Visitor blogger Alison Eales writes about Glasgow’s common jazz periods on this week’s weblog, and finds a dynamic scene which options a mixture of trad, mainstream, and fashionable jazz kinds throughout town, each indoors and within the metropolis’s out of doors public areas. Considered one of her predominant findings is the expansion of a youthful jazz scene which inspires musicians to play extra fashionable kinds of music, and a part of the weblog put up explores the explanations for this rising development.
This put up seems at a few of the common jazz periods which happen in Glasgow’s bars, pubs and public areas on a weekly or month-to-month foundation, and that are free to attend. Most of those periods are included within the fringe programme of Glasgow Jazz Pageant every year. Varied varieties of jazz are coated, from trad via to extra fashionable kinds, to periods with a barely broader remit relating funk and Latin sounds. Not coated listed here are ticketed jazz gigs: a notable omission, subsequently, is the Bridge Jazz sequence, run by Invoice Kyle (proprietor of Edinburgh’s Jazz Bar). Supported by Artistic Scotland, Bridge Jazz brings fashionable jazz acts from all around the world to Edinburgh and Glasgow, in addition to showcasing native expertise. Its Glasgow gigs are normally on Thursday evenings on the Artwork Membership. One other current growth not coated on this article is a brand new ‘Jazz within the Afternoon’ sequence on the Tron Theatre.
This put up is accompanied by a video of a few of the periods coated (to see which clip is during which venue, see the video info on YouTube):-
There’s additionally the next map which reveals the areas of the venues (click on on the blue icon for a normal overview of the venues; clicking on the purple markers provides you with additional details about every venue):-
Trad Jazz Periods
For the needs of this put up, ‘trad jazz’ wants a broad interpretation, because the bands who frequent Glasgow’s widespread periods are usually not New Orleans purists. These bands usually have a typical ‘trad jazz’ line-up together with banjo, clarinet and so forth., however incorporate later large band-style songs and requirements alongside a ragtime or Dixieland repertoire. The periods at which they play usually happen in metropolis centre bars on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and have a tendency to attract an older viewers, with the vast majority of attendees maybe of their 50s-70s. There’s normally a great gender combine – in truth, it’s not uncommon for there to be barely extra ladies than males. Folks will usually rise up and dance (if there’s room!).
Avant Garde (previously Laurie’s) has been refurbished pretty not too long ago, and its new, fashionable decor is consistent with different bars close by. Its Saturday afternoon jazz periods, nevertheless, predate the refurbishment – the six-piece trad band have been resident right here for years. Led by Dave Wilson (a well known banjoist, pianist and piano tuner) till his demise in 2013, their line-up is augmented by a bluesy feminine singer for some numbers; she is considered one of solely a tiny variety of feminine performers to look at any of the periods talked about on this piece, and even perhaps the one one who performs usually.
King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is usually recognized for rock and indie/various music. Every Saturday afternoon, nevertheless, Penman’s Jazzmen – considered one of Glasgow’s longest-established and best-loved jazz bands – take over the downstairs bar. On one event I acquired chatting to a gentleman, maybe in his early 60s, who had travelled from East Kilbride to come back to this session, bemoaning the dearth of reside music in his residence city. Earlier than leaving, I pointed to a Belle and Sebastian poster on the wall and advised him that I as soon as noticed Dave Wilson’s Uptown Shufflers supporting them in Dunoon. To not be outdone, he advised me that he as soon as noticed The Rolling Stones supporting Acker Bilk on the Isle of Man.
At The Three Judges’ Sunday afternoon periods, music is offered by both Muldoon’s Ragtime Band – who even have a Saturday afternoon residency at MacSorley’s – or The Witnesses. This session is all the time extraordinarily busy: flip up at 3pm and you’re unlikely to get a seat; flip up early to get a seat and you’re prone to displace an everyday. Alongside one facet of the pub, near the place the band play, there’s normally a core of people that appear to know one another effectively. One afternoon, the entire pub was handled to sandwiches and sausage rolls introduced in by somebody celebrating a birthday.
Glasgow’s trad jazz periods are exceptional by way of their recognition and heat. On a great day, dropping in to at least one feels virtually like crashing a celebration: many attendees are long-standing regulars, mingling from desk to desk, chatting to previous pals.
Fashionable Jazz Periods
When it comes to extra fashionable and mainstream jazz – once more, phrases which require broad interpretation – there seem like two scenes in Glasgow, characterised by a generational distinction, however with a considerable overlap. Sure fashionable periods appeal to a usually older viewers (although youthful than the trad periods), maybe of their 40s-60s. While there’s nonetheless a great gender stability, it’s usually the case that there are extra males than ladies.
On the primary Saturday of every month, Ubiquitous Chip hosts a jazz lunch in its downstairs restaurant. From 1pm til 4pm, a set menu is obtainable, accompanied by reside music – usually a trio or quartet enjoying requirements. The jazz lunch is widespread sufficient that reserving upfront is suggested, but the music itself is a notably unintrusive factor of the occasion, performed at a low sufficient quantity that diners are capable of converse. Even with out amplification, the venue’s excessive ceiling, brick partitions and cobbled ground permit sound to journey.
