Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats Roar into Old Harlow.
The ARC, St John’s Arts & Recreation Centre, St John’s Walk, Market St, Old Harlow CM17 0AJ
Saturday 22nd February at 3pm.
Admission £12 – details from John Petters: 01406 365 731, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Far from purring like a homely feline, Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats will be more like the lions of Judah, as they roar into the ARC (St John’s Arts & Recreation Centre, St John’s Walk, Market St, Old Harlow CM17 0AJ) on Saturday 22nd February at 3pm.
This brand new band, put together by former Essex stride pianist, Dave Browning, takes as its inspiration the freewheeling, spicy tang of Chicago style Dixieland, made popular by hot cornetist, Wild Davison.
In choosing the incredible young cornetist, Allen Beechey in the featured role, the band has perhaps the closest chance at recreating this exciting music, which saw the light of day in the Chicago Speakeasies under control of such gangsters as Al Capone.
Fitting too that Browning has carefully selected severalplayers who worked and recorded with Wild Bill.
Guitarist / author, Jim Douglas made several albums with the ‘Wild One’ in the ‘60s and ‘70s whilst playing with the famous Alex Welsh Band.
Ex Harlow drummer, John Petters first played with Davison at Ted’s Wine Bar at the Playhouse in 1983, along with bassist, Keith Donald. Petters recorded with Bill in 1986 and organised a band to appear at a sell out concert at the Cork Opera House in 1988, along with Davison’s piano playing colleague, Art Hodes, with whom he recorded a series of classic records for the Blue Note label in New York.
The following year, Petters organised a tour – the Legends of American Dixieland, with Davison and Hodes, then both in their 80s. A sell-out performance at the Playhouse, Harlow was a highlight of the Town’s musical entertainment in 1989.
Making his first appearance at the ARC will be, Simon Spillett, a multi-award winning saxophonist, who will be featured on soprano sax for this show.
He has won the BBC Jazz Awards Rising Star (2007), Jazz Journal's Critics' Choice album of the Year (2009), the British Jazz Awards Top Tenor Saxophonist (2011), the Services to British Jazz award (2016).
His many club and festival appearances include sold-out gigs at Ronnie Scott's and The Brecon Jazz Festival, and he has made several appearances leading his own group on BBC Radio Three.
In October 2016, Spillett was appointed as a Patron of the Jazz Centre UK, joining fellow patrons Sir Michael Parkinson, Dame Cleo Laine, Van Morrison, Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) and Jools Holland.
Dave Browning, originally from Barking, started playing piano at the age of 5. He became inspired by the music of Fats Waller and started sitting in at various jazz venues around Essex. He joined the Hugh Rainey Band, playing at festivals and clubs all over the UK. He is regarded as possibly the finest “stride” style pianist in Europe.
Don’t miss this one.
The session starts at 3pm and admission is £12.
Further information from John Petters on 01406 365 731.
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- John Petters
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