Jazz in Wales

News about gigs, festivals, famous names, new artists and more compiled by DJ Andy Roberts in Cardiff, Wales. Send your updates to andy @ jazzinwales.co.uk

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Jazz Connection playlist 29 October

Here's what I played on the show on Monday 29 October on Radio Cardiff 98.7 FM:

Woody Herman – Hush
Trudy Kerr – Jeannine
Peter King/Art Themen/Al Haig – Ornithology
Interview with Jonathan Davies about Jazz 4 Jed
Wayne Krantz - Dove Gloria
Miles Davis – Red China Blues
Horselmat – Right On
Eri Yamamoto – Melodica Chops
Marcia Pendlebury/Art Themen – S'Wonderful
Jones O'Connor Group – Pumpkin
Queen Latifah – I'm Gonna Live Till I Die
Chris Hodgkins Trio – Full Count
Angela Brown & the Mighty 45s – Glory Glory Hallelujah

The next show will be on November 12 at 8pm - don't forget to keep sending me your gig info and CDs for airplay.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Eri Yamamoto on tour

New York-based Japanese pianist Eri Yamamoto embarks on a short tour of Wales with her trio next week:

  • Weds 31 Oct - Rhos y Gilwen, Cilgerran, Cardigan
  • Thurs 1 Nov - Cafe Jazz, Cardiff
  • Fri 2 Nov - Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea
  • Sat 3 Nov - Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold
  • Sun 4 Nov - Melville Theatre, Abergavenny

    Eri will be appering with David Ambrosio on bass and Ikuo Takeuchi on drums.
  • The tour has been arranged by the Welsh Jazz Society with support from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Council of Wales.

    For more about her work see www.eriyamamoto.com - I'll also be playing a track by her on my Radio Cardiff show on Monday night.

    Marcin comes home

    Marcin Wright returns from Italy to Cardiff this week as part of a short tour with his new group The Tolga Quartet.

  • Weds 24 October - The Fat Fowl, Bradford Upon Avon
  • Thurs 25 October - Cafe Jazz, Cardiff
  • Fri 26 October - Royal Albert Hall, London
    - free lunchtime concert
  • Sat 27 October - No gig - London pub crawl instead!
  • Sun 28 October - Le Quecumbar, Battersea High Street
  • Mon 29 October - Le Quecumbar, Battersea High Street

    For more about the band see
    www.tolgamusic.com and check out their video on YouTube
  • Jazz at Theatr Clwyd Cymru

    Look out for these forthcoming concerts at Theatr Clwyd Cymru in Mold:

  • Sat 3 November - Eri Yamamoto Trio
  • Fri 14 December - Frank Harrison Trio with Julian Arguelles
  • Fri 25 January - Theo Travis


  • Tickets cost £11 or £9 concessions.


    See www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk for more details.

    Monday, October 15, 2007

    Jazz Connection playlist 15 October

    Here's the playlist for my show on Radio Cardiff 98.7 on Monday 15 October...

    Keith Little Band – Caldonia
    Root Doctors – Goin' To Louisiana
    Dr John - Walking To New Orleans*
    Alan Barnes – The Cape Verdean Blues
    New Mastersounds – Bus Stop No 5 (Afrokats Crew Remix)
    The Numbers Racket – The Mambo Swing
    Troy Andrews - Hey Troy, Your Mama's Calling You*
    Zoot Money – Zoot's Sermon
    The Tolga Quartet – I've Found A New Baby
    The Subdudes - Make A Better World*
    Ladysmith Black Mambazo – O Mmu Beno Mmu
    Julia Farino – After You've Gone
    Chris Barber/Andy Fairweather Low - Gin House

    Starred tracks were chosen by my special guest, Mike Harries of the Root Doctors.

    Don't miss the next show in two weeks time on Monday 29 October at 8pm.

    Monday, October 08, 2007

    Jazz Connection playlist 8 October

    The Jazz Connection is back on Monday nights, 8 till 9pm on Radio Cardiff 98.7 FM.

    Here's what I played on the first show on October 8:

    Count Basie - Hang On Sloopy
    Joe Zawinul - Brown Street
    Mamborama – Es Solo Musica
    Jean-Paul Gard - Beef Dumplin' Stew
    Puppini Sisters - Crazy In Love
    Jon Lucien - When The Morning Comes
    Manfred Mann - Sack O'Woe
    George Melly - Salty Dog
    The Amigos – Caravan
    Bill Evans Trio - Autumn Leaves
    John Coltrane - Giant Steps
    Dave Stapleton Quintet - Aquamarine
    Davy Graham - Blue Monk

    Tune in next Monday at 8pm when the legendary Mike Harries will be my special guest, sharing his favourite tunes and stories from seven decades (!) on the Cardiff jazz scene.

    Brecon Jazz tourism award

    The HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival has landed the Best Major Event in Wales award in this year’s National Tourism Awards ceremony held at Bodelwyddan Castle, Denbighshire, at the weekend.

    Festival Director Jim Smith said: "For Wales to have one of the best jazz festivals in the UK, and one of the best three in Europe is unique. It provides a world wide branding opportunity for Brecon and Wales. Quite simply, people now know Brecon for the Jazz.

    "Obviously we are delighted that the importance of the festival as been recognised by Visit Wales and the award will serve us in good stead as we enter into negotiations with the Welsh Assembly Government and Arts Council of Wales over the next few weeks."

    Tourism Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: "The winners richly deserve the applause. They are all committed to quality and to continuous improvement."


    Independent research conducted after last year's festival showed that Brecon Jazz brought an estimated £2m spending into the town, and created over £3m for the Welsh economy.

    Plans are now being made for the event's Silver Jubilee in 2008, with some exciting announcements promised in the near future.

    Keep an eye on www.breconjazz.co.uk

    Thursday, October 04, 2007

    Taith Amser on tour

    Composer and multi-instrumentalist Maria Lamburn aka Madalena takes her latest project on a short Arts Council of Wales commissioned tour.

    Taith Amser is a collaboration with photographer Rhodri Jones, and features songs and new music influenced by jazz, rock and celtic music, alongside live photographic imagery.

    Fri 5 Oct - Dempseys, Cardiff - 029 2049 6802
    Sat 6 Oct - Tabernacl, Machynlleth - 01654 703355
    Sun 7 Oct - Galeri, Caernarfon - 01286 685222


    It's an eclectic, bilingual work, with punchy rocky songs contrasted by dreamy improvised soundcsapes.

    The band includes some well known names from the UK jazz scene, including Mark Lockheart, Stuart Hall, Huw Warren, Dudley Phillips and Tim Giles.

    Based in Porthmadog, Maria has received national airplay and rave reviews for her CD Murmur in 2005, before winning the prestigous Creative Wales Award in 2006.

    Her past projects include pop band Shelleyan Orphan, experimental rock band Camberwell Now, gypsy band The Hot Club of Hackney Orchestra, free jazz drummer John Stevens; and Huw Warren's Barrel Organ Band and Orchestra Helclecs projects.

    More info at www.myspace.com/taithamser

    Gareth Roberts - Promoters Choice

    The Gareth Roberts Quintet has won a Jazz Services UK Promoters Choice award, which includes a string of prestigious gigs.

    The London Jazz Festival is first up for the Cardiff-based trombonist and co as they play the Royal Festival Hall foyer on the afternoon of Sunday 18 November.

    Festival gigs at Manchester and Cheltenham are set to follow, along with a fully funded Jazz Services tour sometime in 2008.

    See www.garethtrombone.co.uk for more news and reviews of the album Attack of the Killer Penguins.