Alan Barnes - A Jazz Christmas Carol

Styles: Jazz, Holiday
Year: 2015
Time: 50:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:15) 1. The Start Of It
(6:08) 2. Bah Humbug!
(5:02) 3. Marley's Ghost
(4:31) 4. The Ghost Of Christmas Past (Portrait Of Belle)
(6:16) 5. The Ghost Of Christmas Present
(5:25) 6. Tint Tim
(2:48) 7. The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come
(5:10) 8. The End Of It
(4:01) 9. God Bless Us Everyone!
(4:11) 10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
(5:21) 11. The Christmas Song

Like the Dickens classic itself, Alan Barnes’s “Christmas Carol” has something for everyone.

A family night out that is also a treat for the jazz connoisseur; it will delight anyone who loves music or literature – or just Christmas! This new suite of pieces, touring for the first time this year, takes the audience through the characters and scenes of ‘A Christmas Carol”. Readings from the original Dickens tell the story, and after each scene eight virtuoso musicians bring the characters and scenes to life, switching audiences from hilarity to pathos with a skill that would have done credit to Dickens himself!

A gruff baritone sax plays Scrooge, his lost love Belle is a lyrical alto, his clerk Bob Cratchit a cheery clarinet and Marley’s Ghost walks in the person of a swinging trombone. Just as Scrooge’s ghosts take him on a tour of his life, so the movements of this suite seemed each to have a benevolent presiding ghost, celebrating the spirit of jazz greats past and present. The music and readings inspire the full range of Dickens’s imagination and emotion: from terror and remorse through to love and then irresistible joy: "God Bless Us Every One!"

“Barnes is a true Dickensian. He is a serious reader of the novels. It is a clear blunder of providence that he was born too late to appear in their pages!” Hot News. https://www.alanbarnesjazz.com/a-jazz-christmas-carol

Personnel: Alan Barnes - saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet and flugelhorn; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Robert Fowler - saxophones and clarinet; Karen Sharp - saxophones and clarinet;

A Jazz Christmas Carol

---

Alan Barnes - The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1
Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 151,8 MB
Art: Front

( 0:43) 1. 221b Play On
( 2:28) 2. Narration, Pt. 1
( 5:58) 3. The Game Is Afoot
( 2:40) 4. Narration, Pt. 2
( 7:14) 5. Watson
( 1:04) 6. Narration, Pt. 3
(11:29) 7. The Tiger Of San Pedro
( 2:22) 8. Narration, Pt. 4
(10:28) 9. The Napoleon Of Crime
( 0:48) 10. Narration, Pt. 5
( 7:24) 11. The Dancing Men
( 1:42) 12. Narration, Pt. 6
( 2:46) 13. Grimpen Mire
( 8:16) 14. The Hound Of The Baskervilles

---

Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 2
Time: 56:00
Size: 130,1 MB

(0:55) 1. Narration, Pt. 7
(4:21) 2. The Baker Street Irregulars
(3:26) 3. Narration, Pt. 8
(4:41) 4. Quite A Three Pipe Problem
(1:10) 5. Narration, Pt. 9
(5:46) 6. The 7% Solution
(2:15) 7. Narration, Pt. 10
(7:30) 8. Lestrade Of The Yard
(2:41) 9. Narration, Pt. 11
(8:23) 10. Watson's Women
(0:44) 11. Narration, Pt. 12
(7:07) 12. The Sussex Vampire
(1:38) 13. Narration, Pt. 13
(5:19) 14. 221b (Full Version)

Now this is something really different. It turns out that Alan Barnes has been a raving fan of Conan Doyle's writing, and more specifically, his greatest creation, Sherlock Holmes, since the age of eleven. This double album consists of 95 minutes of original music interspersed with narration relative to the plot and well put over by actor Alan Mitchell. Not only did Alan Barnes compose the music, he wrote the script, and jolly good it is as well.

