Jazz notes (From York Press)

Jazz notes

11:08am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Music news and reviews By Ron Burnett

THE harmonica is not unknown in jazz, but the rare beast surfaces tonight at Wakefield Jazz, blown by Adam Glasser (01977 680542).

Adam has played with Joe Zawinul, Sting and the Eurythmics among many, and tonight he brings his own band of Robin Aspland (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Tristan Maillot (drums).

Fancy some classic jazz from the 1920s to the 1940s, plus rags, stomps and blues? From the Midlands, the Millennium Jazz Band will oblige tomorrow night at Jazz in the Spa (01937 842544) with their annual appearance at Boston Spa.

Miles Gilderdale is guitarist, composer, arranger and producer for the million-selling band Acoustic Alchemy and last week the band hit number one in the Billboard magazine jazz charts. The track is Marrakesh, written by Miles, who must be delighted to be ahead of George Benson at number two.

After his regular USA travels, Miles returns to York to take the reins of the galloping Blueflies who will be at their usual Victoria Vaults venue, Nunnery Lane, on Sunday teatime (01904 654307).

For more info on Acoustic Alchemy, there is a long feature on the band in the new edition of Jazz UK magazine.

Sunday jazz in York begins in style with the Zezo Olimpio Trio at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, at 1pm (01904 620222) and the day closes with hot stuff from the Ian Chalk Quartet at the Phoenix Inn, George Street, at 8.30pm. Exciting young vocalist Kate Peters has a twice-monthly residency at the Phoenix and she brings her band to the venue on Monday night. The celebrated Phoenix jam session will be on Wednesday, fronted by James Lancaster (trumpet) and Chris Moore (piano). Details of all Phoenix jazz from 01904 656401 and phoenixinnyork@live.co.uk

If the Tuesday jazz experiment continues at the Shoulder of Mutton, Heworth (check at 01904 424793), Kate Peters will have her second gig of the week there at around 8.30pm.

Scarborough Jazz at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace runs every Wednesday and next week’s guests will be trumpeter Greg Wadman and your writer on trombone (01723 500570).

Thursday jazz in York will be at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, with Bejazzled and Mike Riley (01904 540911).

Review

Beginnings is the debut CD of tenor saxophonist Josh Arcoleo (Edition records EDN1030).

He is in the company of Ivo Neame, piano, Calum Gourlay, double bass and James Maddren, drums. Arcoleo plays what looks like a nice old Selmer, which may account for his pleasantly sad, old-fashioned tone. The eight tracks were all written by Arcoleo and there are no passengers in this tightly performing quartet, from slow moody melodies to the more frenzied output. Although there is no doubt about Mr Arcoleo’s ability as a performer, it is unfortunate one has also to judge his ability as a composer at the same sitting. It is a mistake to fill one’s first offering with self-written material, which falls short of the musicianship.

Review by Don Lodge