Kelvin Christiane Big Band - The Cabbage Patch

Ian Smith - trumpet

We were pressed in tighter than a sardine sandwich last week (02/02/2015) at the Cabbage Patch Pub to launch the first Big Band night at Twickenham Jazz Club's new home. Not only was it rammed full of keen audience members but a 16 strong Big Band to boot.



Bob McKay -
Saxes

With its warm and welcoming ambience I think the word 'cosy' might be an understatement to describe this night but don't think this was pipe and slippers fare in the Patchworks bar. The heat comes from those manly perspiring musos and the red hot tunes fired relentlessly into eager jazz lovers.



Noel Joyce - drums

If you have never been before, then a Big Band night comes with a heavy recommendation, if not for the music then for the interaction and dynamism of the band. Four banks of musicians line up before you. Piano, bass and drums are relegated to the back, carolled behind the standing trumpeters who teeter above them. In front of the trumpets sat four trombones and the those in the vanguard were the saxophones.

Chris Lowe - Trombone

Benny Golson's 'Whisper Not' was certainly an understatement as the front row of the audience felt the full blast of the saxophones, who sat just inches away. The equally apt 'Nutville' (Horace Silver) was next and if you hadn't already guessed it there is a dark and infectious humour that rolls around a Big Band. Kelvin Christiane's band is no exception, and where there is humour they'll be a few headcases too. Against the grain was Chris Lowe who is composure and elegance personified. His trombone solo was as neat and debonair as his attire.



Nick Mills - Trombone

It was the Christiane penned 'Spring Lullaby' next, if you were expecting to be rocked asleep then hold onto your gunnels because night time in Kelvin Christiane's mind is both dark and turbulent. Nick Mills (trombone), Pete Hurt (sax) and KC himself all featured. Despite the tune appearing on Christiane's Parisian Summer album this feels and smells strongly of mid-century USA. The Continental Op chewing gum, a long night, perhaps a killer in the shadows but most certainly there's a deliberate and powerful punch to conclude this pulp fiction yarn.

Damian Cook -
Soprano

Damian Cook (soprano saxophone) and Pete Hurt (flute) featured proudly on the Stevie Wonder tune 'You've got it bad girl' before we indulged ourselves in another Twickenham Jazz Club favourite, 'Joy Spring'. It was here that I spied one of a series of new faces to me. Pianist Jim Treweek started this Clifford Brown tune with fluidity and dexterity, one might even say playful.



Jim Treweek - piano

Jim Treweek shone again on 'Toothless Grin' (John LaBarbera), his pearly whites radiated from the rear of the Cabbage Patch stage. This was an on-your-toes performance, started by Bob McKay on flute, which then pulsed into a rolling mass, happily careering under its own momentum. The Kelvin Christiane Big Band were a carnival float cascading down a San Francisco descent, and we were more than happy to hitch a lift.

Jonathan Lewis - Trumpet

The second set was opened by hostess Lesley Christiane with Gershwin's ''S Wonderful' and Bart Horward's 'Fly me to the moon'. It was a time to sit back and take in the full impact of the Big Band that rose up behind Madame Christiane. Ian Smith with his 'Milk Tray Man' turtleneck and Charles Dance visage caught the discerning eye.

Stuart Brooks - Trumpet

It is often the trumpeters who end up in my sketchbook, two with contrasting styles are Stuart Brooks whose trumpet projects out to the audience at right angles to the stage, while Jonathan Lewis' has a severe case of Brewers Droop. Do not doubt his virility though, he has enough punch in that trumpet to take you to heaven and back. Matt Yardley amply completed the quartet with equal force and power.

Richard Sadler
Bass

The penultimate tune of the night was Buddy Rich's Groovin' Hard, it strutted and skipped straight into it's stride like a Man-about-town. It was dapper. It had a purpose, a mission, a raison d'etre even, but lets not sound too pretentious. The man about Twickenham is of course local bassist Richard Sadler, who has, with one slice of his razor relinquished his Lord Lucan looks in favour of a clean cut approach.



Martin Nickless
Sax & Clarinet

It is a failing of mine to be too light hearted with the talents of these accomplished musicians but sometimes they add the grist to the mill themselves. Tonight though the Kelvin Christiane's Big Band were the essence of focussed zeal, Brotherhood and togetherness. There was not a breath of hot air in their final tune "Wind Machine". It was as punchy as anything rumbling off the Siberian steppes. Which prepared everyone nicely for their walk home.
 
AL.

Chris Gower - Trombone

Dave Eaglestone - Trombone

Matt Yardley - trumpet

Pete Hurt - flute & sax



Stuart Green
Cabbage Patch landlord
and sound engineer.



