This is the second time Arnie has toured this band with Eddie Henderson; the first was in May last year. A measure of the band’s success is the huge press it received at the time and the new developments of recording for Linn after their first ever Jazz Residency at Aldeborough where the material for the new CD was developed.

Make no mistake, this is a major band packed with star, or soon-to-be star, players.
Paul Booth and Tim Lapthorne already run their own bands and Dave Smith has a nice sideline specialising in Gambian Wolof drumming. Rob Townsend is the newest addition to the band and adds sampling and sound manipulation to the mix.
American Eddie Henderson has played with Miles, Herbie, Art and Pharaoh as well as his namesake Joe. His beautiful clean trumpet sound and original thinking fit wonderfully with the feeling of spontaneity Arnie wishes the band to communicate.

Arnie Somogyi - bass
Eddie Henderson - trumpet
Paul Booth - tenor/sop sax., bass clt.
Tim Lapthorne - piano
Rob Townsend - tenor / sop., flute, bass clt., laptop
Dave Smith - drums

Latest CD: Accident and Insurgency Linn records (Linn AKD 306)

Websites: www.forgedrecords.co.uk and www.myspace.com/ambulancejazz Top

Dave Barry has been a major figure in British Jazz for more than 30 years – particularly in the company of Don Weller. Well, here they are again but with Dave in the driving seat and joined by renowned trumpeter, Steve Waterman. One of Wakefield’s favourite pianists, John Donaldson, provides the chordal foundation.
Dave’s composing of music has been unknown until now but he leads this band to feature it as much as to impart his rhythmic fingerprint to the arrangements. Don Weller tunes are featured as well.

It is hoped that Arnie will have recovered from his own tour to be back tonight.

Sara’s band concentrates on the compositions of her late father Ron who played with Tubby Hayes, Don Rendell and Ronnie Scott and wrote odes to toads.

Like her father Sara is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and they both helped set up the club “Jagz” in Ascot, Berkshire, forming the house band as well as promoting.

This tour is to promote Kaz’s second CD released at the Vortex in London last May. She is an accomplished singer whose Spanish / Brazilian guitar style beautifully embellishes her singing - whether of her witty originals or of songs in Portuguese.
Ivo Neame has been flagged as a pianist to watch for a year or more and I am delighted that Kaz is bringing him to Wakefield for the first time. Sam Crockatt gives support on her CD and is also capable of terrific soloing.

This is an intriguing band playing unusual material in a way that will, I believe, really be appreciated by the Wakefield crowd.

When I was asked to put on a really classy singer for the month of Bootleg Eric’s 75th birthday there was a narrow range of suitable candidates who would satisfy. Eric and I were both delighted that Elaine was available and willing to come and do us the honour.

Her career on stage and disc surprisingly spans nearly fifty years. Equally at home in a concert hall, night club, or theatre, Elaine thrives on communicating with her audience. She brings with her the regular rhythm section she enjoys, and this time a trumpeter who won last year’s British Jazz Awards Trumpet prize. It was in Leeds that a seven year old Enrico met his hero and stylistic mentor in 1968. Louis Armstrong said: “I’ve not seen so much talent anywhere”.

Tim is a Dutch violinist specialising in the gypsy swing style of playing made so famous by Stephane Grapelli. This style has enduring appeal (how many TV adverts use it?) and Tim has played to appreciative audiences in almost every club in the UK as well as on the continent and in the USA. He has released eight CDs, two just last year, and is gradually expanding his repertoire into both the Folk and Classical idioms.

He brings with him veteran British bassist Len Skeat, who played extensively with Grapelli, and versatile guitarist Pat McCarthy.

Who knows what we shall hear: Hot Swing, Classics or Folky sentiment – it’ll be good whatever. You won’t hear many jazz violinists of stature so make a point of hearing this one.

Tim Kliphuis - violin
Pat McCarthy - guitar
Len Skeat - bass

Trudy’s new CD is subtitled “songs from my past” and is the seventh under her own name since arriving from Australia in 1990. It begins with a song she sang at17 with her first band and all other tracks have a special meaning for her originating in her past. Some are familiar others less well known but by great writers – the most exotic is a Dave Holland tune with Trudy’s words inspired by a stay in Vanuatu. With pianist Jan Lundgren and Geoff’s bass in support we know we shall get a full jazz experience tonight and all with Steve Brown’s smile shining through.

Peter Quinn gave Déjà Vu 4 stars when reviewing it for Jazzwise, he said:

“Trudy. . . . . offers something extremely tasty for every discerning musical palate. . . a showcase for the singer’s fluid phrasing and mellifluous tone.”

Come and hear for yourselves tonight.

Trudy Kerr - voice
Jan Lundgren - piano
Geoff Gascoyne - bass
Steve Brown - drums

Latest CD: Déjà vu (Jazzizit records) JITCD 0746

Web: www.trudykerr.com Top

Harry Beckett has been a feature of the UK Jazz scene since he played with Mingus in the film “All Night Long”. He has also played alongside Ronnie Scott, Django Bates, Chris McGregor and David Murray. With Chris Biscoe he was the first British musician to be invited to join The Orchestre National de Jazz.

His trumpet playing is instantly recognisable as he has his own voice and his solos are

"beautifully constructed, inventive, and emotion packed... Beckett plays with natural lyricism".

Chris Biscoe has also had a distinguished career in jazz and has been colleague of George Russell, Mike Westbrook, Hermeto Pascoal and Kenny Wheeler.

He leads his own bands including Full Monte. Another very individual player:

"Chris Biscoe has become one of the most distinctive improvisers on the European scene... his melodic lines are tales of the unexpected".

It will be a pleasure to welcome back Liam Noble after his joint gig with Julian Arguelles and Sheffield’s Fred Baker so rarely heard up North these days. Tony Marsh last played here in Don Weller’s electric band Major Surgery.

Harry Beckett - trumpet / flugelhorn
Chris Biscoe - alto and soprano sax
Liam Noble - piano
Fred T Baker - electric bass
Tony Marsh - drums