a crowd of families (including his own 5 children) and he displayed a joyful exuberance. Right now his head was bowed in concentration as he tackled Asaf Sirkis' tune 'Sailing'.

 

Asaf Sirkis - drums

Again as a juxtaposition sat Sirkis himself, head held high like a thoroughbred on the Epson Downs. Lets face it he is a drummer who would win the jazz equivalent of the Derby by 10 lengths.

I have worked briefly with Asaf on Alex Hutton's Legentis album and he is by no means a temperamental colt.

Once again he was outstanding, performing with grace and tenderness.

 

Nick Pini - Bass

 As we listened to 'Easy Living', the final tune of the first set, I frantically sketched Nick Pini on double bass. He is hard to capture on paper. He starts every tune with his copper hair neatly pinned behind his ears but eventually the music is too powerful and he reaches the final note in a state of wild dishevelment.

 

As I got to know John 'Mr Jekyll' Gregson in the interval I asked his professional opinion about the music,

"This is my first taste of Delirium, but what I'm struck by is the textures. The instruments provide us with layers and depth, they work together rather than take the spotlight in their own right."

John Bailey - Piano

 I'd sketched this same outfit (less Frank Walden) at The Forge in 2012 for Mr Rainlore's review, but I enjoyed the ambition and depth of these tunes more. This was a team working together intellectually as well as physically.

 

 Not every aspect was a success though and I believe Delirium were 'Striving for the Ideal' (to quote Joanna Strand again) and occasionally found themselves in a no-man's land where even a combination of talent and strong emotive intentions was not enough to influence the audience. The poetry was beautiful and well crafted but I couldn't transport myself to the tangible Natural world suggested by it while sitting comfortably in the warm, safe and privileged surroundings of the Pizza Express. I am full of admiration though that they aimed high and as a result we soared at a lofty altitude. Higher even than my previous experience whilst Fly(ing) Transatlantic with them.

 

Joanna Strand was at her most mesmerising whilst singing Poulenc and the sentiments she paints with her French palette transported me back to the small village of Cambieure, where I still have my studio and many friends. So many French words play with your mind using both sound and meaning, the Papi of all them all is 'oublie' for me. At once reminding me of those people I miss and those that I never want to be parted from.

 

Eventually I parted myself from Joanna Strand, Delrium and John Gregson but it will not be so easy to forget them.

 

AL.

 

Alex Hutton - Subterranean Jazz at Nolias 11

Alex Hutton, Graeme Flowers, Henrik Jensen & Chris Nickolls

This was my third visit to Alex Hutton's residency at Nolias 11 since it started in September 2012. The subterranean room at Nolias 11 is one of my favourite venues to draw in. It has a wonderful ambience with its low lighting and brightly lit stage. In fact the contrast is so effective that I'm never quite sure who I'm sitting next to. This creates a wonderful sense of mystery for any one with an active imagination. Luckily I'd introduced myself to the gentlemen sitting next to me earlier in the evening. It turned out to be the 'Mr Fixit' of the popular publication/website Jazz in London, Mick Sexton. With his superior Jazz knowledge he was able to tell me about the two players I'd never drawn before, Trumpeter Graeme Flowers and Bassist Henrik Jensen. The other two members of the quartet are frequent contributors to my portfolio and I overheard them sing the praises of Nolias's music room too. Chris Nickolls complimented the acoustics and Alex Hutton said that without a designated bar in the room it feels like a concert.


Alex Hutton

Every Friday evening from 9-12pm Alex Hutton presents a new body of tunes, usually with an ever fresh selection of musicians. Of course he relies on some of his own powerful tunes that have made him popular on the London circuit too. Last Friday (11/01/2013)  it was themed around the music of Gil Evans and we were treated to tunes like 'The Duke' and 'My Ship'. Alex had a contented air about him and admitted as much as we briefly passed in the dark stairwell,
 'I'm having a bit of a problem concentrating tonight, Christmas was so good it's taking a while to get back in the mood'.

Of course he was being too tough on himself. I enjoyed Alex's delicate playing very much and it was interesting that he chose to forsake his signature tune 'JJ' even though the crowd we're shouting for it at the end of the evening. JJ is one of those tunes which has an intensity that make your pulse race and the temperature rise. We didn't need to tamper with the thermostat though, despite the inhospitably cold Waterloo streets outside, the room inside Nolias 11 was toasty. In fact as the evening continued and we all peeled off layers of clothing, Henrik Jensen resolutely still wore his Danish fisherman style wolly hat. It was mystery as he sweated and redenned, until he quickly checked underneath, and an unruly thatch sprung up and was hastily supressed once more.



Nolia Devin

No evening would be complete without a song (Autumn Leaves) from the first lady herself, Nolia Devin. To add to the subterranean feel of the the venue, Madame Devin emerged from the dark looking every inch the charismatic jungle queen, clothed in a zebra/tiger print wrap.

My subterranean night ended with a late night crawl home across London. Still a spectator as I stared out at the bright lights along the Thames from my empty train carriage.

AL

Twickenham's Bloomsbury Set

Lesley Christiane

The locals in the 'King of Portugal' area of Twickenham we're given a glimpse of the future last night (13/12/2012) with the coronation of a new Queen for the vacant throne of Jazz. The Bloomsbury Pub hosted a night of swinging tunes and baritone madness with Lesley and Kelvin Christiane very much the jazz royalty in residence.
Typical of Lesley Christiane (left), she drew the packed audience into her warm embrace, and we all had a fantastic night. She answered our Christmas wishes with the news that she'll be running a regular Jazz night at the Bloomsbury pub in 2013.
Kicking off with Ray Gelato on the 24th January 2013.
She delivered an early Christmas present for me too with her version of 'Dindi', a Jobim favourite.

Kelvin Christiane played flute, clarinet and plenty of sax, especially on 'Bernie's Tune' which resulted in a moment of Baritone frenzy. Alex Hutton was at his best (as usual) - inventive, passionate and intense! 'Lines for Lyons' was a real standout. This was the first time drawing Richard Sadler but I've spotted Noel Joyce before POSK jazz cafe in Hammersmith.

Come and say hello if your coming down on the 24th Jan, I'll be there sketching away
Alban



Kelvin Christiane

http://www.thebloomsburypub.co.uk/
The Bloomsbury
209 Staines Road
Twickenham
TW2 5BB

Richard Sadler

Alex Hutton

Noel Joyce