90 Lots Road
Tue 22 Sept · 20:00 · £18
Bass player, composer and arranger Ben Crosland has been an ever present force on the British jazz scene for over thirty-five years. Since the 1980s, he worked as a sideman, supporting the likes of Spike Robinson, Harry Allen, Ken Peplowski, Bobby Wellins and many others, while through his longstanding connection with the Marsden Jazz Festival he’s also played with John Surman, Tim Garland, Andy Sheppard and other premier UK jazz musicians. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also run his own label, Jazz Cat since 1995 releasing albums by Alan Skidmore, Dave O’Higgins and more. It’s as a bandleader & recording artist however that Ben has further distinguished himself. His two volumes of the Ray Davies Songbook - an adventurous reimagining of beloved British pop songs written by the Kinks - as well as Ben’s other albums have been enthusiastically received by jazz audiences and tonight’s show heralds the release of his latest recording, ‘North York Skies”. Described by Ben as “a love letter to the North York Moors”, the compositions are inspired by "the beauty and majesty of the Moors and the surrounding countryside, the legends and characters that abound there, and some personal connections with this lovely area.” Featuring Quintet stalwarts trumpeter Steve Waterman , pianist Steve Lodder, guitarist Chris Allard and drummer Nic France, this promises to be a hearlfelt and beautifully realised musical journey. "An unaffectedly lyrical composer of direct and evocative melodies that draw in the uninitiated and jazz cognoscenti alike." John Fordham, London Jazz News; “...rich in memorable melodies and the playing…resonant and inventive…delightful” Jazzwise; "His compositions are colourful, beguiling and thoroughly musical" Jazz Journal; "a strong flair for melody...another highly accomplished piece of work from Crosland" The Jazz Mann jazz-cat.com/index.php
Not the same tradition as the lineage above — a genuinely different thread to pull, if you want one.