NOW EVERY FRIDAY AT BEAR TAVERN
498-500 Bearwood Road (corner of
Three Shires Oak Rd), Smethwick B66 4BX - 9pm (doors 8.30)
• Bon Accord • 2nd February •
Bon Accord is a truly wonderful Gypsy Jazz band with a difference, inspired by the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Most Gypsy Jazz bands today consist entirely of stringed instruments. Django, however, also recorded with accordionist Gus Viseur and clarinettist Hubert Rostaing. Bon Accord follows this lead with a line-up of accordion, clarinet, guitar and double bass, playing both well-known and more contemporary Gypsy Jazz numbers plus French and Latin pieces.
The band is:
- Harry Christian – Clarinet
Harry has played clarinet and saxophones in various mainstream and traditional jazz bands for many years. A long term admirer of Django Reinhardt’s music, he has become increasing interested in the gypsy jazz genre over the last four years and more aware of the many recordings Django made with clarinet players.
- Richard Adey – Accordion
Richard is a professional accordionist/arranger: he performed on stage for two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company (Stratford-Upon-Avon and on tour), at the London Barbican Centre, the Kennedy Center Washington DC, the Brooklyn Academy of Music New York; at the Edinburgh Fringe in an acclaimed production of Pam Gems, Piaf (Troika Productions); He was pleased in March 2013 to play at “Piaf -The Concert” joining The Matthew Jones Orchestra at venues including: Birmingham Town Hall; Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London.
- Mike Bethel – Guitar
Mike is a guitarist and teacher who, having worked in a solo classical idiom, has found himself performing in various different groups and genres. He has also recorded three well-received solo albums.
- Simon Smith – Bass
Simon is a bass player with much experience in a wide variety of music genres. He has spent time working in the USA as a session musician for many artists including the Tony Award winner, Idina Menzel. He currently plays with a number of folk and jazz groups at venues and festivals throughout the UK and Europe, and has played at the Silvershine Club many times.
A medley of some of the tunes we play can be heard at www.bonaccordmusic.com
• Henry Newman Band • 9th February •
The Henry Newman Band is warming up for tonight's gig upstairs at the Silvershine Jazz Club. Very different line up to the picture, but great none-the-less.
It's Andy Gayle on Sax, Phillippa Done on
trombone, Ray Brown on bass, Henry on keys and fashion designer Jojo
Remeny on drums, so expect some sartorial syncopation!
• Roy Forbes • 16th February •
Roy Forbes was Andy Hamilton's lead vocalist back in the Jazz At The Bear days and sang on Andy’s Jamaica By Night album.
Infuenced by the great Nat King Cole, he is a vocalist of exceptional talent and is a regular performer on the Birmingham Jazz scene. When Roy left the Blue Notes it was to pursue a solo career, and, a few albums later (one of which featured the late great US saxophonist Spike Robinson) he makes one of his occasional retuns to the Silvershine Club.
He will be accompanied by a band consisting of mostly Blue Notes, including Ray‘Pablo’ Brown and Paul Foad who, like Roy, featured on Andy Hamilton’s recordings and the excellent Tim Amann on keys.
• Shaine Dorsey Band • 23rd February •
with Malcolm Gibbons (guitar)
This week we bring you the wonderful voice of singer, Shaine Dorsey, who will be performing for us at the Silvershine Jazz Club. Daughter of popular West Midlands based Jazz & Big Band Swing Singer, the late Warren Dorsey, Shaine was always a very popular performer when she joined in on Andy Hamilton's afternoon gigs at the Drum and the Symphony Hall (above).
Her band will feature Shaine’s regular piano player Andy Peate as well as the excellent Malcolm Gibbons on guitar.
• Blue Notes Jam Night
with Vic Evans • 2nd March •
It's one of Blue Notes legendary Jam Nights this week, and, not only that, but Vic Evans will be gracing us with his wonderful mellifluous tones. Vic (pictured below) is one of the few true Jazz singers that the West Midlands has produced and he's singing as well as he ever did at the moment, so he alone is more than worth the door money.
The line up is:
- Vic Evans Vocals
- Nick Wiltshire Keyboards
- Ray Brown Bass
- Eddie Powell Drums
- Paul Foad Guitar
- Peter Lewis Sax
p.s. Don't forget to bring your instrument if you play and you want to join in.
• Cormac Loane • 9th March •
Cormac Loane learnt his trade as a jazz musician as a schoolboy in the North-East in the 70’s, often gigging alongside bass player Gordon Sumner, who later changed his name to Sting! Cormac progressed to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra before pursuing a career in music education which included setting up the Birmingham Schools’ Jazz Ensemble. Under Cormac’s direction, this band accompanied leading British jazz musicians including John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Georgie Fame. Cormac continues to combine a part-time teaching career with his original passion for small group jazz playing.
• Andy Gayle’s Mish Mash • 16th March •
Andy Gayle is one of the best sax players in the region. He studied Jazz at Guildhall under the likes of Jean Toussaint, Pete Churchill, Simon Purcell and Scott Stroman and played in Tomorrow’s Warriors. He has also worked with some of the best on the British and international Ska scene across Europe, touring the USA, Europe and Japan with the Specials, Special Beat, International Beat, The Skatalites (Wow!) and Jazz Jamaica.
He has even supported Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers with the Classical Reggae pioneers Bubble Free.
Below we have the line up so far (with the possible inclusion of John McKinley on guitar - WATCH THIS SPACE!):
- Andy Gayle (sax)
- Jojo Remeny (drums)
- Jim Dunstan (guitar)
- Charles “Chaz” West (bass)
Remembering Andy Hamilton MBE
with THE BLUE NOTES & Guests
• Thursday 23rd March •
On this special night the Blue Notes will be remembering and playing the music of our founder, the great Andy Hamilton MBE. They will be playing the music Andy loved to play, including as many of his own "Caribbean grooves" as we can fit in.
COME, LISTEN and ENJOY!
• PAUL’s PALS • Thursday 30th March •
Paul's Pals is small collective put together by guitarist Paul Foad comprising of Blue Notes and other musicians he's worked with.
Also Paul will be showcasing Benedict Mann, an up and coming young guitarist who will introducing some of his talented musical friends.
Paul’s Pals are:
- Nick Wiltshire Keyboards
- Ray Brown Bass
- Eddie Powell Drums
- Peter Lewis Sax
- Trevor Huggins Notebenders Sax
- Paul Foad
That's a whole lot going on for one night, come and enjoy!
