Video Juke Box 2023
Videos Featured on the What's New page during 2023
Click on the pictures below to watch the videos .....
or take pot luck and click on the picture of the Juke Box and see what comes up.
October
The late Eva Cassidy sings a fine version Andy Razaf and Fats Waller's Honeysuckle Rose at the Blues Alley jazz club on 3rd January 1996. Check out our Take Two article this month.
Here is a video that for me is all about interaction and concentration. A very hot Miles Davis plays Human Nature with vocalist Chaka Khan at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1989. Note the concetration of bass guitarist Benny Rietveld.
This short introductory video is from Shear Brass for their new album Celebrating Sir George Shearing [see Recent Releases for more details].
Rebecca Poole sings I Wouldn't Change A Thing from her upcoming album Dreamer's Ball with Mark Edwards (piano); Loz Garratt (bass); Evan Jenkins (drums) and Dom Stockbridge (bass)
Clark Terry joins the Oscar Peterson Trio on flugelhorn in the 1960s for an outstanding rendering of Mack The Knife.
Ice Cream was a hit song for the Chris Barber band in the 1950s. This seems to be the earliest video available of the band playing it in 1972 on the German TV Show "Musikladen". Apart from Chris and Pat Halcox I am unsure of the other musicians. (Alvin Roy tells me the clarinettist is John Crocker)
In a news item above, I say that American vocalist Jack Jones 'has never really been seen as a Jazz singer", but he has impeccable timing and phrasing with a big band. One YouTube commentator says he has "jazz running through his veins". Perhaps this 45 minute video from 1976 illustrates the point.
September
Georgia Mancio in the UK and Alan Broadbent in America have been writing songs together for 10 years. To celebrate, Alan is coming to the UK for gigs with Georgia between 14th and 19th November (details here). Our video is of them with some numbers from their lovely 2017 album Songbook.
Violinist Stuff Smith was living in Denmark in 1965. Here he joins the Montmartre Trio (Kenny Drew, piano; N.H. Orsted Pedersen, bass; and Alex Riel, drums) in Copenhagen for Bugle Call Blues.
Elliot Galvin (piano) and Laura Jurd (trumpet) play Elliot's composition Mr Monk at the Vortex Jazz Club in London in 2021.
The Geoffrey Keezer Trio plays All The Things You Are and Serpentine Fire. The Grammy Award winning American pianist will be joining the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra for concerts in Scotland at the end of September and on the 1st October. Details are here.
A reminder that back in the 1970s decent video footage of bands was not that common and the music of many local bands remains unseen it is taken from TV or film footage. Here is film of the Avon Cities Jazz Band playing Tishomingo Blues. The band was based in Bristol, usually at The Old Duke pub. The personnel, we believe are: Geoff Nicholls (trumpet); Mike Hitchins (trombone); Ray Bush (clarinet) Dave Collett (piano); Clive Morton (bass guitar); Frank Feeney (guitar) and Chris Pope (drums).
Saxophonist Emma Rawicz plays Viridian in Manchester in 2021 with Ant Law (guitar); Ivo Neame (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass) and Jay Davies (drums). The tune is on Emma's new album Chroma [See Recent Releases]
August
Pianist Sultan Stevenson has just completed the Jazz course at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama and received the 'Jazz Newcomer of The Year' award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards in July. This video of Summer Was Our Holy Place is from his debut album Faithful One . (Listen to it here)
In 1966 Benny Carter came to London. In this video he plays a nice version of I Can't Get Started. Did you know that the song was first recorded for Decca by Red Mackenzie and his Rhythm Kings in 1936 (here)? Behind Red's vocal, Sid Trucker plays clarinet and Al Philburn, trombone. The pianist is Frank Signorelli.
Ewan Bleach and his band play King Olliver's Too Late in May this year featuring Lewis Taylor (trumpet), Davide Vincenzi (sax ) and Ed Parr (trombone). Ewan Bleach is a reeds player, pianist and bandleader based in London who specialises in the early styles of jazz, ragtime, blues and swing.
