6* /^ ver rhe lasr forty years Barbara and

i tJ n: l,ilrJ;,'.Hliffit*'.:"1iltas the New lazz Orchestra, in collaborationswith Andrew Lloyd Webber, and on countlessrecording sessions. As with other British iazzmusicians, they have achieved mostrecognition in Europe. zou has been a busyyear for Barbara, with the long-awaitedrelease ofher new DVD, paraphernaliaLiveb5, the broadcast in February of a BBCdocumentary about her entitle d playingAgainstTime, arrdan ever increasing demandfor her talent as a composer of rhythmicallyvital classical music.

Being aware of the debilitating effects ofParkinson's disease, a progressiveneurological condition that makes movementincreasingly difficult, I visited Barbarawithout knowing what to expect. I found herbusy preparing for the polish leg ofColosseum's summer tour, her lounge tablereplete with saxophones, boxes ofreeds andearplugs, and her piano covered in work inprogress for Paraphernalia's next album. For amusician the effects of parkinson,s areparticularly devastating and this is Barbara,slast tour until new medication is available.Barbara remains practical in the face ofadversity. "I have played for as long asI knew I could but I have come rothe stage that I know my illnessis going to start having aneffect. I want people toremember me for what I cando rather than what I cannot.,'That Barbara has maintainedsuch a high srandard ofmusicianship over the lastdecade is a message ofhope to allsufferers. "I think we would alwayshave started to cut down on touring; it is timeto start making some new iourneys,,, saysBarbara. I know from experience that Barbarahas a lot to offer as a teacher viamasterclasses and is keen to pass on herinsights on musicality and repenoire.

Prior to her breakthrough as a soloistBarbara worked extensively as a multi-instrumentalist in shows and with the all-female lvy BensonBand.Her experience in thesllow Cabaretinspired her to pursue acreative career and she was soon workingwith luminaries such as |ohn Mayall, GeorgieFame, Kenny Wheeler and Graham Bond. The7Os were something of a golden age for theiazz-rock saxophone. In America MichaelBrecker and David Sanborn were the leadingIights in a scene rhar included Blood Sweatand Tears and, Chicago while England couldboast Dick Hecksrall Smirh, Lyn Dobson andChris Mercer. Barbara brought new degrees ofsubtlety to what she describes as anotherwise macho environment. Her abilitv tobring light and shade to any ensemble seemsto have been a result ofher classical trainineat the Royal College of Music in London. .,Tilesaxophone wasn't even recognised as aninstrument when I was at college,', saysBarbara. "I broke all the rules the minute I gotthere." She was rhe only srudent gigging

14 Cl.arinet8Saxophone Winter zorr

Pursuing adracrd r*tf* itiquanenones.E-tafr,Specialisriacurhr--Erof musicedrcrhlQqfn-iazzsaxoptm-qftbf :success.'It3thinkt}teown. I've iussaxophoneRoyalSaxophoneyear." She wasrhe first oftlre-her inimitablemusic is sill trtirtterritory.

Barbara'sis certainly unigrrconcessions forhas become morewaythan iazz andBarbara. "There's nomusic is quite weakclassical composersqlumodern classical musicinspiration." Living wirbHiseman Barbara learmoutside of college and no one else studied

three instrumenB: clarinet, flute and piano.Barbara studied clarinet with Svdnev

Fell and took surreptitious lessonswith saxophonist Charles

Chapman, an acolyte of RonnieRoss, the virtuoso baritonesaxophonist also known asThe Sewing Machine.Theinfluence ofRoss is apparent

in her playing, although herown personality shone through.

"I did loud and fast, but ifyou aretrained as a classical musician vou

quietly," says Barbara.Musical education has changed

dramatically since Barbara was a student.Today the saxophone is not only accepted butcolleges are producing dedicated classicalsaxophonists who are enthusiastically

or as she puts it.'Whenyout;rdrummer like |on behindyn pgfrhythmical". It often seems rb t{ldifference between Barlreb t'.*

learn to phrase things in a cenain way. Theyliked the way I could bring things down very

ParaphernaliaandSaxophone Quanet tb- I b th-bwho play it. Barbara plays cfor flute and piano, Orinebuilds on the Eastern inltrcdP ar aphe rn ali as albun. Slrfri; bt*work certainly makes np hr &lhfrhythm section wirh irsgrounded by a driving pim

Barbara's classical uainiqin her writing for tumphar-tfeatures violin vinuoeo tHlyoianist Perer Irmer dqr* E-Ball and lon Hiernan -lGL{65d^uh.^- l^r ^f .L:- :+-f- '

exactly what s wri[€rL' rp Ib'musicians I usecwhtifbackground as me- Cb*l

whole are so used to having different thingsput in front of threm and Paraphernaliahavegot to be able to play like classical virtuosi oneminute and.rooty-tooty 1'azz musicians thenext." Her advice to composers is to keep themusicians on their toes. "Ifthey are boredthat is when you are in trouble".

