Showing posts with label jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jazz. Show all posts

Sunday 31 July 2022

MUSIC 2022


Fergus McGreadie 

 Good to see the songs, the good riff – are still wooing audiences!

 

*Glastonbury 2022

 

Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Arlo Parkes,

 

80s bands, Supergrass, crowded house, Metronomy,

 

Headliners – Billie Elish, Paul McCartney

 

Emerging talent winner – Scots singer songwriter Lewis McLaughlin


Paolo Nutini

 
*TRSMT festival Glasgow– Return of Paolo Nutini, (back after an 8 year break), Sam Fender, Lewis Capaldi, 


Rab Noakes - Birthday, special gig Milngavie folk club.


Connect Music festival Edinburgh - 

Jon Hopkins, Idles, John Grant, Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Lyra, joesef, Optima, 




MERCURY prize shortlist 2022

With the usual eclectic mix and encourages diversity. –  from big name pop stars, to jazz musician.

 

Scots jazz pianist – Fergus McGreadie - Influenced by both jazz and folk for his new album Forrest floor

 

PLUS Givenno, Joy Crookes, Little Simz, Kojey Radical, Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler, Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Harry Styles.

 

 

For all the days that tear the Heart -  https://www.mercuryprize.com/2022-shortlist

 


Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler


Monday 2 February 2015

Van Morrison at Celtic Connections 2015


Morrison commanded the concert hall stage on the jazz and soul highway - a truly jazz inspired Celtic soul and all the way from Belfast city!

Morrison grew up with his Dad's record collection, the largest in Northern Ireland, (acquired during his time in Detroit in the 50s), and he learned from the likes of - Ray Charles, Lead Belly and Solomon Burke  -  of whom Morrison said,  "If it weren't for guys like Ray and Solomon, I wouldn't be where I am today. Those guys were the inspiration that got me going. If it wasn't for that kind of music, I couldn't do what I'm doing now."
The records exposed Morrison to many genres – the blues of Muddy Waters; the gospel of Mahalia Jackson; the jazz of Charlie Parker; the folk of Woody Guthrie; and the country music of Hank Williams.


When you have listened to an artist over many years it is quite strange to hear and see them live. There was that high level of eager anticipation in the concert hall air to see and hear one of our musical legends.  

He was in good voice and the sound mixing and band sounded just right. His set included sultry trumpet and sax solos. Morrison orchestrates his band, who framed him, with Strong arm conducting movements. He performed his soul-filled songs Please Don’t Go, Parchman, Don’t Stop, Moondance, Magic Time and a poignant Sometimes We Cry. He also sang a lovely cover of a Ray Charles song, I Can't Stop Loving You.
His band were tight and highly impressive while I did at times wish his guitarist on his right might have turned more to the audience as I enjoy seeing the musicians play too. There was no chat between his songs, then again Morrison's songs speak quite clearly for themselves.  

Van's music is smoking, sexy, smooth toned, sultry and also gravelly – he has a powerhouse voice and uses it to great effect like his saxophone. 
de-de-da-de-da; lonely, lonely, lonely flying, sighing; you know, you know; do-wop, do-wop,
Summer breeze in the garden, within the silence,

 

His musical narrative on tracks can be lengthy and spontaneous, even rambling, following his different influences - from Celtic tradition, jazz, blues, gospel and country music. 

I was happy he finished his set with his - Into The Mystic and Ballerina - after which he slipped off as he continued to sing to the side of the stage….and once again he was gone gone gone as quietly as he had arrived...... while the powerhouse of his musical voice lingered long after.....

He was well supported by gospel singers the McCrary Sisters. 

Morrison has received six Grammys and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He continues to record and tour, producing albums and live performances that sell well and are generally warmly received. In 2008 he performed Astral Weeks live for the first time since 1968.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Eclectic Taste in Music


I was wondering about this - why I have eclectic taste in music and why it is that many people like to focus on only one or two genres of music. I believe I perhaps I have broad tastes in music because of my own personal journey in music. 

I started piano lessons when I was seven and the focus then was on simple tunes and then musical and national tunes. I sang in school and church choirs -  sometimes Burns songs. Eventually I moved on to classical pieces - such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. In my teens I got very into pop music - from Motown, The Beatles, The Stones, Cream and more. I played Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Elton John on the piano. In my twenties I got involved with the 'folk scene' in Edinburgh and enjoyed traditional reels and unaccompanied and harmony singing.  
I enjoy all the genres and I wouldn't want to have to choose between them!

However for some 'music' is about their image of themselves - how cool or otherwise they see themselves. For me it's' about music or voices that move me and what makes a good song or melody.
There are great folk tunes and fairly boring folk tunes; there are also great pop songs and boring pop songs; there are great classical pieces and dull classical pieces of music; there are energizing rock gigs and dull rock gigs too. I get annoyed on Wikipedia or elsewhere when I read the music snobs who think pop music is only for young people and only for commercial reasons... and that by contrast all classical or jazz music is wonderful.   

