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We welcomed back after a year’s absence one of the best jazz trios this side of Hadrian’s Wall. Nadurra are Barry Middleton [Keyboard], Pete Lowit [Double Bass] and  Fraser Peterkin (Drums) . What an evening this turned out to be with a mix of familiar jazz standards and Barry’s originals including ‘Juju’ [Wayne Shorter]; ‘500 miles high’ [Chick Corea]; Black Narcissus‘ [Jo Henderson]; ‘Head First‘ [Barry Middleton]; ‘Very early’ [Bill Evans]; ‘Angel Eyes‘ [Matt Dennis]; ‘Windows’ [Chick Corea]; ‘Mumtaz‘ [Barry Middleton]; ‘Fledged’ [Barry Middleton]; ‘Freedom Jazz Dance‘ [Miles Davis]; ‘Naima’ [John  Coltrane].

It’s difficult to pick any one stand out piece quite simply because every element of the evening’s jazz treat was standout. Surely this Trio deserve to be listened to in jazz clubs not just here in North East Scotland but in the Central Belt and down South. 

All three musicians fused together brilliantly  but were quirky as individuals and this is what made the evening so entertaining. Barry was intimate with his keyboard, music flowed from his head through to his fingers tips and out to us; Pete is one of the best bass players in Scotland and there are many comments on his playing elsewhere on this blog. Fraser likewise, but what is it that gets the audience holding their breadth? He makes his drum kit speak; you never know if the solo has finished  and then he’s away -primeval meets African beat. Epic.

Brilliant evening with Mario’s Big Band at Elgin City Football Club. The seventeen member band  has been performing since 1982 and consists of  five saxophones, three trombones, four trumpets, drums, bass, guitar and piano, with Kenny MacDonald on vocals. The band entertained an appreciative audience with some favourite and familiar  big band sounds including String of Pearls, New York, New York and Pennsylvannia Avenue. Many thanks Mario and fellow musicians for a great evening.

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We welcomed back a superb double act that is Steve Garrett [ Acoustic guitar] and Pete Lowit [Double bass]. The boys from Aboyne treated us to a medley of jazz standards, reinterpretations of classical numbers and original composimtions that included:

‘For Django’ [Joe Pass]; ‘Our Spanish Love Song‘ [Charlie Haden];  ‘Jade Visions‘ [Scott LaFaro]; ‘Follow Your Heart’ [John McLaughlin]; ‘Heck of a Job’ [John Scofield]; ‘Goodbye Porkpie Hat’ [Charlie Mingus]; ‘Greensleeves’ [someone from the 16th C]; ‘Now Please Don’t You Cry Beautiful Edith’ [Roland Kirk]; ‘It’s Not What It Is’ [Steve Garrett]; ‘Spartacus’ [Alex North arr Bill Evans]; ‘ Dido’s Lament’ [Henry Purcell arr Steve Garrett]; ‘Maggie West’s’ [Mairearad Green]; ‘Mr CC’ [Steve Garrett ref Clive Carroll]; ‘Braw Day’ [Steve Garrett]; ‘In Arden’ [Steve Garrett].

Steve and Pete played with us several months ago and it seems that in that short time there has been a maturing if not mellowing intimacy in their music. The acoustic guitar/double bass combo worked well in our music space creating a real connection with the audience. What is special about these two musicians  is the lyricism of  their playing, Pete’s bass has a vocal quality to it, almost like Paul Robeson and the tonal quaity of Steve’s acoustic seems just right for these compositions. It’s reminicent of that legendary celtic guitarist  Tony McManus. What also adds to their performance is a great narrative spun around much of the music they played; explaining John Schofield’s ‘Heck of Job’ named after the unforgettable visit of President Bush  to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and praising Michael Brown [ head of the Federal Emergency organisation]. Brown promptly retired afterwards. Wonderful stuff gentlemen, look forward to your return.

We welcomed back our own MJC House Band for last Thursday’s much needed transfusion of jazz.  Joining the stalwarts that  are Colin Henderson(baritone and alto sax & flute),Graeme Nairn (guitar) and Pamela Nairn(vocals) were Pete Lowit (double bass) and Fabrizio Conti (drums).

The band took us through two and a half hours of jazz tapestry that included:

 ‘I should care’ [Stordahl, Western, Cahn]; ‘Days of wine and roses’ [Mancini]; ‘Old devil moon’ [Burton Lane]; ‘Blue and sentimental’ [ Count Basie]; ‘You turn the tables on me’  [Count Basie]; ‘Autumn leaves’ [Joseph Kosma]; ‘I remember April’ [ Gene de Paul]; ‘Jive at five’ [Count Basie]; ‘But not for me’ [Chet Baker]; ‘Ain’t misbehavin’ [Fats Waller]; ‘Each Day is Valentine’s Day’ [Chet Baker];

Colin and Graeme on form as ever, blowing and plucking  familiar notes; Pamela’s reassuring and lyrical voice did justice to some great jazz standards. A really big thank you to Pete and Fabrizio for trekking up the A96 from Aberdeen to add brilliant tone to the rhythm section. These two gentlemen are such regular visitors they should be made honourable members of the  MJC.

