Jazz notes (From York Press)

Jazz notes

9:56am Friday 13th January 2012 in Music news and reviews By Ron Burnett

DYLAN HOWE has a triple life, as session musician, rock drummer (Wilco Johnson, the Blockheads) and as a jazzer. Tonight he brings his quintet to Wakefield Jazz (01977 680542), which features Paul Booth (tenor saxophone) and Steve Fishwick (trumpet), both also top session musicians.

Saxophonist Martin Boyd is seen regularly at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, and the Shoulder of Mutton, Heworth, and tomorrow night he takes his own band to Jazz in the Spa (01937 842544). The Kid Boyd Band is a great favourite at Boston Spa and plays a variety of music backed by drummer Rod McNamara. At a recent Old White Swan session, Martin played Batida Diferente as a solo feature and recalled that Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio not only knew the tune, but also knew its composer back home in Rio.

Zezo himself is the regular attraction with his own trio on Sundays at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, from 1pm (01904 620222). Later on Sunday, the Ian Chalk Quartet is the big draw at the Phoenix Inn, George Street. The new Monday residency at the Phoenix is with the Kate Peters Band and an early arrival is recommended in view of the growing popularity of the glamorous young vocalist and her hot band. Meanwhile, the equally glamorous duo of Chris Moore (piano) and James Lancaster (trumpet) front the celebrated jam session at the Phoenix on Wednesday (01904 656401).

Kate Peters pops up again on Tuesday at York’s newest jazz joint, the Shoulder of Mutton, Heworth, at which she alternates with the Martin Boyd Trio (January 24) and Bejazzled (January 31).

Scarborough Jazz runs at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace, every Wednesday (01723 570500) and next week’s guest will be guitarist Jim Birkett, known as Dr Jazz because of this daytime gig as a college lecturer in jazz in Newcastle.

Thursday jazz at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, York, has been running for 16 years, with the Mardi Gras Band alternating with Bejazzled and Mike Riley (01904 540911). Next Thursday will be Mardi Gras night.

Not to be Islamophobic, but has Jazz Notes noticed a creeping trend in young male fashion? The Arabian Nights-style shoes with pointy, upturned toes and Al Qaeda trousers with crutch around the knees (as displayed by attention-seeking Robbie Williams) are probably a minority phenomenon.

A new album, Cohesion, by Partikel (Whirlwind Records), contributed fleetingly to the impression, with Islamic-sounding titles such as Assam, The Blood of the Pharoah and El Schmeckl.

However, although the music has influences from world music, it is a saxophone/double bass/drums trio in the Coltrane mode, with occasional Latin American rhythms.

Assam has a gently ruminative soprano saxophone melody over walking double bass and increases in intensity as the track progresses, while The Blood of the Pharoahs is a pleasant minor key theme with rhythm from tom toms, claves and woodblocks.

Duncan Eagles moves to tenor saxophone on The Restless Child and double bass player Max Luthert takes an extended bass solo, helpfully titled Bass Solo.

Market Place features a rising, chromatic bass figure under Eagles’ bright soprano melody, the instrument’s tonal register occasionally reaching the cadences of the Islamic reed instrument, the ney. Outro is a short, 44-second burst of hyper-activity, while The Cove has a meandering, modal feel before the tempo quickens to more Coltrane-ism.

The recording by Derek Nash does credit to the trio, their virtuosity well up to the incredibly high standard of British jazz. However, to ears accustomed to a chordal instrument in the mix, 12 tracks without piano or guitar can be a taxing listen except to the most fervent sax fan.