Magazine: JAZZ RIFF - January 2012

I’m going to start with a pep talk, followed by a competition, which will run until the end of this year, with the temptation of a fantastic prize that should keep you coming back for more each month! See you at the end: as the drummer said to the bass player.

Your recommendations and comments on live gigs, new venues, daring promoters and festival directors, new CD releases and reviews, dynamic bands and promising newcomers are most welcome. Check out the Grapevine website Jazz Riff page and post quality positive comments and feedback.

As the last bar and dying chord of Auld Lang Syne echoes through the emptying function hall of 2011, I`ve invited our own top jazz supporter, and Chair of Jazz Services, Bob Blizzard, to say a few words: a call to arms to continue the passion for jazz, and what Jazz Services are actively doing. Listen up……

“I was once lucky enough to attend a wonderful jazz festival in Brazil called ‘Tudo e Jazz’ (All is Jazz). I always remember the name because I’ve long believed that (almost) everyone would like jazz – if only they had access to it. People often tell me bluntly, ‘I don’t like jazz.’ But if I play them a simple jazzed up version of a well known tune, or a vocalist singing a ‘standard’, the reply is usually, ‘I didn’t realise that was jazz.’ For some, jazz is cacophony. For others it’s old men playing trad. Too often this is the only jazz they’ve heard, but if they can access its breadth gently, they discover its delights and realise it’s not a closed off world.

So, one of the key challenges that Jazz Services has set itself is to help build a larger audience for jazz. It would help enormously if the BBC didn’t keep shrinking its offering on Radios 2 and 3 and put more jazz on its local radio stations. There are limited opportunities in the tough world of commercial radio, but Jazz FM is gradually expanding the jazz it offers amidst its funk and soul – and it’s growing its audience!

We are mainly reliant on voluntary promoters for live jazz in places like East Anglia. These are unsung heroes who make no money, but put on jazz gigs in all sorts of small venues. Despite suffering funding cutbacks, Jazz Services is aiming to expand the support we give to touring bands and voluntary promoters, to reach more rural areas and what the Arts Council calls ‘cold spots’. There is certainly no shortage of top quality British musicians. With seven UK universities now offering music degree courses in jazz, more and more highly talented youngsters are emerging. We need to make sure that they get the gigs they deserve, without displacing the older guys.* That’s why we are determined to see live jazz flourish all over the country.”

Thank you Bob: bring on the rural gigs: plenty of churches with amazing acoustics and natural soundscape beauty, that provide inviting venues for jazz. Having played at St Peters in Sudbury, as an example, and hearing the formidable Jan Garbarek at the Bury Festival last year in the magnificent Cathedral, we can increase the availability of jazz for people to enjoy.

Just to explain the *: the term “ guys” is universally known to be applicable to male and female jazz musicians. Being a “ guy”, is easier than being a “ gal”, but not as complimentary as being “ the bird”, which I have been called on gigs before!  Which segues nicely into the competition for 2012…..

I read in one of the daily newspapers an open debate for nominations for the“ best music riff ever”:  voting eloquently scribed by the ageing rock generation who spend their days writing letters to the Editor of their favourite daily newspaper etc etc. Whilst instantly recognisable blasts of minor thirds on distorted guitars may warrant such an award, my thoughts turned to how jazz can muscle in on the act, so to speak. Please forward your suggestions for the best jazz riff EVER……

As for me, I reckon Miles’s “So What”, deserves a mention, but is it a “ lick “ or a “ riff “?  I also thought of Sonny Rollins “ St Thomas”, or what about Paul Desmond’s “Take Five”? YOU CHOOSE!

Good luck and good health to you all in 2012: see you at the gig.