Guildhall Jazz Voices

“We all support one another,” one of the vocalists involved in Wednesday night’s Guildhall Jazz Voices evening told me.

That’s the key. The supportive vibe which is establishing itself within the student cohort involved in jazz singing at Guildhall is palpable from Monika Jakubowska’s great photos of this concert (there are loads more than we have space for here!). And I also can’t help thinking that this isn’t happening by accident, but is part of the whole spirit which the leadership of Jo Lawry as Head of Jazz and Clare Wheeler as Chair of Jazz Voice is bringing to this faculty. It is an incredibly positive, empowering thing, an ethos that suits our era. And there are even times – like when I think of darker things, a recent podcast and a novel (*) dedicated to more traumatic aspects of being at a conservatoire – when I start to muse whether something this precious and this good might not even be a bit counter-cultural.

That whole question of leadership as empowerment came through with one of the best pieces of messaging of the evening. Scott Stroman, billed as director of the third set of the evening, wasn’t on stage at all. He watched the show from the audience, and let the students handle every aspect of the onstage performance, the minutiae and the overall shape. I noted how expertly they did the pre-allotted spoken introductions to the pieces. They then shaped and paced each piece in the set with care and love – in particular some vivid new settings of Wendy Cope poems by Stroman himself. The dramaturgy of live performance is such a vital thing. And the message here was that the best way for students to learn it…and they clearly had done so….is to have the responsibility for actually doing it.

The second set, directed by Clare Wheeler, was remarkable for the breadth of different vocal influences and styles which appear to be incorporated, welcomed, encouraged. And the first set, directed by Flora Medlicott brought real life and enthusiasm to some carefully chosen material.

There were more than fifty musicians on stage. And as far as I could see, every single one had at least one moment to shine. While also giving her or his energy to something much greater. This was such a great and life-affirming evening!

PROGRAMME

1. Guildhall Jazz Choir – directed by Flora Medlicott

Nathaniel Brenner & Merril Garbus Water Fountain (arr. Kristopher Fulton)
James Taylor Only a Dream in Rio (arr. Flora Medlicott)
James Pettinger Maymolly
Flora Medlicott Long Ago and Far Away
Charles Tindley The Storm is Passing Over (arr. Scott Stroman)

2. Guildhall Vocal Jazz Ensemble directed by Clare Wheeler

Harris, Kirkland & Hendricks Cloudburst
Bernie, Pinkard & Casey Sweet Georgia Brown
Fadhili Williams Mdawida Malaika (arr. Clare Wheeler)
Holst/The Real Group Hymn of the Traveller/Gøta (arr. Wheeler, Guildhall Vocal Jazz Ensemble)
Asaph A. Ward Over & Over Again (as performed by Kim Burrell)
Ola Onabulé Wonderful Feeling
Gregory Porter Liquid Spirit

Guildhall Jazz Singers

Duncan Lamont 52nd Street

Onabulé Pointless (arr. Wheeler)Guildhall Jazz Choir

Wendy Cope & Scott Stroman Three Songs of Love and Laughter

Frank Loesser & Jimmy McHugh Can’t Get Out of This Mood (arr. Rosa Witts)

Collier, Rakei & McAlpine Erase Me (arr. Anni Delger)

Paul Simon Baby Driver (arr. Eldridge & Meader )

PERFORMERS

Guildhall Jazz Choir

Soprano: Ana Baginska, Rosa Witts
Alto: Chelsea Becker, Alexandra Cojocariu, Hannah Richardson
Tenor: Jasmine Anderson, Ralph Bishop
Bass: Angus Grierson, Benny Tayler
Piano: Cody Moss
Electric Bass: Mo Cook
Drums: Natan Kedzierski
Director: Flora Medlicott

Guildhall Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Soprano: Amena Elabd, Olesa Zgurskaia, Cass Begg, Martina Petrova, Daisy Lihoreau
Alto: Bridget Walsh, Johanka Petrlikova, Evie Hill, Urte Gineleviciute
Tenor: Lucy Joy, Tiger-Lily Jonathan, Angel Wong
Bass: Henry Ward, Louis Gascoyne
Piano: Chris Bland
Electric & Double Bass: Eliot Whitehouse
Drums: Frank Hawkes

Guildhall Jazz Singers

Soprano: Emily Kent, Rosa Witts
Alto: Erin Bradley, Daria Blyzniuk
Tenor: James Walker, Evie Atkin
Bass: Alastair Eddie
Piano: Ed Rice
Electric Bass: Freddie Rupp
Drums: Adam Bloor

(*) The podcast is “Things Musicians Don’t Talk About”. The novel is Imogen Crimp’s “A Very Nice Girl”