Sax on the Road: October 2007

The March of the Dead - Halloween 2007

Big Buzzard Brass took to the ancient Roman Road which today heads north from Shoreditch and Hoxton to Dalston in East London, as part of the Strangeworks/Passing Clouds march. There was a band leading the march (the first one in the video above) while we brought up the rear, with Sousaphone, trombones and saxophones.

Labels: Big Buzzard Brass, Halloween, March of the Dead

Commuter Jazz - James Alsop's "Fraud"

Was playing with my new toy (a Nokia N95 phone/camera/). I've been saying for a while that musicians (and performers of any knid) need to get over their traditional dislike of being recorded or filmed by 'unauthorised' people at performances, as one day, everyone and his dog will be carrying something in the palm of their hand which is capable of making broadcast quality video and audio. Well that day is getting ever closer. This phone, which is smaller than my hand, can record an hour of reasonable quality video and audio - and could, in theory, be uploading it simultaneously to a website somewhere. The films below were recorded on it last night at the South Bank.They were on maximum zoom, which further reduces the picture quality, but impressive for something so tiny, which Orange is giving away for free to contract customers who pay £35 a month.

Some superb playing from James Alsop on tenor, bass clarinet and baritone sax, in a band he fronts, with two drummers behind him, plus keyboard, guitar and assorted electronica. He has a gorgeous sound on all three horns - especially perhaps the bass clarinet.