Venue review - Sela Bar

If you’re not careful you may miss this subterranean, Leeds bar as you walk up New Briggate. It has won venue of the year in the Jazz Yorkshire awards and being one of the most central jazz venues in Leeds I thought it was worth a visit.

 

So down the steps I head for the brick and plaster lined walls and stone floor, , kinda’ scruffy round the edges, with the bar one end and the stage area the other with a mishmash of pictures on the walls, and an array seating and tables leading to the stage, the place feels comfortable.

 

Jazz is available on Mondays in the form of the Cooler and a Jam session on Tuesdays. Entry is free. It is my understanding that something is starting up 17^th March too.

Normally on Tuesday the main act starts at 9pm however with a dep drummer coming it was a 10pm start. The evening starts with a guest act for an hour or so then the jam starts after a short break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It worries me when a sax player has looping and effects pedals, and I had previously been informed it was going to be ‘free’ but after the first number I settled into the music, the paraphernalia was not a distraction in the hands of this master sax player Jan Kopinski, his monster drawing son Stefan on bass, the jam host Nik Svarc on guitar and the depping drummer Steve Hanley. For more details of Jan and his music http://www.jankopinski.com/

 

 

The Jam session kicked off with what looked like a mix of LCM students, swapping over on piano, bass, drums and guitars as I sneaked out ‘round midnight

Having had a chat (more about that later) with Nik Svarc who runs the jam session he is really keen to have more musicians, be they amateur or professional musicians come along, Nik now lives in London, where there is a jam session every night if you know where to go. To my knowledge this is the only jam session in Leeds so it is worth getting involved.

Forth coming guests at the Jam are:
March 5th Ed Jones Quintet
Ed Jones-Sax
Jami Sheriff-Piano
Ulrich Elbracht-Guitar
Garry Jackson-Double Bass
Dave Walsh-Drums
”A formidable saxophonist. Ed Jones may have hit his highest profile through his work with bands US3 and Incognito, but he’s an improviser to his fingertips, a player of forceful imagination, and one of the Uk’s most distinctive saxophonists." John Fordham The Guardian.
facebook Event-

http://www.facebook.com/events/124772551036745/

March 12th Graham Garside Organ Trio
Graham Garside-Guitar
Martin Longhawn-Organ
Steve Hanley-Drums
'A unique jazz guitarist. Magical, compelling, and impressing with beautiful lyrical playing'..
Facebook Event-http://www.facebook.com/events/216218225184088/

March 19th-Dave Hamblett Group
Dave Hamblett - Drums
Josh Arcoleo - Sax
Joe Wright - Sax
Alex Munk - Guitar
Calum Gourlay- Bass
Matt Robinson – Keys
‘delivered a sophisticated impressionistic set, that boiled up with hard-hitting solos…'-JAZZWISE
Facebook Event-http://www.facebook.com/events/101652236688389/

March 26th-Alex Davis Trio
Alex Davis -Double Bass
Reuben James -Piano
Dave Hamblett-Drums
“A standout young rhythm section” - The Financial Times
Facebook Event-http://www.facebook.com/events/171016116379923/

Apr 2nd -Tom Harrison Quartet

Apr 9th -Ben Lowman Quartet

Apr 16th-Jiannis Pavlidis Trio

Apr 23rd -Nik Svarc Organ Trio

Apr 30th -Russell Van Den Berg Quartet

May 7th -Matt Anderson Quartet

SPECIAL EVENT

May 14th - "Smiling Organizm" featuring Eric Harland:
Zhenya Strigalev - Alto sax
Eric Harland (Charles Lloyd, Josua Redman) - Drums
Dany Noel Martinez (Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Concha Buika, Celia Cruz) - bass
Steve Fishwick - trumpet (Scott Hamilton, Lew Soloff, Anita O' Day, Jamie Cullum)
Liam Noble - Piano

[Zhenya Strigalev] is a fascinating old-school/cutting-edge hybrid, with a formidable bebop-rooted sax technique, a burgeoning talent for composition, and an engaging willingness to take a chance..."
-The Guardian

"Held together by sheer bravura, raw energy and no shortage of well-placed virtuosity, Strigalev and his band whip up a a delightfully free-flowing musical storm...Smiling Organizm is Strigalev's fifth and best album to date."
-Bass Guitar Magazine

