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REVIEW OF ‘LIVE AT THE FRINGE’ CD

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Mike Collins, well known jazz pianist and trio leader appearing in November at the Teignmouth Jazz Festival with long-standing collaborator Lee Goodall on saxes, is also a jazz writer, penning articles for Jazz Wise from time to time I’ve noticed. Here’s part of his review of our CD

“…there’s a lively groove round every corner whether its the samba like lilt of Easter Rise, the township inflected Cagoulie or the calypos like All the Best. In between there are more reflective moments with the rich harmonic textures of ballad The Rainbows Gift and the modal jazz vibe of Equanimity. The CD, produced as the band formed and started gigging, made me want to go and see them live. The energy of the collective, the fluency of the players (if you don’t know them already) are all immediately evident and its hard not to grin at the irrepressible optimism of Dave Mowat’s writing and playing”. Full review is on http://jazzyblogman.wordpress.com/

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BEJE summer news and forthcoming GIGS

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BEJE at YMGBEJE2 at YMGIt’s a good sign I’ve been off the blog. I’ve been on the horn. I failed to mention BRISTOL HARBOURFEST on July 19th. Then we were booked for the national Quaker ‘Yearly Meeting Gathering’ Aug 8th. where we played with Israeli record producer Mark Smulian on oud and a star klezmer clarinet player. (see pics) I’ve never sold so many cds! There’ve been function gigs, an appearance at WOMAD with Fallout Marching Band and in the horn section for PSB and now the autumn season beckons: catch us at
CANTEEN BRISTOL THURSDAY SEPT 17th 9.30pm free entry
The PORTER BASEMENT JAZZ AND BLUES CLUB [fb] BATH THURS OCT 16th
BREWHOUSE TAUNTON Sunday Nov 9th lunch time price tbc
BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL 28th NOVEMBER 5pm free entry

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BEJE at Bristol’s Big Green Week June 19th

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Thursday 19th 8.30pm Future Inn Bristol £5 entry BEJE.016http://www.futureinns.co.uk/bristol/jazz-at-future-inns/

I still have to finish setting my four poems ‘The Bridging Place’ about Bristol to music. In them I try and re-imagine the city and its natural location from the perspective of elemental powers-earth, water, fire and stone, putting human history and destiny in some kind of perspective.

I can’t decide whether to score them out accurately or indicate a ‘feel’ for the BEJE musicians to follow. Knud Stuwe set them originally in 2010 with a contemporary, Charles Ives-ish score. Fabulous, but not appropriate for this band. I’m going for a more paired-down earthy feel, closer to the bass-emphasis of the Beat era of jazz and poetry (so Pasquale, BEJE bass player is the man for it)

Now the practical bit: It’s at the Future Inn Bristol, Bond Street South (next to Cabot Circus giant carpark but there’s free parking in the hotelcarpark) Bristol BS1 3EN Tel: 0117 304 1010

Other numbers this evening will be from our ‘Live At The Fringe’ album. Plus one new one ‘Walled Garden’

The Big Green Week brochure advertised the gig as free which is innacurate I’m afraid. This used to be the case until recently at Future Inn but is no longer. The corrected message wasn’t picked up by the BGW editor, at least in time. Sorry about that.

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BEJE prepares for June 5th: Simon Thoumire and David Milligan at Bath Fringe

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I cycled to Bath today down our brilliant railway cylce path, 100+ precious fliers inhand for the June 5th gig at St James Wine Vaults. A perfect bank hol Monday day out! Handed the fliers to punters of the Thoumire-Milligan gig and then went in myself not knowing what to expect.

‘Twas a sublime fusuin of Scots reels and such with a jazzy left hand piano. The concertina sounds oddly distinct. It’s hardly a blend, but kept me alert. It put me in mind of other collaborations I’ve heard-Karen Tweed and Timo Alakotila and June Tabor and Huw Warren.

I love it when European jazz musicians, having inevitably passed through the American jazz songbook explore and bring new insight to our own roots music. Or roots musicians borrow from jazz idioms to look askance at the stuff they’ve done for yonks.

And after all that, a few more fliers round Bath and a great cycle home passed steam trains. Just watering the lettuces before bed. Bliss.
Anyone in Bath fancying being door-keeper on June 25th for free entry and a free cd, let me know!

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At the Bath Festival’s extreme fringe June 5

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BEJE wine vaults posterA confession: I failed, just, to get a listing in the Bath Fringe Festival brochure. So what d’you call a gig in Bath, in Festival season, that’s uno-unofficial? Still a great one hopefully with Paolo Adamo and mates (just me and Pasquale and Julien shown here). At Bath’s top jazz venue, St James Wine Vaults £5/£4 conc. June 5th 8.30pm.

I may be limbering up with extracts from ‘The Bridging Place’ ready for the band’s performance JUNE 19th at FUTURE INN Bristol, part of Big Green Week

So come to our first gig in Bath! Pasquale in particular is sounding stronger and stronger on my weird repertoire. We played at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory last night (May 18) with Knud Stuwe on guitar. “Smooth and very enjoyable” one happy audient called it. I think others liked it too…

In Bath we’ll definitely be playing ‘Justin’, a new piece with a Middle Eastern maqaam (mode or scale). I like the mood evoked and the challenge to keep solos interesting when the chords don’t change. it’s all rhythm and melody really

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Falafel King hosts BEJE members in Chai For Two

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Chai For Two are Knud Stuwe and David Mowat, performing at M Shed Bristol

David and Knud at Holocaust Memorial day  M Shed Bristol 2012

Chai For Two is made up of David Mowat and Knud Stuwe (see band members for details). On this occasion they are joined by oud and derabukka player Simon Leach.

They’re playing klezmer, Sephardic, Middle Eastern music and jazz. One cross-over from BEJE is a new tune that David wrote called ‘Justin’. It is Middle Eastern influenced, using a maqam or mode David learned when part of the Arabic Balkan Gypsy Band. Its improvisational rules are looser however than if following the traditional system. That’s just to  tell you about one out of twenty or so melodies we’ll be playing this afternoon.

For £3, on April 6th Sunday at 5pm, at the Falafel  King 6 Cotham Hill Bristol.  Do book a place if you want to come as the venue is small.

 

 

 

 

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BEJE PERSONNEL CHANGE

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Marco Anderson

Marco Anderson at the BEJE album launch

I have some sad news and some good news. Marco Anderson our drummer is leaving the band (sad). Paolo Adamo is arriving (good).

I’ve known and played with Marco over a long period. He’s very reliable, professional, always delivers the goods musically and often gets the best comments at gigs from the audience!

However we both felt there was not quite a gelling in the band sound. These things happen as bands get establish and settle down.

I still intend to work with Marco. I heard him in another guise recently, the Jazz Gnats Electronique, ambient Joe Zawinal-esque music in the live acoustics of Saint Stephen’s Church. Perfect context for etherial trumpet playing I thought. So watch this space for news.

I’ll save my next blog to tell you about Paolo. So for now, Marco thank you very much for getting BEJE off to a very fine start and I look forward to collaborating with you in other ways.

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BEJE perform in the Colston Hall Bristol March 21st

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BEJE will perform in  Bristol’s Colston Hall foyer at 6.15pm on Friday March 21st until 7.15pm. This is the first of several exciting gigs in the city, including the Bebop Club on May 9th, Future Inn June 19th as part of the city’s Big Green Week and the Harbour Festival July 19/20 (tbc). The cd ‘Live At The Fringe’ be on sale andDavid and Pasquale expect one or two new compositions by band leader David Mowat as well