Over the course of a Yellowjackets set, they will tenderly subvert a room to their understated intense interplay. They move like an essence, a scent, wafting almost imperceptibly between the tables. 

It takes a lot to prevent their ethereal disruption. But it does happen. Drunks talking from a balcony overhanging the stage almost ruined their gig in Camden earlier this year. Another new venue, this time in Stratford, a cavern of glass metal and concrete sporting an open kitchen, presented an aural landscape that threatened the intimacy. But that was all ignored with the grace of their musical nobility.

The Jackets always seem to treat a set as… well, a set. Not so much a performance of songs, more a movement of spirit. A yawn rather than a series of sneezes. The first two tunes always feel like the warm up, after which they begin to dig a little deeper. As if a fluffy family sniffing the air before delving into their burrow. 

Into the darkness, the space enlarges. Barely touching their instruments while contorting their bodies to grace the edges where sound meets emotion meets spirit. And we all gladly goad them on this journey. Some have their eyes tightly shut from the first note. Others are twitching constantly to the effervescent grooves of Will Kennedy, who powers the mothership through the cosmos. 

In world of greed and destruction, the Yellowjackets seem to be focussed on peace and delicate frugality. Detailing the ebbs around ideas, glimpsing eddies of shadows. In a city where jazz is often rambunctious, the Jackets offer the opposite. 

An alternative sound in an alternative space. Bob Mintzer loved the food and complimented the room. Free musicians find the resources to give back in such a grand manner. Some write, others start a label; some do charity work or teach, and the most ambitious open a venue. Many of our best clubs were started by horn players: Ronnie Scott, Steve Rubie at the 606, Matt Nickson & Phred in Manchester, Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center. Most founders have moved in one way or another. Founder of Soul Mama, saxophonist Yolanda Brown has just joined that lineage and I wish her and her team every success in this fresh endeavour. 

The post Yellowjackets at Soul Mama, Stratford first appeared on UK Jazz News.

Bob Mintzer was one of the first tenor players to light me up as a young player, having graduated from the David Sanborn school of alto, and moving my sights onto tenor. He’s still my favourite living tenorman, a monster player who has all the chops but opts out of using them most of the time. In my eyes this makes him a nobleman, a producer playing a saxophonist. He plays what’s needed to reach the emotions, to honour the music, and no more. And that’s why I’d prefer him as my idol to others. He did a lot of that at Ronnie’s, but he also let rip a little too. And his EWI work was also beautifully passionate. 

Will Kennedy is just astounding. He barely touches the drums and yet his groove is immense. There’s no denying the Kennedy shuffle and I’ve grown an understanding that he’s doing exactly what we presume all drummer do – powering the band along, making every build and curve and peaks, bringing the solos to an apex and basically curating the whole set. Only thing is, he does it with barely any sound, which makes a lot of space. It’s the space that makes sound into music. If all the notes are played at the same time what you get is called White Noise, the aural equivalent of water boarding. Space is the place. The more space the more place for invention, imagination, contemplation, opportunity and, dare I say it, spirituality. In my opinion, Will Kennedy plays drums in a way that lifts the Jackets to spiritual heights. Inspiring. 

Russell Ferrante is just joyous. The man grins from ear to ear and bounces around from piano to keyboard. Chords, melodies, bass lines, chordal melodies, textures, spaces (!) the man is pure interplay with an emphasis on play. This is a rare feat in a musician tackling some crazy, advanced musical shit. Many others wear a perma-frown as they navigate through their trickier material. Not Russell. Ear to ear. 

Typically for a fan, it’s taken me a while to get used to the “new guy”, Dane Alderson, who as Mintzer jokes, is younger than the 43 years the band has been running. It seems to this observer that Alderson has been on an ongoing baptism of fire with seemingly divergent aims: push the Jackets to reach new heights while simultaneously matching Kennedy’s minimalist approach to power; step into Haslip’s massive shoes but make his own dance. A man on a tightrope? To my sensibilities he achieved the sweet spot on this occasion, playing more gently while visibly putting every essence of emotion into each note, and still managing to appear relaxed and happy. The result was a unified and balanced whole rather than the 3/4 + 1/4 I’d felt previously. Sensitivity appears to have taken centre stage and the result was spellbinding. Tonight Dane found the balance and the guys seem to play with effortless forward motion. He gave them enough push to inspire stretching, but left enough space so as not to pull spotlight. Overall there was spirited zest.

