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Interview by Euan Dixon  Alan Skidmore is well known as an energetic tenor player of what is often described as the post-Coltrane school. However, whilst these characteristics are evident in his playing, in the course of his distinguished career beginning in the late fifties he has played in many genres from swing and R &B, through film music and ballet scores to modern jazz in which he confidently combines bop and abstract stylings. His professional affiliations read like a jazzman?s `Debrett` having been associated with the likes of Chick Corea, Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and Elvin Jones to name but a small selection. He has also worked with such groups as Georgie Fame?s Blue Flames, Weather Report and Ian Carr?s `Nucleus` as well as leading his own innovative combos such as S.O.S. with John Surman and Mike Osbourne. As a further demonstration of his protean capabilities he has in recent years reaffirmed a long held interest in African music and embarks on a national tour in November with his group ?Ubizo?. Taking time out from a busy working schedule as well as what must be time of intense preparation he kindly consented to answer our questions in the following interview. Jazz Views: Can we begin by asking you how the jazz public are receiving your touring group ?Ubizo? and whether you consider the inclusion of so called world music elements is likely to bring about about any change in the size and composition of your audience? A.S: Thus far Ubizo has been very well received, the inclusion of African musician?s has meant that world music audiences now hear jazz and jazz audiences are hearing world music. JV: Your earlier record, ?The Call?, featuring Amampondo seemed more afro-centric than your current release ?Ubizo? which to our ears has stronger jazz affiliations with extended solos etc. Is this down to a process of evolution or as a result of a conscious re-think in the development of your artistic vision? A.S: I have always been interested in the drums and in particular African drums long before I started to play the saxophone. ?The Call? was recorded in Cape Town, with just myself and the South African drummers, the other members of my band were added later. Ubizo, on the other hand, was recorded with everyone in the same studio all-together. I guess this could be called a process of evolution and the result of a conscious rethink by me on the development of the music of Ubizo. Where it goes from here - watch this space. JV: Accepting that jazz is a synthesis of styles of which the African element is clearly seminal what would you say to those like Art Blakey who, whilst holding African drumming and music in great esteem, maintain you can?t mix the idioms without damaging their integrity? A.S: As one who holds Art Blakey in high esteem I would respect his view but at the same time know, that having worked with the South African musicians the integrity remains intact, maybe even enhanced. No doubt there will always be those who carry a different view. JV: On a more mundane level can we ask whether you are touring with the full complement of musicians present on your latest recording and what logistical and economic difficulties this imposes?  A S: Yes I am touring with the full complement of musicians present on the recording. Without Provocateur Records, an Arts Council of England grant, sponsorship from the Dumisani Wine Co and Geoff Amos, the tour manager, this tour would not have been possible. JV: The music of John Coltrane has been a significant influence in your creation of a personal style and elsewhere you?ve spoken of its spiritual impact. How does this spiritual element manifest itself to you and do you find a similar quality or indeed `Call` in your African collaborations? A.S: John Coltrane?s music has inspired me like no other-maybe because I play the same instrument. I?m not sure anyone could describe how anything spiritual manifests itself, however whatever it is I consider it a gift, a very precious one at that. My feeling is that the African collaboration is a natural progression of that inspiration. I suspect it is a route he would have taken had he lived. JV: Since Coltrane`s death it could be argued there has been retreat from extreme abstraction. Do you think this because musicians have moved back from the impasse he bequeathed and is your present pre-occupation with African music in some way informed by this concern? A.S: There are plenty of players still out there playing the extreme abstractions, listen to Evan Parker for example, someone I greatly admire. I also turn on that abstraction from time to time and audiences seem to really like it. What do you mean by ?present preoccupation with African music?? I am still paying tributes to John Coltrane with my quartet and with a quintet ?in honour of Bird?n Trane, with Peter King, and loving it. JV: From this could we take it that you regard players like Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen with some disdain in that they cling to the relative security of swing era stylings? Are jazzmen destined to become curators rather than creators? Or does the future belong to totally `free` performers of the likes of Wally Shoup or those who try to seek a new synthesis of styles? A.S: Why should I regard Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen with distain? You seem to be forgetting that my father, Jimmy was a very good mainstream saxophone player, heavily influenced by