Graeme Taylor - Fat Sax

Piers Green - Alto saxophone

Ahead of us are so many obvious pitfalls that I will endeavour not to afflict upon you too many cringeworthy metaphors, nor make this journey to odious. Despite having 9 musicians and an elephant in the room at Twickenham Jazz Club (19/06/2014) Graeme Taylor's Fat Sax still had room to swing the modest audience by their coat tails. The elephant in question shot himself in the foot midway through the performance with the aid of two goals from Luis Suarez. Yes, this was the night of England's game against Uruguay in the 2014 World Cup. I will not say anything more it, for all our sakes.

Damian Cook - Alto

Graeme Taylor's Fat Sax project tips its hat to the world's most classy tribute act of all time, Supersax. Created in 1972 to honour the iconic bebop music of saxophonist Charlie Parker. It went on to feature a ever changing role call of talented musicians, including a personal favourite, Blue Mitchell. Taylor has kept true to the original format of 2 alto saxes (Piers Green, Damian Cook), 2 tenor saxes (Sam Walker, Toby Stewart) and  baritone (Ollie Weston), trumpet (Sid Gauld) and a rhythm section of bass (Rob Hutchinson),  drums (Mike Bradley) and the man himself on piano.

Sid Gauld - trumpet

The early exchanges surprisingly weren't dominated by the saxophone, this was reserved for trumpeter Sid Gauld. He was the lone herald on a battlefield, playing with clarity while the cavalry's steeds pawed the ground behind him. Gauld certainly wasn't cannon fodder and his 'hammerhead' approach broke through our defences with power and grace. On the 3rd tune, John Coltrane's 'Moment's notice' he stood proud, but we were starting to feel charge of the saxophones.

Toby Stewart - Tenor Sax

It was a overwhelming sensation to be sat in front of the Fat Sax wall of sound. It was not only their broad shoulders that blocked out much of The Bloomsbury 'atmospheric' lighting but the rolling wave of music that dominated the rest of the night. Often playing as one organic force they resembled a manly waterfall. Bud Powell's 'Tempus Fugit' epitomised this fast and furious approach, where the saxophones seem to fire all together yet spray off in their own jets of pleasure. A little like 5 men synchronised at an urinal but with much sweeter consequences.

Graeme Taylor - piano

Graeme Taylor broke into the rush of joyous and swinging saxophones with his own up-tempo artistry. Taylor is hard to capture in the sketchbook, he looks both muscular and light of foot and his eyes seem to have the sort of permanent twinkle reserved for American sitcoms and Casanovas. He is one of the movers and shakers at The Gunnersbury, where Big Band's perform on Sunday lunchtimes including his very own the Hot Waffle Big Band. Modest as always he lurks in the background but let me shed just a little light on his talents as a composer and arranger. You can now gets your hand on his 'charts' at Big Jazz Face, which isn't a euphemism but an invitation to play White Sand, his fast, furious, fantastic Latin composition with your own big band.




Sam Walker - Tenor Sax

The second set was equally attack minded with Sam Walker's tenor proving a talking point amongst the modest, attentive and knowledgeable crowd. Attributes (I do not know about modesty) displayed by Walker himself, for no other performer listened more keenly at his comrades playing nor applauded more generously. 'Moose the Mooche' gave us the shot in the arm that is Rob Hutchinson on bass but also a vocalising scatting interlude by polymath and drummer Mike Bradley.



Mike Bradley - drums

The over-riding theme of the night was the interchange between the Brass' togetherness and each individual's skill. Dexter Gordon's 'Cheese Cake' was the manifestation of this theory, compositionally switch-hitting between pace and personnel. Continuity kept on taking a cigarette break while the aforementioned Hutchinson and Bradley decadently blew smoke rings in our direction.

Ollie Weston - Baritone Sax

It is hard to single out one performer from the united line of saxophones but Ollie Weston's baritone was at it's most lyrical during Fat Sax's rendition of Charlie Parker's 'Confirmation'. Weston was nimble and light footed whilst negotiating the tune's complex chord changes. He was the gate that let me enter Fat Sax's wall of sound and sit up in my ivory tower as I watched the desolate England football fans sadly trudge below.

AL.

Rob Hutchinson - bass

The dark side of Kelvin Christiane

Kelvin Christiane - Saxophone

Why would an artist choose to sit in front of 16 burly musicians and attempt to capture them all on paper in just two hours. Some might say I was destined to fail last Tuesday (10/09/2013) and they were right. It was the opening of Twickenham Jazz Club's Autumn/Winter season and the 16 specimens of manhood that presented themselves for roll call did so under the gaze of sergeant major Kelvin Christiane. Of course what brought me to attempt such a challenge of immortalising all these loyal jazz soldiers was the feel good factor of the Big Band.

Graham Russell - Trumpet

When faced with such a united front the best plan is to pick off a few well known faces and get them into your sketchbook. Although they looked sternly at me like Mussolini's Squadristi in their Blackshirts I knew that there were a few jokers in the pack. Chief among them being the irrepressible Graham Russell, who gently wafted his quips through the trumpet line like a naughty pupil with a stash of stink bombs.

