I’m playing it now ‘Stranger on the Shore’. I guess we all heard this as children and thought how grown up it sounded and still does, great bass part too. Great to see him still on the road. I saw the band at Brecon JF playing to a sold out Market Hall, great atmosphere and alot of love in the air.

I contacted Les Squires – who takes of things for Acker to arrange a shoot for the ‘One LP’ project and after a little false start we arranged to meet in Crewe where Acker was performing at a charity concert. I was looking forward to meeting him so much – I really didn’t know what to expect.

Backstage I got lost (like you do) and didn’t want to end up as phantom of the opera so I retraced my steps and was escorted to the production office by a charming lady, was given the number of Acker’s room and knocked on the door. I was invited in and began a brilliant half hour in the company of the man with a glint in his eye – and the glorious renegades that are his band.

The maestro himself was ringmaster to some good natured extreme humour along the lines of Pete and Dud.

I’d been photographing all day at the splendid Saxophone Day at the RNCM in Manchester and had driven to Crewe a little fatigued but drove home grinning like an idiot thanks to Mr Acker Bilk and his Buccaneers – thank you gentlemen – and to Les for making it all happen.

The Fabulous Mr. Acker Bilk - Brecon 2010

A fine time

Been very busy. Last week at the London Jazz Festival – including ‘Strayhorn the songwriter at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the colossus Sonny Rollins at the Barbican. I photographed  3 superb musicians kindly having their portrait taken as part of my One Lp project, (in order of shoots) Acker Bilk at the Lyceum, Crewe, Christian Scott at the Band on the Wall Manchester and Martin Taylor at the impressive Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton where he was the soloist playing Guy Barker’s specially composed for him – lucky chap – ‘Spirit of Django Suite.’

The piece was commissioned by the excellent International Guitar Festival on the Wirral with support from The Arts Council.

Onstage were around 40 other world class players, split approximately half and half – members of the Liverpool Phil and Guy Barker’s Jazz Orchestra – including the ‘Spirit of Django’ ensemble and the wonderful Alison Burns. If I could describe the sumptious sounds of music I would be a writer not a smudger – there has to be a recording made, please.

I like New Brighton, it’s like LA only much cooler, temperature wise that is, we used to go there as a family when I was a kid to the outdoor swimming pool, sadly gone now. I’m not saying that the water was cold but I often saw killer whales and a remote control model of the Titanic on a doomed mission to cross the vast horizonless abyss. People were much more robust then, unfiltered cigarettes and fun (and not a single Parr in sight) – though I do recall spending most og the time trying to avoid being thrown into the icy brine by a juvenile – my Dad.

New Brighton and Blackpool are the places where I first became aware of photography, a shiny camera and little boxes of film were quietly taking up residence in my tiny mind.

Back to the concert -

The composer conducts

Jack Emblow's

Rehearsal

Guy Barker and Martin Taylor after the final rehearsal

The Spirit of Django

Introducing Alison Burns

The full ensemble - sublime

Last night in Liverpool my friends Lewis, Nathaniel, Shaney and Tom aka Empirical won the MOBO for best Jazz ‘Act’. I have the hangover from hell – don’t remember taking this picture but I found it in my camera today. I have to go sleep now. More to follow. Well done gentlemen!

Empirical collect their MOBO Award at Liverpool Echo Arena

The guys with Simon from Naim label, manager Danielle and Julian Siegel (drinking moderately as we all did) who guested on the album Out 'n' In

Amongst the highlights of this year’s MJF was a live broadcast on BBC R3 of 3 compact sets presented at the Band on The Wall, the city’s iconic intimate music venue. The Arun Ghosh Quintet, Stuart McCallum and the Simcock/Walker/Swallow/Nuasbaum chappies all did their great things (not at the same time of course) to an enrapt audience in the house and I’m sure at home – speaking of which I missed Phil Bancroft’s excellent As Small as the World unfortunately.  This project explores what ‘Home’ means to us today.

Meanwhile back at BotW (and RNCM where SWSN Band the next evening) I’ve compiled a set of pictures from this evening and a selection from some other performances and sound checks. Steve Swallow is one of my favourite bassists (check out Carla Bley/Steve’s site) and a good sport, he didn’t mind too much when I showed him the picture of him tuning his lovely Citron signature bass looking like an orangutan – just  wish I could ape his playing….

