Joanna Strand at Crazy Coqs

Jacqui Tate

After a hiatus of several weeks the pen is once again in hand. Those who have been waiting accept my apologies. There is always a bottleneck before I escape to France for the summer break and this year was no exception.

Joanna Strand

A French night is never far away in London and the Crazy Coqs is such a venue of style and class that it is easy to transport yourself away from the grinding filth of the capital streets. The grime and plod that we walk through couldn't be further from the persona of Joanna Strand, who packed out the Crazy Coqs during her 3 night residency in June (2015).

John Bailey - piano

Joanna Strand has a poise that every sloucher covets, a light touch in both narrative and song that elevates us above the humdrum but not without losing our original romantic ideals, that of a wonder for the beauty in the everyday world. Strand is at her best when she references this world of Rousseauian abundance. Beware the dangers and unhappiness if we remove ourselves from Strand's dell of Nature. Her gentleman pianist, John Bailey, reminds us of the effete Sir Brooke Boothby in Joseph Wright's famous painting as he lounges in Strand's burgeoning gothic landscape . In fact Bailey was commissioned in 2009 by Derby Jazz to commemorate the anniversary of painter Joseph Wright of Derby (who famously painted Boothby with Rousseau's book in hand). Check it out for yourself.



Jason Reeve - Drums

Joanna Strand was joined on stage by Jacqui Tate (Avenue Q, Phantom of the Opera, South Pacific) for standards and comedic entertainments. Strand and Tate are an established duo who cross effortless from jazz to classical with the occasional foray into the popular songbook. Versatility is their byword and with a long list of operatic and musical theatre credits to their name, they entertained the Crazy Coqs audience all the way to their empty cocktail glasses.

Nick Pini - Bass

When alone Jacqui Tate took the eye in the vermillion light of the Crazy Coqs while the scrunched face of bassist Nick Pini reigned blue during Cole Porter's Love for Sale. It was Tate's performance of Padam Padam which took the night though. Eastern flavours amongst the French gave it a hard exotic punch, enough to knock our molars out and replace them some much more sharp and incisive. Which was unusual, for this was not a night for baring teeth except with winning smiles.

Romano Viazzani -
Accordion

It was a night of variety with a small v rather than the capital and Romano Viazzani rewarded ardent listeners with a solo rendition of Jalousie/Jealousy. Here we got a chance to dirty our brogues, thrilling the dancer, the chancer in us all. It even appealed to the latent dueller within, although this was no quick bout, a longer death awaited. There were stays-of-execution in which we were friends once again before an inevitable final decent.

Rodney Earl Clarke

This night reunited Strand with bass-baritone Rodney Earl Clarke for the first time on stage in twenty years. They met as postgraduate students at The Royal Academy of Music all those years ago. Strand played Tonight Tonight with a touch of frailty while Clarke was a tank of a man. He caught her in his viscous amber voice like she was the most intricate of lacewings.

AL.

Will Butterworth Quartet at Blind Bee Jazz

Nick Pini - Bass

It was a descent into London's subterranean vaults to realise that Will Butterworth and his quartet need more air to breathe and more people to hear their story. It was a first visit (04/09/2014) to a new night at the exclusive Eight Members Club, near Bank station and in the dark heart of the city.

The night, Jazz at the Blind Bee, is currently being established by Middle East music specialist Shirley Smart. The inaugural gig in August was reserved for the talents of Alex Hutton and he was followed by Will Butterworth, a new visitor to the Art of Jazz sketchbook. All the nights start at 8pm, but you'll have to be on the list to get in! Negotiating stubborn bouncers will not be a problem just email jazz@eightmemberclub.co.uk or join the next gig at www.facebook.com/blindbeejazz

You would imagine, a descent into the city's heart of darkness would be as disorientating as Joseph Conrad's novel itself and you would be right. Several flights of stairs flush you out into a plush interior that is less Congo than opulent urban cool. Jazz it seems would be a perfect bedfellow for this world but it will need Shirley Smart and a few more gigs to make sure that Jazz at Blind Bee doesn't die horribly like Kurtz himself. It will need the jazz crowd to match the city workers in numbers and make them take notice.

Marco Quarantotto - drums

This was not a night for authors to set their scenes with lengthy prologues despite Will Butterworth's current muse being Oscar Wilde. It was the time to grasp the fleeting moment, to capture the ephemeral in your mind before the thudding bass of nearby establishments drove Butterworth's music from your heart.

The first tune 'Cage' gave me a mere glance at the assembled musicians, Seb Pipe immediately drawing the attention on alto saxophone. It was the second, 'The Nightingale', that let the pencil and mind roam with freedom. Nick Pini (Bass) was both dark in timbre as well as in light and I could just see his silhouette and few wisps of ruddy hair in the gloom. The opening third was slow and easy, pedestrian, not in insult but in appreciation. It made you want to strut with latent power rather than frivolity. With the kind of walk that makes people take notice, whether you prowl a New York Avenue or Bromley High Street.

Will Butterwoth - piano

The middle third of 'The Nightingale' danced with the rapidity of ideas. This was a conversation, one in tone and pace that was quicker than the brain can compute. An enigma machine would have been needed to dissect it's full meanings. There was beauty too, especially when Will Butterworth (piano) was all alone. He was a pensive runaway and there was joy in his escape and flight.

The final third gave us notes to question, a mystery, a conundrum. The mullet and brush, one held in either hand of Marco Quarantotto set the theme. There was a choking swirl from Seb Pipe's saxophone lifting us out of the depths of London. We rose into an in-between world, one very much like the city after the Footsie has shut down for night.

Seb Pipe - saxophone

'Lizard Blues' gave us a quick palate cleanser. The Rhythm section of Pini and Quarantotto were the belt that keep the rolling sax of Pipe from flopping over it's waistband. It was as though he was gorging himself on an abundance of fingers foods, quick bites that slid down our throats without even a hint of a chew.

AL.

Jazz night's at the Blind Bee is worth supporting and exploring more, coming up is Maurizio Minardi  (Sept 18th) and Al Scott (Oct 2nd). Don't forget it's Free Entry.