Common Denominator

Alan Barnes and Gilad Atzmon, two of Britain’s most celebrated virtuoso reeds players, join forces to produce the ultimate jazz night in British history. On the face of it this is a combination as unlikely as “Chalk and Cheese” or “Night and Day”, as unlikely a mixture as “Oil and Water”. But despite their different backgrounds and approaches, the two horn men share a passion for performance, a healthy sense of competition and a firm belief that a jazz audience is there to be entertained rather than edified.

There is real excitement in their Gladiatorial, or even Giladiatorial exchanges and the musical ideas fly as swiftly as the “shafts of wit” as the Reverend Spooner might have noted. It’s all in good fun though and, after a great set, the two men often shake each other warmly by the throat.

Between them, they have come up with daring new arrangements, giving the American songbook a good shaking, digging into their bop and post-bop bags and coming up with some barrel-scrapingly outrageous originals. This is an evening of humour and superb music by a hand-chosen band of stars. You can’t get any lower than that!

Line up: Gilad Atzman – saxes/clarinet; Alan Barnes – saxes/clarinet; Frank Harrison – Keyboard; Yaron Stavi – bass and Chris Higginbottom - drums

£15.00/£10 Members/Students £5