About half way through the set, the band began giving us their mega-mix, their greatest hits. We loved it and the band started playing their asses off. From the sweetest of ballads to angular power fusion it felt to me that we were getting 100%.

After the show Bob told me he was almost delirious. I’m sorry for theirs travel woes, but loved hearing them teetering on the edge. The four horsemen, these guys stole victory from the jaws of defeat. 

This was my fifth time hearing Yellowjackets. And for me it was the most uplifting and inspiring.

Aaron Liddard is a saxophonist/bandleader. His next gig as leader is at Pizza Express Holborn on 10 August (details and tickets)

The post Yellowjackets at Ronnie Scott’s first appeared on UK Jazz News.

jazzahead! is where two events seem to combine into one: a 1-night explosion of gigs throughout the historic city of Bremen; and a 3-day networking event for the business behind the jazz art form.

Music business… Oxymoron? Contradiction?

Many of my fellow jazz musicians may baulk at the concept of ‘the business of jazz’ but we all have our bills to pay. Every booking has been made after cautious calculations.

For those of us who attune ourselves to supporting band leaders, ploughing the groove of a lifelong support musician, all this is easily ignored. Life is quite simple: practise, prepare, wash, turn up on time, and smile. It’s entirely possible to float through life ignoring those that work behind the scenes.

But those who have been blessed (or burdened) by original music, will find themselves getting up close and personal with those who pay their bills from music without playing an instrument. Some musicians seem adept at pooling their creativity into both worlds: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Prince, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones… all strike me as having nailed the creative business game right alongside their artistry. The reality is that our gigs involve bookers, agents, technicians, committees, fundraisers, funders, sponsors, marketeers, activists, lobbyists…

jazzahead! is for these people. And whole countries are represented, along with collectives, festivals, manufacturers, bookers, musicians, agents, managers, labels… an international family rubbing shoulders and enjoying a few days away from home.

With 30 years of service under my belt as a musician, band leader, sideman, composer, arranger, teacher, organiser, coordinator, administrator, and general hustler, I’m still an amateur at the business end. At times, jazzahead! has made me feel like a child splashing around in a swimming pool while athletes practise their lengths all around. Without guidance it’s easy to get shooed over to the kiddies play pool, endlessly circling the booths hoping someone will offer a record deal or European tour.

After 3 years of restricted movement, this year feels to me like the beginning of rebirth. However, the unofficial theme amongst the professionals was “It’s a challenging time”. It seems that jazz clubs across the world are struggling to take the risks necessary to support jazz, especially new artists or ambitious projects. Ever changing lockdown rules punished the roots venues and volunteer promoters. Their resources pilfered, funding cut, many have been forced to shut up shop forever. Then there’s our core crowd – many of whom have adapted to the new normal, preferring Netflix to cinema, YouTube to gigs. The struggle is not restricted to the UK, its not only caused by Brexit.

But it’s not all do and gloom. Many new faces attended for the first time. New friendships forged and old ones reaffirmed. At its best, business is based on friendships, and at its best, jazzahead! is a place to share anecdotes and ambitions over a beer.

Business, like music, is a personal thing. We all approach it our own ways and for our own reasons. Everyone advises “set up meetings before you go” but personally I’d advise: if someone well-connected invites you along then jump at the opportunity, and you may cruise through the weekend making new friends and enjoying life.

Another option is to hide your musical self. Present yourself as a start-up festival or booker or agency and keep quiet about your art. However, there’s a big difference between an aspiring festival organiser and actually offering paid gigs. Few professional swimmers fail to recognise an amateur splashing around.

Either way, if you’ve been grafting at your music for decades and have never gotten beyond local bar gigs, then it’s time to focus on activities beyond the music. I’ve now done jazzahead! in two ways: twice the destitution of a total wipe-out, but this time it was with a feeling of success and motivation.

The post Aaron Liddard (report from jazzahead! + debut as leader at Ronnie Scott’s 9 + 10 June) first appeared on UK Jazz News.