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Arran Music Society
The Nova Scotia Jazz Band
The Nova Scotia Jazz Band is firmly in the tradition of the groups led by Eddie Condon, Muggsy Spanier, Bix Beiderbecke and Alex Welsh. Featuring the world class cornet of Mike Daly, the banjo wizardry of Duncan Findlay, the elegantly swinging string bass of Ken MacDonald and the clarinet and saxophones of John Burgess this sweet and hot quartet are a fresh take on the classic jazz style. In 2011 the band have appeared at the Glastonbury and Swaledale Festivals, the Ayr, Tarragona, Shetland, Glasgow, Swanage and Edinburgh Jazz Festivals and have played concerts all over the UK with their special guests Roy Williams, Brian Kellock and Forrie Cairns. "the classic Dixieland model, played with direct, bluesy concision and presented with humour and creativity" Rob Adams, Glasgow Herald
"Burgess's clarinet and sax bubble and simmer their way through the Nova Scotia's music, shooting it out with the rich toned cornet of Mike Daly, the skittering banjo of Duncan Findlay and Ken MacDonald's limber double bass".
Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman
"The burnished tone of Mike Daly's cornet complements the spikier, Pee Wee Russell-esque clarinet played by John Burgess when he's not on sax duty...a wee gem of upmarket traditional jazz". Alison Kerr, Scotland on Sunday
Mike Daly : Cornet
The secret is finally out now about the best kept secret in Scottish jazz...Mike Daly's hot and sweet cornet is one of the UK's leading voices in classic jazz.Mike started playing at 13 years of age and quickly fell in love with jazz of Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett and ,of course, Louis Armstrong. Lessons with trumpeter Duncan Whyte set Mike on the road to touring all over the UK with a host of great bands and to European festival dates with his own highly acclaimed trio. Mike's hot and sweet cornet has graced many a recording and he has released several CD's under his own name, including 'Going To Chicago', 'Together Again' which features the wonderful John Service on trombone and his most recent recording, 'Misty' which features the world class guitar playing of Stephen Coutts. Mike also plays regularly with the fantastic "Penman's Jazzmen"
Duncan Findlay : Banjo
As one of the most sought after session guitar and banjo players in Scotland, Duncan has recorded on thousands of radio and TV sessions and is on more than 500 jazz and traditional albums. Duncan has also performed with a virtual 'who's who' of the finest jazz talent including Oscar Peterson, Benny Carter, Kai Winding, Annie Ross and Carol Kidd. His extraordinary facility on banjo and his effortless and fluid guitar playing are always the highlights of a NSJB set.
Ken MacDonald : String bass
Ken began playing double bass in Edinburgh in the mid 1970's with the Climax Jazz Band the globe trotting and much celebrated Scottish Society Syncopators. His elegant, forceful and above all, swinging bass has made him a favourite for visiting musicians and over the years he has played with saxophone legends James Moody, Buddy Tate, Benny Waters and Jim Galloway, trumpeters Doc Cheatham and Joe Newman and with most of the sidemen from the Alex Welsh and Humphrey Lyttleton bands. Ken is in addition to being a wonderful bassist a highly regarded luthier who keeps most of the double basses in central Scotland in excellent repair.
John Burgess : Clarinet and saxophones
John was brought up on a solid diet of the great clarinet players Barney Bigard, Edmond Hall and Archie Semple but after discovering Paul Gonsalves and Ben Webster in his teens he bought a tenor saxophone which has been his main instrument ever since. After moving to London in 1987 where he played with a virtual 'who's who' of the country's top players and played at jazz clubs and festivals all over Europe, north Africa and the Middle East John spent several years studying and playing in the US and Canada.
John has released six CD's under his own name and has appeared on over 65 albums as a sideman with a diverse array of artists but is now back doing what he's always loved most, playing clarinet in the classic jazz style.
Toe tapping and up lifting swinging jazz that's guaranteed to leave you smiling!
clck HERE to purchase tickets.
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