The Be-Bop Club

The Bear, Hotwell Road, Bristol. BS8 4SF

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What’s On

Doors open 8.30pm for 9pm start.

Fri 4th May

George Crowley Group

£9.00

George Crowley is one of the brightest new generation saxophone stars in London whose second CD release Can of Worms on Whirlwind Records has received some great reviews. He also appears on Ivo Neame’s recent release Moksha, and some will have heard George’s brilliant playing with Ivo in their set at the Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival back in March. George is joined in the front-line by the formidable sax player Sam Crockatt, who has played a couple of top class gigs for us with John Law. They are joined by Riaan Vosloo - bass, and Tim Giles - drums, one of the UK’s most original jazz drummers who has played at the club several times with various bands and was included in the Royal Academy Honours List 2016 for former students who have made a significant contribution to the music profession. "...a fine young composer/player who knows where the music has been and where he’s headed with it." The Guardian. “Rarely does a player so young debut with such a fully rounded tone and range of writing skills, so keep a keen ear out for Crowley: the future could yet be his.” Jazzwise.

Fri 11th May

Andy Nowak Trio ANt

£8.00

Andy Nowak is now regarded as one of the most fluent and lyrical pianist this region has to offer. As well as piano, Andy can be seen on the acoustic folk circuit, playing acoustic guitar and singing with Camilla Johns, and he holds the keyboard chair in the grooving Duval Project led by trumpeter Gary Alesbrook. Andy possesses a great touch on the piano, his natural grasp of rhythm, harmony and timing allows him to play instinctively; to create his own piano voice. His adroit use of space allows him time; and he seemingly never overstretches in his solos, which is a delight. Andy has played with Jocelyn Brown, Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley, Art Themen, Simon Spillet, Andy Clyndert, Clare Teal and Claire Martin to name a few. He has held jazz piano teaching positions at the prestigious Wells Cathedral School and also at Clifton College, Bristol. His piano trio – the ANt – recorded their debut album entitled Sorrow And The Phoenix in 2016 and launched it in 2017 in an Arts Council supported tour of the South West and London, garnering national critical acclaim for the recording and live performances. Andy is joined by two superb musicians, Al Swainger on bass and from London Matt Fisher on drums.

Fri 18th May

Al Swainger’s Biophosmos

£9.00

Performing a selection of Chick Corea's best loved tunes given a special twist. Latin America meets Ambient Electronica with a Funky detour. Mix Chick Corea with Radiohead in a blender then use the resulting cocktail to write film music and you might get something a little like this...“..the birth of a new layer of fusion... live sound design and live soundscape composition...beautifully and artfully intermixed with straight ahead jazz and improvisational mastery”

Al Swainger – Bass, Jon Clark – Drums, Tom Berge – Keys, Joe Northwood - Sax

Fri 25th May

Loz Speyer’s Inner Space

£10.00

Inner Space plays jazz with a rare warmth and immediacy. The compositions combine rhythmic changes with subliminal references that synthesize New Orleans, Bebop and Free Jazz. Each piece of music evolves its own form, its own balance of structure and freedom, its own atmosphere. There are audible echoes of Mingus, Monk, Ornette and beyond - but the decisive factor is the immediacy of the playing, with these five highly distinctive musicians working it all out in the here and now. The album “Life on the Edge” (released 2017 on Leo Records) was recorded in one day at the end of the last Inner Space tour, and really captures that live, interactive quality. “The 11 pieces here, captured in a single day’s recording, profit throughout from the deeper interaction honed by live performance. The rhythm section has tremendous heft. While you listen, thoughts of influences fall away and you can just enjoy this newly created music for itself. That is the sound of success.” Jon Turney, London Jazz News (UK)

 

Loz Speyer - trumpet, flugelhorn, Chris Biscoe - alto sax, alto clarinet, Rachel Musson - tenor sax, soprano sax, Olie Brice - double bass, Gary Willcox - drums.

 

Tour supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Fri 1st June

Ben Thomas & Lee Goodall Quintet

£9.00

The Ben Thomas & Lee Goodall Quintet features innovative trumpeter Ben Thomas and saxophonist Lee Goodall. Ben is a fine player who can switch from sparkling up-tempo runs to the soft intimacy of Chet Baker. His artistic interests are broad, and in other projects he combines his music with spoken word, visual art and video. Lee Goodall is mainly known as a saxophonist and flautist, but also performs on guitar and drums. Having lived in New York for a number of years Lee has worked alongside some major names, and played sax for Van Morrison from 2000 to 2002. Ben and Lee have performed together for many years and will perform a set of original compositions and arrangements taken from Ben's recent projects. The quintet features special guest Jim Blomfield on piano and is completed by the pairing of two Bristol based superb Italian jazz musicians, double bassist Pasquale Votino and drummer Roberto Nappi.

Fri 8th June

Andy Hague Quintet

£9.00

For the final gig of the season before we take a summer break the Be-Bop Club presents the Andy Hague Quintet. Trumpeter and composer Andy is well known in Bristol's music scene, performing in jazz, big band, salsa and soul bands, as well as teaching under the banner of Bristol Jazz Workshops and tutoring at the Falmouth Jazz Summer School. Saxophonist Ben Waghorn has a long list of jazz, tv, theatre and film credits to his name, and has recently played some gigs with one of the UK's most prestigious ensembles, The BBC Big Band. Pianist Jim Blomfield is a mainstay of both the jazz and salsa scenes in Bristol, and bassist Chris Jones and drummer Mark Whitlam are also currently working together in the genre-defying band We Are Leif.

 

Andy Hague - trumpet, Ben Waghorn - tenor sax, Jim Blomfield - piano, Chris Jones - bass and Mark Whitlam - drums.

The Be-Bop Club takes a break over the summer and will be back on 7th Sept.