This is all great fun, but more importantly, the music is outstanding, and the playing by this starry cast of musicians, is superb. Barnes chose his men very carefully, including some of his colleagues from groups in the past, and they all come up trumps, including their very talented leader.

The writing for the octet is clever as it leaves plenty of scope for each of them to show their improvisational skills, and they more than justify their selection. In his own liner notes, Alan states that he tried to write in a way that would bring out the unique qualities and strengths of his fellow musicians, and acknowledges that if that method was good enough for Duke, who is he to quarrel.

There are so many good things in these CDs; it is difficult to know what to pick out. Both Stan Sulzmann and Robert Fowler have their share of good moments, and Bruce Adams brings power and invention to the ensemble and to his solos. Mark Nightingale is just terrific in his spots, and especially in Grimpen Mire and The Hound of the Baskervilles. The rhythm section do a fine job throughout, with splashes of inspiration all over the place from David Newton, who swings hard in The Tiger of San Pedro, and then shows his reflective wistful side in The Napoleon of Crime. It doesn't matter a hoot whether you are familiar with the stories or not. The narration gives you the general idea, and the music is excellent. Alan Barnes has delivered an outstanding opus in this CD, great fun, fine production; I'd give it ten out of ten. Strongly recommended. http://www.woodvillerecords.com/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Suite.htm

Personnel: Alan Barnes - saxophones, clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Robert Fowler - saxophones & clarinet; Karen Sharp - saxophones & clarinet; David Newton - piano; Simon Thorpe - bass; Clark Tracey - drums

The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

---

Alan Barnes Octet - Copperfield: A Dickensian Jazz Suite

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:31
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:29) 1. Copperfield Theme
(6:42) 2. Mr Peggotty's Boat House
(3:46) 3. Barkis is Willin'
(4:27) 4. Creakle and Tungay
(3:49) 5. Tommy Traddles' Skeletons
(4:54) 6. Mudstone and Grinby's
(5:56) 7. Mr. Dick Flies his Kite
(6:25) 8. Mr Micawber
(6:21) 9. Little Em'ly
(6:29) 10. Steerforth
(5:46) 11. Uriah Heep
(2:14) 12. Dora and Jip
(7:44) 13. Agnes
(4:22) 14. A New Life

One day, cultural historians may study the link between lockdown and creativity. Meanwhile, with the same line-up and personnel as his 2019 visit here, Alan Barnes returned to a practically full house with his Suite from that time.

There’s a lot to digest in his writing for octet. All the pieces feature changes in tempo, and meter, alternation of unison and harmony, and varied voicing across brass and reeds. Each song is structured into several sections, with interludes of diverse length, and solos are backed in many different ways. Or… you can just sit back and enjoy.

‘Copperfield Theme’, the opening number, depicts David’s home life in three sections. A slow, pretty melody with clarinet lead, gives way to a punchy theme in triple time. Solos from brass and reeds follow, then unison, and harmonised ensemble, before a reprise of the first melody.

‘Mr. Peggotty’s Boathouse’: David is sent off to Yarmouth: an up-tempo piano intro, then a lively jazz waltz, lead on to a trumpet improvisation with skyscraper passages, next a contrasting very relaxed piano solo. Finally the waltz returns, and to end, soft riffs, and a quiet, muted trumpet.

‘Mr. Barkis’: a return home for DC, and a bass feature for Simon Thorpe. He starts with the theme statement, then walks with the orchestra. Some stop time, and trumpet solo, take us to a bass solo with piano and drums accompaniment, before the final ensemble.

‘Creackle and Tungay’: David’s school days, and portraits of teacher (Bruce Adams) and caretaker (Karen Sharp). A Latin intro from the rhythm section goes into a swing feel with fine baritone and trumpet solos. There’s a baritone /trumpet duet, before a final piano note, that slowly rings out to nothing.

‘Tommy Traddle’s Skeletons’: billed as a ‘danse macabre’ for David’s school friend who drew skeletons, the piece starts with the suitably ‘sparse’ sound of Robert Fowler’s clarinet accompanied by bass. Two high register clarinets play a later section, and, after a clarinet solo, complete the song.

