Head further North and study with Tommy Smith

Applications are open for young musicians aged between 12 and 17 to spend a week in July studying jazz and improvisation with the internationally respected Tommy Smith in Glasgow.

Between 24-28th July, participants will work with Smith, Alyn Cosker, and Paul Harrison and be taken through their paces in theory classes, recording studio experience and small group playing.

The cost is £240 and applications will be accepted until 24th June. For this year only, participants will also be able to attend the keynote address by Randy Weston as part of the International Society  for Music Education conference.

For full information, visit the RCS Summer school website.

Immerse yourself in the world of jazz with this 5 - day summer school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, ranked 6th in the world for performing arts education. This summer school is designed and delivered by internationally renowned educators, recording artists and performers, including saxophonist and composer, RCS Head of Jazz, Tommy Smith.

This course is for young people aged 12 - 17 who wish to develop  their skills in spontaneous composition and jazz improvisation. It is an inspiring course which focuses on group performance, whilst offering specific instrumental guidance on key elements of improvisation and performance.

 

Gig Preview: Arild Andersen Trio at Band on the Wall, May 17th

Ones eyes can tend to glaze over when the description of a musician is mainly a list of who they have played with. In some cases though, like Arild Andersen, the list bears repeating - a sideman for Stan Getz, Sam Rivers, Paul Bley and Pat Metheny, a band leader with groups that included Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, Ken Wheeler, a huge catalogue of recordings on the famed ECM label.

Andersen is currently to found with his trio featuring Tommy Smith and Paolo Vinaccia. The group released their first album in 2008 on ECM, Live at Belleville (for which Arild won the European Jazz Musician of the Year prize for the album) and since then have toured Europe a number of times as well as finding time to release another ECM album, MIRA.

The trio will make on stop in the North as part of their current UK tour, at Band on the Wall in Manchester on May 17th.

Widely regarded as one of the finest groups currently working in jazz, Andersen’s trio with the Scottish saxophone virtuoso Tommy Smith and the sensational Italian drummer Paolo Vinaccia presents music that thrills and moves the listener in equal measure. Drop-dead gorgeous melodies, razor-sharp interaction, urgent rhythms and the hallmark of all great jazz, spontaneous creativity converge in a live music experience that transcends style and genre and makes an Arild Andersen Trio concert an unmissable event.

Tickets cost £15.00 and full information can be found on the Band on the Wall website. You can find details on all the tour dates on Arild Andersen's website.

SNJO come to Gateshead with the music of Dave Brubeck

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra is widely regarded as one of the UK's best large ensembles. Helmed by tenor saxophonist Tommy Smith, the band work with internationally celebrated musicians multiple times a year as well as releasing albums. In the last two years, they have worked with Kurt Elling, Bob Mintzer, Benny Golson and Mike Stern.

The band don't often venture south of the border but the North is lucky enough to host them this year as part of the Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Their programme is celebrating the music of Dave Brubeck and they welcome two featured guests - Bill Dobbins and John Nugent.

Pianist Bill Dobbins was commissioned by the SNJO to arrange the music of Brubeck. He is currently Professor of Jazz at Eastman School of music in New York. He is joined by alto saxophonist John Nugent.

The concert is on 30th April at the Sage Gateshead. Full information on the gig can be found on the GIJF website and the SNJO website.

Study Jazz with Tommy Smith

Saxophonist Tommy Smith is offering 20 musicians the chance to study jazz with him and a group of accomplished professional jazz musicians over summer in Glasgow.

The course will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow between 28th July and 1st August and will cost £490.

This five-day intensive summer school aims to inspire jazz musicians who are currently studying at conservatoire level or considering studying at a conservatoire. It will also provide opportunities for experienced students, professionals or advanced amateurs to study and refine repertoire in preparation for gigs, auditions or for personal development.

Tommy will be joined by Kevin MacKenzie (guitar), Mario Caribe (bass), Tom MacNiven (trumpet), Paul Harrison (piano), Chris Greive (trombone), Alyn Cosker (drums).

In order to apply, musicians are asked to submit an mp3 of their playing over a 12 bar major blues and also demonstrate comping if playing a rhythm section instrument.

Read full course outline here.

Read more information about application requirements and course description here.

Tommy Smith and the Scotsman - UPDATE

Yesterday, we reported on Tommy Smith's open letter to Robert Burns in light of the Scotman's decision to stop reviewing classical, world and jazz music. Tommy set up a petition and 8 minutes ago shared this news on facebook...

When I departed home this morning the petition was quiescent at 442 and my bones were unsettled. Having just returned from teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland it’s now ascending at an active 832. I’ve taken time to dutifully read everything everyone has written and I’d like to take this humble opportunity to thank you all; this grand list of individuals from 21 countries, for your time, resolve, passion and creativity. For without whom, this entire petition would not have had the effect to cause such a swift wave in the corridors of power.

Waiting in my inbox, was an email from the Deputy Arts Editor of The Scotsman, who, this morning brought it to the attention of his management, who, in turned, quickly made money available for the continuation of World, classical and jazz CDs reviews; Weekend Life magazine is also going to thrive.

There will be no reviews this weekend but the three journalists involved are firmly reinstated, ready to listen, reflect and review World, classical and jazz music for all of us on February 8th. This is especially important to all the homegrown talent in Scotland, as it is a platform to the world stage.

For me, this, my first petition, was worth the sacrifice of besmirching my name against my hometown newspaper, who I’ve supported all my life, but the principle of injustice outweighed any personal loss to me.

I ended my petition with the 3rd line in the first stanza of Burn’s ‘Auld Lang Syne’. I will conclude this notification to you all with the 3rd line in the last stanza of the same song. 'And we'll take a rich guid-willy waught'; a draught of good fellowship.

Best wishes from the bottom of my heart.

Tommy Smith

Congratulations to Tommy for his swift reaction to this decision and a great day for music journalism!

Tommy Smith's Open Letter to Robert Burns

 

Ever one to stand up for what he believes in, yesterday Tommy Smith gave a voice to the musicians and music-lovers angry by the Scotman newspaper's decision to stop reviewing classical, world and jazz music.

As eloquent a writer as he is a player, Tommy wrote the following letter and has set up a petition to reverse the decision.

Dear Robert Burns and his descendants,

On this sacred day, 25th January 2014, the Scotsman newspaper has taken the budgetary decision to end reviewing world music, classical and jazz recordings, which is a heart-breaking bowdlerization of minority art forms and another cessation for the popularization and liberality of creativity. They may publish occasional reviews in the future but only from their syndication agreements, as long as they don't have to pay for them. Who knows where they'll appear, as their current Saturday magazine is also going to the four winds.

The final jazz CD reviewed for the Scotsman is printed today and coincidentally is for an ECM album featuring Arild Andersen, Paolo Vinnacia and myself, entitled MIRA, a red giant star. It is irrelevant whether the review is rated one star or a sea monster five, what is relevant is that the recording is reviewed for the public to read. Gratefully, the Scotsman will continue to review rock/pop and folk music, but should there be favouritism among musical genres? Equality will keep your heart pure. Let’s hope, one day, they will fluctuate their focus and luminescence on jazz, classical and world music again, just like we do when we look up at the astonishing MIRA balanced in the cosmos.

One thing I am glad about, is that you, Rabbie Burns, wrote about things tiny and guid, like the mouse and the louse.“We’ll tak a cup o kindness yet,” from the currently illiberal Scotsman.

Please support this petition and make your voice heard.

Tommy Smith

Sign the petition.