"The most exciting and energetic band I have seen since Woodstock" is what the legendary Henry McCullough, of the Grease band, Joe Cocker and Paul McCartney's Wings said when he recorded with The Deans recently in Dublin, and Ardhowen is thrilled to have this young and talented band open the 2008 Ardhowen Jazz and Blues Festival on Thursday 5th June at 9.00pm. Already having recorded with four of the greatest guitarists in Irish Rock history, the band have laid down tracks with Henry, Jackie McCauley (Van Morrison), Johnny Fean (Horslips) and Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy) and are the talk of everyone in the business. It's an unmissable gig for blues enthusiasts and tickets are already selling fast.
On Friday 6th June, it's the turn of The Swedish Jazz Kings, superb exponents of Chicago and New Orleans Jazz from the 1920's with music from such artists as Jelly Roll Morton, Clarence Williams, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Bix Beiderbecke and Duke Ellington to name but a few. This excellent band from Sweden have as their special guest, the uniquely talented Roy Williams.
Roy began his playing career playing tailgate trombone around the Manchester area with Eric Batty's Jazz Aces, a local group. Soon afterwards he joined Ter
ry Lightfoot and matured rapidly in both technique and ideas until, in 1965, he was invited to join Alex Welsh and "turned into a world-class talent, a perfect amalgam of Urbie Green and Jack Teagarden with a hint of Bob Brookmeyer here and there" (Digby Fairweather). After a tremendously successful period he eventually left thirteen years later to join Humphrey Lyttelton where he stayed for four years.
The broadcaster and trumpeter, Digby Fairweather, sums up as follows: "Roy Williams is the natural heir to George Chisholm: consistent, perfectly musical and with a pianissimo close-to-the-microphone approach that recalls Jack Teagarden, he has become 'first trombone call' for British and many American musicians in his style."
A regular winner of jazz awards in the trombone section, including being the eleven times winner of the British Telecom Award, and he has become one of the most respected and affectionately regarded mainstream trombonists in the world.
The line-up is Bent Persson (trumpet), Tomas Ornberg (soprano saxophone/clarinet), Bo Juhlin (sousaphone), Ollie Myman (banjo) with guest Keith Durston (piano) and Roy Williams (trombone).
The final night of the Festival, Saturday 7th June sees a wonderful 9 piece band all the way from Melbourne, Australia whose aim is to bring fresh new life into the hot and sweet sounds of the 1920's and 1930's featuring the work of some of the big bands of the era, such as King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington. It should be a really great night, as a nine piece band in Ardhowen's Gallery Bar is a real treat. The line-up is Joel Dullard (reeds), Jason Downes (reeds); Lauren Van Der Werff (reeds); Simon Holman (trumpet); Michael McQuaid (trumpet/clarinet); Cassandra Liston (trombone); Liam O'Connell (banjo/guitar); Richard Mander (bass/tuba); Sandra Talty (drums/vocal).
"This is easily one of the best Australian bands on the scene today. With wonderfully evocative arrangements by their talented young leader, the repertoire consists of various periods of classic American and Australian jazz. The nine-piece personnel comprises highly trained male and female musicians all in their twenties. Great music and a certain crowd pleaser." Graeme Bell AO, MBE - Australian jazz icon.
Classic comedy Opens Summer Season
J.M. Synge's classic comedy "The Playboy of the Western World" by the talented Island Productions Company, opens Ardhowen Theatre's Summer Season of Drama on Thursday 12th June and runs for seven performances until Saturday 21st with performances at 8.00pm. It's a play that's full of comedy, with an interesting mix of realism and poetic dialogue, as Synge explores the effects of social conventions and celebrates the power of the imagination.
When the play opened for the first time in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in January 1907 it was the cause of riots as protesters voiced their objections to the portrayal of rural Irish Catholic morality. Synge, however was inspired by his close observations of the inhabitants of the Aran Islands and based his play upon their lives and upon a realistic and poetic depiction of a historical incident that had taken place in that area. Despite the initial anger of the public, critical acclaim has grown over the years to the point where it is now regarded as the masterwork of one of the most skilled and highly regarded Irish playwrights of them all.
One early Autumn evening near a tiny village on the West coast of Mayo, Christy Mahon stumbles, exhausted and frightened into the local tavern claiming he is on the run after killing his father. Much more interested in enjoying his story than in condemning the morality of his murderous deed, the locals acclaim him as a hero and in particular, the daughter of the house, Pegeen who despite being betrothed to Shawn Keogh, a timid local farmer she doesn't love, becomes immediately attracted to him, as does the Widow Quinn, a local woman of dubious reputation who tries to use all her cunning and experience to seduce him. However, things are about to take an unexpected turn.
" It's great luck and company I've won me in the end of time...two fine women fighting for the likes of me....'til I'm thinking this night, wasn't I a foolish fellow not to kill my father in the years gone by" Christy
