The vicissitudes of Brecon Jazz Festival have been documented on these pages over recent months. Following the disastrous weather at the 2008 festival Brecon International Festival of Jazz Limited went into receivership and for a time it was feared that there would be no jazz in Brecon in 2009.
Fortunately the festival had acquired iconic status in it’s 25 years of existence and was regarded with great affection by jazz fans not just in Wales and the rest of Britain but all over the world. It had also become a vital part of the local economy and a decision was made by the Arts Council of Wales to put the festival out to tender.

Responsibility for running the festival eventually passed to Peter Florence and his team from the equally established and respected Hay Festival and a hastily assembled programme was put together to ensure that the town of Brecon had a jazz festival in 2009. It is expected that 2010 will be bigger and better but for all jazz fans, especially those of us living fairly locally, it was a huge relief that the festival was saved and functioning again. I can’t imagine life without my annual visit to Brecon and even if it wasn’t quite the same as before (the popular “Stroller” programme didn’t appear this time) it was still a joy to be in Brecon and to listen to some really fine music encompassing jazz and beyond. 
My musical odyssey began in the Main House of the Theatr Brycheiniog with the Stan Tracey Octet ( there had already been a sell out performance featuring Alan Barnes, Julian Marc Stringle and Bruce Adams in the Theatr’s Studio space). Now aged eighty two the veteran pianist and composer is playing as well as ever and looks fit to continue for some time yet. One of the stalwarts of British jazz he began his career back in the 1940’s and was one of the founders of modern jazz in the UK. He was house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s for much of the sixties and has worked in virtually every context from a piano duo with Keith Tippett to leading his own big band. His most celebrated recording remains 1965’s “Under Milk Wood”, a quartet recording inspired by the writings of Dylan Thomas and featuring an inspired contribution from tenor saxophonist Bobby Wellins. In 1986 Tracey was deservedly awarded the OBE for his services to British jazz with a CBE following in 2007.

The octet format represents something of a bridge between Tracey’s small group work and his more ambitious large ensemble projects. He has recorded several times in this format, most notably on “Portraits Plus” an excellent 1992 release for the famous Blue Note record label. Tonight’s concert drew on that album for the opening tune “Newk’s Flook”, Tracey’s dedication to the great American saxophonist Sonny Rollins. The piece served to introduce several members of the group with Tracey himself taking the first solo. In both his writing and his playing Tracey is hugely influenced by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Although these two key influences form the bedrock of Tracey’s music he has established a strong style and identity of his own over the years and his playing is instantly recognisable, chunky and percussive yet quirky and inventive. Tracey’s solos aren’t flashy but they serve the tune (often his own), are highly rhythmical and have an innate sense of inner logic. Here Tracey was followed by the soaring alto of ex NYJO member Sam Mayne and the astonishingly agile trombone of Mark Nightingale. 

“Settle For Appleby” is Tracey’s dedication to the much missed Appleby Jazz Festival. Tracey’s insistent left hand figures provided the backbone for the unison horn passages of a front line consisting of Mayne, Nightingale, Guy Barker on trumpet and the twin tenors of Simon Allen and Mornington Lockett. Tracey is a master of writing for horns and some of his voicings and arrangements are exquisite-by turns driving and sophisticated but never twee. Solos came first from Lockett, quickly followed by the outstanding Barker, another NYJO alumnus. I first saw Tracey at Brecon in 1988 leading the six piece group Hexad. This was a brilliant performance and featured a then very young Barker on trumpet. I’ve followed Barker’s career ever since, watching him develop into a band leader and composer in his own right as well as becoming the UK’s outstanding trumpet soloist. I’d not seen him play for a while so his inclusion in tonight’s line up was a particularly welcome bonus. Barker was followed by Mayne and finally by Alec Dankworth who was to feature extensively over the course of the weekend. A supremely musical bassist (it must be in the genes) Dankworth’s solos are a wondrous fusion of forcefulness, precision and musical invention. 
“Peg Leg Bates” dates back to the 1987 commission for octet “The Salisbury Suite”. The five horns, led by Barker opened this in punchy fashion with Allen opening the soloing with a barnstorming statement on tenor. The ever inventive Nightingale followed this with Barker’s imperious open horn soloing being the icing on the cake.

Allen also opened the soloing on “Umberto’s Dream” followed by Tracey at the piano and the fluent Barker on trumpet.

“The Cuban Connection” commenced in piano trio mood with Tracey’s son Clark providing appropriate rhythms via his drums. This passage was particularly impressive and showed Tracey Sr. at his best as a pianist. Subsequent solos came from Nightingale, Mayne, Allen and Lockett. 

“Rocky Mount” also appeared on the “Portraits Plus” album and is named in homage of Thelonious Monk’s birth place in North Carolina. Here it was opened by Clark Tracey’s drums and Lockett subsequently delivered his best and most powerful solo of the night. Dankworth’s feature was marred by some distortion in the speakers but one couldn’t help but be impressed by the sheer brilliance of his playing. The final solo was taken by Stan himself, appropriately Monkish in a worthy tribute to one of his main inspirations. 
Finally came “Timespring”, the artful title a typical piece of wry Tracey wit. Introduced by the composer on solo piano he was subsequently joined by Dankworth, then Tracey Jr. with Stan playing some delightfully impish piano in this trio format. The five horns came in as the piece gathered momentum with Nightingale taking the first solo. The band then dropped out for a stunning set piece featuring the sometimes duelling, sometimes dovetailing twin tenors of Allen and Lockett. The pair introduced an element of humour into this good natured sparring and I’m sure that for many this was the highlight of the evening. Barker’s brilliance on the trumpet nearly matched this and Clark Tracey’s drum feature rounded things off but impressive as it was I couldn’t help but feel that his solo was overlong.
Not that this should detract from a marvellous evening of music featuring Tracey’s fiercely individual writing and with some memorable playing and soloing from an all star band. If some of the material was rather old this hardly mattered, it was all quality stuff and it was good to hear it again. Tracey’s tersely humorous announcements carried just the right amount of information. Time constraints prevented an encore but I’m sure everybody left happy after an evening in the company of one of the legends of British jazz. Stan continues to record prolifically and to make regular live appearances. Long may he continue to do so.

The self styled “Godfather of British Jazz” has a hugely informative website. Visit http://www.stantracey.com

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