Generously, Barbara has made the scores ofher compositions free to download via herwebsite www.barbara-thompson.co.uk. Shehas recently completed a piano reduction ofher concerto in three movements. eachfeaturing a different saxophone. Barbara iskeen for works such as this to be performedby the amateur and professionals alike. Othernotable works include her three quartets,written for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet andrecorded on their album Three Quartets, and,Mirages, Concerto No. z for saxophonequartet and string ensemble, commissionedby the Rascher Saxophone Quartet.

Like many artists in the Zos Barbaraenjoyed being part of a thriving live musicscene, performing with John Dankworth, StanReynolds's The Greatest. Swing Band in theWorld, The United.Jazz & Rock Ensemble andher own fubiaba along with recording for thelikes of Manfred Mann. Amazingly, she didnot play a saxophone until the opportunityarose to play alto in the Hdry ldnos Suitewiththe London Schools' Symphony Orchestrawhen she was 19. Barbara showed me theConn 6M Underslung alto saxophone sheused on that occasion and which was onlyrecently superseded by a more ergonomicYanagisawa. "When I finished school I did asecretarial course and thought this is livinghell," says Barbara. She took saxophonelessons and played with the Ivy Benson Bandfor a year. "I learnt everything about swingfrom her. She was very upset when I left to goto RCM. During those three years in Londonevenlhing happened. I was very lucky."

Ba;ba:a is concerned at the loss ofthe

university circuit that provided a platform forhigh quality left field groups such as PinkFloyd, The )imi Hendrix Experience and Yes."We just do not have a history of supportingthe arts," says Barbara. 'A circuit gives goodunknown groups a chance ofgaining afoothold but we've lost the footholds."Readers will be familiar today with theexperience of hearing promising performersplay to small apathetic audiences in pubs. "Ifyou're not. well known then nobody comesand that's it," says Barbara.

Increasingly, musicians are aware of theneed for adaptability for which Barbara hasbeen a great advocate. Today she questionswhether individuality has become amillstone. "The institutionalisation of musichas turned out a lot ofbrilliant youngmusicians and quartets," says Barbara. "Theyfollow the path that I took and play a bit ofeverything, but have nowhere to go." Askedhow she thinks she would fare as a buddingmusician today she suggests that talent is nolonger the main arbiter ofsuccess. "Ifyou area very good musician but not a good hustlerthen without the old platforms you won t getanywhere," says Barbara. "My advice is to playthe instruments that others do not. That givesyou a chance ofbeing noticed. I had theadvantage of being female but that is nothingnewnow."

Barbara's creativity has often seen hersetting trends in music. Her r99r album Songs

from the Center (sic) of the Earth,rccorded inthe vast Abbey'du Thoronet in Provence,presaged the success oflan Garbarek'sOfficiumandthe wave of jazz-world musicthat followed. Songs from the Center of theEarthexplores ancient folk music withplangent improvisations on themes rangingfrom European plainsong to ballads fromSyria. Her rend erifig of The Fenaid Grovebecame famous as the theme for ATouch ofFrost. "We had to record it at night to theaccompaniment of bats'wings; all those yearsago when it was iust my solitary saxophoneand the bats. I could never have imagined 19million people would hear it as the theme forFrost. That's the music business; the thingsyou think are bound to be a success never areand then something like thatreally takes off."

The secret ofBarbara's success lies in herinstantly recognisable sound, a combinationofvocal warmth and cutting reediness.Despite numerous imitators no one bringssuch a sense of musicality to the style. Theinfluence ofplayers such as Brecker andSanborn is palpable, along with her favouritesaxophonists, Roland Kirk and Yusaf Lateef. "Ifound that I just wasn't good enough toirnitate other people," says Barbara, "becausethe people I wanted to imitate were the bestand you couldn t do it better than them."Barbara's decisioir to follow her instinctsbrought her considerable critical acclaim andincreasingly it was her own compositions thatdrew the biggest audience reactions."LittleAnnie-Oohwas a big hit 3o years ago,particularly in Germany," says Barbara. "Theyplay it at weddings and even funerals. Ir reallygets serious when people say they want tohave your music at their funeral."