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What an entertaining evening last night with the Pete Lowit Trio with Neil Birse (keyboards), Pete Lowit (double bass) and Fraser Peterkin (Drums).

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Last night we welcomed to Moray Jazz Club Lewis and Dav for their last night of a months long tour of Scotland. These young and up and coming guitarists who hail from Bristol treated us to a diverse range of musical interpretations of pop, funk and rock with a jazzy twist, many of which were introduced as the best song ever written.

They went straight in to ‘Everybody wants to rule the World’- Tears For Fears followed by  ‘One kiss’ -Calvin Harris; ‘To be with you’ -Mr Big; ‘Daphne’ -Django Reinhardt;  ‘3rd funky’ -Dav Lisbon; ‘Thousand miles’   -Vanessa Carlton; ‘Everywhere’ very funky version -Fleetwood Mac;  ‘It always rains down in..’ – Toto ; ‘Mama Mia’  -ABBA ; ‘Call me maybe’  Carly Rae Jepsen ; ‘California girls’ –  Katie Perry ; ‘Your body is a wonderland’  -John Mayer ;  ‘Folk faster song FFS ‘  -Lewis Dickinson; ‘Freefalling’ Tom Petty  and a jazzy twist to the lady of folk, Joni Mitchell.

A night of entertaining acoustic wizardry with fun and funky takes on a number of well known hits from the eighties,nineties and noughties. Lewis’ fingerwork was mezmorizing and lightening quick, at times it was a challenge to keep up. Dav’s deep tone back up was like vintage port complimenting Lewis’ sparkling champagne. How on earth did Lewis play that guitar behind his head? And the fingerboard exchange on Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Everywhere’ was a fun intro to this FM classic and made you realise what real joy that band’s music gave to so many of us back in the ‘70’s.
Lewis apologised for not having a gypsy  jazz guitar. He should not apologise. This was great jazzed up live music, great musicianship and great entertainment. Thank you gentlemen, an evening of  inspiring music, keep it up and please come again.

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Moray Jazz welcomed the Colin Black trio with an entertaining evening of guitar based jazz standards. So the line up was Colin Black (guitar), Brian Chalmers (Bass Guitar) and that man Finlay Grant again (Drums).

The trio started with a warm up ‘sound check’ of ‘I’m comin home baby’- Ben Tucker followed by a medley of great tunes including ‘Killer Joe’- Benny Golson; ‘Road Song’- Wes Montgomery;  ‘Have you met Miss Jones ‘-Rogers and Hart; ‘Favela’-Antonio Carlos Joachim; ‘Witchcraft’- Cy Coleman; ‘Kiss me much/ bessamemucho’- Consuelo Velazquez; ‘Blue Monk’-Thelonious Monk; ‘The Birds and the Bees’-Attila Zoller; ‘The Girl from Ipanema’- Antônio Carlos Jobim;’Days of wine and roses’-Henry Mancini; ‘Chitlins con carne’-Kenny Burrell; ‘Gentle rain’-Luis Bonfa; ‘Summertime’ -George Gershwin;  ‘Just friends’- John Klenner; ‘Moonlight in Vermont’ Karl Suessdorf; ‘Sister Sadie’ Horace Silver and to complete the set  ‘Softly as a morning sunrise’-Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein.

Finlay was as expressive as ever, ranging from caresses with his steel brushes on the snare drum to crisp notes on his toms.  Brian Chalmers  with his six string bass was squeezing out some juicy vintage notes throughout the evening, just like a cider press . There is a chill out factor with Colin, definitely some Carlos Santana tones to his guitar. It is as though he was playing in a late sixties early seventies time warp. Thank you Colin for the background and context to each piece of music, much appreciated. Hope to see you three in the  not too distant future.

Great evening with the ‘House Band’ renamed Finlay’s Fivesome in honour of this awesome percussionist.  So, the line up was Colin Henderson [Baritone and Tenor Sax, Flute], Graeme Nairn [Guitar], Mario Jannetta [Keyboard], Bill Jannetta[Electric Bass] and Finlay Grant [Drums/Percussion].

The band went straight  in to a diverse range of jazz standards including  ‘Autumn Leaves’ – Joseph Kosma; ‘Jersey Bounce’- Benny Goodman; ‘It’s you or no one’- Dexter Gordon; ‘Don’t go to Strangers’- Etta Jones;Like someone in love- Jimmy Van Heusen; ‘Afternoon in Paris’- John Lewis;‘Spring can really,hang you up the most’-Tommy Wolf; ‘Cherokee’– Ray Noble; ‘I should care’– Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston and Sammy Cahn and ‘Hackensa’- Thelonious Monk.

We were treated to Graeme’s deft fingers on the black mamba guitar. Bill on Bass, very droll, witty and sharp and not f sharp. Mario’s fingers like a spider’s legs drunk on jazz. Colin’s crispy alto sax and sonorous notes from that baritone sax, always rich and enjoyable.  Then there is the man who is Finlay Grant. It was as though he was taken back to roots in Africa, deep down those genes and chromosomes cried out ‘Finlay, let them have that beat!’ His face said it all as he caressed the cymbals and enjoyed every note, including Bill’s F sharp. Thank you gentlemen for bringing live jazz to Elgin, a real privilege.