"This dashing young Russian emigré is a fearless jammer....He's in typically fast company here, leading an international sextet including fellow Russian trumpeter Vitaly Golovnev, chameleonic London pianist Liam Noble and the all-American drum'n'bass team of Eric Harland and Larry Grenadier. Bass-guitarist Tim Lefebvre joins the mix for some nimble neobop, muscular funk and a hilariously punked-up version of Midnight in Moscow. Good value If you like fun and originality with your contemporary jazz.
-4 Stars, CD of the Week, Evening Standard

Tickets £10 in advance Contact -
Nicksvarc@yahoo.com

May 21st- Corrie Dick Quartet
May 28th-Alex Roth Quintet -Otriad

Facebook Page-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-jam-at-The-Sela-Bar/127289430728896

Twitter-https://twitter.com/SelaBarJazzJam

　

　

　

And the schedule for the cooler is:

More details about Sela can be found on the website, www.selabar.com/

And a few more pics from the night are here http://markbeirne-smith.blogspot.co.uk/

Mark

Gig Preview and Review - Georgia Mancio and Ian Shaw at Seven Jazz

Its been called ‘the vocal jazz concert of the year with Ian Shaw and Georgia Mancio’ this sounds like a treat for all Leeds vocal jazz fans. Ian Shaw is well known to the audience at Seven Jazz, having been previously and having held a workshop there.



Ian Shaw with Jean at the 2011 workshop

I caught up with Georgia Mancio, via the power of social media (twitter @GeorgiaMancio) and email to have a chat before the concert.

　

 

Photo Credit Laura Leigh 2013
　

Mark Beirne-Smith – I read (I think Jazz Journal) that you started in Jazz at Ronnie Scotts London, could you tell me how your journey in jazz progressed from there?

Georgia Mancio – Yes I worked as a waitress there for a few years. Music was in my blood (both my grandparents were professional classical musicians) but I was actually studying film-making at the time. What happened though was not only did I get to see, hear and talk to heroes like Betty Carter, Jon Hendricks, Andy Bey, Cedar Walton etc but I met local musicians. Encouragement and practical advice from great players like guitarist, Mike Eaves, and bass player, Andy Cleyndert, demystified the leap from fan to performer and gave me the confidence to give it a go. I took courses and studied privately but really I feel I learnt (am learning) the old fashioned way by gigging with highly talented and experienced players who were always generous with their knowledge and time.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Your website www.georgiamancio.com tells me you were in Yorkshire  5 years ago, when was the last time you came to see us and when is the next planned visit after this gig?
Georgia Mancio –Then I must update my website as the last time was only 3 years ago as part of my 'Silhouette' album tour! I played at Wakefield Jazz Club and actually I'll be back there on 24 May with my quartet (Tim Lapthorn - piano, Julie Walkington- bass, Dave Ohm - drums). It's part of a 20 date Jazz Services/Arts Council tour and Wakefield was the first club I called when I started putting it together a year ago!

Mark Beirne-Smith – I know you for your solo albums (Peaceful Place, Trapeze and Silhouette) but not of any vocal duets, is this a new thing for you?

Georgia Mancio –I work in the duo format quite a lot now - something that I've concentrated on as part of my opening sets at ReVoice! Festival. Last year I did a set with Liane Carroll which was absolutely magical but really in terms of vocal duets it's mainly been with Ian. He sang a duet on my album 'Silhouette' (the title track written by Kate Williams and myself) and we've done quite a lot of shows together in the last 3 - 4 years.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Will the gig at Seven Jazz be well known standards, interpretations of more modern songs or originals written by both of you?

Georgia Mancio – It will be a mix of standards and great pop songs that Ian has made me see in a whole different light. We've not written anything together yet but Ian will be performing from his recent album 'A Ghost in Every Bar' which is a beautiful tribute to the songs of Fran Landesman.

Mark Beirne-Smith  – What is the line up, are you bringing some other musicians with you?

Georgia Mancio – It's just the two of us as Ian will be playing piano too but given that he is also a gifted comedian it sometimes feels like there's a whole band on stage!

Mark Beirne-Smith – What is next for this project, more gigs, recording?

Georgia Mancio – We never seem to plan ahead but I'm always so delighted when the opportunity arises to work together again. It's unlike anything else I do - working so closely with another singer and one as talented as Ian really stretches me. Our shows are pretty spontaneous and yet I know I am in the safest of hands - always great, supportive accompaniment and an inspiring sparring partner. I'm (slowly) putting together an album of duets so naturally I'd love to include something with Ian.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Where’s the next gig for you and Ian?

