Jazz breaking news: Evan Parker and Stan Tracey lead stellar tribute to Lol Coxhill at Cecil Sharp House
Friday, September 7, 2012
Musical friends, colleagues and fans of the much-loved and highly respected saxophonist Lol Coxhill (pictured left), who died on 10 July, will gather on 19 September for a massed celebration of his life and music.
By a fitting coincidence the date of the concert is also Coxhill’s birthday, on which he would have been 80 this year. Taking place at acclaimed north London venue Cecil Sharp House, organisers say the evening will be an affectionate tribute to this much-missed talent with a line up that includes many friends and musical collaborators drawn from the vibrant London improv music community. The wildly divergent programme includes appearances from Brit-Jazz luminaries such as iconic saxophonist Evan Parker, evergreen pianist Stan Tracey in a quartet with Bobby Wellins, and acclaimed composer Mike Westbrook, as well as many regulars from the improv scene, including febrile vocalist Phil Minton, drummer Mark Sanders and prolific keyboardist Pat Thomas of resurgent trio Black Top.
The line up (not necessarily in this order), includes: The Welfare State Theatre Band featuring John Fox and Sue Gill; Mike Westbrook with Kate Westbrook (voice/horn), Phil Minton (voice/trumpet) and Chris Biscoe (reeds); Eddie Prévost (drums), John Edwards (double bass), Trevor Watts (alto/soprano saxes) and Tony Bevan (sopranino/baritone saxes); Roger Turner (drums), Pat Thomas (keyboards) and David Toop (guitar); Tony Coe (tenor sax) and Phil Wachsmann (violin); Maggie Nicols (vocals) and Veryan Weston (piano), Art Themen (tenor sax), Max Eastley (voice/monochord) and string ensemble; London Improvisers Orchestra (massed ranks); Mark Sanders (drums), Olie Brice (double bass), Gail Brand (trombone) and Simon Picard (tenor sax); Sibylline Sisters: Sibyl Madrigal, Armorel Weston and Kay Grant (voices and poetry by Sibyl Madrigal); Dave Holland (piano) and Gerry Fitzgerald (guitar).; Hugh Metcalfe (guitar/voice), Matt Scott (keyboards), Dylan Bates (violin) and Jim LeBaigue (drums); Simon Coxhill (drums), Darren Morris (electric bass) and Sam Coxhill-Davis (guitar); John Russell (guitar), Satoko Fukuda (violin) and Henry Lowther (trumpet); Stan Tracey (piano), Bobby Wellins (tenor sax), Dave Green (double bass) and Clark Tracey (drums); Evan Parker (saxophones) and Herbert Spliffington All-Stars (reggae outfit).
Remembering Lol Coxhill, Wednesday 19 September, doors 6.15pm, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London NW1 7AY (nearest tube Camden Town), £10 tickets on the door.
– Mike Flynn