Alan Dearling experiences classy, classic jazz on a Summer afternoon
This is what I read about Arun Ghosh and his music prior to this Seasons of Celebration ‘Jazz in the Park’ event, and it is really a rather accurate introduction:
“Clarinettist Arun Ghosh brings (to every music event) his trademark Indo-Jazz. Conceived in Calcutta, bred in Bolton, matured in Manchester and living in London, Arun Ghosh’s musical style represents his rich cultural heritage. The British-Asian clarinettist and composer is a leading light on the UK jazz scene, captivating audiences and critics with his passionate and dynamic performance style, eloquent musical expression and a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll spirit.”
Arun looks absolutely at home on stage, and an outdoor bandstand stage was a perfect setting for him to share his exuberant enthusiasm and vitality. Along with his four musical colleagues, he provided a diverse, richly mixed palette of sounds. It was a nicely balanced set of complex and fun jazz genres. Arun has twice been awarded ‘Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. He tours extensively both nationally and internationally. He also works as a composer for theatre and film, with, I believe his most recent composition being an eleven song setting of St Francis of Assisi’s ‘The Canticle of the Sun’.
Video of music/art at the National Gallery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuS7VqfIBjA
He has released five albums on camoci records: ‘Northern Namaste’, ‘Primal Odyssey’, ‘A South Asian Suite’, ‘…but where are you really from?’, and ‘Seclused in Light’.
Arun Ghosh has recently been a key member of the stunning Anoushka Shankar’s tour of the trilogy, India Chapters albums: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNb1PYxZih4
Arun proved an affable bandleader and created a nice rapport with the audience encouraging them to sing, clap and there was some colourful dancing too! It allowed plenty of opportunities for all the members of his group to solo, as well as providing bedrock for Ghosh’s virtuoso clarinet playing. He is a true master of his instrument and a friendly and musically fluent ambassador of the melded influences of his own mixed cultures of South-Asian music and modern jazz culture. Indo-Jazz at its finest!
Ably opening the Jazz afternoon, the always affirmative musical collective, the Hot Club of Halifax cooked up a nicely balanced blend of swing jazz, including many tunes and songs from the Django Reinhardt jazz repertoire, Sidney Bechet and across the 1920s, ‘30s and edging into the ‘40s. On this afternoon, Lotte Har joined them with her double bass. Plenty of musical smiles. Definitely ‘good time’ music.
‘You can’t stop Halifax dancing!’: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1885896338793876
Todmorden Bandstand official site: https://todbandstand.org/
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