Jazz festival artist profiles
Sunday 27 July
Walpole Park
Main stage:
Tribute to Tommy McQuater
On this day, the Festival remembers the legendary trumpet maestro Tommy McQuater, who died in January at the age of 93.
It is fitting that this year's Ealing Jazz Festival should close with a day in memory of the Grand Old Man of British Jazz whose happy music and good humour graced the stage to the delight of audiences every year.
The final day's line-up of artistes represents but a few of those who were fortunate to have known and played with him throughout his long association with this annual event.
Adrian Macintosh Quintet: 2pm-3.15pm
Tina May - vocals
Karen Sharp - tenor sax
Ted Beament - piano
John Rees-Jones - bass
Adrian Macintosh - drums
During his long career, Adrian has worked with many major artistes both in Britain and abroad and has been instrumental in featuring a variety of leading musicians with his band throughout the Festival's many years. For this year's performance, his chosen line-up were all associated with the Humphrey Lyttelton Band with which they toured extensively. Added to a busy schedule are many engagements with Ted Beament and John Rees-Jones in their group Triotime which is joined today by Karen Sharp and Tina May in a set of classic jazz standards and tunes from the Great American Songbook.
Jack Honeyborne Quintet: 3.45pm-5pm
Derek Wadsworth - trombone
Vic Ash - tenor sax
Jack Honeyborne - piano
Jim Richardson - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
Celebrated Ealing pianist Jack Honeyborne is a true veteran of the British jazz and big band world with a pedigree that reaches way back to his founder-membership of Kenny Graham`s Afro-Cubists, a highly innovative modern jazz group of the early 1950s. Since then he has played with practically everyone of note, from the small bands of Nat Gonella and Joe Daniels to such renowned big bands of the day as Ken Mackintosh and the Squadronaires. Whether as an in-demand freelance jazz pianist or as accompanist and musical director to stars of the entertainment world like the late Sir Harry Secombe and Dame Vera Lynn, he has done it all and played with the very best. Doubtless this will be well in evidence this afternoon when quintet regulars trombonist Derek Wadsworth and drummer Tony Kinsey are joined by bassist Jim Richardson and the legendary veteran tenor saxophonist/clarinettist Vic Ash who will be making his Jazz Festival debut. With their ever-swinging, always entertaining melodic mainstream jazz on offer year after year, Ealing audiences know what to expect although with Jack Honeyborne's band there's always the unexpected!
Lee Gibson Quintet: 5.30pm-6.45pm
Lee Gibson - vocals
Andy Mackintosh - alto sax
John Pearce - piano
Paul Morgan - bass
Terry Jenkins - drums
Nationally and internationally acclaimed singer Lee Gibson delights critics and audiences alike with her wonderful voice, innate sense of swing and dynamic stage presence. With a well-earned reputation for excellence, she has performed at countless major venues at home and abroad including leading jazz festivals in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa and the USA. As well as working with her own trio and quartet, Lee is also an accomplished and highly regarded big band singer who has recorded and been featured with top-flight orchestras like the Francy Boland Band and the Danish Radio Band conducted by the late Thad Jones.
Today, Lee Gibson and her all-star quartet make a long-awaited and very welcome return to the Ealing Jazz Festival to join in this special tribute to a dear friend.
Dick Esmond’s Sound of 17 Big Band: 7.15pm-8.15pm
Dave Woods - lead trumpet
Sam Eastmond - trumpet
Jon Lewis - trumpet
Ed Benstead - trumpet
Mike Nicholls - trumpet
Andy Flaxman - lead trombone
Andy Watson - trombone
Sam Crooks - trombone
Roger Williams - bass trombone
Eddie Mordue - lead alto sax, clarinet
John Sands - alto sax, flute
Phil Day - lead tenor sax
Vasilis Xenopoulos - tenor sax
Mike Rubie - baritone sax
Alan Berry - piano
Ken Rankine - bass
Dick Esmond - drums
Eileen Scott - vocals
Born and bred in '1972 Ealing', the Sound of 17 is arguably one of the most durable and longest-surviving 17-piece outfits in the world of Big Band Jazz. Led from the outset by drummer Dick Esmond, there have been many highlights including the donation, by Mrs Moira Heath in 1975, of the Ted Heath library and memorable concerts, during the ensuing years, featuring such legendary American and British artistes as Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Slide Hampton, Herb Geller, Bobby Shew, George Chisholm, Don Lusher, Kenny Baker, Don Rendell, Bill le Sage and Ronnie Verrell. It was also during the mid-1970s that Ealing-based trumpeter Tommy McQuater was introduced to the band which continued for several years to benefit greatly from his friendly, occasional presence in the trumpet section. In August 1985, he played on the Sound of 17`s historic date in Walpole Park at the launch of the first Ealing Jazz Festival and in later years was a welcome visitor to the band`s popular monthly residency at West Ealing's Drayton Court Hotel.
Tonight, on this special occasion, Dick Esmond and the Sound of 17 will honour the memory of the Grand Old Man of British Jazz with the kind of exciting programme that has helped Ealing's Big 17 satisfy their customers over the years.
Tommy’s Friends: 8.45pm-10pm
Bruce Adams - trumpet
Enrico Tomasso - trumpet
Gordon Campbell - trombone
Duncan Lamont - tenor sax
Jack Emblow - accordion
Don Innes - piano
Tom McQuater Jnr - electric bass, vocals
Bobby Orr - drums
Youngest son, Tommy Jnr, has assembled some of his father's very special friends who, together with Dick Esmond and the Sound of 17 Big Band, will evoke happy memories of a great musician whose presence at successive Ealing Jazz Festivals did so much to enshrine its reputation as the 'Friendly Festival'.
Grand Finale: 10.15pm-10.30pm
As the evening draws to a close, renowned drummer/composer Tony Kinsey will premiere a big band dedication which will be followed by dynamic trumpeters Bruce Adams and Enrico Tomasso before a Sound of 17 commission for a special score, by pianist/arranger Bunny Thompson, sees the 24th Ealing Jazz Festival out in style with a heartfelt tribute to the irrepressible, indomitable entertainer that was Tommy McQuater.
Crypt stage:
Richmond College workshop band: 2pm-3.15pm
The irrepressible and inimitable saxophonist Tony Woods leads this band of future jazz stars from the Richmond College jazz workshop.
Aneesa Chaudhry: 3.45pm-5pm
Pakistani vocalist performs jazz songs with an Eastern flavour featuring John Crawford on piano and Andres Ticino on percussion. Her versatile range embraces tastes and styles ranging from cabaret, jazz and classical repertoire to soul and Indian song.
Verona Chard Quintet: 5.30pm-6.45pm
Ealing based singer brings together some quality musicians from the Vamp Jazz collective.
Alison Neale Quartet: 7.15pm-8.30pm
Quality West coast jazz with Allison Neale (alto, flute), Dave Cliff guitar, Simon Thorpe bass and Steve Brown drums
Simon Fernsby Quartet: 9pm-10.15pm
Quality East coast jazz from the passionate Simon Fernsby (guitar), with Bob Martin (alto), Pete Whittaker (hammond) and Matt Home (drums).
