Author: Moray Jazz Club

James Steele – Baritone Sax

Jon Hall – Piano

Neil Sharkey – Bass Guitar

Mike Sharkey – Drums

This was a most enjoyable gig! The band loved every minute and the audience assured us they were with us all the way. A good balance of material and an instant rapport between the players made each number an absolute pleasure and a voyage of discovery.

From the piano, I felt the tight rhythm section created the perfect platform for the sax and piano to interact, confidently exchanging ideas, throwing phrases back and forth and building a constant series of climaxes. The bass and drums played with sensitivity, fire and driving rhythm. In a word, or four, it swung like the clappers!

New pieces like Herbie Hancock’s hard bop Driftin’, Mingus’s bluesy tribute to Lester Young’s Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, and Horace Silver’s funky The Jody Grind slotted in effortlessly with more familiar tunes. These included Gerry Mulligan’s Walking Shoes and Out Back of the Barn, Lonnie Smith’s Jeannine, Thelonius Monk’s Rhythm-ning and Round Midnight, the standards What is This Thing Called Love, All the Things You Are and more. We even established, with the help of audience participation, the origins of Sigmund Romberg’s Softly as in a Morning Sunrise in the 1920s musical The Desert Song. This is described as a song of bitterness and lost love, originally composed as a tango. Regardless we played it as an up tempo swinger.

I look forward to playing with these guys again. Luckily next week sees the return of the Sharkey Brothers, with myself on piano and Colin Henderson on alto, baritone saxes and flute. Don’t miss it.

Jon Hall

Matthew Kilner – Tenor Sax

Dawid Regniak – Trumpet, Flugel Horn

Neil Birse – Piano

Pete Lowit – Bass

Richard (Ricky) Glassby – Drums

This was a great night of modern jazz and it was truly inspiring to see so many accomplished young musicians onstage. It was like coming home to hear once again the classic combination of trumpet and tenor sax, the two instruments complimenting each other so well. The rhythm section did a magnificent job of listening and responding as each solo built towards a climax, dropping down at first to a soft, spacious background and then gradually increasing in excitement and complexity.

Matthew Kilner was on excellent form and his Coltrane-like tenor sound was thrilling to hear, especially in the high register. Dawid Regniak’s trumpet melded effortlessly with the sax, giving the main tunes a bright and brilliant sound. He also produced a beautiful, mellow tone on his flugel horn in the ballad, My One and Only Love, Ricky Glassby created a suspenseful drum solo, leading into the lilting rhythms of Afro Blue, made famous by Mongo Santamaria and John Coltrane. His drumming throughout the evening was a joy to listen to. In equal partnership, Neil Birse played inventive and sensitive piano with his excellent ear for interesting chords and challenging rhythms, supported at all times by a great musician, Pete Lowit on double bass.

Other numbers included Miles Davis’s So What and Solar and BobbyTimmon’s Dat Dere, which hasn’t surfaced in Elgin for quite a while, if ever! The band gave this an excellent rendition and there were flashes of Art Blakey at times. It was the sort of gig where you constantly wished yours friends had been there too.

Great evening with a variety of classic jazz standards from some well known and lesser known jazz composers. Many thanks to Jon Hall [Keyboards], James Steele [Baritone Sax], Colin Henderson [[Baritone and Alto Sax and Flute] and Nigel Mackenzie [Drums]

Paquito de Rivera ‘Chucho’

Michael Brecker ‘Timeline’

Bob Mintzer ‘Papa Lips’

Ellington ‘In a sentimental mood’

Horace Silver  ‘Filthy McNastie’

Horace Silver ‘We’ve  got Silver at six’

Lonnie Smith ‘Jeanine’

Thelonius Monk ‘Rhythm a Ning’

Chick Corea  ‘Windows’

Michael Brecker ‘Timeline’ 

Errol Garner ‘Misty’

Hank Mobley ‘This I dig of you’

Horace Silver ‘Blue Silver’

Steve Allen ‘Gravy Waltz’

Bill Evans ‘Nardil’

Lonnie Smith  ‘Side Man’

Lonnie Smith ‘Minor Chant’

John Coltrane ‘Freight Train’

Kapow!! Brilliant night of John Coltrane’s music delivered with panache and professionalism by consumate jazz musicians Matthew Kilner [Tenor Sax], Barry Middleton [Keyboards], Pete Lowit [Double Bass] and Fraser Peterkin [Drumkit and Percussion]. Video clips on Instagram, stills below. 

The full set played is listed below the photos.

‘Resolution’

‘Impressions’

’26-2′

‘Moment’s notice’

‘You don’t know what love is’

‘I want to talk about you’

‘Naima’

‘Blues to you’ 

‘Afro blue’

‘Africa’

‘Green sleeves’

‘Ole’

‘Nancy (with the laughing face)’

Really great to see Bill Jannetta come back out of retirement to play jazz guitar. Superb evening’s entertainment with a balanced set of many familiar jazz standards [ see below the photos].

