Friday 21 April 2023, 8pm
An evening celebrating the incredible spirit of John Coltrane - in part, marking the 60th anniversary of the release of Impressions - and championing his lasting influence on generations of musicians since.
Set 1 - The Father and The Son and The Holy Ghost
Performed by Ed Jones (tenor saxophone), Dominic Lash (double bass), Mark Wastell (percussion).
Set 2 - David Angol Quartet
David Angol (tenor & soprano saxophone), Leon Daniel (piano), Mirko Scarzia (double bass), Dave Hemblett (drums)
Set 3 - Nat Birchall Quintet
Nat Birchall (tenor & soprano saxophone), Adam Fairhall (piano), Michael Bardon (double bass), Paul Hession (drums), Lascelle Gordon (percussion)
Tenor saxophonist Alan Skidmore, a bonafide British jazz legend, will be guesting with David and Nat’s groups.
David Angol brings his fabulous quartet to Cafe OTO for the very first time and will be showcasing their take on Coltrane favourites Wise One, Impressions, I Want To Talk About You and Central Park West. A regular on the London and international jazz scene for many years, David’s playing credits include Bobby Watson, Jools Holland, Bheki Mesleku, Nat Birchall, Ralph Moore, Jerry Bergonzi, Jean Toussaint, Kenny Garrett and Tony Kofi. He toured with the award-winning Blue Note group ‘US3’. Although David is a proud member of the jazz purist society, he has also worked with artists like Amy Winehouse, Beverly Knight and Jess Glynn.
Nat Birchall currently stands as one of the most acclaimed saxophonists in British jazz, his run of classic albums from 2009’s Akhenaten to last year's Afro Trane and Spiritual Progressions, has consistently resulted in rave reviews in both the jazz media and further afield, high placing in end-of-year lists, widespread airplay and a growing legion of passionate fans. Although Nat’s heartfelt connection to the spiritual jazz of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders has been much commented upon, his compositions often emphasise bass lines and rhythms in a way that reaches back to the Jamaican music which first drew Nat to the saxophone. An unflashy player with a remarkably communicative saxophone sound, Nat and his fellow band members play with the selfless motivation and unwavering focus that is necessary to produce this soulful, stately music.
Alan Skidmore plays soprano and tenor saxophones, flutes and drums. He is the son of saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore, who gave him a discarded tenor that Alan ignored until he was about 15. At that time he decided to teach himself to play. Skidmore began playing professionally in 1958, and did various commercial engagements, including tours with comedian Tony Hancock and singer Matt Monro and five years in the house band at London’s Talk Of The Town nightclub. In 1961 he made the first of many appearances on BBC Radio’s Jazz Club, and also fell under the spell of his idol, John Coltrane. In the following years Skidmore worked with numerous important and/or successful bands, including Eric Delaney, where he replaced his father when Jimmy decided to leave (in 1963), Alexis Korner (1964), John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (1964), Ronnie Scott (1965), Georgie Fame And The Blue Flames (1970), Mike Westbrook (1970-71), Mike Gibbs (1970-71), and Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood Of Breath (1971). In 1969, he formed his own quintet (Kenny Wheeler, Tony Oxley, John Taylor and Harry Miller), with which he won the best soloist and best band awards at the Montreux International Jazz Festival and gained a scholarship to Berklee College Of Music, although he did not take this up. In 1973, he co-founded S.O.S., probably the first all-saxophone band, with Mike Osborne and John Surman. He has subsequently formed various small groups of his own, including El Skid (co-led with Elton Dean), SOH (with Ali Haurand and Tony Oxley), and Tenor Tonic (with Paul Dunmall, Paul Rogers and Tony Levin), and has worked with the George Gruntz Concert Band, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, the Charlie Watts Orchestra, Stan Tracey, Mose Allison, Van Morrison, Georgie Fame again, and with the West German Radio Band. Unquestionably one of the best jazz saxophonists Britain has ever produced.
Saxophonist Ed Jones has been at the forefront of the British jazz scene for over twenty five years. His collaborations reflect his diverse musical interests: John Stevens, Evan Parker, George Benson, Dr Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Clifford Jarvis, Incognito, Us3, Nostagia 77, D’Angelo, Bootsy Collins, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Carlene Anderson, Noel McCoy and Omar. Ed has also led his own quartet for many years and who’s recent 2018 release For Your Ears Only (Impossible Ark Records) has been warmly received by critics and listeners alike.
Mark Wastell is a versatile improvising musician who has played a central role in the British improvised music scene for over a quarter of a century. He has performed and recorded extensively and his varied resume includes projects with Derek Bailey, Phil Durrant, John Butcher, Lasse Marhaug, Rhodri Davies, Simon H. Fell, Burkhard Beins, John Tilbury, Mattin, Mark Sanders, Tony Conrad, Evan Parker, Tim Barnes, Bernhard Günter, Keith Rowe, John Zorn, Peter Kowald, Joachim Nordwall, Otomo Yoshihide, Paul Dunmall, David Toop, Alan Wilkinson, Max Eastley, Hugh Davies, Julie Tippetts, Alan Skidmore, Mike Cooper, Chris Abrahams, Stewart Lee, Clive Bell, Arild Andersen, Jan Bang, Maggie Nicols, Thurston Moore and David Sylvian.
Dominic Lash concentrates on the double bass and electric guitar. He works regularly with musicians including John Butcher, Angharad Davies, Emil Karlsen, Mark Sanders, Pat Thomas, and Alex Ward. He has lived and worked in Oxford, New York and Bristol, and is currently based in Cambridge where he and N.O. Moore curate the monthly improvised music series Soundhunt. He also runs the label Spoonhunt.
http://dominiclash.blogspot.co.uk/