Emma Smith, who was also nominated for Vocalist of the Year at last month's Parliamentary Jazz Awards, sings Get Out Of My Life Woman with The Big Swing band last November.
Clarinettist George Lewis plays a lovely version of Burgundy Street Blues with Joe Robichaux (piano), Alcide Slow Drag Pavageau (bass) and Joe Watkins (drums).
It seems a while ago now that UK pianist Mark Pringle moved to live in Germany where in 2020 his Trio, Bright Dark, recorded their album At Home - the title track which refers to Mark's home town in Somerset. Here is a taster video. You can listen to more here, and Mark's website is here.
In this video, Tuba Skinny pays tribute to the 1927 tune Once In A While featuring Shaye Cohn on cornet. Apart from Louis' playing, the original Hot Five recording (here) is particularly noted for featuring Johnny Dodds' clarinet solo.
Pianist Matt Carter's Octet play Fighting Talk last October at Peggy's Skylight in Nottingham. The band's new album Read Between The Lines is out now [See Recent Releases]
July
Astrud Gilberto sadly passed through the Departure Lounge in June. Here is a reminder of The Girl From Ipenema with Stan Getz that first brought her to wide attention. Less well known perhaps is a vocal version of the theme from Concierto D'Aranjuez they called Far Away that Astrud recorded with Chet Baker here.
'The Man In The Mirror' was a hit for Michael Jackson, but it was written by Siedah Garrett who is introduced in this video by Quincy Jones before she goes on to sing her composition.
Saxophonist Sam Braysher plays Richard Rodgers' The Sweetest Sounds at the Blue Lamp Jazz Club in Aberdeen in May. Sam was on a short tour in Scotland with Scots Andrew Robb (bass) and Alyn Cosker (drums). Sam has just been recording his third album featuring the music of Kurt Weill before travelling for gigs in Spain and Turkey before returning to the UK. Sam's upcoming gigs are here.
It is hard not to be caught up in the swing of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. Here they are en masse in 2021 with Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby featuring the voice of Eva Fernandez and the trumpet of Frederik Noren.
Ella Fitzgerald sings Pete Kelly's Blues in this clip from the 1955 film of the same name starring Jack Webb. The soundtrack from the movie has recently been re-released on Jasmine Records. [See Recent Releases].
Here is a very effective video of the Charlie Bates Big Band playing Lennon and McCartney's Blackbird. During the Covid lockdown the technical ability to pull together a number of musicians playing individually set a challenge. Some videos worked better than others. I think this is one that worked well.
Guitarist Nick Costley-White's Trio (Tom Farmer - bass and Josh Morrison - drums) play Rodgers and Hart's Manhattan from their new album Nice Work! to be released on 8th July (See Recent Releases).
June
Guitarist Tom Ollendorff's Quartet plays Three Bridges live in Dublin. The number is included in Tom's new album Open House [see Recent Releases]. Tom is on tour with his Trio during June - dates here.
Saxophonist Simon Spillett's Quartet plays Tommy Wolf and Fran Landesman's beautiful song Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most at Dawke's Music in Maidenhead. Simon's upcoming gig dates are here .......
......... but if you missed Fran Landesman's lyrics in Simon Spillett's video, here is Arianna Neikrug with Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most with Trio members: Joey Navarro (piano); Alex Al (drums) and Lenny Castro (drums). The song appears on Arianna's 2018 debut album Changes. At the time, The Guardian newspaper said: "This is 25-year-old Arianna Neikrug's debut album, and a startling experience it can be, if you’re unprepared for it........"
Here's a clip from the 1943 film Stormy Weather with Fats Waller and Ada Brown singing That Ain't Right with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and others.
Guitarist David Preston plays O. Winston in this live performance of the track from his new album Purple / Black Vol. 1 with Kit Downes (piano); Kevin Glasgow (bass); and Sebastian Rochford (drums). [See Recent Releases].
Drummer Sonny Greer kicks off this fast version of Avalon from Art Ford's 1958 Jazz Party in the company of Charlie Shavers (trumpet); J.C.Higginbotham (trombone); Pee Wee Russell (clarinet); Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax); Willie "The Lion"Smith (piano); Harry Sheppard (vibraphone); Dick Thompson (guitar) and Vinnie Burke (bass).
