BEJE performing at CICIC Taunton Feb 19th 2016

http://www.creativeinnovationcentre.co.uk/performances/the-bristol-european-jazz-ensemble-fri-19-feb-2016/

We’re looking forward to our first gig of the year at ‘the south west’s new leading jazz venue’. It’s what they say about themselves and having trawled around the region I believe it! There’s only St Ive’s Jazz Club, of long repute, to compare really. (Go on, tell me I’m wrong). There’ll be some new material, including a spiritual chant for the audience, but let that not put you off! The ever-elegant Anders Olinder on piano, the increasingly wonderful and powerful Paolo Adamo on drums, the passionate and risk taking Federico Leonori on bass and searing altoist Julien Alenda, who will bring his tenor sax as well and is studying Sony Rollins especially, will be the BEJE line up this time. We look forward to seeing our friends and fans and keep solos shorter than my sentences (maybe).

At the Bath Festival’s extreme fringe June 5

BEJE wine vaults posterA confession: I failed, just, to get a listing in the Bath Fringe Festival brochure. So what d’you call a gig in Bath, in Festival season, that’s uno-unofficial? Still a great one hopefully with Paolo Adamo and mates (just me and Pasquale and Julien shown here). At Bath’s top jazz venue, St James Wine Vaults £5/£4 conc. June 5th 8.30pm.

I may be limbering up with extracts from ‘The Bridging Place’ ready for the band’s performance JUNE 19th at FUTURE INN Bristol, part of Big Green Week

So come to our first gig in Bath! Pasquale in particular is sounding stronger and stronger on my weird repertoire. We played at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory last night (May 18) with Knud Stuwe on guitar. “Smooth and very enjoyable” one happy audient called it. I think others liked it too…

In Bath we’ll definitely be playing ‘Justin’, a new piece with a Middle Eastern maqaam (mode or scale). I like the mood evoked and the challenge to keep solos interesting when the chords don’t change. it’s all rhythm and melody really