A GREAT AUTUMN PROGRAMME

AFTER a much shorter than usual Summer break, Jazz North East begins its Autumn season with a wonderfully varied series of events, taking in everything from manic free improv to classic big band swing, and – a new departure for us – a jazz-themed dramatic production.

The drama, at Live Theatre on 1st September, is based on the life and music of the iconic Chet Baker, with a narration by actor Mike Maran, and music from pianist Robert Pettigrew and acclaimed Scottish trumpeter Colin Steele, widely regarded as the UK’s foremost interpreter of Baker’s music.

Eugene Chadbourne

After that it’s back to a more conventional jazz programme, although “conventional” hardly seems the right word for Eugene Chadbourne, the eccentric American guitar and banjo player who appears at the Bridge Hotel on 19th September in company with British percussionist Roger Turner. Combining elements of American folk music with free improvisation, Chadbourne is a charismatic and totally unique figure, coming to Tyneside as part of his first UK tour in around a decade.

There’s more free improvisation on 14th October, with a superb double bill featuring free jazz ‘supergroup’ Mujician, and the wonderful Japanese pianist Aki Takase, who proved a sensation at our 2008 ‘On the Outside’ Festival. Two weeks later there’s a complete change of pace with the Ray Chester Big Band revisiting classic tunes from the likes of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton, and just a couple of days after that we’re co-operating with The Sage Gateshead to present two outstanding contemporary trios led by John Law and Asaf Sirkis.

Aki Takase

And that only takes us to the end of October . . . the variety continues through the rest of the year, with a tribute to Charles Mingus, an amazing Dutch-German-Canadian free jazz group, a classic bop concert from Dominic Norcross (called “the Welsh Stan Getz” by Alan Barnes), and much else besides. Details of all these gigs – and our first presentations of 2011 – can be found at the ‘Events’ section of this website. With such a wide-ranging programme, we certainly believe that there should be something to satisfy all tastes, which will continue to be the guiding principle for Jazz North East.

A FITTING TRIBUTE TO CHRIS

IT’S hard to imagine a more fitting tribute to the late Chris Yates, Secretary of Jazz North East for almost 36 years, than the five hour extravaganza held at the Corner House (Chris’ favourite venue) on 25th July. A host of superb musicians, led by national stars Alan Barnes, Tim Garland and Steve Waterman, delivered seven sets of consistently thrilling music to the biggest crowd seen at the Corner House for many years.

Jazz North East and Chris Yates’ family are truly grateful to the musicians, all of whom gave their services free of charge as their way of saying “thanks” to a man who did an enormous amount to keep the jazz flame alive, not just here in the North East, but throughout the UK. The income from the event, somewhere in excess of £1,200, has been divided between UNICEF, Amnesty International, and the National Jazz Archive, all of them charities dear to Chris’ heart during his lifetime.

The Ray Chester Big Band