Gig's In Brief

Since I would like, at the end of the year to be able to list all the gigs I've been to - before I lose track here are some scribblings about my visits to the Con Cellar so far this year.

If you don't know about the Con Cellar you should. The cellar of a pub It's a teeny tiny space with old church pews and rickety chairs beneath a Camden boozer that hasn't yet succumbed to the Camden disease of becoming a tourist version of itself - a mixture of rock 'n' roll and local. Whilst it's not the most comfortable place to hear jazz - it is unlikely that you will be physically closer to the band without actually sitting in their laps anywhere else. Which when it's the likes of Troyka or Ivo Neame Ensemble is a bit special. Be warned though, that the resident piano is verging on shonky enough to be worthy of a Morley College award for decrpit pianos.*

18/01/2013
Black Eyed Hawk + The Strobes

Black Eyed Hawk
I have to confess It took me a while to warm up to Lauren Kinsella's vocals - my first impression involved the word pretentious. But the more I listened - and the more I reflect back - the more I like her unusual instrumental-like approach - the exploration of the range of sounds available in the words used. This is nothing like conventional scatting - more the sound of struggling to express things that words and melodies don't fit. There is an understated but rock solid understanding in the interaction between her and Laura Jurd. Jurd's compositions were standouts of the evening, I like them more every time I hear them. If she does not end up being BIG in the UK Jazz scene I will eat my hat (and be very, foot stompingly, poutingly disappointed).

Strobes
I very much enjoyed the Strobes set but did not form any distinctive impressions of their music beyond the incredible fleetness of Dan Nicholl's hands. This may be a second set on a Friday night after a long weeks' work thing.

01/02/2013
Mike Chillingworth Sextet + Martin Speake Trio

Mike Chillingworth Sextet.
Some very interesting elements reminiscent to me of Trad Jazz and Bepop. Really good stuff but not quite fused coherently within the pieces. Distinct sections bolted together rather than welded/melded. Be interesting to see where this goes - there's good stuff here - but I'd like to see it smooshed together a bit more.

Martin Speake Trio.
Again I enjoyed this without massively forming a distinct impression beyond that I'm starting to hear a difference in the sound between an 'older' generation of composers and more recent conservatoire graduates. What precisely that difference is I haven't quite defined for myself yet. Though this was an 'intergenerational band' as it were with Kit Downes on keys. When Kit Downes is an international jazz legend (it's surely only a matter of time) I will be able to look back and say in my best mad old jazz crone voice "he took my stool so he could sit down and play once, you know,"... Oh man...I'm looking forward to being a bonkers old jazz crone. It's going to be fun!
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*anyone who has done a course involving non digital pianos at Morley College will know what I mean...it's just time for some pianos to go to piano heaven where they will be forgiven their agedness, looked kindly upon after a life of mistreatment and lovingly played by Errol Garner.