Friday, 17th January 2003

SHOWCASE CONCERT - Tommy Smith Quartet

Doors open 7.30pm
Music starts 8.00pm

Tickets: £15.00 (£10 Club members)

We open 2003 with a very special visit by one of today's most highly rated tenor saxophonists.

Tommy Smith has made quite a mark on the international scene, and for someone still in his mid-thirties he packs an awful lot of experience. After attending Berklee College of Music in the United States, he was still only eighteen when selected to join the great vibist Gary Burton's group - a rare honour, as Tommy was only the second saxophonist selected by Gary in his twenty-odd years as a leader. He obviously made quite an impression, as by 1989 he was signed to Blue Note.

Some years on, and Tommy has developed into a major player on the world stage as a saxophonist and composer. He has recorded seventeen albums as leader, and written over 250 compositions. As for his style, when reviewed in Downbeat magazine, critic Zan Stewart wrote: "Tommy Smith is some saxophonist, possessing a shining, poweful tone and a masterful technique. He creates melodies, not riffs, even if the tempo is outrageously fast."

It is an honour and a privilege to have Tommy playing at Peterborough, and to hear him in the classic quartet setting which gives the best opportunity to highlight his rare improvisational talent. Completing the quartet will be one of the best rhythm sections around, with Gareth Williams on piano, Aidan O'Donnell on double bass and Sebastiaan de Krom on drums.

For this showcase performance there is no support set. Tommy's Quartet take the stage for their first set at 8.00pm.

Sunday, 9th February 2003

FEATURE CONCERT - Jimmy Hastings Quartet and Mike Capocci Trio

Doors open 7.00pm

Music starts 7.30pm

Tickets £12.50 (£10 Club members)

We start this evening’s session with a highly talented pianist well known on the Norwich jazz scene where at various times he has played with practically all the leading instrumentalists on the UK club circuit. Mike Capocci has also played at our club before, when his fluent, melodic style was greatly appreciated as the perfect foil for young vibist Lewis Wright. We had many favourable comments at the time, so we could not miss the opportunity to bring him back again - this time with his own trio featuring the ever-popular Mike Harris on double bass and Bryan McAllister on drums. Mike’s trio will be presenting a programme of classic standards from the modern jazz repertoire.

After a short break, the second part of the evening’s programme features two sets by the Jimmy Hastings Quartet, one of the most under-rated multi-instrumentalists it will be your good fortune to hear at the Club. Some of the committee heard him in Cambridge in the autumn and were absolutely knocked out by the sheer inventiveness and
fluency of Jimmy’s solos. On flute, clarinet or tenor saxophonedrums.

Jimmy is a highly melodic and inventive improviser who has a way of making every standard sound fresh and new. Hard driving up-tempo numbers, and soulfully sentimental ballads, give Jimmy such a wide range of expression that you will go home from this concert and remember it for a long time afterwards.

The other members of the quartet are pianist John Horler (last heard at the club with Lee Gibson), drummer Pete Cater (last heard at the club with the Pete Cater Big Band) and John Day on double bass.

Friday, 7th March 2003

9-Piece Combo - Frank Griffith Nonet

Doors open 7.30pm

Music starts at 8.00pm (no support set)

Tickets- £13.00 (£10 Club members)

Saxes: Frank Griffith - Tenor, Bob Martin - Alto, Mick Foster - Baritone
Horns: Malcolm Earl Smith - Trombone, Henry Lowther & Steve Fishwick - Trumpets
Rhythm: Tom Cawley - Piano, Dave Chamberlin - Bass, Matt Fishwick - Drums.

The Frank Griffith Nonet was originally formed in New York City in 1984, the current version being created in 1997 when Frank moved to England and played their debut at Kingston Jazz Festival. Several festivals followed, including Ealing in 2000 which was recorded and issued on cd under the inspired title Frank Griffith Nonet 'Live' At Ealing Jazz Festival 2000. The recording got excellent reviews, including a top-scoring 4-stars in JazzRag and was CD Choice in the London Evening Standard. The Ealing concert was where we first heard them, and we've been trying to fit them in the programme ever since.

