Trumpeter Claude Deppa spoke to SJM editor Charlie Anderson about the Brotherhood of Breath Heritage Band. You’re now performing with The Brotherhood of Breath Heritage Band after having performed with Chris McGregor in one of the band’s original incarnations. “Yes, the Brotherhood had three, almost four, incarnations. There was the original band, then Chris […]
Multi-talented singer and pianist Ian Shaw spoke to SJM editor Charlie Anderson. Are you all ready for 2018? “I’m like a schoolboy. As soon as I get my diary bought from WH Smiths, I think I can start my life again. Nothing exists until I’ve got my big red diary.” Are you […]
Trumpeter Alexandra Ridout won the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2016. Currently studying at The Royal Academy of Music, she spoke to SJM editor Charlie Anderson. You won the Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2016. How’s it been going since then? “Really good. That whole competition opened up […]
Saxophonist, composer and arranger Pee Wee Ellis was a key member of James Brown’s ground-breaking band from the 1960s onwards and has since released his own albums and worked with Van Morrison and Ali Farka Toure amongst others. Now in his seventies, Pee Wee Ellis spoke to SJM editor Charlie Anderson. Tell us a […]
Kicking off the South Coast Jazz Festival is The Jazz Repertory Company who will be performing ‘100 Years of Jazz in 99 Minutes’. The brain-child of drummer Richard Pite, the band features Pete Long, Enrico Tomasso and vocalist/trumpeter Georgina Jackson. Georgina spoke to SJM editor Charlie Anderson. You’re doing 100 years of Jazz in […]
Abi Flynn Benefit Concert The Walrus, Brighton Wednesday 6th December, 2017 Beginning with Nature Boy sang beautifully by Lou Beckerman, this was a memorable evening from the opening number, with many of Brighton’s top musicians gathering to raise money (and share the love) for vocalist Abi Flynn. Throughout the evening there were […]
Three Little Birds Friends Meeting House, Brighton Sunday 10th December, 2017 Beginning with the standard After You’ve Gone, this vocal trio of Ela Southgate, Sara Oschlag and Rachel Simpson reunited for a concert with guitarist and arranger Matt Wall and bassist Dan Sheppard. The vocal harmonies worked beautifully, with the addition of […]
Sam Barnett The Verdict, Brighton Friday 15th December, 2017 Promoting his debut album London-New York Suite, 16 year old saxophonist Sam Barnett began with the opening track from the album, Morning Shadowplay and intermixed tunes from the album with compositions that he has written since. Accompanied throughout by fellow teens, drummer Zoe […]
Saxophonist Dave O’Higgins recently released his new album It’s Always 9:30 in Zog, his 19th album as leader. “It was time for a new album and I wanted to get back to writing some more original tunes. I’ve done that quite a lot in the past but the last few albums that I’ve presented […]
How did you get started on the drums? I started off playing snare drum in school, taught by a very old-school military fife and drum player, for two years, learning traditional technique and rudiments and playing in the school orchestra. And then I worked in a green grocers to save up some money to […]