Trumpeter Henry Spencer and Juncture play Hopeless Heartless from the album The Reasons Don't Change with this 2021 video directed by Simon McCheung. Henry and the band have a new album coming out this year. A single from the new album, Perfect Hindrance, has been released on various platforms - listen to it here.
May
Here is a really tempting taster of Jonny Mansfield's new album The Air In Front Of You due out next month when we shall spend more time with it. Jonny Mansfield (vibes); Dominic Ingham (violin); Midori Jaeger (cello); Will Sach (bass) and James Maddren (drums).
The pianist Ahmad Jamal sadly passed through the Departure Lounge in April. Here he is with Israel Crosby (bass) and Vernal Fournier (drums) and Darn That Dream from 1959.
Clarinettist Chris Watford and his Dallas Dandies play King Oliver and Bill Johnson's Just Gone, first recorded by Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923 with Joe King Oliver (cornet) and Louis Armstrong (second cornet).
Here is Illinois Jacquet, the 'Texas Tenor' playing Flying Home on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1949 with Jo Jones at the drums and Roy Eldridge playing trumpet. As one commentator says 'The roots of Rock and Roll'.
Did you know that the young Sant Andreu Jazz Band under Joan Chamarro also have a talented Dixieland band? Check out their version of Muskrat Ramble with saxophonist Scott Hamilton.
The Fraser Smith Quartet play Might Not from their new album Tip Top! with Fraser Smith (saxophone); Rob Barron (piano); Simon Read (bass) and Steve Brown (drums). See Recent Releases.
On The Sunny Side Of The Street. The videos from pianist Emmet Cohn's Place have been a welcome addition over the past few years. This one has a nice contribution from trombonist Jeffery Miller, who also sings the lyrics. Russell Hall is at the bass and Kyle Poole is the drummer. Note the words on Jeffery's cap "
April
Saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who sadly passed through the Departure Lounge in March, plays a great version of 'Round Midnight with Omar Hakim (drums); Stanley Clarke (bass) and Herbie Hancock (piano).
Thanks to Richard Allan Jones who suggests this video of the late Eva Cassidy singing You've Changed. This is restored footage of Eva performing at the Blues Alley jazz club on 3rd January 1996. There is a new album out by Eva singing with the London Symphony Orchestra - I Can Only Be Me.
Here are Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (bass) and Jas Kayser (drums) having a lot of fun at this Kansas Smitty 55 minutes set in December 2020 playing Count Basie Kansas City numbers.
Another pianist but a different style - here is the Amina Figarova Sextet with Blue Whisper from 2016 - Wayne Escoffery is the saxophonist. Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, Amina is now in America.
This scene from the 1948 film A Song Is Born has Benny Goodman (as a moustached professor!) and Lionel Hampton playing Stealing Apples.
This is another session from Kansas Smitty's in 2020, but this one features two of today's fine bass players - Ferg Ireland and Will Sach. Joe Webb is again on keyboards as the trio play this appropriately named session 'Superbass'.
Many people today probably forget how good Nat King Cole was as a pianist with his Trio in the 1940s. This video of Little Girl is not dated, nor the personnel listed, but Nat's usual trio included Oscar Moore (guitar) and Johnny Miller (bass). There are other videos of the Trio with this song from the Ed Sullivan Show, but I think this is different - does the guitarist here look like Irving Ashby? Any ideas?
March
The Steve Banks Quintet play Steve's composition Always For You And Forever Yours in January last year: Steve Banks (guitar); Sam Crockatt (saxophone); Rebecca Nash (keyboards); Henrik Jensen (bass) and Andrew Bain (drums). The band release their album Emboldened later this year. Tour dates are here.
Alec Harper (saxophone); Will Sach (bass); Will Arnold-Forster (guitar) and Will Cleasby (drums) with a great session at Kansas Smitty's in November 2020 playing music from Stan Getz and Johnny Smith's Moonlight in Vermont album.