The band leader Frank Griffith is a distinguished composer/arranger who has written for Lionel Hampton and is responsible for most of the band's repertoire. The band is packed with fine soloists, which added to Frank's excellent charts combine to produce a Griffith brand of post-bop swinging modernism generating its own momentum and excitement. For this evening's performance the band will be mainly playing Frank's own arrangements of jazz standards, with maybe a few originals for good measure.

We haven't programmed a support set tonight as we figured nine musicians on stage together would provide all the stimulation we need.

Friday, 21st March 2003

RONNIE SCOTT MEMORIAL CONCERT - Peter King Quartet & The Kerry Hodgkin Trio

Doors open 7.00pm

Music starts 7.30pm

Tickets £13.00 (£10 Club members)

Our Club has a very special affection for the greatly missed Ronnie Scott who played our first-ever concert back in February 1992, and we always like to dedicate one concert at this time of year to his memory. It is therefore fitting that we have as feature artist at the Club tonight a musician who, as a young man of 19, played at the opening night of Ronnie's first club in Gerrard Street, and who has grown in stature internationally to become recognised as one of the world's leading alto saxophonists.

Who can forget Peter King's moving solo rendering of Lush Life when he last visited the Club with Alan Skidmore back in February 2001?

Playing very much in the post-bop tradition, Peter has the gift of an amazing technique coupled with outstanding musicianship to produce one of the most exhilarating sounds you are likely to hear. Whether playing standards, or the occasional original composition, tonight's performance will cover the full modern jazz spectrum from blues to ballads, swing to soul, and all delivered with the fluent articulation for which he is famous. In the quartet with Peter tonight we have the highly-rated Steve Melling on piano, Jeremy Brown on double bass and Stephen Keogh on drums.

Setting the evening up for us tonight on her first appearance at the Club we have the very talented vocalist Kerry Hodgkin with her trio. Her first cd was released to very favourable reviews just over a year ago, so let's hope she's got some left !!

Friday, 11th April 2003

THE EUROPEAN SPECIAL featuring the Renato D'Aiello Quartet and The Paul Stubbs Quartet

Doors open 7.00pm

Music starts- 7.30pm

Tickets: £12.50 (£10 Club members)

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Renato has had to make some last minute changes to his line up. However, we can still promise some classic modern jazz tonight, as Renato will be bringing an exciting European band.

First we have the warm-toned trumpet of Paul Stubbs with his quartet. Reminiscent of Clifford Brown and Art Farmer, Paul constructs every piece with considerable elegance and just the right number of notes - enough to say what he wants without over-elaborating. We think you will like him.

Tonight's feature band is led by Italian tenor saxophonist Renato D'Aiello, now resident in England when he is not touring the European jazz club circuit. His tone and phrasing are evocative of early Rollins, Henderson or Griffin. Of his debut cd, the JazzWise reviewer said "If this had been a late-50's Blue Note release it would now be regarded as a classic."

We have another rare treat tonight - a great American bebop pianist who now lives in Paris - Kirk Lightsey. Kirk has played with the greatest and has made many recordings including those with Sonny Stitt and Chet Baker.

Completing the quartet we have the outstanding pairing of Nicola Muresu on double bass and Dave Wickens on drums.

Friday, 25th April 2003

STYLISH VOCALIST - Sheena Davies Quartet with special guest Nick Page

Doors open 7.15pm
Music starts 7.45pm

Tickets: £12.50 (£10 Club members)

Over the years we've made quite a feature of the quality of the vocalists invited to the Club, and now we have another for you. Sheena Davies was talent-spotted at the Brecon Jazz Festival and went on to become lead singer with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. She was described by its musical director, Bill Ashton, as the finest all-round singer ever to appear with the band.

