The Jazz Parade
Every year on the Saturday of the Jazz weekend the one and only Jenny Brown leads a parade through the town. It’s a jazz free for all as musicians from many different bands jam together whilst they march casually to the esplanade fountain and gardens. The march is also an opportunity to see the wonderfully colourful decorated brollies and a winner is picked at the culmination of procession.
Don’t miss it!
Saturday morning - meet at Guildford Sq. Exact time to be confirmed.
Chicago Teddy Bears Society Jazz Band
In the words of the song, “It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it” and there is something about the way the Chicago Teddybears Society Jazz band “does it” that attracts large audiences everywhere they go.
Based in the North West of England since the early 1970’s the band has undergone several changes of personnel as it modified and developed it’s style to become one of the most entertaining bands in the UK, the current line-up have been together for several years resulting in the tight polished performances which are the hallmark of the band.
The “Teddybears” as they are colloquially known, have thrilled audiences with their repertoire ranging from Dixieland through New Orleans to Mainstream played with exuberance and vitality.
As the bands reputation has grown they have travelled extensively throughout the country for jazz festivals, private functions and corporate events. However, such is the demand from their local supporters that they still play monthly residences at four of the best jazz scenes in the North West, [See Gig List Page].
Their versatility is such that they can be found playing at weddings, christenings, balls, product launches, and for as many likely or unlikely functions as you would care to name. This is why their diary fills so quickly each year as word spreads of their ability to make a party or function ”go with a swing’. Year on Year repeat bookings have proved the point.
Nova Scotia Jazz Band
Formed by early in 2009 the Nova Scotia Jazz Band is firmly in the tradition of the groups led by Eddie Condon, Muggsy Spanier, Bix Beiderbecke and Alex Welsh. Featuring the world class cornet of Mike Daly, the banjo wizardry of Duncan Findlay, the swinging bass of Ken MacDonald and the clarinet and saxophones of John Burgess this sweet and hot quartet are a fresh take on the classic jazz style and a welcome addition to the long list of excellent groups from Edinburgh, Scotland which includes bands of the quality of Sandy Browns Jazz Men, Alex Welsh and his Band, The Climax Jazz Band, Old Bailey’s Jazz Advocates and Archie Semple’s Capitol Jazzband.
The bands third album, “If I Had You” is out on March 15th and will be available from the web site, good record stores, iTunes and Amazon. Check out novascotiajazzband.co.uk for news and details of up coming shows including the Tarragona Dixieland Festival in Spain, The Glastonbury Festival and the summer trips to England and th Shetland Isles.
Jamie Brownfield Quintet
Jamie Brownfield, 19, hails from the village of Llanrhaeadr Y.M. in Mid Wales. He started on the cornet aged 9, began playing jazz in public when he was 12 and was leading his own jazz quintet by the time he was 13. Since then he has been a regular member of various bands and guested with many more including The Merseysippi Jazz Band, The Chicago Teddybears Society Jazz Band and Richard Leach’s 7 Stars of Jazz.
Jamie has recorded two CD’s, the first ‘No Animals Were Harmed . . . ‘ by The JB Quintet when he was only 14 and ‘Keepin’ it Cool’ by Brownfield/Byrne Quintet (BBQ) which was recorded early 2009 when Jamie was still only 16. This CD came joint 4th in the ‘New CD’ category in The British Jazz Awards 2009 and Jamie was awarded 5th place in the ‘Rising Star’ category!
Jamie was awarded a scholarship to study Jazz Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2010/11 where he was tutored by Steve Waterman, Simon Purcell, Andrea Vicari and Malcom Earle Smith.
To listen to their music go to their MYSPACE PAGE
Fat Sam’s Band
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, but working world-wide, Fat Sams Swing Band occupies a niche in todays jazz-world that is virtually unique. Formed by Hamish McGregor towards the end of 1984, the band went ‘live’ on St.Valentines Day - 14th of February 1985, and is the only professional standard 9-piece outfit working on a regular basis with a repertoire embracing - on the one hand the highly commercial ‘jump-jive’ music of Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway and Louis Prima, and the swinging sounds of Glen Miller, to the small and big band music of the middle-period Ellington, Basie, etc..
This breadth of repertoire, allied to highly-professional production, appearance and musical arrangements, permits the swing band to perform equally well in commercial function work (where the ‘jump-jive’ element predominates) and in Jazz Clubs, concert and festival work (where the instrumental element is greater).
Versatility and variety is the band’s ‘by-line’ and is such that it offers a wide variety of musical sounds and styles in its performance. Allied to a strong presentation, the band is both a highly polished jazz-based Showband and a serious interpreter of mainstream jazz.
