The San Javier Jazz Festival 2010, another great weekend of quality music

James Carter, Now that's what you call Jazz.

 

 

The multi talented James Carter provided one of the greatest nights of the Festival so far with a blowaway performance of powerful music which shook the auditorium from one great track to the next. Invigorating, dramatic, rhythmic and just mindblowingly competent, those magic fingers raced from one track to the next, dazzling us all with the sheer virtuosity of his musicianship.

 

 

 

 

Switching effortlessly from Saxaphone, Bass clarinet and flute he dueled with Dwight Adams on trumpet, the popping slap tongue technique of which he is such a master contrasting with the sweet tones of a muted trumpet. Masterful.

 

 

 

 

Ralph Armstrong on bass was a joy to watch, that great face and expressive playing rounding off a memorable set of superb music.

Now that's what you call musicianship.

And that's what you call Jazz. 

 

James Carter (saxophones, bass clarinette and flute)
Dwight Adams (trumpet)
Gerard Gibbs (piano)
Ralph Armstrong (double bass)
Leonard King (drums)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot on their trail came the Women of Chicago Blues. These baaa.....d girls of blues strutted their stuff, delivering charismatic performances, each one unique, but each one packed with powerful, strong music, entertaining, enveloping and definately not to be ignored,  literally dragging the audience into the performance and onto the stage.

Honey, where ya been?

How could you dare not go home with the wrath awaiting you from these ladies!

 

 

 

The only criticism we would dare to venture in such exalted company, is please buy black towels next year. 90% of the photos are dominated by pink towels with which the heated ladies wiped their faces and we spent most of the performance watching the progress of these vibrant pink towels around the stage, praying that they would put the wretched things down so we could get some decent photographs! 

  

Saying that, the numbers they performed together were superb, and we wished there had been a few more numbers with the three interacting together, as the chemistry between them was infectious and the music knockout.

 

The Women of Chicago Blues 2010

Zora Young

Deitra Farr

Grana Louise

 

Finally, Sunday Night, the man with the coolest clothes in the business, the great George Benson.

What a night.

The place was packed to the rafters, buzzing with expectation and we weren't disappointed, as one great hit after the other filled the evening sky. Sweet notes of classic Benson greats, On Broadway, Love x Love, Turn your love around, Breezin....the music just didn't stop coming.

 

 

 

 

It's been a strange weekend, we saw Mark Knopfler on Saturday night, and wrote about how his music has painted our lives, always there, always a part of our weekly routine, there in the office, on the radio, in the car, and it's the same with George Benson, he's always been there all our lives.

It's terrifying looking at that play list and remembering that piece of music at the village fete disco as clear as if it was just yesterday, then looking through youtube this morning and realizing with horror that the recording is 30 years old.

He's been a part of my life for all those years and I was lucky enough to be there and touch his hand on Sunday night.

What a performer.

 

Limited to just 2 tracks for photography we had to sit down, an unheard of activity during this festival which is such a glorious gift for photographers as we're usually let loose throughout, but by track 5 I was unable to remain seated any longer and was dancing away quietly in the shadows on the stairwell.

A few bolder souls finally just couldn't fight it any longer and went to the floor in front of the stage to dance, and emboldened, the rest of us trickled down until the floor was heaving with gyrating bodies, having a great night out, and most of the audience were on their feet clapping and boogying on down.

 

Towards the end of the evening he was presented with the Prize for the XIII edition of the San Javier Jazz Festival by the Mayoress of Los Alcazares, to tumultuous applause, an honour in recognition of  the pleasure he has given to billions of people worldwide throughout his illustrious career, and for all of us, who were lucky enough to be there, for a great night out of historic music.

 

There are just 2 more nights left in this quality festival, with the beautiful voice of Carol Kidd, 4 times best British jazz vocalist, and Paul Carrack, another great musician who has been part of Roxy Music, squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics during his career.

For Ticketing information and directions, click here, San Javier Jazz festival, Full Programme in english

 

 

You'll find photos of other artists on our facebook page, Click here for facebook, Simply Networking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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