Parkinson's disease has had an increasinglystrong effect on Barbara's life over the lastdecade. For six years the director of PlayingAgainstTimeMike Dib has shadowed her,gaining insight into the struggles backstageand in hospital. Barbara describes the crewrushing onstage to rescue her from slippingfrom her chair as she collapsed exhausted,saxophone in hand. The documentary is asequel ofhis 1978 BBC documentary lazz,Ro ck and M ar r ia g e wfiict' explored Barb ara'smusical relationship with fon Hiseman. In1978'lon's band Colosseum disbanded and heioined Paraphernalia. This time the tableswere turned and Barbara had ioined thereformed Colosseum. "The emphasis was onhow people cope with Parkinson's. How theykeep working or not working, deal withcollapsing or simply keep philosophical."

I left Barbara to her tour preparations andwondered how I could have coped with theproblems that she has faced. I look forward toseeing her again at the Saxophone Congressand playing her compositions there. I

.l

eoiori'winn.tt Quadrophonia SaxoPhone Quartet:

SaL$ McTaggart, Catherine Evison, E[tieSteemson, Michaet BroganAdjudicators: David Campbett, RichardIngham, Jeffery Wilson

;;

Kimon Parry (accompanied by TonYIngham)Adjudicators: David Campbe[[, Pao[o DeGaspari , Linda Merr ick

Kimon Parry received a cheque of f 1000from David Campbel.l.. His programme was:Schumann, Drei Romanzen, OP. 94I. Nicht schne[[2. Einfach, innigHorovi tz, CLar inet Sonat i na3. Con br ioLovreg[ io, Fantasia da Co,:ce' :c s- - t : , :€laTraviata di Gir 'e 'c 3: :5

Quadrophonia received a cheque of f1000from David CampbeLl, . Their programmewas:Scar lat t i , arr . Bornkamp, Sonata in D majolK96Rr'. ' ier-. Grove et Presto3313313 Tfrompson, Saxophone Quartet No.I

PLAVNNGT!"NE BANBThe Musical Life of Jon HisemanMartyn HansonTempl.e Musicr t14.95

Jon Hiseman(born in 1944)has been atthe centre ofthe Brit ishjazz-rockscene for oversoyears as adrummer,composer,bandleaderand producer.In th isextensive andwel[-written

biography Hanson is aided by the factthat Hiseman, farfrom the conventionthat ifyou can remember the 60syouprobab$ weren't there, can recaU. thoseseminal t imes in meticulous andpragmatic detai[. The book narratesJon's life against the rise and fail. oftheBrit ish music industry but avoidsetegising over our lost collegiate musicscene. In addition to Leading his owngroup Cotosseum to fame across Europe,Hiseman has performed with abewiLderingl.y eclectic l ist of musicians,from the New Jazz Orchestra to GeorgieFame and the BLue Flames. WhiLe someofthese have since struggLed to remainhousehold names Hanson reminds usthat others, such as Graham Bond,deserve to be remembered as tragicat$lost geniuses. Hiseman provides anhonest account ofthe dynamics oftouring groups; his recoLLection ofJohnMayaLL cul.l. ing his entire band on a whimis particuLar$ candid, if unsurprising.

Clarinet and Saxophone readers wil.Lbe pLeased to know that considerabLesections are devoted to the lives ofBarbara Thompson and Dick Heckstal.l.-Smith. two of the most prominent Britishsarophonists of $eir generaim-Hi-rnan dgcrib€s his muskalarrd

persona[ reLationship with his wifeThompson as his greatest achievement ina career that has included coltaborationswith Jack Bruce, Gary Moore and ArthurBrown. Thompson's career as a mul.t i-instrumentatist and composer is ofparticutar interest, and Hanson providesa unique insight into the career path of aprofessiona[ musician, incLuding some ofthe pros and cons of being an attractivefemale in a male if not always machowor[d.WilLiam Upton

i*g HARRT*YT* FtRg E*\g, $*$s $s{$g-Alan RobertsonNorthway Publications, €20lsBN 978 0 955090888 s 7

The first edition of this book soLd out inMay 2008. AuthorA[an Robertsonreveals that after publication in 2003,numerous people contacted him to adddetail.s and provide a more detaiLedpicture ofthe saxophonist. How pteasingto learn that ajazz biography has soldout, and that interest in Joe Harriottremains strong.

Joe Harriott was born in Kingston,Jamaica in 1928. He came to London in1951, sitting in with locaL bands at everyopportunity, not onl.y with the bebopplayers of the time, but with New OrLeansand b[ues bands as we[|. Americansvisit ing Britain, incLuding PautGonsalves, C[ark Terry and Thad Jones,wanted to pLay with Harriott when theywere in town. Soon afterwards Harriottbegan to develop his radical musicalideas. Robertson remarks that as earl.yas 1958 Harriott was thinking his waytowards somethin g revotutionary.Et[sworth'Shake' Keane (whose Love ofl iterature Led to his nickname) said thatthey "tried to unscrew the inscrutabte".They speculated on what woul.d happen ifyou ptayed jarz without chords.0rnetteCo{ernan had }€t to agp€arr on tlre scene.