the like of Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. I cut my teeth listening to these people. Wally Shoup is unknown to me and if I knew what the future held, I would be writing this from my yacht moored somewhere very hot! JV: We have in our possession at Jazz Views a demo tape entitled `Tenor Tonic`, which contains three tracks of exciting hard driving music performed by yourself and Paul Dunmall with bass and drums, which seem to effectively address my question about where we go next without totally abandoning form. Any chance of this music being released commercially, now that you are working with Provocateur Records? A S: It was Paul Rogers on bass and Tony Levin on drums. Many of my early recordings from the 60s, 70s and 80s have been released in Japan so perhaps that is where the interest in that recording would be. (However I would appreciate you sending me a copy.) Provocateur Records concentrate on new music so are unlikely to be interested. JV: A copy is on the way. Finally, when you get your forthcoming tour behind you what are your immediate plans for the future? Are we likely to see and hear more from Ubizo or do you have other projects in the pipeline? A.S: At this moment the tour is in front of me. Ubizo is an expensive project but hopefully we will still work together in the future. We have plans to work in Europe and further a field if possible. I also intend to work more with my quintet ? in honour of Bird n? Trane? We played many festivals this year in Germany and England and were very well received. Peter (King) and I go back a long way and are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We both tell stores about Bird and Trane which audiences may not know about. Most of my stores come from my great friend Elvin Jones and Peter?s from Chan Parker (Charlie Parker?s widow). I am also thinking about doing some concerts of music from my album ?After The Rain?. JV: Well, it goes with out saying that we wish you and your colleagues every success in all these enterprises but most particularly the forthcoming tour which readers will be interested to know starts in Leeds at the College of Music on November 6th and finishes at Cheltenham Town Hall on the 25th. A review of the Alan?s new CD ?Ubizo? appears in this month?s [page103">CD Reviews. Thanks once again, Alan for answering our questions  Tour Dates ? November 2003/Thu 6 Leeds ? Leeds College of Music Fri 7 Darlington - Darlington Arts Centre Sat 8 Spilsby - Spilsby Theatre Mon 10 - Sat 15 London - Ronnie Scott's Tue 18 Southampton - Turner Sims Concert Hall Wed 19 Exeter - Phoenix Arts Centre Thu 20 Bristol - The L SHed, Industrial Museum, Docks Fri 21 - tbc Sat 22 Ipswich - New Wolsey Theatre Sun 23 Warwick - Warwick Arts Centre Tue 25 Cheltenham - Town Hall Alan Skidmore?s Ubizo is available from www.provocateurrecords.co.uk Top of Page
compiled by Euan Dixon Available from the 6th of October we have the following re-issues via the distributor Discovery Records Following the recent Brubeck re-issue ?Early Concepts? on Proper Pairs, Definitive now offer ?The Complete Octet Sessions?. ?Sweets at the Haig? is probably a re-issue of the long unavailable ?The Definitive Mr Edison?, originally issued on Pacific Jazz. Fresh Sound offer ?The Al Haig Trio? and Jazz Factory list a couple of two CD sets, ?A Famous Jazz Party 1958? with Charlie Shavers and Coleman Hawkins and the ?Complete Studio Sessions? of Stan Getz and Jimmy Raney. Single disc re-issues devoted to Hank Mobley entitled ?Complete Jazz Message Sessions with Kenny Clarke? and ?Complete Haig Sessions? with Lee Konitz, Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan complete the ?Jazz Factory? roster for this month. From the Steeplechase label comes the following list of new issues:  ?Remember When?, Steve Laspina?Walkin` Up? Leeann Ledgerwood ? Pathways? Michael Cochrane ?Flight To Norway? Duke Jordan ?Age of Peace? Ron McClure The ?Classics? series continues with: Don Byas 1951-1952 Mildred Bailey 1943-1945 Django Reinhardt 1947-1951 Charlie Barnet 1940 Gene Krupa 1947-1949 Due for nationwide retail distribution on October 13th is Tommy Smith?s new blockbuster which you can buy direct from Spartacus now if you can?t wait until then. A real super group this one, teaming Tommy with Joe Lovano, John Scofield, John Taylor, John Patitucci and Bill Stewart. Entitled ?Evolution? it features original compositions inspired by the poetry of Edwin Morgan (remember ?Beasts of Scotland?) and recorded in New York. The release of Van Morison?s Blue Note debut album ?What?s Wrong With This Picture? is scheduled for the 21st October reflecting the jazz & blues influences that he has explored consistently throughout his career. On Verve we are to have albums by guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel ?Heartcore?, David Sanborn, ?Time Again? and ?Verve Re-Mixed 2?, in which top DJ`s re-mix the greatest jazz artists (God Help Us) Daniel Perez adds his contribution to the burgeoning piano trio scene with ?Till Then? featuring some of the hardest working rhythm men in the business, John Patitucci and Brian Blade On the vocal front Verve introduce Lizz Wright with ? Meet Ms Wright? with a repertoire ranging across jazz, folk, R&B, Neo Soul and Gospel (What no Gracie Fields covers!) On Warner Records Nicholas Payton has a new disc entitled ?Sonic Trance? which utilises ? groove, hip hop, electric keyboards and a mystical bag of special effects? |
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