Rare are the occasions when I can find nothing to commend a band, given the standard of musicianship that we've come to expect from visiting outfits here at the jazz club. Rarer still are the occasions when I'm totally satisfied and involved with the music. Tuesday night was one of these latter occasions. The Magic Hat ensemble were a big surprise for me, never having heard them before. With a band like this, I feel that it's pointless to itemise the qualities of the individual musicians. They play so much as a unit, they are as one. Their repertoire was drawn from fairly familiar jazz standards and the American songbook, but arranged with originality, imagination, care and precision, sometimes idiosyncratic but never irritating. The band embodies the core jazz qualities of swing, explosive excitement and on occasion, tenderness. They are right up there with my favourite of our regulars, the Edgar Macias quintet, who will be our guests on Tuesday 26 April. Don't miss them either!

Tony Brown

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Last night was the first gig of 2011 for the jazz club. We couldn't have wanted a better start, with Marc Hadley leading the line in fine style and in his most Dexter Gordon-ish frame of mind. The Ralph Freeman Trio powered things along nicely, in driving and uncomplicated style. Pete Kubryk-Townsend and Pip Harbon on bass and drums respectively were a fine cooker on the back line. The second set of the evening kicked off with a nice surprise in the person of Kris Gayle, delivering a couple of songs with her customary elan, style and grace. An evening of Real Jazz, if you don't mind the term.

Tony Brown

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What a guitarist! What a band! The Nigel Price Trio showed us an organ trio that plays no-nonsense, deeply groovesome music with verve, humour, enjoyment and outstanding musicianship. Nigel was all over the guitar with a serene but wolfish instinct for what sounds right. Pete Whittaker on authentic Hammond provided an overwhelmingly rich and gorgeous backbone, alongside Matt Home's thoughtful and imaginative drumming. The visceral was never sacrificed to the cerebral - the music always the thing. If you haven't seen this band yet, do so at the earliest opportunity. If you're a promoter, book 'em!

Brian Stanley

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The club hosted tenor sax player Theo Travis on Tuesday 26 October, and a thoroughly amiable and enjoyable evening it turned out to be. The guest soloist with house backing format does not always make for a successful alliance, but this one, along with the Jean Toussaint and Benn [yes, that's how it's spelt] Clatworthy sessions, was up there with the best. Theo is a secure, freewheeling and relaxed soloist, and a repertoire familiar to audience and musicians alike ensured a very accessible concert. The current house band have settled down into a swinging and cohesive unit, paying attention to each other and thus achieving a broad dynamic, moving convincingly into dramatic crescendos just when they're needed. Ralph Freeman's piano playing is supportive and sensitive and his solos are exciting and rocking. Marcus Vergette on bass, plays with humour and muscle, and it was great to see Pip Harbon back at the club sounding as good as ever. Long may this trio be the resident band.

Tony Brown

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Gilad Atzmon - saxophones, clarinets, vocals, Eddie Hick - drums,
Frank Harrison - piano, vocals, Yaron Stavi - double bass, vocals

Serpent charmer
The set started with a Gilad announcing that they were going to play their new album, 'The Tide Has Changed', and commenced with the opening track 'Dry fear', warming up the crowd with his serpent charmer spell.

The next track required a change of instrument, and for this one Gilad chose his saxophone. He quickly realized that he had left his sax strap up in his hotel room and asked whether someone would retrieve his strap, as he could not play without it. This accident allowed him to improvise and free associate with words. With the strap recovered, a cheer went up from the crowd and the set kicked off with the title track - 'The Tide Has Changed' - intense, frenzied and original.

'Obviously I like playing the music but it's not all about the music, it is Palestine that I am also really interested in. In helping to free the Palestinian People that is very important too ...'

The thing that quickly becomes glaringly obvious is that Gilad Atzmon is a chameleon, many different elements in a glorious synergy. Jazz musician/composer
Writer
Blogger
Producer
Stand-up comic
Political activist
Traveling salesman
Creative guru

Ethically sound
What distinguishes Gilad Atzmon from other musicians, aside from his prodigious talent and wicked sense of humour, is his outspoken political opinions. Most other musicians are much more tight lipped, they argue it's all about the music, and in doing so reveal their blinkered self-censoring approach. The content of their music quite simple and safe. No politics, religion or controversy.

Gilad does not restrict himself in any such manner. That's what makes him so thrilling and exciting. In a world where musicians are safe, traditional, conventional, he is provocative, surreal and challenging. He says what others are too afraid to say, for fear of upsetting their careers, standing and reputation.

