Bands Available

The Liquorice-Stick All - Sorts

A new Trio featuring Alan on the clarinet with Jim Hart on the vibes and Paul Clavis on the drums. Although the repertoire is mainly taken from Benny Goodman and his contemporaries, the playing is contemporary in approach. The unique line-up allows for an unusual amount of interplay and swinging remains the priority throughout.

The Bruce Adams / Alan Barnes Quintet

This long running sparring partnership is well into its second decade. Bruce is one of the most natural swinging trumpet players around. The ebullient rhythm section features Pascal Michaux on piano, Alec Dankworth on bass and Bobby Worth on drums. Straight ahead be-bop at its best!

The Alan Barnes Quartet

This is a more contemporary approach with John Donaldson piano, Andy Cleyndert on bass and Spike Wells on drums. The repertoire ranges through the great jazz composers with a special emphasis on Monk.

Duos

Alan frequently performs duo concerts with either David Newton or John Horler on piano. Each pianist has an entirely different approach to duo playing- Dave employs a magnificent Dave McKenna- type left hand, whilst John favours more contemporary stylings.

Songs with Alan Plater

The two Alans have collaborated on two sets of songs:

“Songs for Unsung Heroes”- for the kind of people, places and institutions usually neglected by song-writers- for wonderful musicians like Joe Harriott and Sonny Criss- for great originals like Slim Gaillard and Spike Milligan- for local rhythm sections, jazz anoraks, RAC route maps and slobs who don’t wash as often as they might, and...

“Seven Ages of Jazz”- a history of the music we love as it’s been played, enjoyed, abused, neglected, distorted and/or corrupted (take your pick) in this country from A.D. 1919 to the present day. Our version of the truth is partial and prejudiced- that’s what makes it proper history.

Liz Fletcher sings, Alan’s quintet plays and Alan Plater, to use his own term, blethers.

Septets and Octets

The Sherlock Holmes Suite is an original and sometimes humorous set of pieces for jazz octet and narrator, featuring Stan Sulzmann, Mark Nightingale, David Newton, Bruce Adams Robert Fowler, Simon Thorpe and Clark Tracey.

Alan has written all manner of arrangements and original material for various eight-piece line-ups which he still likes to perform at concerts.

New bands include an octet playing Tony Faulkner arrangements of Ellington, featuring Tony Coe Andy Panayi, Andy Wood, Bruce Adams, John Horler, Alec Dankworth and Mike Smith and a “jump band” type seven piece based on the Johnny Hodges small groups, again with Bruce Adams and Robert Fowler, but this time with Robin Aspland at the piano, Andy Cleyndert on bass and Bobby Worth on drums.

Guest Appearances

Alan still performs regularly with local rhythm sections, either alone or with front-line partners such as Art Themen, Bruce Adams and Mark Nightingale.

Latest CD

Hi-Ya

New CD taking a trip through Johnny Hodges territory

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Copyright © 2008 - Alan Barnes