‘Murdstone and Grimby’: David is sent to work in the bottling plant of the title: Mark Nightingale plays the first partner, Alan Barnes the second. There’s a virtuoso solo by the leader on alto, with a lot of double time over a ‘two’ feel. More solos follow, and an ensemble with baritone and bass in unison.

‘Mr. Dick Flies His Kite’: back on the coast, we meet a minor jazz waltz, realised by trumpet and trombone. A pretty, but sad melody, leads to, as Barnes explained, a “more uplifting” passage, before “coming down to earth”. Solos are spread across the band. A tinkling piano diminuendo describes the kite’s descent.

‘Mr. Micawber’: A jaunty jazz waltz represents the character who provides lodging for David. Rising and falling baritone lines may suggest Micawber’s mood swings, and solos from the leader on clarinet, and piano take us back to the theme.

‘Little Em’ly’: Barnes’ early career often found him playing Klezmer music: a plaintiff minor melody depicts David’s childhood sweetheart and the arrangement reflects that ethnic tradition. Bruce Adams on plunger-muted trumpet plays her seducer, Steerforth. Rob Fowler gives a most expressive tenor solo, as we move into a medium swing tempo, before a reprise of the mournful theme.

‘James Steerforth’: a stately melody depicts the public face of the character, before a passage on alto gives way to an up-tempo Latin section. Baritone and bass play a repeated unison figure. In turn a swing theme is introduced. Mark Nightingale delivers an agile double-time solo. Piano chords and bass accompaniment end the return of the original slow theme. ‘Uriah Heep’: Barnes’ bass clarinet portrays the oily character David meets, with a slippery, triplet-based theme. Clark Tracey sets up the number by an intriguing high-pitched meandering. A Duke-ish voicing of two clarinets, muted trumpet and trombone provide some background, before instrumental conversations, and bowed bass ending. ‘Dora and Jip’: tempo movements between triple time and 4/4 unfold after the staccatto-ish line begins. Solos on reeds and brass describe the changing fortunes of Dora and David, and her dog, Jip. A “canine cadenza” is cunningly voiced by Bruce Adams, tailing off in a sad whine…

‘Agnes’: a sweet ballad recalls the young Agnes’ devotion to David. A warm statement on tenor is accompanied by responses from the alto. The trumpet picks up the theme, and there are solos around the band. A quicker feel follows, over the same tempo, and moves to a piano solo. Punchy to start with, the solo moves into a locked-hands, Errol Garner-type feel.

‘A New Life’: a fast minor swing is the setting as the Micawbers and other characters emigrate to Australia. There’s a powerful unison passage voiced for the five frontline parts, on the standard 32 bar form, and a switch to Latin for the middle eight. An ensemble where the lead moves between reeds and brass is punctuated by drum fills, followed by a solo from Clark Tracey.

Many thanks to the Jazz in Reading, and Progress Theatre team, for, as Alan Barnes added, “keeping the performing arts alive” in these testing times. Review posted here by kind permission of Clive Downs https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/alan-barnes-octet-copperfield-a-dickensian-jazz-suite-progress-theatre-reading-berkshire-16-12-2022

Personnel: Alan Barnes- alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, composer, arranger; Robert Fowler - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Karen Sharp - baritone saxophone, clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet, flugelhorn; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Dave Newton - piano; Simon Thorpe - bass; Clark Tracey - drumsbr />

Copperfield: A Dickensian Jazz Suite

---

Karen Sharp - The Sun, The Moon And You

Size: 150,8 MB
Time: 65:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Get Out Of Town (6:37)
02. The Sun, The Moon And You (6:03)
03. Pannonica (8:33)
04. The Ford (6:39)
05. Little Waltz (8:05)
06. All Of You (6:35)
07. Iris (5:06)
08. Quiet Now (5:53)
09. Night And Day (6:41)
10. Terminus (5:10)

Saxophonist Karen Sharp returns with a long awaited second album on Trio Records featuring her now well established British Jazz Award "All Winners" quartet of Dave Green (bass), Niki Iles (piano), and Steve Brown (drums) - a stella line-up indeed.