Whether you are putting together a specialist Jazz Festival or club programme, or require a lively and entertaining swing band for a function, dance or cabaret date, ‘Fat Sams Swing Band ‘can provide an exciting and suitably structured performance to meet your requirements’
Fat Sams Swing Band also offers three speciality programmes for concert or cabaret dates
- ‘A Tribute to Louis Jordan’, the King of Jump-Jive,
- ‘A Night at the Cotton Club’, featuring the music of early Ellington and Calloway - 1920’s and 30’s,
- ‘An evening of Jumpjive - Boogie - Swing - Jazz - Blues - R & B, from Glen Miller and Duke Ellington to Fats Domino and the ‘Blues Brothers’
that’s FAT SAMS SWING BAND. Don’t miss these foot tappin’ finger snappin’ shows.
Led by Hamish McGregor and his white Clarinet, the band has toured world wide bringing its lively and entertaining style of ‘Jazz’ music to thousands.
Stretch Dawrson and the Mending Hearts
Country historians in some quarters claim Western Swing is part of country music’s heritage pioneered by Bob Wills who blended country instrumentation with Dixieland jazz, big band sounds, Cajun and Mexican music, European polka bands and vocalisation using standards from the 20’s onwards. Here in Scotland we now have our own exponent in Stretch Dawson and the Mending Hearts. The band comprises
Stretch dawrson guitar, vocals
Tom Macniven trumpet, lapsteel, guitar, bk vocals
Seonaid Aitken fiddle, piano, , vocals
Roy Percy bass, bk vocals
Cammy Sinclair drums, bk voclas
Chris Grieve trombone
Marin Foster clarinet, sax,
Iain Anderson 2nd fiddle
To listen to some audio tracks from Stretch and the band GO TO THEIR MYSPACE PAGE
George Rodger Sextet featuring Hermie Longalong
The band has been playing in Central Scotland for the past five years and after a spell of retirement from the music business, George (guitar) brought together some of his past colleagues to concentrate on Gypsy style Jazz mainly in the vein of the legendary Django Reinhardt and more recently Bireli Lagrene. Three of the ensemble are brothers! Big Frank Henery (guitar) has a unique style very much of his own and was greatly influenced by the late great Barney Kessell.
He has accompaniment from the younger members of the family in the form of Danny (accordion) and also John (double bass). To complete the quintet is Tony Muir (drums/percussion). All musicians play a wide selection of jazz and their program will display this.
We have Saved the Jazz Festival
We are pleased to announce that following an excellent response to our funding appeal which has been generously supported by our local community and business, the 24th Isle of Bute Jazz Festival will take place from Friday 29th April to Sunday 1st May 2011
We still need funds to make this the best Jazz Festival ever so if you are able to donate you can do it using the PayPal donate button over on the right hand side of this page
Rose Room
Formed in summer 2010, Rose Room comprises virtuoso violinist and vocalist Seonaid Aitken, Jimmy Moon on double-bass with guitarists Tom Watson and Tam Gallagher completing the line-up on solo and rhythm guitars respectively. The music embraces many of the songs of the swing jazz era with a dash of western swing thrown in for good measure.
Tom Watson and Tam Gallagher are probably best known for their work as Swing Guitars, first came to prominence after winning the Danny Kyle open stage at 2001 Celtic Connections, they have since performed at festivals in the UK and Europe and have established themselves as a formidable live act.
Seonaid Aitken is well known as a solo artist in her own right and indeed is a fellow Danny award winner having received the award in 2010. Seonaid also performs with her own Seonaid Aitken Set, playing music rooted in a more traditional folk style but with a modern twist. Rose Room is a new direction for Seonaid having developed a passion for swing jazz listening to Stephane Grappelli.
Jimmy Moon needs no introduction to guitar players. Long term member of The Moonshiners bluegrass band, number one guitar builder in Scotland, his instruments are played throughout the world by the cream of musicians, however it is the double bass that Jimmy turns his hand to in Rose Room.
Nothing more needs to be said other than to prepare to be entertained and charmed by this exciting new band.
Seonaid Aitken – violin and vocals
Tom Watson – guitar and vocals
Jimmy Moon – double bass
Tam Gallagher – guitar and vocals
Catch them here :
Sat, 30 Apr, 12:30pm
Kingarth Hotel
Academy Swing
“Academy Swing”, the swing band of Rothesay Joint Campus have been performing at the Bute Jazz Festival since 2004 and this year will be opening the festival. The band has made quite a reputation for itself in the past few years and performs regularly in the local community and further a field at venues such as the Loch Fyne food fair. It has also toured regularly throughout Argyll giving community concerts and schools demonstration performances on Islay, Mull, Oban and Mid Kintyre.
Academy Swing plays in a varied selection of styles, from trad jazz through to big band, through to present day popular music. The band is led by Tony Spencer, the Island’s Instrumental Music Teacher. Tony is a professional clarinettist who for fourteen years held the post of principal clarinet with the Band of the Grenadier Guards in London.