Maybe one of the prolific jazz musicians in Glasgow, saxophonist Michael Deans has a Thursday evening residency on the Beer Cafe, a contemporary bar adjoining to the Metropolis Halls. Deans’ repertoire relies upon partially on the line-up of his band – once more, usually a trio or quartet – which varies from week to week. Keyboardist Pete Johnstone brings a funk/prog edge to the band when he brings his Hammond (or, a minimum of, his Nord) alongside. On different events, the band undertake a extra Latin sound. Deans additionally performs with a quintet every Sunday within the Whisky Bar at Òran Mór, all darkish wooden and low gentle with casks mounted behind the bar. It isn’t unknown for impromptu trad jazz periods to happen right here. The structure of the bar will not be excellent, nevertheless: the band are squeezed right into a nook near the bogs, with a seating sales space instantly in entrance, appearing as a type of barrier between them and the remainder of the bar.
Previously few years, various new fashionable periods have sprung up in Glasgow. These periods are inclined to characteristic youthful musicians, appeal to a youthful crowd (maybe of their 20s-40s), and, as with the trad periods, there’s normally a great gender stability. These periods are usually later and louder than these talked about above (with the potential exception of the Beer Cafe).
Jazz at The 78, which takes place each Sunday evening, has turn into one of many venue’s hottest occasions. The resident trio are pianist Tom Gibbs, bassist Euan Burton and drummer Stu Brown, with many native and visiting musicians sitting in. It’s all the time busy and it may be difficult discovering a seat, particularly near the band. This is without doubt one of the Glasgow’s louder jazz periods, not simply by way of the amplification of the band, but in addition within the quantity of dialog and applause.
One of the vital current additions to The Halt Bar’s calendar of reside leisure is a Saturday afternoon jazz session. The band, whose membership varies from week to week, will usually play two units. In the course of the first set, they often keep on with requirements; after a brief break, they are going to play a louder and extra uptempo set, the numbers extra fashionable, the solos extra exuberant. One other of the newer periods, Jazz at Slouch is just like the 78 periods – normally busy, maybe surprisingly so for a late Tuesday evening session. Equally, the Wednesday evening session at The Rio Cafe (normally hosted by bassist Brodie Jarvie or guitarist Allan McKeown) begins at 9pm however nonetheless attracts an honest crowd.
The emergence of those ‘youthful’ fashionable jazz periods could also be linked to the institution of the BMus in Jazz on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, led by Tommy Smith. The course admitted its first cohort in 2009; Jazz on the 78 predates this by two years, however the periods at Slouch and the Halt are newer (having been established in 2012 and 2013 respectively). The course’s consumption is deliberately small, however its college students are inspired to hunt as a lot work on the native scene as potential as a way to construct expertise and contacts, accounting for a small improve within the provide of jazz musicians within the metropolis. That there seems to be ample demand to accommodate them could be very promising – even late on a Sunday or weekday night, their periods appeal to a full of life and appreciative viewers.
Jazz in public areas
In October 2013, as a part of the Glasgow Metropolis Advertising and marketing Bureau’s ‘Folks Make Glasgow’ marketing campaign, the St Enoch Centre begun to play host to reside leisure as a way to deliver folks in for early night procuring. An empty retail unit on the bottom ground was used as an area for stand-up comedy, while on the primary ground, an space alongside giant promoting hoardings and a stall promoting artwork prints grew to become an impromptu jazz stage. Tuts’ resident trad band, Penman’s Jazzmen, had been one act to play right here. Representing the extra fashionable finish of the spectrum – with specific leanings in the direction of funk and fusion – had been the Marco Cafolla Trio. The band might be discovered enjoying in varied bars round Glasgow through the week, and in addition performed in Central Station as a part of the 2013 Glasgow Jazz Pageant, as a part of a unbroken initiative to offer reside music on the station concourse on Friday evenings.
Glasgow additionally has its share of buskers, in fact, although the climate will not be all the time suited to enjoying open air. I as soon as encountered the gentleman within the video assembling his clarinet on the Subway. “I’m simply cleansing it,” he introduced unconvincingly to the carriage, earlier than launching into ‘Stranger on the Shore’.
Blowing modifications
While probably the most persistently busy jazz periods in Glasgow nonetheless lean in the direction of the trad/large band finish of issues, there does seem like an thrilling shift in progress. Alternatives are arising for youthful musicians to play extra fashionable kinds of music (certainly, these musicians are actively creating their very own alternatives to take action), and the ensuing periods are proving widespread with a youthful viewers. The status of those periods extends past Glasgow: Jazz on the 78 was not too long ago featured in a listing article detailing fascinating issues to see and do within the metropolis (The Halt Bar and Òran Mór are additionally talked about within the article, although not for his or her jazz periods).
It will likely be fascinating to look at how these periods develop as additional cohorts of younger jazz musicians emerge from the Conservatoire. It would even be fascinating to see what number of extra such periods this youthful scene can and can maintain.
