The Chris Ingham Quartet play the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Headhunters Jazz Club, Bury St Edmunds, Friday 20th June, 8pm
Here's the most recent review of the CD in Jazz Journal by Dave Gelly,
JAZZ JOURNAL Hoagy review
June 2014
****
Even the cover of this album is a classy product - cunningly disguised to give the appearance of a well-thumbed book, slightly foxed at the edges. Inside are 15 of Hoagy Carmichael's best-known songs, plus Dear Bix, Dave Frishberg's little gem which could almost be the work of the Old Music Master himself.
It's hard to believe that Hoagy rarely wrote the lyrics of his songs. When he sings them, the words sounds so Hoagy-ish, with their weird, potent mixture of aching nostalgia and whimsy, and they fit the melodies so well that one assumes they must be the work of one mind. Stranger still, some of the most Hoagy-ish of all, such as Memphis In June, have words by Paul Francis Webster, a lyricist famous for his willingness to turn his hand to just about anything. Another regular collaborator was Johnny Mercer, which is far less surprising.Anyway, the contents amply fulfil the promise of the cover. Not only does Chris Ingham sing with the requisite easy grace, he's a very good pianist too, with a crisp, light touch and plenty of the right kind of swing. Paul Higgs, the ex-NYJO trumpeter who went on to become a successful composer of film, TV and theatre scores, sounds so right for the part that I went back and checked Bix's solo on Rivereboat Shuffle to make sure Paul wasn't playing a transcription. He wasn't. Similarly, Andrew Brown and Russell Morgan play in perfect stylistic accord, especially Brown's solo accomaniment to the voice in Baltimore Oriole.
I shall keep this elegant production next to In Hoagland, by Georgie Fame and Annie Ross. That's more than 30 years old now. It was about time it had a worthy successor.
CHRIS INGHAM QUARTET
"HOAGY"
featuring Paul Higgs trumpet
“This is just lovely…” CLIVE DAVIS - SUNDAY TIMES, ESSENTIAL JAZZ CD OF THE WEEK
"One of Britain's best singer-pianists...
“Classy product…with plenty of the right kind of swing” **** DAVE GELLY - JAZZ JOURNAL
“Hits the sweet spot every time” **** GARRY BOOTH - BBC MUSIC
“Paul Higgs…a gorgeous tone, unflagging inspiration” DIGBY FAIRWEATHER - JAZZ RAG
“Outstanding quartet...inspired solo forays...nifty and concise arrangements...a fine delectation of Hoagy delights conveyed masterfully" FRANK GRIFFITH - LONDON JAZZ NEWS
“Mighty fine piano... 'Dear Bix' is one of the most emotional pieces I've ever listened to...perfect underpinnings...an outstanding CD" BEBOP SPOKEN HERE
A swinging evening packed with the songs and stories of one of America’s most enduring and endearing songwriters. Wry, wise, sentimental, down-home and sophisticated, Hoagy Carmichael’s songs are beloved for their warmth, wit and melodic beauty. Shot through with the hot jazz style of Hoagy's friend, legendary cornettist Bix Beiderbecke, this joyful celebration of the Old Music Master features tracks from the Chris Ingham Quartet’s acclaimed CD Hoagy including well-loved hits (Stardust, How Little We Know, Georgia On My Mind, Skylark, Ole Buttermilk Sky, Lazy Bones, et al) alongside obscure nuggets and delightful curiosities from Hoagy’s rich and varied songbook.
“An excellent night by any criteria…the music was of the highest calibre...highly informative and entertaining”
JAMES ALBRECHT - STUDIO DIRECTOR ST JAMES THEATRE, LONDON
JAMES ALBRECHT - STUDIO DIRECTOR ST JAMES THEATRE, LONDON
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