Georgia Mancio – We're doing a special late set at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in London on 18th May although actually it's not late at all...10.30pm start.

Mark Beirne-Smith – How are the plans shaping up for this years Revoice festival?

Georgia Mancio – Very well thank you! It's number 4 unbelievably and looks set to be our longest yet - 10 days 10-19 October. I've nearly finished the programming and there are already 2 or 3 UK premieres lined up and some very interesting new projects from artists we have featured in the past. So I think it will be partly a retrospective and partly something new. I'd actually love to do a pop up edition - ReVoice! North.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Do you like Marmalade?

Georgia Mancio – The idea of it but no, there's something not quite right about it for me. Which might be how some people feel about jazz....!

For more info and tickets please check the Seven Jazz website
http://www.sevenjazz.co.uk/

To hear some tracks an read more about Georgia Mancio check out her website
http://www.georgiamancio.com/

And of course Ian Shaws website
http://www.ianshaw.biz/

The gig review is to follow… after the gig!
Which is here and now....

‘Straight from planet jazz’ Ian Shaw and Georgia Mancio landed in Leeds, well actually they came by train from Kings Cross. For a chilly evening in Leeds, there was a good turnout filling the theatre at Seven Jazz with a very appreciative audience.

Ian Shaw started the proceedings with a swinging ‘Feet Do Your Stuff’, a Fran Landesman song, followed by Joni Mitchell’s ‘The Last Time I Saw Richard’, ‘Making Whoopee’ including a extra verse from Ian and ‘Love Go Round’ another by Fran Landesman, which is no surprise as Ian Shaw’s latest album ‘A Ghost In Every Bar’ is songs by this writer. Georgia Mancio was then introduced with ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’ followed by ‘The Masquerade Is Over’. Ian then sang one of my favourites of the night, a stripped down version of ’All I Want Is A Room Somewhere’ from the musical My Fair Lady, showing Ian Shaw at his best, a moving, intimate interpretation. To finish the first set there was a medley of weather related Jazz standards with an extra treat of Georgia Mancio’s whistling skills providing an intriguing and fun solo leading on from ‘Singing In The Rain’.

Both singers merged beautifully, the songs and their voices, to create a dynamic and entertaining show. The song choices, solo’s and connection between the two was apparent, especially in the medley’s. Song’s that stood out for me in the second set were, the Hal David songs ‘House is not a home’ with ‘Alfie’ and the first song introduced as a rude song by Ian, showing his flare for comedy and Georgia’s warmth shone through on the ballad ‘Moon River‘. A wonderful, entertaining gig.

For more going on at Seven Jazz - http://www.sevenjazz.co.uk/


Mark

Svarc Trio - "Touch" review

To some, the very sight of a band line up that includes guitar loops, makes the heart beat faster. The sound of Nik Svarc teasing loops from acoustic and electric guitars, Garry Jackson on basses, Dave Walsh on percussion and featuring on the lengthy “Chainsaw Snore”, Russell Van Den Berg on saxophone and Matthew Bourne on Fender Rhodes, is in no way a disappointment. Leeds based Svarc Trio’s album “Touch”, released through Bandcamp, is a treasure trove of influences and styles that requires repeated attentive engagement. In an age where album cover art may be sadly neglected as an art form in itself, one of the striking elements of the Svarc Trio’s album “Touch” is the image on the cover. Featuring two hands conjoined at the wrist laid across the top of a parcel, the surreal nature of the image may help to set the mood for the sharp music within.
“Nothing Serious” opens reflectively and modestly, allowing the listener access to intimate lines on guitar buoyed along with brisk percussion and bass. Moods change progressively throughout, as passages layer upon each other, until, some eight minutes in, the pace swiftly gains momentum and the playing turbulent. Listening to a lengthy piece such as this, the listener may consider how enthralling this music could be in a live setting. The shorter “Imprints Part 1” is a lilting interlude of gently shifting textures underpinned with melancholy bass lines. This soundscape approach is reminiscent in some ways of Robert Fripp’s sound sculptures. At eighteen minutes and opening with commanding guitar motifs and unearthly atmospheres, “Chainsaw Snore” is one moment savage improvisation, one minute motorik beat driven Krautrock, one minute funk, one minute musique concrete, before unexpectedly touching into areas of Sun Ra influenced space jazz. If any of these styling’s appeal to the reader, then “Touch”, as a whole will be a delight. “2 Troubled Magnets” is a seductive shift through solemn bass lines and splashing cymbals whilst leaving the listener aware that in the background sinister sounds are being produced from some inexplicable instrument. The guitar lines may be influenced by the work of Bill Frisell at times and informed by the phrases of John Schofield at others.
The collection closes with “Imprints Part 2”, which meanders initially, before bringing “Touch” to a close with majestic riffs and phrases. As the final few lines gently melt away and the album ends there is a sense that a number of influences have been shrewdly engaged to bring a cohesive finished product that, hopefully, will be suggestive of future releases.