'New Reed' - Arun Ghosh: Band on the Wall

Stuart McCallum: Band on the Wall

Simcock/Walker/Swallow/Nussbaum: Band on the Wall

Steve Swallow: 'Tune up', RNCM

Mike Walker: 'Tune's up too!' - RNCM

Gwilym Simcock: RNCM

Adam Nussbaum and Steve Swallow: RNCM

The Quartet: RNCM

Outside Broadcast Vehicle BotW

catch you next time...

Stan Tracey’s performance with his big band – which features many of the leading British jazz players of course was a highlight of the 25th festival. The quartet’s concert at the cricket club next day with Clark Tracey, Simon Allen and Andy Cleyndert when they played on a very sticky wicket – monsoon season!

Stan Tracey

Dave O'Higgins

Alistair White

Mark Nightingale

Clark Tracy

Tim Motion is an old friend I hadn’t seen for years, we arranged to meet at his exhibition at the  Richard Young Gallery in Kensington. He showed me round his superb show with everyone from Ray Charles, Chet Baker Muddy Waters, Gil Evans et al. We loafed around for a while and then I thought I had better take a picture of the great man – he reminds me of a big friendly Irish Wolfhound – I’m sure he’ll laugh if he reads this!

Tim Motion: London, 2010

The Monty Alexander Trio always comes up with the goods – this manifestation of the group  with Hassan W. Shakour on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums were superb. Each player exuded warmth and joy in their  playing and wide smiles. The set had all the pace and rhythm you could wish for and included some of Monty’s arrangements of Bob Marley songs – ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘Redemption Song.’

I was lucky enought to see Bob on his first tour at the Hardrock Manchester  and his last when he was still able to lift an audience of 5,000 with his great spirit, music and love.

The trio succeeded in bringing that atmosphere of rejoicing in life breathing through each tune – and for a while Wigan hovered over Jamaica like a sweet smelling rain-filled cloud. The siver lining was provided by Montyy’s heart-felt rendition of ‘Sweet Lorraine’ – promising to return to Wigan to marry the lady – we are sure he will!

Wigan has a thriving jazz scene which surprises many people – including their self-effacing selves (is that grammatically about right?) and has produced an award winning youth jazz orchestra which has played all over the world, performing with many leading musicians (and drummers) – more . The jazz festival is without doubt one of the premier jazz events in the U.K. and has over the years hosted more than it’s fair share of top artists. People like (in no particular order) Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Smith, Maynard Ferguson, Roy Hargrove, Benny Golson, Al Foster, Eddie Henderson, Johnny Griffin, Ray Brown, Count Basie Orchestra and of course pretty well every great British player has taken the road to Wigan Pier (sorry, I had an Orwellian nightmare lastnight).

Stan Tracey and his Big Band appear on Wednesday – he has a new CD release very soon I’m told.

Bobby Shew has long been a favourite at Wigan and was making a very welcome return to play at the festival’s new main venue which is spacious and atmospheric. It’s pretty well perfect I must say – a bar at the back of the hall would have made it so purely so people could turn round and shush those concientiously propping it up as they quaff. Barfly’s develpoped a wonderful ability to simultaneously speak louder as the night wears on – if only to make themselves heard above the irritating self righteous shushers and the music. Happy nights at the Mill on the Pier come to mind!

I particularly enjoyed Bobby’s straight-from-the-heart flugel playing. He’s still hitting the stunning highs too and had some warm anecdotes to tell between tunes, including one about a wonderful seven years on the stand with Blue Mitchell who he spoke of as his brother – riotous party nights in LA known as ‘Blue and Shew.’

Bobby Shew

WYJO and Festival Director, Ian Darrington MBE

Ben Darrington - jazz played on his mojo'd ''73 Fender Jazz

Trumpeters often ask, what is this? How did it get here?

- he's remembered!

Bobby Shew with WYJO Directed by Ian Darington

Bobby seen in his Flugel Horn

As you know I just love Scotland and this band is one of the reasons why. Lead by Tommy Smith and featuring the very wonderful Brian Kellock with a stellar line-up of players, including The Very Talented Mr. Quigley this is a band that really motors. A high-octane ‘Tribute to Woody Herman’ set the mood for a compelling first set. Tommy Smith’s arrangement of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ was brilliantly colourful.

SNJO perform Gershwins 'Rhapsody in Blue' arranged by Tommy Smith

Alan Benzie (Scottish Young Musician of the Year winner) keeps an eye on Brian Kellock

Actually Alan's turning pages - at the right time

Alyn Cosker on da drums

Tommy Smith

A Very Goodnight from Wigan