Since releasing their debut recording back in 2011 - 'Spirit', the quartet have been busy touring clubs and festivals across the UK, delighting audiences with their unique sound, group interplay and shared passion for strong, melodic material and the jazz tradition. The band's repertoire has evolved naturally over time and this album features familiar and lesser-known standards together with original pieces written by Karen and Nikki.

Highlights include a great version of Monk's "Pannonica" as well as the little heard, deceptively simple tune by bassist Ron Carter, "Little Waltz" but everyone will find their own delights within this album.

Far from being a horn with accompanying trio, Karen's quartet features each voice to its fullest without ever undermining the integrity of the group, with fine contributions by all.

The Sun, The Moon And You

---

Karen Sharp - Wait And See

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Helola
(5:29)  2. Wait And See
(6:46)  3. Bright Moments
(6:09)  4. Stop
(5:03)  5. The Shortest Day
(5:18)  6. Pure Imagination
(5:30)  7. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(6:09)  8. Princess Olive
(4:51)  9. After All
(5:36) 10. Tufty
(3:32) 11. Blue Rol

Karen Sharp’s latest quintet album “Wait and See” was recorded in November 2006 for “33 Records” and features a collection of original compositions by Karen, mixed with renditions of some of her favourite jazz tunes from the last century.It features Karen on tenor and baritone saxes, Adrian Fry on trombone, Richard Busiakiewicz on piano, John Day on bass and John Perry on drums.

“One of the most rewarding consequences of wearing two hats - labelled bandleader and broadcaster respectively - is the unique opportunity it offers to witness talent unfolding. Karen Sharp’s new album confirms what I have already observed, that over the past three or four years, she has steadily I might almost say stealthily developed into a major artist on the scene.” ‘ Wait and See’ is a delight from start to finish.”

~ Humphrey Lyttelton http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_127/cd_id_1466

Personnel:  Karen Sharp - tenor / baritone saxophone;  Adrian Fry – trombone;  Richard Busiakiewicz – piano;  John Day – bass;  John Perry - drums

Wait And See

---

Karen Sharp - So Far So Good

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:08
Size: 145,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Candy
(6:31)  2. I've Never Been In Love Before
(5:41)  3. Doowap
(8:06)  4. Sheltered By the Stars
(4:54)  5. Smile
(6:27)  6. I Want More
(1:57)  7. Mona Lisa
(5:39)  8. So Far So Good
(5:37)  9. Mr Gas Man
(5:26) 10. Small World
(5:39) 11. Flight of the Foo Birds
(1:48) 12. Smile - Reprise

Sharp began only during her composition studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with the saxophone after an intake of Dexter Gordon had heard. They first played in the jazz band of the college and a soul band in Liverpool. In 1999 she moved to London, where she soon with musicians like Scott Hamilton , John Dankworth , Danny Moss , Alan Barnes , Joe Temperley , Mark Nightingale , Annie Whitehead , Ellyn Rucker, Roy Williams , Scott Robinson , Ken Peplowski or Elkie Brooks occurred. In 2004 she took Humphrey Lyttelton in his octet , which she belonged for three years. In the Ginza Festival in Tokyo in 2006, she presented with Tina May and Nikki Iles . Next they played in the bands of Digby Fairweather and Enrico Tomasso . Since 2002 she has released five albums under his own name; also she led a trio, the Barbara Lea and Dick Sudhalter belonged. Between 2002 and 2011 she recorded 16 recordings,  with Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly. Translate by Google  https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Sharp 

Karen Sharp's So Far so Good features Karen on tenor sax, Dave Priseman on trumpet, Richard Busiakiewicz on piano, John Day on double bass and Matt Fishwick on drums.

So Far So Good

---