Chet Baker ‘It could happen to you’

Albert Hague ‘Young and foolish’

Victor Young ‘Stellar by starlight’

Henry Mancini ‘Days of wine and roses’

Bill Evans My foolish heart Washington and young

Chet Baker ‘Time after time’

Joe Henderson ‘Blue bossa’

Antonio Carlos Jobim  ‘Once I loved’

Rogers and Hart ’I could write a book’

Jonny Mercer /Harold Arlen ‘My shining hour’

Jerome Kern ‘Yesterdays’

George & Ira Gershwin ‘Oh, lady be good!’

Cole Porter ‘l love you’ 

Rahsaan Roland Kirk ‘Bright moments’ 

Featuring Colin Henderson – Tenor & Baritone Sax, Flute; James Steele- Baritone Sax; Jon Hall-Keyboard; Dave Swann- Bass Guitar and Nigel McKenzie- Drums

Bernie’s Tune- Bernie Miller

Timeline- Pat Metheny

One By One- Wayne Shorter

Papa Lips- Bob Minson

In Walked Bud- Thelonius Monk

In Love In Vain- Jerome Kern

The Hippest Cat In Town- Horace Silver

Granted- John Henderson

Misty- Erroll Garner

Five Brothers- Gerry Mulligan

This I Dig Of You- Hank Mobly

Sway- Dean Martin

Swinging At The Haven- Ellis Marsalis

Walking Shoes-Gerry Mulligan

Great evening with the House Band and a warm welcome to guest trombonist Brian Keddes who we have not seen for some time and all the way from Aberdeen our old friend Pete Lowit standing in for Dave Swann. Good mix of music interspersed with dry witty humour.

Featuring Colin Henderson – Tenor & Baritone Sax, Flute;Brian Kedde- Trombone; Jon Hall- Keyboard; Pete Lowit- Double Bass and Nigel McKenzie- Drums

When Lights Are Low- Benny Carter

For Reasons I Can’t Explain- Jabero Jorge Rengifo

Own Sweet Way- Dave Brubeck

Solar- Miles Davis

You’ve Changed- Carl Fischer

Hi Step- John Coltrane

All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm -Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn and Bronisław Kaper 

Moonglow- Morris Stoloff

Dont Blame Me For Falling In Love With You- Jimmy McHugh

No Problem- Jo Jordan

Lines For Lyons- Gerry Mulligan

Roy’s Blues- Roy Williams

Nardis- Miles Davis/Bill Evans

Colin- Great freshness to his playing

Brian- Subtle voclised trombone playing

Jon- Crisp and classy keyboard

Pete- Rich bass tones- giving an assured glue

Nigel-Brush strokes with  subtle simplicity 

What an entertaining evening of superb music from our House Band with keyboard supremo Jon Hall( Keyboard, banter and wit), Colin Henderson (Baritone & Tenor Saxophone and Flute), James Steele(Baritone Saxophone), DavId Swann(Bass Guitar) and Nigel Mackenzie (Drums).

The Band combined a superb balance of tightness and fluidity in their playing that went down well with an appreciative audience. Hopefully, we have the full set in the right order: …

Bernie’s Time (Bernie Miller)

Walking Shoes (Gerry Mulligan)

One by One (Wayne Shorter)

Out Back Barn (Gerry Mulligan)

Blue in Green(Miles Davis)

Moanin (Bobby Timmons)

In Your Own Sweet Way (Dave Brubeck)

The Hippest Cat in Hollywood(Horace Silver)

Freight Trane (Tommy Flanagan)

Georgia On My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael)

Filthy McNasty (Horace Silver)

Swinging At The Haven (Ellis Marsalis)

Footprints (Wayne Shorter)

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Billy Taylor)

Five Brothers (Gerry Mulligan)

One thing is for sure when Matthew Kilner plays at MJC, you know you are in for some lively and sublime jazz musicianship and particular homage to Mr T Monk. Tonight was no exception. It was a superb evening’s entertainment that seemed to go on for ever! What is more is that Matthew was supported by the ever present Neil Birse and Pete Lowit ( chaps, we are going to have to rent a house for you in Elgin at this rate!) AND the return of Richard (Ricky) Glassby. What a joy to hear Richard’s sublime tempo, interpretation and solo breaks. Moreover, a big thank you Richard for travelling up from Arbroath after a hard days work at school. It was very much appreciated and we hope to see more of you in the near future.

DO CHECK OUT THE CLUB’S INSTAGRAM PAGE FOR SNIPPETS OF THESE MUSICIANS’ SUPERB MUSIC MAKIN

What a delight to hear Elaine Crichton at Moray Jazz Club after an absence of nearly two years. Elaine was accompanied by the perennial and superb bassist Pete Lowit and the sublime playing of Neil Birse on Keyboard. Elaine entertained us with a great narrative behind each and every song; her rhythmic and mellow voice was just what was needed to brighten up a November evening. Many thanks Elaine.