There is one weekend when the sound of a saxophone and the taste of a Welsh cake feel like a wholly appropriate combination of sensual delights, and the coming one is it.
It's the 25th Brecon Jazz Festival from Friday to Sunday (we can ignore Thursday because that's Jools Holland, and he's sold out) and, as befits asilver anniversary year, HSBC Brecon (as it is now called) has assembled an all-star band of previous visitors to get things well and truly started on Friday evening.
Leading the band in the Market Hall is baritone saxophonist Joe Temperley, and in its ranks will be tenor player and very good friend of Brecon Scott Hamilton, Enrico Tomasso on trumpet, Dave Green on bass and special guest Martin Taylor on guitar.
Brecon has always attracted some big US jazz names and this year they include cool alto man Lee Konitz (over 80 and still with a lot of edge), the granddaddy of the hip singers Mark Murphy, drummer Louis Hayes with his Cannonball Legacy Band (including strong young trumpeter Jeremy Pelt), rising singer Roberta Gambarini, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Harry Allen both leading all-American bands, and the guitar hero for a lot of rockers as well as the jazz fusionistas, Wayne Krantz.
Brecon also provides a broad array of the best British jazz around, and the big names next weekend include Abram Wilson and his Delta Blues Project, the Gwilym Simcock Trio, Dame Cleo and Sir John, Don Weller and his Big Band, singers Clare Teal and Anita Wardell, Courtney Pine paying tribute to Sidney Bechet, and the Neil Cowley Trio.
It's the 25th Brecon Jazz Festival from Friday to Sunday (we can ignore Thursday because that's Jools Holland, and he's sold out) and, as befits asilver anniversary year, HSBC Brecon (as it is now called) has assembled an all-star band of previous visitors to get things well and truly started on Friday evening.
Leading the band in the Market Hall is baritone saxophonist Joe Temperley, and in its ranks will be tenor player and very good friend of Brecon Scott Hamilton, Enrico Tomasso on trumpet, Dave Green on bass and special guest Martin Taylor on guitar.
Brecon has always attracted some big US jazz names and this year they include cool alto man Lee Konitz (over 80 and still with a lot of edge), the granddaddy of the hip singers Mark Murphy, drummer Louis Hayes with his Cannonball Legacy Band (including strong young trumpeter Jeremy Pelt), rising singer Roberta Gambarini, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Harry Allen both leading all-American bands, and the guitar hero for a lot of rockers as well as the jazz fusionistas, Wayne Krantz.
Brecon also provides a broad array of the best British jazz around, and the big names next weekend include Abram Wilson and his Delta Blues Project, the Gwilym Simcock Trio, Dame Cleo and Sir John, Don Weller and his Big Band, singers Clare Teal and Anita Wardell, Courtney Pine paying tribute to Sidney Bechet, and the Neil Cowley Trio.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
