Mainly jazz, and mainly in Bristol…
New year, new blog. Written for my own interest, out of curiosity to see what impressions I set down in a year’s listening to live music. After 30 years of the gig habit, one gets more conscious that stuff fades away. Can I recall anything much of Gil Evans in 1978 in Manchester? Abdullah Ibrahim at the RoundHouse? Old and New Dreams in Hammersmith? Can I, hell. Even the Sun Ra Arkestra in Stokes Croft is fading, and that was only last November… Joanna MacGregor’s Messaien marathon before Christmas has, not displaced it exactly, but remains clearer in the memory.
Audio souvenirs would be better, but words might serve. I mainly want to see what it adds up to over 12 months, to help think about why I seek out live music so often, and if the habit of setting down how it seemed enhances it at all for me. It would be a journal, I suppose, but a blog is just as easy. So let’s do that just in case it is of interest to anyone else. If not, and it is simply an echoing archive of one listener’s thoughts, then also good…
And “mainly”? Well, jazz is usually the object of the excursion, but other stuff catches my ear too. And I live in Bristol, so mainly there but with occasional excursions to Bath, Cheltenham or even, (oh my), London, my previous home for half a century or so.
Oh, and er, terms of trade. I am not a musician, so I will mainly enthuse here. I care about this stuff, a lot, but I am not bent on criticising anyone doing things which I could not do myself – on account of a startling absence of facility on any instrument I have tried. I’m listening for good things and, on the whole, if I don’t care for what I hear I will let it pass without comment. Here, I am more interested in being a reflective listener than a critic.
That is my starting point anyhow. I am a critic in other (usually science-related) spaces, though, so may find this credo wavers. My other blog and website will tell more about that but are not particularly relevant here unless you are curious about me. I do review the odd gig, for Jazzwise and LondonJazz, though, and those occasional, more evaluative bits will appear here labelled as such.
Jon Turney Jan 2009
Update – Jan 2012. See this post for new blog outlook – and invitation to contribute, if anyone wants to do some jazzwords…
Mainly jazz in Bristol 
stumbled on this while googling resonation big band to check spelling…fantastic blog, really well done, excellent coverage and comment and great to see that the local (and beyond) scene is getting remembered in text and thereby entering those virtual history books…..
have bookmarked it for regular reference!
like your blog. i’m going to be doing some interesting jazz nights at my venue. let me know if you want guest list – we have clare teal and pee wee ellis this sunday.
Brad,
That would be good… Thanks!
Hello Jon, please may I have your email address? we are putting on some great Jazz nights in Bristol Triangle in Zizzi and we’d love to send you some info. Becki Biggins will be performing tonight
many thanks,
Claudia
This Zizzi jazz sounds like a Pizza Express Jazz Club type thing! Sounds great!
I work for 1930’s swing jazz sensation Benoit Viellefon and his Orchestra, we are releasing a live album very soon, could you please send me your e-mail adress so i can send a free digital copy of the album so maybe you can review it.
Thank you.
management@johnjohnrecords.com
Max
Johnjohn Records.
Hi John. Could you review my BEJE album? I’ll send you a copy if you email your address bigbromo at yahoo.co.uk.many thanks if so
Great blog! Check out this link to a list of jazz gigs at St George’s Bristol. Our jazz offering kicks off next week with Tim Garland, Jason Rebello, Ant Law and Asaf Sirkis on Thurs 26 Feb at 8pm! http://arts-mail.co.uk/1WPM-37612-32/sv.aspx – SGB x
Yes, I’ll be there – thanks!
Have you considered listing this blog on the site bloglovin.com? I follow a number of blogs and like seeing updates listed on my page there. It saves my email address being overloaded and results in my reading posts instead of forgetting about them as they sink in the mail-box.
Hi Jon, Fantastic blog. Sorry to have only just rediscover it. Just wondered if you’d like to add the Old Fish Market Tavern on Baldwin Street to the venue list? They have a fantastic free gig there every Sunday night. The music starts at 7pm and the line-up’s always great.
The beer and food are pretty tasty too. See you somewhere jazzy soon. K
yes, must do that – thanks.
Hi Jon, it might have been helpful if I’d supplied a link to the Jazz at the Old Fish Market Tavern Facebook page. Apologies, here it is now: https://www.facebook.com/JazzFishmarket/
I hope this helps.
Many thanks. K
Hi there Jon,
I wonder if I could send you some information about my new project, ‘It’s a Man’s World’, which I’m launching at Future Inns on November 22nd? It features John-Paul Gard, Andy Tween and Ben Waghorn, and we’re VERY excited about getting the music out into the world at last! My email address is mail@beckibiggins.com if you’d like me to send the details.
Yours,
Becki x