Gig Preview - Matt Anderson Wild Flower Sextet

"thinking of misty landscapes with wild flowers and strange, dimly-seen shapes…”
Wayne Shorter about ‘Speak No Evil’

After winning the Jazz Yorkshire young musician of the year in 2010 Matt Anderson is becoming well known on the Leeds jazz scene both as a side man in Kate Peters Septet, Jiannis Pavlidis Quartet and Jamie Taylor Quartet and as a leader of his own quartet.

Matt has moved on to the music of Wayne Shorter with his new band ‘Wild Flower’

Wild Flower Sextet: Celebrating Wayne Shorter are:
Matt Anderson – Tenor Saxophone
Mark Chandler/Laura Jurd – Trumpet/Flugelhorn
Alex Munk – Electric Guitar
Jamil Sheriff – Piano
Sam Vicary – Double-Bass
Dave Walsh – Drums

Ahead of the first full band gig at Seven Arts I caught up with Matt in a Leeds coffee shop to chat about his new project ‘Wildflower’

 

Mark Beirne-Smith – Most of your music as a leader has been your original pieces, why change to interpret and arrange the music of someone else?
Matt Anderson – In playing jazz there is always this question of balancing between the great jazz tradition and your own more original music and ideas. I’m always trying to straddle this gap and keep both things in the picture, and I felt I could still express my own thoughts and ideas through someone else’s music.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Why the music of Wayne Shorter? 
Matt Anderson – Wayne Shorter has always been a huge influence on me as a saxophonist, composer and improviser. There aren’t as many ‘tributes’ to him as other saxophonists like Coltrane, perhaps because his tunes are often quite complex and odd, and I felt I was reaching a point where I wanted to play more swing-based, straight-ahead jazz whilst not missing out on all that great contemporary harmony. When you add to that the huge body of work that Wayne has produced during his lifetime, he seemed like the perfect choice!

Mark Beirne-Smith – Is this to be a mix of Wayne Shorter music or from a specific period? Will it include some written by the band?
Matt Anderson - I wanted to avoid the easy route of just picking tunes from the periods I know best, e.g. his 60’s Blue Note albums and his work with the Miles Davis Quintet, so I’ve also incorporated tunes from earlier when he was working with Art Blakey in the Jazz Messengers and just starting to find his compositional voice, as well as later with Weather Report. Shorter tunes make up about half the repertoire of the band, and the other half are original compositions.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Does playing the music of someone who is still alive give a different perspective to the interpretation of the music? How has this affected the approach you have taken?
Matt Anderson – I think it does, especially with Wayne because he is producing some of the best music of his career right now – I consider the new Wayne Shorter Quartet album ‘Without a Net’ pretty much the cutting edge of the music. I wanted to take a similar approach to Herbie Hancock when he put together his ‘Directions in Music’ tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane – he said ‘the idea was not to recreate original Miles and Trane recordings but to evoke anew the creative spirit and boundary-breaking that was the hallmark of their genius.’ As such, I feel I can’t just transcribe his music and play the tunes note-for-note, but instead try to use for example more modern approaches to rhythm and metre to create fresh re-interpretations of the compositions.

Mark Beirne-Smith – In arranging this music do you feel, after nearly 50 years from some of the original recording, you will be bringing something present to the arrangements?
Matt Anderson – Yes, for example the rhythmic language of today is quite different from those 60’s Blue Note recordings so we can play around with odd-metres, metric modulations (tempo changes) and layering up polyrhythms. I wanted to keep it swing-based though, and I suppose the influence for a lot of that stuff comes from Brad Mehldau and his trio.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Is it viable to run a sextet in this day and age of arts council cuts?
Matt Anderson – Not really! The sextet is a kind of ‘special occasion’ line-up – I think in reality we’ll mostly gig as a quartet, with the sextet an option for bigger promoters or festivals. I am also running workshops alongside some of the gigs to subsidise them.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Do you intend to record this set or are you keeping this just for live performance?
Matt Anderson – I am recording the Seven Arts gig and organising some video, so depending on how that turns out I should be able to put some more material out online in the next few weeks.

