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Review: Scarborough Jazz Festival 2024

This year's seamlessly delivered North Yorks meeting was 'hugely enjoyable', with congratulations due to new festival director Mark Gordon as well as the stage crew and Spa staff

Stormy weather and turbulent seas lashed South Bay’s Victorian coastal spa on the first day of the 21st Scarborough Jazz Festival but luckily the remainder of the weekend turned out clear and bright.

Alan Barnes once again compered the festival (27 to 29 September) in his usual humorous fashion. Friday’s session opened with Al Morrison’s Blues Experience. Alongside Morrison on guitar, this 11-piece band was fronted by three powerhouse singers – Kate Peters, Jenny Smith and Sarah Brickel. For some of the time they were joined by Stuart Garside. James Hamilton was on trumpet, Atholl Ransome tenor sax, Rosie Nicholl trombone, Martin Longhawn piano, John Marley bass and Gordon Kilroy drums. Garside played trombone too when he wasn’t singing and Alan Barnes guested on alto for a ballad at the end. All were top of their game. Numbers included Every Day I Have the Blues, Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City and a spectacular rendition of Sunshine Of Your Love. The whole performance set a high bar for the rest of the festival.

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Family Band came on next, with their contemporary take on the free-jazz style of Ornette Colman et al. All the compositions were written by band members. Trumpeter Kim Macari had a good line in repartee. Riley Stone-Lonergan was on tenor, Tom Riviere bass and Steve Hanley drums. The band went down well with the Grand Hall’s audience.

Spritely at the age of 85, Elaine Delmar followed with a nicely contrasting set of standards including Tea For Two, Love For Sale and Send In The Clowns. She was ably backed by Barry Green on piano, Simon Thorpe bass and Bobby Worth drums. This was a great performance and Delmar’s expressive rendition of Summertime – with solo bass accompaniment – was particularly exquisite.

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Talented guitarist and composer David Preston, a finalist at the Montreux International Guitar competition, took Friday’s early evening spot with a set of original progressive jazz compositions from his first two albums. His quartet comprised Jason Rebello on piano, Kevin Glasgow on six-string bass and Sebastian Rochford on drums. Rebello had stepped in at the last minute and considering his three compatriots were well versed with the material, he did well to keep up with the speed and agility of their output.

Fergus McCreadie returned to Scarborough with bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson. The pianist informed the audience that they hadn’t planned a particular programme but would start to play and see how it went. They then kept at it for 45 minutes. As with their Scarborough debut in 2021, there was an undulating pattern of piano climaxes alternating with slower tempos, soft brush work and bass soloing. A recurring Scottish folk-song theme unfolded throughout. The second piece had similarities and continued until the set closed. Many in the audience were clearly appreciative but for these ears the process was too drawn out.

Friday night closed with Alan Barnes’ splendid Copperfield Suite. Barnes narrated scenes from the novel, adopting the voices of its characters

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Friday night closed late with Alan Barnes’ splendid Copperfield Suite, his musical depiction of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Barnes narrated scenes from the novel, adopting the voices of its characters. Individual members of the octet then brought each character and scene musically to life. The band comprised Barnes on alto sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, Bruce Adams on trumpet, Robert Fowler on tenor sax and clarinet, Mark Nightingale trombone, Karen Sharp baritone sax and clarinet, David Newton piano, Simon Thorpe bass and Clark Tracey drums. All were first-rate and this excellent revue was well received by the capacity audience.

Saturday afternoon opened with “Jazz Samba”, featuring compositions mostly by Tom Jobim with others from the likes of Sérgio Mendes and Bruno Martino. This all acoustic band comprised Mark Crooks on tenor and clarinet, Nigel Price on guitar, John Cervantes piano, Marianne Windham double bass and Demi Garcia Sabat on drums. It was an absolutely sparkling set with numbers including Desafinado, Estrada Branca, Groovy Samba, Estate and Favela. The audience loved it.

