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You can always expect something a bit out of the ordinary at Scarborough Jazz Festival. This year three acts are guaranteed to entertain and stimulate in very different ways.
For tongue-in-cheek humour delivered by brilliant musicians ‘Pigfoot’ is hard to beat. Led by Loose Tubes trumpeter Chris Batchelor, pianist Liam Noble, tubist Oren Marshall and drummer Paul Clarvis, Pigfoot mine their material from the rich seams of New Orleans music; hot jazz, spirituals and blues from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Jelly Roll Morton. Reconstructed and transformed by the quick wit, imagination and diverse reference points of each musician, resulting in what trumpet player Chris describes as ‘21st Century Acid Trad’.
Jazz Journal wrote: “Oh deep joy; something completely different to refresh the jaded critic’s palette…… Pigfoot don’t parody the music – they simply have the virtuosity to take it outside itself, somewhat precariously, and then bring it home safe.”
Jazz @ Café Society is a swinging show about the legendary New York nightclub which promoted racial equality and progressive causes from 1938 to 1949. It played host to some of the finest musical talent of the 20th century, including Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan and Count Basie. Jazz at Cafe Society is a musical revue which celebrates the music of these artists and tells the little-known story of the progress of the venue from its idealistic beginnings in Depression-era America to fame, and ultimately notoriety. The irresistible soundtrack is played by an eight-piece band with some of the cream of UK jazz talent.
The British Theatre Guide said: “There is no denying the incredible talent present on the stage. For an evening of superb music, this is a show to catch while you can.”
Finally ‘Beats & Pieces’, an electrifying big band. “They were a knockout at our 2013 festival” says Director Mike Gordon. “You feel really vindicated when you book a relatively unknown band and then they are awarded Best UK Newcomer at the 2013 Jazz FM Awards and Ensemble of the Year at the 2014 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.”
The Guardian wrote: “They couple gale-force collective energy and confidence to startlingly original material … that acknowledges big-band traditions while radically modernising them.”
And Jazzwise: “There hasn’t been a ‘live’ British big band since Loose Tubes with the same degree of energetic spontaneity and enjoyment of performing as this one.”
The Scarborough Jazz Festival takes place on 25-27 September at the Scarborough Spa. Further information at www.scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk
Tickets are available from The Spa’s Box Office (01723) 821 888 and via www.scarboroughspa.co.uk