Mark Beirne-Smith – Next gig? Tour?
Matt Anderson – With this band it’s Seven Jazz this Sunday 24^th Feb, and that’s the full sextet. After that I’m doing a few dates with Jiannis Pavlidis (25/2 Sela, 13/3 Matt n’ Phreds) and the Wild Flower Quartet is also playing at Sela on the 25^th March. There are more dates on my website at http://www.matt-anderson.org.uk/performances.

　
I am sure that there will be many dimly seen shapes at Seven Jazz on the 24th February in the audience, if you wish to join them there are more details here ttp://www.sevenjazz.co.uk

And of course Matt’s website has full details of where he is gigging and some clips to listen to and watch. From what I have heard so far Wild Flower is a fresh approach to Wayne Shorters earlier music yet faithful to the original feel. It would be interesting to have some comments from those that have seen the band live.
http://www.matt-anderson.org.uk/bio/wild-flower-sextet-celebrating-wayne-shorter

Mark

Alligator Gumbo

Leeds based Alligator Gumbo have, it could be argued, come to the attention of Jazz Goes To Leeds at the zeitgeist in interest in music of the 1920’s and 1930’s with the popularity on BBC 1 of the Stephen Poliakoff television drama “Dancing on the Edge”. They play a rabid mixture of New Orleans Creole that utilises popular instrumentation of that era. Their Soundcloud page features a number of pieces from their repertoire showcasing that familiar technique of improvisation and melody woven together to produce a sound that is at once sophisticated yet raw and exhilarating, as a collection of tunes under the umbrella "Alligator Gumbo". “Everybody Loves My Baby”, “Canal Street Blues” and “Sheik of Araby” should be familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in the history of this music whilst “Blue Drag” soars along on that giddy combination of clarinet and violin, intertwining and glancing briefly at the melody, before veering away into another glorious ad-lib.

Featuring Jon Sculley on trumpet, Greg Surmacz on clarinet, Matthew Tiffany on violin, Chris Lloyd on accordion, James Paylor on bass and Mike Simpson on guitar, Alligator Gumbo take the music of almost a century ago and bring it wailing and stomping into 2013. Looking at the biographies of each band member there is a palpable sense that a disparate number of influences have been added to this traditional mixture from hip hop, comedy, big band, blues, classical and improvisation. “St Louis Blues” and “Sweet Georgia Brown” are distinctive standards that help give some idea as to where the band is drawing their influences from, whilst their repertoire also features such tongue in cheek classics as “All That Meat and No Potatoes” and “When I Get Low I Get High”.

In times of austerity, music as vibrant and joyous as this should be required listening to evoke a sense of enchantment.

A poem from Seven Jazz

Mikkel Ullah wrote this really affectionate poem about the Atlantic Inspired by a gig at Seven Jazz on 27.1.13

Mikkel is from Chapel Allerton and has just had her first art exhibition in Leeds Art Gallery with her painting and has a poetry showcase in Manchester in February.

As I sit and wait with anticipation,
I can hear the gentle sounds of the
instruments,

The tall bass guitarist strumming
His chords like he’s gently tying his 
Old favourite shoes,

The pianist tip-toeing his hands 
Across the ivory keys,

The saxophonist sways in time with
The music like he is holding his
Beloved in his arms,

The trumpeter gently kisses his 
Instrument like the girl who left 
This morning at 5 am,

I close my eyes and let the 
Music whisk me down the old ,
Mississippi,  
Feeling her cold breeze ease 
My soul

For jazz on a Sunday afternoon is soul food for my,
Soul.

Gig - Jamil Sheriff Trio - Ilkley

Great sell out gig from one of the newly appointed ambassadors of Northern Line...!

Jamil Sheriff Trio – Ilkley Manor House

The Ilkley Manor house is not a conventional jazz venue however it does host a mixed concert series which includes some jazz. Upstairs amongst the photo exhibition we found the trio had set up. The audience of 40 or so filtered into the room to fill it.

The trio comprises of

Jamil Sheriff on piano

Pete Turner on bass

Dave Walsh on drums

The first set started out with 'Stella by starlight', followed by the first of the Sheriff originals, 'Contortionist' inspired by a trip to the Edinburgh Festival where Jamil saw a contortionst act. The set continued with 'All the things you are' then an interpretation of the Neil Young song 'Only love can break your heart' and ended with 'How deep is the ocean'.

