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.”