Sometimes it is the simple song that we remember, the endearing folk song that moves us or the classical piano sonata that touches our heart.        

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Aloe Blacc ABC O2 Glasgow 12th December 2011

Aloe Black stole our hearts and showed why he is the King of Soul. He was supported by a DJ set which meant the dance beats were kept up with no pause before Blacc’s entrance onstage. 
He sang with his crooning mellow voice.  He was also the dance master of cool, with some neat footwork and sliding shimmies.  Later during his set Blacc created a soul train down the centre of the Glasgow audience where locals were only too happy to boogie down. Songs included -  ' I Need A Dollar’ and ‘Billie Jean.' 
For his encore he spoke of missing the sun of his homeland and sang the Beach Boys classic ‘California Dreaming.’ 

Blacc caused a stir at Glastonbury 2011 with his performance there on one of the main pages.  
It is worth checking Blacc singing at MADE on YouTube – a collaboration in Germany between composers, artists and performers.   ( Highsnobiety TV: An Evening with Aloe Blacc at MADE - Berlin creative space MADE recently played host to singer and songwriter Aloe Blacc, violinist and composer Mihalj "Miki" Kekenj and painter Jaybo.)

Monday 2 May 2011

**Producer George Martin: Known as 'The Fifth Beatle'



**'Arena: Produced by George Martin'  BBC 2 Monday25th - Awesome. A Legend.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arena
I highly recommend watching this program on BBC iPlayer.
Martin had  36 no 1's with the Beatles in the 60s..

(In my other life I am a record producer!)  He says that The Beatles didn't sound so great at first either... :
A very well made docmentary and such an interesting character!  I especially liked his comment that when the Beatles first arrived in the studio! 'Their music was rubbish - but importantly they made you feel good and they had charisma.' 

Also his reference to Degas' quote about his art  "It's not what you see, it's about what we make others see", in comparing this with what he hoped to achieve in sound. He hoped to 'paint' in the studio rather than to simply make a copy.
The program was followed by The Beatles  'A Hard Days Night', so many memories......!  P Keightley

George Martin is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"—a title that he owes to his work as producer of all but one of 'The Beatles' original albums. He is considered one of the greatest record producers of all time, with 23 number one hits, an unmatched achievement.  George Martin, recognised as one of music's most versatile and imaginative talents, entered the music industry in 1950 after studying at the Guildhall School of Music and playing the oboe professionally in London. He began recording classical music specialising in the Baroque period. His later experience with jazz and pop led to his appointment as Head of the Parlophone in the EMI Group in 1955.
As a producer he has been responsible for bringing a host of artists into recording studios particularly in the humorous field with brilliant performers such as Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Flanders and Swann and the 'Beyond the Fringe' team - Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett. He has also worked with jazz artists Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Stan Getz. 


Thursday 31 December 2009

Magic Hat:Jazz Bar Edinburgh Nov 2009

All accomplished musicians. The Magic Hat are a top class band and produce sexy energy charged with lots of blowing and synergy, nad with strong and deep interactions.

I took photos for this very accomplished and fun jazz band from Manchester at the Bar Brel (Ashton Lane Glasgow) and the Jazz Bar Edinburgh in November 2009. They mix it up and also play recognizable jazz tunes. I enjoyed their gigs very much. All accomplished musicians. Steve Chadwick on turmpet, Tony Ormesher guitar, Andrzej Baranek piano, Nick Blacka on double bass and Rob Turner on drums. QUOTE 'The Magic Hat Ensemble take tunes from the standard jazz repertoire and use them as a vehicle for high energy, elaborate arrangements often delivered with a tongue in cheek approach. Tipping their hat to the jazz greats along the way the band are renowned for re-workings of many classic jazz tunes employing the use of metric modulations, odd time signatures and blistering solos.' Check out their new album 'This Conversation Is Over' - they are touring in 2010. They invited me along to take shots - and Nick Blacka on double bass is one of my portfolio images - well double basses are such sexy instruments!

Late afternoon at the Bar Brel Ashton lane Glasgow there were some die hard jazz fans there to hear them - ands one guy said they were one of the two best jazz bands he'd heard in the past ten years. He talked of the Americans coming in by ships and bringing beebop.
Last Saturday (28th Nov) I was at the Jazz Bar to take photos for this incredible jazz band - and for their first album. So many memories of the 2007 jazz bar gigs, and my first time there since then. The images on the walls had changed from the large sepia photos to bright coloured art work. Otherwise it was exactly the same and I had very strange feelings standing at the bar and taking the photos - thinking about it all.

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