One reader suggests we play Ken Colyer's Back To The Delta - you can listen to it here - but here is a video of Ken and his band playing Lead Me On at the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street in 1986 (there are various suggestions about the personnel).
Ian Shaw, Iain Ballamy and Jamie Safir with Burt Bacharach’s Alfie. Many, many, thanks to Burt Bacharach who sadly passed through the Departure Lounge last month for all the music he has left for us. Ian Shaw's upcoming gigs are here.
Paris, and an all-star line up for this video of Rosetta with Roy Eldridge; Ben Webster; Don Byas; Earl Hines; Stuff Smith; Jimmy Woode; and Kenny Clarke at the Jazz festival à la Mutualité in 1965.
Here is a ten minute short film of Artie Shaw and his Orchestra from 1939 playing Nightmare, Begin The Beguine, Nonstop Flight, Proscsschai and Helen Forrest singing Let’s Stop The Clock.
February
25th January 2023 was Burns Night celebrating Scotland's famous poet. In 2021 the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra played Burns' My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose to celebrate the day. Tommy Smith introduces this video before the Orchestra plays. Listen out for Calum Gourlay's lovely bass solo. The SNJO will be on tour in Scotland for 4 days towards the end of February featuring award winning vocalist Georgia Cécile. Details are here.
Trombonist Mel Henry saw our article on the tune Mean To Me last month and suggests we check out this great version by Cécile McLorin Salvant from Dizzy's Club. I had to do a bit of searching to see who the bass player is but he deserves a credit - it is Paul Sikivie.
Dave Parry has written remembering how he used to go to hear Acker Bilk's Paramount Jazz Band at the Royal Oak pub in Green Lane, Dagenham. Here is an apparently rare piece of film from the band in 1961 playing Creole Jazz. Can you name the band members? (It is not Stan Greig at the piano!).
The Ingham-Davison Allstar Sextet play Wayne Shorter's Free For All in Wakefield last February. Rory Ingham (trombone); James Davison (trumpet); Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Nikki Iles (piano); Steve Berry (bass); Sebastiaan De Krom ( drums). Rory Ingham is also a member of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra who will be playing in Harrogate on 1st February - details here.
Saxophonist Bud Freeman joins pianist Art Hodes on the 1968 TV programme Jazz Alley to play You Took Advantage Of Me and another, slower number, the title of which I couldn't catch (I expect someone will know). The bass player is Rails Wilson and the drummer Bod Cousins.
Pianist Jason Rebello plays Lennon and McCartney's song Blackbird. The number is featured on Jason's 2016 album Held. Jason has a new album out with saxophonist Time Garland, Life To Life.
January
A great performance of Stormy Weather by Benet McLean on violin from 2017 at London's Boulogne Bar with Yûr Yesli (guitar) and Adam King (bass)
Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra play one of their hit recordings, Skyliner, (another being Cherokee, not as notable a video if you fancy checking it out). In both, they feature the bandleader but he shares the camera a bit more in this one.
In 2020 trumpeter Yazz Ahmed won both the 'PRS For Music UK Jazz Act of the Year' and 'Album of the Year' at the Jazz FM Awards. At the ceremony, host Marcus Brigstocke introduces Yazz playing this captivating, atmospheric performance of Forest Bathing.
The Berlin Brass Quintet play Irving Berlin's Putting On The Ritz - Dominik Gaus, Timofej Stordeur (trumpets); Alexandre Zanetta (french horn); Vladimir Vereš (trombone); Mateusz Dudek (tuba).
A largely forgotten quintet, here is an old 'soundie' featuring the Five Spirits of Rhythm with Alabamy Bound. The footage says a lot about the common presentation of black performers and women at that time. The band's instruments included a 'tiple', a large ten string ukelele popular in the 1930s. The video notes tell more about 'soundies' and there is a page about the 'Spirits' here.
Either listen to some, or treat yourself to all of this one hour session featuring Will Arnold-Forster (guitar); Daisy George (bass) and Giacomo Smith (clarinet) from Kansas Smitty's in London recorded in 2020. Will's guitar sets the scene ....