Sheena has now become well established on the UK circuit, having performed at most of the leading venues including Ronnie Scotts, Pizza on the Park and the 606 Club so her first visit to Peterborough is long overdue. Her debut album "Smile" received tremendous reviews, and airtime on JazzFM and Parkinson's Radio 2 show. This is what some of the critics said:

"The finest new talent to come around for many years...a vibrant combination of soul and jazz delivered with refreshing panache." - Simon Cooke, jazz fm

"Each track is beautifully crafted. There are some real surprises …one of the best vocal jazz albums of this year." Paul Scott, Musician Magazine

Tonight Sheena has brought her regular band featuring Tom Cawley on piano (Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 1998), the fine bassist (and husband) Robert Rickenberg, and the only drummer with a Club season-ticket, the fantastic Pete Cater.

As a special guest, Sheena has invited along one of our favourite guitarists Nick Page, who will play a feature set with the band to start the evening off and then sit-in with the band for a few numbers when Sheena takes the stage at around 8.30pm

Friday, 9th May 2003

FEATURE CONCERT - Damon Brown Quintet & The Richie Howard Quartet

Doors open 7.00pm
Music starts 7.30pm

Tickets: £12.50 (£10 Club members)

Winner of the prestigious Leblanc Jazz Clarinetist of the Year competition, Richie Howard and his quartet get this evening off to a great start. We loved his demo, a recording of his graduation concert from the Guildhall School, and we're sure you will see what got us so excited. Richie is a rising jazz star of the future, tonight playing in the company of three fellow Guildhall graduates.

An earlier graduate of the Guildhall School leads our feature band for the main part of tonight's programme. Trumpeter Damon Brown has made a considerable impact on the International scene and is so busy on the world circuit that there are sadly too few opportunities to hear his inspirational playing on the UK circuit.

As one of the younger generation of musicians, he has absorbed a wide range of world styles which he has fused with a true feel for the modern jazz heritage. This is why his music can be enjoyed by young and not-so-young listeners alike. There is something in his playing that is accessible to everyone.

If you need any more persuasion, in Damon's band you also get to hear Ed Jones on tenor, whose list of rave reviews would fill another programme. In a recent article in JazzUK, the Guardian jazz critic John Fordham wrote '… Jones and his group would make anybody nostalgic for the hardbop burnups of the Jazz Messengers misty-eyed."

Completing the star-studded international line-up is Italian pianist Antonio Ciacca, our own Geoff Gascoyne on double bass and Yoshida Masav from Japan on drums.

Friday, 23rd May 2003

BLUE NOTE RETROSPECTIVE - Mike Carr's Blue Note Band & The Laurie Jacobs Quartet

Doors open 7.00pm
Music starts 7.30pm

Tickets: £12.50 (£10 Club members)

As soon as we heard the takes of the cd from Mike Carr's new band, we knew we had to book them. The finished cd has since gone on general release to great critical acclaim. John Fordham, writing in JazzUK, called it: "A full-on, blues-blowing Hammond organ disc to make fans of this open-handed style leap out of their seats and cheer".

Well, we don't necessarily expect that to happen at the Club - although it's mighty difficult to listen to this band and keep still at the same time! Mike has been wowing audiences with his soulful Hammond style since his sessions at Ronnie Scott's in the 60's where he accompanied such legends as Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas and Al Cohn.

Mike's new band was formed after a chance encounter with Canadian STEVE KALDESTAD (tenor) and Londoners STEVE FISHWICK (trumpet) and twin brother MAT FISHWICK on drums. The Guardian review said that "Mat and Steve catch the crackling 1960's hard bop sound with uncanny empathy" while the Canadian National Post calls Steve "a shoot-from-the-hip tenor player."

The great Oscar Peterson once said "there's no one in America that swings like Mike Carr" so you'd better come along and check it out - just to make sure Oscar's right.

On stage first tonight we are pleased to present a new programme from the Laurie Jacobs Quartet. Based on the works of Michael Brecker and Kenny Garrett, it has already been very well received at several venues since Laurie premiered it at The Ship a few months ago.