Joe the Hat presents Jo Harrop - The Exchange, Twickenham

Dave Green - bass

Jo Harrop - voice
Dave Green - bass
John Pearce - piano
Alan Barnes - saxophone and clarinet
Matt Home - drums

Joe the Hat

After a hiatus of 18 months due to the Covid pandemic I like many others at The Exchange in Twickenham (09/09/2021) were back listening to live Jazz again. We the hope the resumption will be a long term affair and the Jazz clubs of London will be alive once again. This night was organised by dapper jazz lover and local personality Joe the Hat. 

Jo Harrop

Jo Harrop - Born in Durham and raised on a heady musical diet of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin, Jo Harrop cut her teeth as a session singer, working with a host of iconic artists including Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart, Gloria Gaynor and Enrique Iglesias. After moving to London, she quickly established herself as one of the most unmistakable voices in British jazz, performing everywhere from the Royal Albert Hall to the Sunset Sunside Jazz Club in Paris.
 https://www.joharrop.com/

Matt Home - drums

Matt Home - Born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in 1973, Matt Home started with the trumpet and switched to drums at the age of 8. After taking private lessons  in 1991 he enrolled on the three year course in Jazz and popular music at CLCM graduating in 1994 and soon began playing professionally, based in Leeds. In 1999, Matt moved to London and soon began playing with many of  the leading musicians in London, the UK and Europe including  Alan Barnes, Claire Martin, Stacey Kent, Atila, Brandon Allen, Allison Neale, Jim Mullen, Dave Cliff, Steve Fishwick, Matt Wates and Nat Steele among others. Current projects include ‘ Five- Way Split’ a UK quintet comprising 5 of the leading straight ahead jazz musicians on the London scene: The Nate Najar U.S Trio and more recently The Raible/Gradischnig Quintet “ Elmo Hope Project “ with UK trumpeter Steve Fishwick.
 https://www.matthomedrums.com/

Alan Barnes

Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist.  He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers.
 https://www.alanbarnesjazz.com/

Jon Pearce

Gentle, lyrical and thoughtful, John Pearce is one of Britain’s most respected and versatile musicians and one of our best kept secrets.  John became interested in jazz as a twelve-year old.  He played his first gigs locally in Essex, before turning professional in 1968, working in Geraldo’s Navy, and then joined the QE2 for her maiden voyage to New York in 1969.   From 1975 to 1985 he was in Ray Ellington’s Quartet and did two world cruises and radio and TV work; and became a regular session player, with the BBC Radio Orchestra, Jack Parnell’s Orchestra, Robert Farnon, Billy May, and with the James Last Orchestra.  
https://fleetjazz.wordpress.com/john-pearce-2/

Dave Green

Dave Green (born 5 March 1942) is an English jazz bassist. His first public performances were with his childhood friend Charlie Watts in the late 1950s. While performing with Humphrey Lyttelton from 1963 to 1983, he also played with the Don Rendell–Ian Carr band in the early 1960s, and went on to play with Stan Tracey. In the early 1980s, he led his own group, Fingers, featuring Lol Coxhill, Bruce Turner and Michael Garrick. In 1991, he was a founding member of Charlie Watts's quintet, together with Gerard Presencer, Peter King and Brian Lemon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Green_(musician)

Simon Spillett - Winter Sun

Simon Spillett - Saxophone

Dave Green - bass

Twickenham Jazz Club killed several birds in one stone's throw with the arrival of Simon Spillett and his quartet at the club last week (18/12/2014). Not only was this the first gig in their new home at the legendary Cabbage Patch (67 London Road, Twickenham) but also the Christmas party, complete with mince pies and mulled wine, as if you doubted it. The 13th January 2015 qualifies as the 'official' launch with Ray Gelato cutting the jazz ribbon on Twickenham Jazz Club's new Tuesday night slot.

Neil Kornfein

Simon Spillett, he of the dry wit, opened proceeding with his usual offhand humour and fluid saxophone honesty. His quartet were working unscripted because of a moment of absentmindedness, the result of their sheet music being left at home under the Christmas tree. It reflected well on the musicians themselves as they seamlessly adapted.

John Critchinson - piano

Alone Together introduced itself to Jimmy Van Heusen's But Beautiful, in which Spillett's rich hues were as warm as the Glühwein aroma that wafted around the Patchworks' grotto. This musical introduction heralded one for the musicians too. Many know drummer Trevor Tomkins as the host of the Monday night jazz gigs at the nearby Red Lion in Isleworth. Simon Spillett introduced bassist Dave Green as the 'Pendulum of British Jazz' and to be honest John Critchinson (piano) needs no moniker, such is his reputation.

Liz and Gordon

The light fragrant Critchinson had an air of levity about him, yet there was real depth about his playing. He excelled on second set opener Someday my prince will come. I was lucky enough to cast my eye and the net of my sketchbook away from the lights of the stage. The princely Liz and Gordon sat serenely at the Cabbage Patch bar, heads tilted together, listening intently.

People in the sun - Edward Hopper

The tune that summed up the night was another Jimmy Van Heusen composition, this time his 1939 hit I thought about you. As I looked deeper into the Twickenham Jazz Club crowd it was clear that many attendees held hand to chin in pensive pose. A homage to Rodin or an intensity in air, this was a time for contemplation. The sound was slow and juicy, reminding one of lounging in the Californian sun, like sitting on one of Edward Hopper's famous recliners in People in the sun.

Trevor Tomkins - Drums

The whole performance exaggerated the timeless air which accompanies Simon Spillett, there is a sincerity and a straight-ahead honesty that lured us all into an act of collective escapism. Kelvin Christiane, the able host, joined the quartet toward both the end of the first and second sets, letting loose on Night and Tunisia and Cherokee.

Kelvin Christiane - Sax

Twickenham Jazz Club will be welcoming guests to the Cabbage Patch on January 13th 2015, 8.30-11pm. Heralding an exciting period for the club and all the excellent performers who grace their stage.

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.