Most activists stand around with a megaphone shouting angrily about this or that, but not offering any solutions. But Gilad is not angry, quite the opposite. Atzmon is a Jazz activist. He is optimistic and offers solutions to the Israel conundrum. Democracy for Palestinians, Israel should give them the vote, it is the only way that Israel can ensure its survival. Israel must cease to be an apartheid regime and integrate with the Palestinians.

He dances about with his various voodoo horns, in between sarcastically mocking the madness of this world. Creating fantasies and fictions here and there, with much wry amusement.

'At this time I was in Kabul, working for MI6 looking for Mujahideen ...' he sniggers ... then casually slipping into one of many surreal adverts promoting their albums. 'You know we are even offering discount on the CDs for volume purchases,' he quipped. 'It's not that we're desperate, but there is an element of despair.'

Then back to exploring the higher dimensions of Jazz, the music always so unexpected and joyously random. Ethnic rhythms and eastern scales in a free jazz synthesis. Suddenly one of the band would pull a tune in a new unexpected way and rest would quickly adapt. I must single Eddie Hick out for high praise, he dazzled with his drumming and nearly eclipsed Gilad several times, wonderful gob-smacking snare work, bewildering percussion and improvisation. It's wonderful to see people at the top of their game, and this is the best the OHE have achieved so far, amazing virtuosity, musicality and range of emotions. Pushing Jazz to the limits and beyond - Peak Experiences Allow Consciousness Expansion - PEACE. Not to be missed.

Jonathon Blakeley

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I had the good fortune of hearing about the Gilad Atzmon and Orient House Ensemble gig at the St Ives Club last Friday care of the St Ives Jazz Club. I saw that the Guardian had given it four stars at Ronnie Scott's the previous week; they said: "A shrewd pacer of live shows, Atzmon steered tonight's performance from ambiguous, unsettling microtonal and geographical drifts between the west and the Middle East, toward an optimistic, conventionally tempered finale on 'Wonderful World', pulled off without a hint of cheesiness."

I wouldn't say we are spoiled for 'microtonal and geographical drifts' in these parts so it's fair to say I jumped on it. Held at the old-fashioned Western Hotel in St Ives, the St Ives Jazz Club does an impressive job of making it feel like a bona fide jazz club with near darkness, tealights and even some men in black-rimmed glasses. And the music was superb - tight, irreverent and diverse.

Ismay Atkins
See her blog at http://pastiesandcream.com

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The quintet made a triumphant return to St Ives this warm September night, bringing with them a sensual and bubbling flavour of South America. This is a rare and precious thing, a band whose musicians play for each other and without ego, conversing fluently with a shared and commonly understood vocabulary. Chris Bowden is a truly original and progressive voice on alto sax, supported by Edgar, a consummate musician, with his Venezuelan pal Nestor Peres playing bass with conviction and authenticity. The band is propelled, furiously at times, by Miles Levin on drums, playing with the idea of making everyone else sound great, and Wilmer Sifontes, a percussionist of truly staggering virtuosity, entertaining us all with his speed and humour.

Oscar de la Hoya, Truro

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I had the good fortune to hear and see the Sarah Gillespie Quartet last night at St Ives Jazz Club, featuring the irrepressible radical Gilad Atzmon; hard bop jazz de-constructivist.

Sarah's quartet featured Gilad Atzmon on accordion, clarinet and sax, Enzo Zirilli on drums and Ben Bastin on double bass.

They were magnificent! Sarah sure can sing, what a voice, and very talented, good guitarist as well. Gilad was his usual surly self, wry sarcasm mixed with dry wit. The drummer did the most amazing drum solo as well. Gilad did his best not to outshine Sarah but he is pretty unstoppable, he is such a show off. One of the most amazing parts was a tune which they broke down and de-constructed and then Gilad started doing some mad tabla like scat with Sarah joining in. So rhythmic and fast, he built it up and up playing off against the drummer before firing back in with his clarinet and honking it like Gabriel blowing his horn.

Sarah's set had a wonderful contrast of dynamics, soft gentle and shimmering vocals and finger picking then surreal slides in to mad anarchic jazz. Her lyrics were edgy too and a refreshing change from the bland pop tart songs of the mainstream. Sarah is a very intelligent musician and writer with much to say.

Gilad doesn't play safe, he plays dangerous edgy jazz, wild and Pan-like.

For the discerning jazz aficionado looking for serious eargasms, Gilad is a an unrivalled delight.

Jonathon Blakeley

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An assured and cheerful set by Cornwall's best jazz singer was somewhat marred for me by a stonefaced if competent backing trio which stubbornly refused to enter into the spirit with which Kris was trying to conduct the proceedings. This rather gave the evening a bizarre atmosphere, as if Kris loved us but the band hated us. Maybe that was the case.

Roz Tredinnick, Penzance

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