Jazz@Kirkgate : Mike Hall’s “Boplicity”

26th May 2024 7:30pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Kirkgate Centre

Boplicity began as an eight piece ensemble put together to play published arrangements of West Coast style jazz such as Dave Pell, Gerry Mulligan and early Miles Davis. We still perform some of these but when Mike finished his 20 years stint as director of the RNCM big band in 2019 he felt the need to continue some connection with big band music without the logistical nightmare of organising 17 musicians!

So Mike took on the task of miniaturising some of his favourite big band pieces into a set of unique pieces for jazz octet! His first stop was five movements from the Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn version of Tchaikovsky’sNutcracker Suite. Add to that a version of Chick Corea’sSpain,Astor Piazzolla’sLibertangoand John Dankworth’sTomorrow’s World Themeand you have a wide ranging and entertaining evening of popular jazz music.

The line-up will be:

Darren Lloyd (trumpet)Helena Summerfield (alto/flute/clarinet) Mike Hall (tenor/clarinet) Debbie Hall (baritone) Simon Lodge (trombone) Eryl Roberts (kit) Andy Hulme (guitar) Geth Griffith (bass)

Look / listen.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uYMaj1EYU_0