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Forthcoming Dates and Recent Reviews
February 25th - Qtet with Bobby Wellins - 606 club, Lots Rd, Chelsea, LONDON - 9.00pm start
details -www.606club.co.uk
February 27th - Trio - Pimlico Wine Vaults - 112 Upper Tatchbrook St, LONDON - 8.00pm start
March 3rd - Piano Workshop - Brentham Club, Ealing, LONDON - 10.00am -5.00pm details - www.mehrclef.com
March 17th - Choir Workshop - Stourbridge - 10.00am - 5.00pm
details on request
March 23rd - BBC workshop - "Inspiring Creativity" - 12.00 - 2.00pm
details on request
March 27th - Guildhall Jazz Singers Concert - Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Silk St, Barbican, LONDON. - 7.00pm start
March 29th - Choir Workshop - Haberdashers Boys School, Butterfly lane, Elstree. - 2.00pm - 3.15pm
April 1st - April 6th - Jazz Singing Course - Hythe, Kent
details from - www.mehrclef.com
April 17th - Duo - Octaves Jazz Bar - Covent Garden, 7.00pm start
April 23rd - 'DAVID AND GOLIATH' an Oratorio - Royal Albert Hall - 7.00 start
details from - www.mmf.org.uk
May 19th - Trio - Howden 'Hear and Now' Vocal Jazz Weekend, Howden, Yorkshire. 3.15pm start
details from - www.howden-live.com
May 26th - June 2nd - PETE CHURCHILL'S CHORAL PROJECT - Roujan, France.
details from this website
June 5th - 7th - Eston Schools singing project
June 29th - July 1st - with Guildhall Jazz Singers - Sidbury Festival, Devon.
July 19th - Qtet with Bobby Wellins - Wigan Jazz Festival. Wigan Cricket Club, Bull Hey,
Parsons Walk, Wigan. 1.00pm start
July 21st - Choir Workshop and evening concert, Central Hall, Southampton
details on request
July 23rd - August 3rd - Glamorgan Jazz Summer School. Treforrest University, Glamorgan
details from - www.glam.ac.uk/summerschool
August 15th - Choral Workshop - British Kodaly Academy Summer School, Leicester University
details from - www.britishkodalyacademy.org
August 30th - Qtet with Bobby Wellins - Spalding Jazz Club - 8.00 start
details on request
Recent Review
JAZZ IN LEEDS website
When one of your favorite jazz albums is 'Satin' featuring Bobby
Wellins, you know there's no avoiding the compulsion to go and
see this often unsung master of the tenor saxophone, particularly
when he's appearing on your own doorstep. Bobby's style is all
his own, immediately unmistakable, lazy in manner, yet so compelling
in its method of execution. He doesn't try to impress you with squealing
notes or over-fussy solos running at breakneck speed.
He just stands there, diminutive, self-effacing, humble almost,
as those wonderfully mellow notes flow out in a steady, mesmerizing
stream......heaven.
Blimey, and I haven't even mentioned Pete Churchill yet! What an
engaging man this actual Professor of Music is and during the
course of the evening he revealed himself to be a lot more than just a
brilliant pianist. Pete has what I'd call an uncomplicated voice.
Short of any pretence, its clear and distinctive tone marries well
with the style of music he chooses to play. And...oh my...what
exquisite music it was. A mix of classic jazz standards along with
a few of his own compositions, and all played with such feel and
intensity. Some of his chord work was of the 'time stands still'
variety, such was the power of harmony within those notes. At
times he reminded me of another master of the keyboard - American
maestro, Bob James, whose inventive ability at the ivory interface
has made for some fine music over the years.
And as if all this wasn’t enough, Mr Churchill showed himself to be
an engaging and friendly speaker between numbers. He possesses a
natural enthusiasm that quickly had the full-house audience hanging
on every word.
And the back line? On acoustic bass, Steve Watts. He played the
role to perfection, employing a subtle technique that told you he
was there but which never intruded. He also had such a precise,
spider-like way of moving his left hand up and down the fingerboard,
that I became quite transfixed by it at one point.
Last - yes, we drummers know our place - but not least! Dave
Wickins on drums. Complacency is not a word that figures in this
supremely able man's method of playing his chosen instrument. He
hovers in the background only doing that which is core to the needs
of the music. Minimalist is always best and Dave carried this
laudable approach on into a couple of exquisitely tight solos
during the course of what was to become a truly memorable evening.
Come twenty-past eleven and the crowd were still shouting for more.
A wonderful evening of jazz right here in the heart of North Leeds
at the North Leeds Jazz Club.