The second set started with that well known Disney classic 'Someday my prince will come' followed by the un-named 'Trio piece number one' with the bass opening, the drums in next, finally piano, setting the scene for one of the trio’s fine new original tunes! This was followed by another Sheriff original 'Blueish' which resolves to 12 bar blues. Next up, ‘In your own sweet way' by Dave Bruebeck and to finish, 'God bless the child'.

This trio of highly accomplished musicians, has influences of Jarret and for me some of Oscar Peterson’s work, especially in the improvised solos.

The audience were quiet and attentive during the gig and very appreciative from the comments I heard. After this wonderful, intimate gig, I am looking forward to hearing more of Jamil Sheriffs original music especially in this trio setting.

After the gig I had a quick chat with Jamil:

Mark Beirne-Smith: So why the trio format, after the bigger ensembles you have written for?

Jamil Sheriff: The time just seemed right to put my music into the more exposed setting of the trio, where I have to take more of a lead, I wanted to follow some new harmonic ideas, combined with it being easier to organise trio gigs!

Mark Beirne-Smith: What challenges does writing for the trio give you?

Jamil Sheriff: Again it is the exposure and focus on the piano.

Mark Beirne-Smith: How long has this project been running?

Jamil Sheriff: About a year now.

Mark Beirne-Smith: Are you intending on recording this work or is it strictly for live performance and you tube?

Jamil Sheriff: With being given the Jazz North Award - Northern Line, I am looking to tour the music over the next year and maybe get to record it at some point. But in the mean time some of it is available on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPKAlXN9d3k

Mark Beirne-Smith: Are you involved in any other projects at the moment?

Jamil Sheriff: Yep I have the new quintet that I am writing for then I am performing with Matt Anderson - Wild flower, Sam Gardner Quartet and We Free Kings

Congratulations to Jamil and his trio (http://www.jamilsheriff.co.uk/) on becoming ambassadors for Jazz North (http://www.jazznorth.org/) Looking forward to seeing more of you guys!
There are a few more photos - on my other blog!

Mark

Jamil Sheriff Quintet, Seven Arts, Leeds February 3rd 2013

Jamil Sheriff Quintet, Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds Sunday February 3^rd 2013

It is often an integral part of the creative process that personal life experiences can be drawn upon to help shape the finished product. Leeds College of Music course leader and pianist Jamil Sheriff brought a new quintet to Seven Arts in Leeds and showcased a set of mostly new material, some of which was influenced by his life with his young daughter. Supported by Richard Iles on trumpet, Matt Anderson on saxophone, Sam Vicary on bass and Sam Gardner on drums, this quintet of contemporaries and ex-students cut through a grey and wintry Sunday afternoon with disparate set of compositions of such density and warmth that the outside world could be forgotten for a few engaging hours.  Opening with a Sheriff composition “Pink Triangle” (not as uncouth a title as it may sound), each piece helped to highlight the number of influences at work at any one time, from Latin-American flavoured phrases, to classical composition, to dark, baleful passages of melancholy. At times the character of saxophonist Wayne Shorter shone through, whilst at others the playing of McCoy Tyner seemed to illustrate the mood.

The second set of the afternoon could be argued to have been the more dynamic of the two with “Matticulous” (?), in particular, managing to infuse its lines with wit and eccentricity. “Sfumato” saw Sheriff produces passages that were not only reminiscent of Keith Jarrett, but make the facial expressions and noises that brought that virtuoso pianist to mind. Sfumato, it seems, is a painting technique often associated with the artist Leonardo da Vinci and refers to the fine shading that is used to create soft transitions between colours and tones. Not only an afternoon of thoughtful music but also an education it seems. With song titles that allude to his relationship with his daughter, such as “Porridge Head”, an intimacy and empathy was created between composer and audience, which goes some way to bring the two together. Throughout each tune there was a palpable sense that the musicians were confidently enjoying the music which again, translates to the audience.

As the last unlucky raffle ticket was discarded the afternoon closed with a Miles Davis “Nefertiti” inspired “For T W”, which featured a repeating expression over which Gardner’s drums added the dynamics to push the tune forward, and one could be confident that the fifty or so members of the audience were not only happy with the afternoon, but expectant of what else Sheriff has to offer in the future.