Richard Sadler - Bass

Just behind Russell was bassist Richard Sadler, another stalwart of Christiane's ensembles, deep in thought, eyes barely rising above the trumpet trenches above him. Nowadays he sports a look somewhere between a young Lord Kitchener and the Village People's biker. I have to say he plays bass vastly better than both.



Graeme Taylor - Keys

The rearguard of Big Bands are often neglected so it was a pleasure to outflank them and spy a jocular Graeme Taylor on keys. He must be a good stick, for here is a man who is a leader in his own right. On this night demoted to water carrier for the saxophones at the front but usually he is the General of the Hot Waffle Big Band, a scorching funk ensemble, terrorising the Watford area.

Noel Joyce - Drums

To complete the back line was Noel Joyce. Hot from recording the latest Kelvin Christiane Album, The Arrival, along with Nigel Price and Larry Bartley. It is a CD of two halves, with the tunes split between Christiane's flute and baritone saxophone. I had been happily pressed-ganged into action for the artwork. You'll be able to buy it very soon from his website. LINK HERE



Jonathan Lewis - Trumpet

Although we started with Sammy Nestico's sweeping 'Switch in Time', it was a mere warm up for an excellent Christiane tune 'Spring Lullaby' from his Parisian Summer album. Jonathan Lewis (trumpet) was especially evocative by extracting the darkest themes from what is a particularly menacing lullaby. One eye swivelled toward us while the other shut, unnerving us even more. Max Macson, who recently appeared in Danny Boyle's 'Trance' and knows a thing or two about film scores, lent over and commented on its brooding nature, "Just like Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story".



Paul Jordanous - Trumpet

We were of course treated to Big Band staples that roused our cockles, none played better than by the late arriving Mr Paul Jordanous. The man is so busy, he may have well just hopped off a plane from the continent where he is in demand. It was back in London where I've heard the most glowing report of his skills at an Association of British Calypsonians concert recently from Rich Rainlore who just said "Spectacular". He lived up to expectations on Benny Golson's 'Whisper Not'.

Damian Cook - Alto Sax

'Thumbs' gave me a first glimpse of alto saxophonist Damian Cook. The lighting at the Bloomsbury can be problematic for the big band, after all it would be hard to train 16 spotlights on the performers. So Cook was deep in shadow and this cast a deep and thoughtful shadow on his demeanour. He may well be the most delicate of flowers but here he looked as though he had walked straight out of a Scandinavian murder drama, resplendent with an Arctic Circle beard.



Nick Mills - Trombone

Then came another Christiane composition, 'Thrills'. Strange in that it juxtaposed itself against all the togetherness of previous swinging tunes. Appealing because of its moments of discord and mature after the lightness of the tune preceding it, 'Joy Spring'.
Nick Mills solo epitomised the sentiment, slowly working toward unison then breaking the underlying themes apart. Thrills it was, as Mills became redder and redder as he took centre stage and we all wondered if he was going to blow the inner gasket in his impressive chest.

Chris Lowe - Trombone

'Groove Merchant' proved the perfect foil for Chris Lowe on trombone. Usually he wields his trombone as though he were a dueller seeking satisfaction from a rival suitor, but here was a more earthy and rich solo. Distinguished of course, but with Stuart Brooks they were like two gutsy Flappers dancing on the their big band table. Brazen and stylish.

Lesley Christiane

Lesley Christiane catapulted our post break blues away and despite being a little down hearted at the start of the evening, brought us her razzmatazz in the form of 'Taking a chance on love' and 'Orange coloured sky'. Once again she proved she is the doyenne of The Bloomsbury's Jazz scene.



Dave Eaglestone - Trombone

Before signing off let me mention the double barrels of Dave Eaglestone on trombone and Duncan Lamont Junior on Baritone saxophone.
Eaglestone rarely takes his turn in the limelight yet is undoubtedly the 'engine' of the band. Lamont was smooth, if that isn't an insult nowadays, on 'Superbone meets the bad man'.

Pete Hurt - Tenor Saxophone

Finally, Pete Hurt gave us his arrangement of 'Star Eyes'. Hurt is the epitome of substance over style, his playing style reminds one of the way Geoffrey Boycott converses, out of the side of the mouth and with a no nonsense approach.

It was great to be back in the company of the Twickenham Jazz Club crowd, warm in its embrace as the Autumnal nights draw in. The dark tinged lullaby of Kelvin Christiane's self-penned tunes brought us the thrill of September with its steamy breath and sweet orange decay. The Big Band's music though defies this yearly disintegration, capturing the audience in its fairytale spell, and bestowing upon us the ability to reverse the ageing process. If I keep going to their monthly nights I'm hoping I will be rejuvenated in the time for the Christmas party season.

AL.



Stuart Brooks - Trumpet

Chris Gower - Trombone

Duncan Lamont Junior -
Baritone Saxophone