Yet critic Benny Green was unable tounderstand how such an accomplishedmusician as Harriott cou[d not perceivethe difference between free form and noform at aLl.. At the timer saxophonistTubby Hayes was also vehementLyopposed to freejazz.

Al.though the outstanding Keane LeftBritain for Germany, Robertson's view isthat'with Harriott, seLf-doubt never hadthe air to breathe'. There was atso noroom for se[f-doubt in Harriott 's attitudeto drugs. He didn't Like what hadhappened to CharUe Parker, his attitudebeing reinforced by cLose-handexperience ofthe effect ofheroin on phiLSeamen and TubbyHayes.

The Indo-Jazz Fusions, in whichHarriott ptayed a ro[e, are deal.t with insome detai[. According to John Mayeq'WorLd Music began here'. Robertsoninc[udes an account ofan appearance atRonnie Scott 's where sitarist DiwanMotihar was late to arrive. Scott's cl.ubannouncement was in character: 'Ladiesand gentlemen we are sorry we are a fewminutes [ate, but Diwan Motihar cou[dn'tfind a baby sitar.'

Shake Keane returned to St Vincent in1972 to take up a government position asdirector of culture. By then, Harriott wasscuffl ing for money. Disil lusioned, helost controt over his drinking. JoeHarriott died in January 1973, at the ageofforty-four.

Robertson's account of Harriott's Life isthorough and moving, an importantaddition to the written history of jazzinBritain.

John Robert Brown

First published in Jazz Journal. Used bv kindpermission. &

lmmeasurabLe Code, featuring a MorseCode motif and a piccolo soto. Al.l. ninetracks fotlowing track one have somethinginteresting to say for fans of2lst centuryjazz.

Kenneth Morris

#sTheoTravis(tenorAoprano/ftute) withvarious smallgroups33JAZZ2L5(twoCD setl

il www.33jazz.comQuoting Brian Morton and the late

Richard Cook (ofthe Penguin JazzEncycLopedia and Guide to Jazz Recordingsfame),'Theo is a Brit ish saxophonist whomoves easi[y between post-bop, fusion and,most recentty, free jazz idioms'to which If ind it imperative to add'a composer andperformer of themes and improvisation ofexquisite musicality'.

As the aLbum titl.e impl"ies att of the 2ltracks are extracts from nine CDs made intheyears 1993 to 2009 using musiciansfrom the teader's jazz cl.ub and jazz festivaltouringrcombos, principal.l.y quartets andquintets. The album notes observe that al.l.the items were'honed (to perfection - mytwo added words) on the road'over scoresofappearances. Tony Coe, on bass clarinet,makes a guest visit in disc one track fourand Palte Mikketborg brings his trumpet orfLugethorn onto a track in each disc.otherwise an extraordinarity competentbu nch of pianists/Hammond organists,bass ptayers and drummers support Theo'sbroad-toned horn across alt ofthe tracks inthe set.

Disc one carries his mel.odic modern jazzofferings/tyrical easy Listening solosmainLy on tenor but with one track Ghostsof WitLey Court on flute and NorfhernLights/Sand Danceon soprano. My mostadmired track is WaterLiLy Boogie, nothingwhatsoever to do with boogie woogie, just abeautifuI mid-tempo composition andsuperb improvisation. 0nly one trackHere's That Rainy Day is not a Travisorigina[, the rest, nine, are. Conclusion: 68minutes of pure pleasure.

Disc two is devoted to eleven mainl.y jazz-rock fusion pieces and lastsjust over 70minutes. Again al.l. but one (track four) 2lstCentury Schizoid Man are Traviscompositions. I particularty enjoyed tracksfiveto eight made up ofThingsChange,anexceltent flute so[o; Lovely, a I00%improvised sop sax/bass guitar duet; FultMoon Rising (Part 21, a [ight fusion 12 barbtues and Barking Dogs and Caravcns, astowfusion number with a tittl.e al.tissimotenor work. John Etheridge (guitar) guestsdr tuo trads . The Crow RmLd aN A{rythingto &ryutPre to great ftcL Conct|si(rt ifJ|q| UhFzz-r!(t ftrsin n|dFu"Il a ltrr

sax'improver'Theo Travis is wetl worth atisten.

