Concert In association with Stratford Jazz

Alan Barnes: saxophones, clarinet.
Paul Edis: piano
Andrew Cleyndert: double bass
Joe Edwards: drums

Award winning jazz musician Alan Barnes has been playing jazz professionally for over 47 years. He plays multi reed instruments- all the saxes, clarinet and bass clarinet.

Paul Edis is a multi-faceted musician and composer for choir, jazz ensembles and orchestras.

Andrew Cleyndert is a virtuoso bassist, both in his swinging bass lines and in his inventive solos.

Joe Edwards is a relative newcomer who plays with a driving yet subtle swing and creates impressive musical solos.

Together the band cover a vast repertoire from Louis Armstrong to Chick Corea, via Art Pepper, Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Charlie Parker and the Great American songbook. They play with an empathy and telepathic sympathy that can only come with long experience. 

The emphasis, as always, is on swinging, accessibility and interplay. Expect a hugely entertaining programme of straight ahead jazz flawlessly played and interspersed with lots of anecdotes and peppered with humour.

Alan’s latest album, with pianist David Newton “ Tis Autumn” is available on Woodville Records.

Reviews of Tis Autumn:

“It’s a beautifully wrought recital of empathic world class jazz. Each seems now to be able to anticipate the others moves with nary a nod of direction.
Newton continues to combine taste, touch and innate harmonic sense in the manner of the perfect accompanist while Barnes, whether piping a clarinet ballad or simply letting the majestic weight of his baritone sax’s sound carry a song plays with touching candour…. but it is his alto,- once upon a time peppered with allusions to others but now utterly personal-which draws the listener in with it’s tonal detail and commanding poise.” 
Jazz Rag

“ A relaxed vibe and peerless duet playing defines this recording, as two seasoned figures (and long term collaborators) on the UK jazz scene have their empathetic way with a thoughtful choice of repertoire”.
The Times

Alan Barnes

Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist.  He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers.