Jazz: From A to Z - The music of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims

Al Cohn and Zoot Sims were one of the great tenor sax partnerships in jazz. In a series of albums beginning in the late fifties, along with regular spots at the Half Note in New York, they developed a quintet sound based on a joyful approach to performing, rooted in swing, informed by bebop and growing from their experiences together in the Woody Herman band. Al Cohn's arrangements are super hip and not performed all that often. They often create the feeling of a 'mini-big band', with driving swing and tight ensemble playing, along with space for the soloists to shine individually and in duet. This is an exciting challenge for a band and a hugely enjoyable experience for the audience. For this brand-new project, Luke Annesley has assembled some great musicians, all well-known to Bristol audiences (and beyond), to recreate Cohn's arrangements, which he has meticulously transcribed. With Ruth Hammond alongside Luke himself on tenor saxes, the band also features Tom Berge on piano, Riaan Vosloo on double bass and Scott Hammond on drums. Luke has a story about meeting Zoot Sims when he was 14 which he'll bend your ear about given an opportunity, but probably even better just to sit back and enjoy an evening's homage to the music of Al and Zoot!