Journeys In Jazz

A merry mix of Fliss’s guests this series talking about anything and everything  & concluding the second series of ‘Journeys In Jazz’.
Georgina Jackson talks of the importance of positive mentors in formative years and the pros and cons of being a female trumpet player.   Pete Billington discusses the wider appeal of pop versus the narrower appeal of jazz, ego & bravado at music college and whether a person's personality is evident in their playing.  Jazz pianist Naadia Sheriff chats about life as a band member and a band leader whilst  Bristol based band leader Joe Longridge tells me what he loves most about leading a 17 piece band. Director of 'Jazz Jurassica Festival' Julie Sheppard talks of the importance of free music events and the need for rural areas to access live jazz and Devon born jazz pianist Matt Carter tells about enjoying his job as a jazz musician.  Seonaid Aitken talks about the challenge of multi tasking and the satisfaction of hearing your own arrangements performed and Jimmy Hastings discusses the importance of musical community, and how it's ok to make mistakes- both in music and life :-)

One swear word at 5 minutes 34 seconds.

To hear more listen back to the whole series!
https://journeysinjazz.buzzsprout.com

Find out more about the guests-
Georgina Jackson https://www.georginajackson.net @georginajacksonmusic
Naadia Sheriff https://www.naadiasheriff.com @naadiasheriff
Joe Longridge https://docksidelatin.co.uk @docksidelatin
Julie Sheppard https://www.jazzjurassica.co.uk @jazzjurassica
Matt Carter https://mattcartermusic.co.uk @mattcarterpiano
Seonaid Aitken http://seonaidaitken.com @seonaid_music
Jimmy Hastings http://www.jimmyhastings.co.uk

Discovering jazz improvisation on violin, balancing numerous jobs and projects, the importance of the Great American Songbook and the difficulties of dancing whilst playing your instrument! In this episode Fliss talks to violinist, vocalist, orchestrator/arranger and broadcaster Seonaid Aitken.

For more information on Seonaid including the new album 'Chasing Sakura' visit - http://seonaidaitken.com

Buy her album 'What Is This Thing Called Love' - https://seonaidaitken.bandcamp.com/album/what-is-this-thing-called-love

Listen to Seonaid present 'Jazz Nights' now on BBC Sounds -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b08m8zl0

Growing up in a Maharaja's palace, working on migrant ships to Australia in the 60s and working in Humphrey Lyttelton’s wonderful band.
Jazz musician Jimmy Hastings discusses the camaraderie of musicians, how in his experience they look after each other through times of sickness and good health. We also talk about the importance of practice alongside the need to let things go when they don’t go to plan on stage.

Find out more about Jimmy here- http://www.jimmyhastings.co.uk

Why is Latin music less egotistical than jazz? Can you really  fit a whole latin big band inside one Air B&B cottage? Why is it important that jazz musicians continue to tour to less populated locations? Is it tempting for jazz musicians to give up the city life after the pandemic?
All of these questions are answered and more in this bumper episode where Fliss delves behind the scenes of Jazz Jurassica Festival, the first live jazz festival to return to the UK in May 2021- after the first three lockdowns of the pandemic.
Be transported to Lyme Regis, Dorset, with the sound of the waves crashing, sea gulls squawking (and kids crying unfortunately!) as Fliss interviews leader of Dockside Latin Orchestra Joe Longridge, festival director Julie Sheppard and jazz pianist Matt Carter.

For more info on Dockside Latin Orchestra- www.docksidelatin.co.uk
For more info on Jazz Jurassica- https://www.jazzjurassica.co.uk
For more info on Matt Carter- https://mattcartermusic.co.uk

Church choirs, touring with the stars of yester-year and whether the stereotypical testosterone fuelled 'cutting ground' of jazz was really ever as intense as it was portrayed. Bassist and pianist Pete Billington chats to Fliss from the dressing room of The Union Theatre Southwark in May 2021.

Book tickets to see 'Organ Failure!' live at Toulouse Lautrec Kennington 20/08/21 here-
https://www.designmynight.com/london/whats-on/live-music/organ-failure-lockdown-with-fliss-gorst-quartet

For more info on the Union Theatre-
http://uniontheatre.biz

An awkward  encounter with a pop star,  the ups and downs of balancing family life with life as a professional musician, being a side woman vs band leader and the draw of London as a musical hub. Naadia Sheriff joins Fliss for a chat recorded on Walthamstow Marshes in May 2020.

Download 'Beyond The Fear' now from - https://naadiasheriff.bandcamp.com/track/beyond-the-fear

'Beyond The Fear' Just Giving Site (proceeds to Breast Cancer now) https://www.justgiving.com/team/Beyond-Fear

Order Naadia's album 'Gnarly Hymn' from  http://naadiasheriff.com/shop/4564436210

What it felt like to be stuck on a cruise ship unable to dock whilst the world shut down in 2020 and what it was like to wear shell suits in Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra in the 90s!
This episode features Georgina Jackson, who chats to Fliss about the responsibility of leading your own band, the importance of youth music schemes, dealing with male presumptions of female musicians and many other trials and tribulations of being a professional trumpet player & vocalist.

Contains one swear word at 13 minutes 25 seconds.

Find out more about Georgina-
www.georginajackson.net
https://www.youtube.com/user/misssnowstorm

Tickets for Georgina Live at The 606 (when available) from-
https://www.606club.co.uk

Journeys In Jazz is back! 
Music for old people, pretentious music for the middle classes, complex music for young intellectuals or something we can all appreciate & enjoy? 

With the contribution of musicians in and around her community Fliss delves into the jazz genre to discuss why it continues to thrive amongst all generations. It's been a year since series one. A year in which the music scene has changed beyond belief. Join Fliss and a plethora of fascinating guests as they discuss how the pandemic has affected their industry, how they've evolved through the past year and their hopes and aspirations for the future.

The deterioration of record sales and the success of the internet to attract  audiences for live gigs, national & international tour life with Father John Misty and the dilemma of how to tour whilst being aware of the damage touring does to the planet. In this bonus episode we are taking a side step away from the jazz genre to talk to multi instrumentalist, composer, arranger and musical director Kelly Pratt. 

This episode is a marvellous miscellany of Fliss’s guest so far, talking about anything and everything & concludes the first series of ‘Journeys In Jazz’. 
British jazz trumpet legend Enrico Tomasso talks of his friendship with Louis Armstrong and his great grandfather’s migration from Italy to the UK. Canadian jazz vocalist Lauren Bush tells us how every single ‘yes’ makes up for the countless rejections when striving for a wider audience as a jazz musician. Bassist Arnie Somogyi talks of why jazz degree courses work, and bassist Charlie Pyne mentions the progression in equality of the sexes in the jazz profession. ‘Best British Jazz Vocalist’ Sara Dowling talks of the trials of studying classical music at music school as a child and jazz pianist Jack Honeyborne speaks of his home being bombed in WWII and his wife’s shopping trips with Dizzy Gillespie.