Again, quoting Richard Cook,'He (Theo)cou[d use more exposure of his work onmore prominent (iazz promoting) Labets'.After reviewing this excettent value set, Iagree.

Kenneth Morris

LiveTheaterhausStuttgart, l5thNovember2005Templ.e MusicThis DVD is a majoraddition toThompson's

tegacy. Her struggl.e with Parkinson'sdisease Led to a recent decision to retirefrom live performance for the foreseeab[efuture. This is a strong release andconfirms that her energy and drive wi[[ besorely missed on the l ive music scene.The unl.ikel.y frontl ine combination ofsaxophone, violin and synthesisers isredolent of Late Steps Ahead and the groupswingsfrom Django Reinhardt inspired tradjazz to reeting folk music with ease.Al.though Thompson is the star of the showvioLinist Bil.t Thompson is the perfect foi[,contrasting her gritty sol.os with virtuosityand flnesse.

The footage is traditionaLty producedaU.owing the music to do the tal.king but thesimultaneous use of muLtiple cameraangles cleverLy refl.ects the interactionbetween these musicians. The DVDcommunicates Thompson's stage presenceand Paraphernalia's obvious camaraderiein a way that wouLd surely be tost on CD.

The set is drawn Largety from her albumNeverSay Goodbye, and takes offwhenAndy Scott and Rob Buckland make acameo appearance in 0n the Wings of aPrayer. As if to remind us thatParaphernalic can rock with the best JonHiseman is almost invisibte, atthough notinaudib[e, driving the music from behind afortress of cymbats and drums.

WiLliam Upton

n+t +iiLi;iii:*iiThe Jazz Master ClassRecorded 9th October,2005 at the Centre forJewish History, NewYorkCitylncludes interview withGary Giddins, interviewwith PhilWoods, andvarious students. Total

running time three hours,23 minutes.Artist House, The Jezz Master Class Series,AhmcT

Phil. Woods ptays, tatks. listens toadvanced students p16yn9 gives

comments, takes questions from theassembted students from various NYCjazzschoo[s, and is interviewed intell igentl.yand at Length by noted crit ic Gary Giddins.Hitherto there has been too LittLe of Phil.Woods's ptaying avail.abLe on DVD. Thisrelease is therefore welcome.

During the 1990s the saxophonist wassuffering from dental problems as well asemphysema. Happil.y there are no signsthat dental. problems impair his ptaying inthis DVD. Woods, born in I93I (80 thisyear), is cLear$ overweight and tends to beshort of breath. However, his pLaying is stil.Lfocused, f luent and, when needed,fiery. Woods's beautifuI tone sti[[ sets thestandard forjazz alto.

"lfyou're entertaining notions ofbecoming a brain surgeon or a tenor man,l 'd go with brain surgery," he advises theassembted saxophone students.'Jazzmusic is onLy for those who have nochoice." Getting close to bit ing the handthat feeds, ofthe contemporary scene headds: "There's so much jazz education, andso tittLejazz". He has deserted his Long-time favourite gotd-pLated Mk VI SeLmeratto for an unlacquered Yamaha 822. Welearn that he ptays on a Meyer 5 mediummouthpiece from the I950s, which hasnever been worked on. "You don't work onmouthpieces. Youjust ptay on them andthey becomeyours," he says. His reeds areVandoren ZZ. Previousty he used LaVozreeds, but had crit icisms of the packaging.So he wrote to Rico to make suggestions forimproving the way that the reeds werepacked for sa[e. A letter came from thecompany:'Dear Mr Woods; We are sorrythatyou are dissatisfied with our produce.lfyou tel.l. us what instrumentyou ptay, wewiLL send you a box of reeds.' He keeps thatletter on his'humbLe wa[[', he says. "l 'm notKenny G. I 'm not that famous. I 've only wonthe DownBeatAward twentyyears in arow."

Woods has words of wisdom concerningstandard songs. "Ninety per cent ofthestandards thatDizzy [Gil.l.espie] loved werewritten by Jewish peopLe. lt 's never pointedout that the blacks and the Jews real.tyinvented jazz," he says, pointing out thatthis was omitted from the Ken Burns Jazzprogramme.'As was Benny Carter, and theEuropean harmonic tradition," he adds,naming Kurt Weitl, George Gershwin andVernon Duke. He looks to a type of LatinAmerican jazz as the way forward. "lfthere's a future forjazz, it lies in thatdirection," he says. "The idea offive guysjammin' on Confirmation in a garage isover."

An excellent DVD of generous length,and highl.y recommended.

John Robert Brown

An edited version ofthis review was first pubtished inJazz Journal-. Reprinted by kind permission. I