Virtuoso jazz violinist Benet McLean and his hard-bop quintet came next with Tom Remon on guitar, Liam Dunachie piano, Rio Kai bass and Jamie Murray drums. They delivered a foot-tapping array of numbers including Lee Morgan’s Tom Cat, Round Midnight (with a gorgeous violin and piano duet before the rest of the band came in at full blast), Moanin’ with unaccompanied arco bass soloing and two McLean originals – Brazilian Bop and Jo. The audience wanted more. By way of contrast, vocalist James Hudson and his octet followed with songs mostly from his recent album Moonray. These included On A Clear Day, Rodgers and Hart’s Sing For Your Supper and Feed The Birds from Mary Poppins. Urbane in approach, Hudson delivered in an ultra-cool and relaxed manner.

Nigel Price returned to the stage to open Saturday evening with his organ trio. Alongside Price on guitar were Ross Stanley on Hammond and Joel Barford on drums. Numbers included smart re-arrangements of This Could Be The Start Of Something Big, Wes Montgomery’s Jingles, Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most and You Don’t Know Me. This was a blistering performance with intricate interplay and agile soloing from each. Barford’s drumming was on fire throughout.

Hejira, on next, was established to celebrate Joni Mitchell’s “jazz” period. The band’s name comes from Mitchell’s album Hejira – an Arab term meaning “journey” employed by her to reflect her quest for self-discovery. The septet at Scarborough comprised singer and guitarist Hattie Whitehead who emulated Mitchell’s musical style to a tee, guitarist Pete Oxley who created the band, Mark Lockheart who stood in at the last minute on tenor, soprano sax and bass clarinet, Chris Eldred on keyboards, Dave Jones bass, Rick Finlay drums and Marc Cecil percussion. Numbers included Just Like This Train, Woodstock, Amelia and Hejira. It was a splendid performance.

Unfortunately I had to miss Tom Smith’s Big Band and also Gareth Lockrane’s but by all accounts both excelled. Sunday was seen in at midday by ARQ – Alison Rayner’s Quintet. Her bass-playing was accompanied by longstanding companions Diane McLoughlin on tenor and soprano, Deirdre Cartwright on guitar, Steve Lodder piano and Buster Birch on drums. Vibrant and melodic originals penned by each member of the band was the order of the day. As always this closely integrated outfit was well received by the highly appreciative audience.

Dutch singer Fay Claassen came on next, with backing from Barry Green on piano and Emma Rawicz on tenor sax. Claassen delivered a class act with diverse songs such as Paul McCartney’s Blackbird, Ennio Morricone’s Cinema Paradiso, Cole Porter’s You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To and Rodgers and Hart’s My Funny Valentine. Green was excellent on keys but strangely the input from Rawicz seemed somewhat thin on the ground.

The surprise hit of the weekend came in the form of 3D Jazz Trio. they entranced the audience with their innovative style and good-time attitude

The surprise hit of the weekend came later on in the form of 3D Jazz Trio. Visiting Americans – Jackie Warren on piano, Amy Shook on bass and Sherry Maricle on drums – they entranced the audience with their innovative style and good-time attitude. Interspersing comic repartee, they belted out a variety of jazz and blues infused arrangements such as Isham Jones’ No Greater Love (here’s a taste filmed in Michigan), Joe Raposo’s Sing, Tin Tin Deo and Jimmy Smith’s Back At The Chicken Shack. When the trio delivered When You And I Were Young Maggie they got the audience to sing along with them.

Alex Webb and Tony Kofi closed the main festival in style on Sunday night with their tribute to tenorist Ben Webster, celebrating highlights of his career. With Webb on piano and Kofi on tenor sax, Lulu Pierre provided the narration and vocals, Alan Barnes played alto and tenor sax, Simon Finch was on trumpet, David Lalljee trombone, Dave Green bass and Clark Tracey drums. A string quartet of two violins, viola and cello also joined in partway through. Whilst this performance was the final one of the weekend on the main stage, the festival’s fringe events were extended this year to late-night sessions in the spa’s Farrer’s Bar. These featured Jamil Sheriff’s 4 in 1 on the Friday and The Gaz Hughes Trio on Saturday.

This year’s festival was hugely enjoyable and congratulations for this are in order to Mark Gordon, the festival’s new director, but to also to the stage and sound people and all the Scarborough Spa staff for making it happen so seamlessly. Early Bird tickets for the 2025 festival are available now from the festival website.

Scarborough Jazz Festival 2024, 27 to 29 September

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