WHAT THE PAPERS SAID
nFrom
Alison Kerr’s review of the Glasgow International
Jazz Festival in The Herald
[27
June 2005]
“The
George Square crowd heard what was probably some of the
oldest jazz played at this festival: the music of Jelly
Roll Morton, Joe Oliver and their peers. It may have been
written almost a century ago, but you wouldn't know it,
thanks to the fresh and inventive arrangements played
by the Classic Jazz Orchestra, a group who are still in
their infancy but already fulfilling their self-imposed
remit of resurrecting, reinterpreting and reviving music
from the early jazz era onwards.”
nFrom
Alison Kerr’s review of the Edinburgh International
Jazz Festival in The Herald
[07 August 2005]
“Since
the dominant theme of this year's jazz festival has been
New Orleans, it's surprising there hasn't been much mention
made of one of the city's most famous early exponents
of the music - the pianist, bandleader and composer Jelly
Roll Morton. But the home-grown Classic Jazz Orchestra
- the band formed and led by drummer Ken Mathieson - redressed
the balance with a splendid programme of numbers by Morton
and Duke Ellington.”
“The CJO might still be very much in its infancy
but it produced some terrific music, thanks partly to
Mathieson's imaginative arrangements and to some strong
playing… they brought Morton's Dead Man Blues back
to life with great panache.”
“Other treats included Ellington's Stompy Jones
and his roof-raiser Such Sweet Thunder, both of which
featured some terrific ensemble playing. In all, great
fun.”