The Northern Lights Nonet makes its NW debut performance on Friday 30 August at 8PM at the Sefton Park Cricket Club. I originally formed the nonet in 1984 during my final year of university in New York City. The London version began in 1997 with a performance at the Kingston Jazz Festival that year. It included jazz stalwarts like Henry Lowther, Robbie Robson, Adrian Fry, Sam Mayne, Tim Lapthorn, Tom Cawley, Paul Clarvis, Mark Hodgson, and Matt and Steve Fishwick.
The nonet performed widely in the SE of the UK from 1997-2018. This included a yearly residency at the Ealing Jazz Festival from 2000-2015 as well as London venues like Pizza Express, Ronnie Scotts, Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room, Cadogan Hall (as part of the London Jazz Festival) and The Stables at Wavendon. Various guest artists have appeared with the nonet including Sir John Dankworth, Ian MacDougall, Mark Nightingale, Alan Barnes and Omar Puente. Many singers including Iain Mackenzie, Trudy Kerr, Georgia Mancio and Tina May as well as French chanteuses, Sandra Nkake and China Moses, and USA crooner Alan Harris, have also guested with the nonet.
Nonet sound
My experience as an arranger for USA jazz greats like Jon Hendricks, Ron Carter, Lionel Hampton, Dave Stryker and Jack McDuff as well as British jazzers such as Norma Winstone, Mark Nightingale, Tony Coe and Tina May has influenced and contributed alot to the nonet repertoire and sound. Our playlist also includes the music of Oliver Nelson, Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis and John Dankworth. Not limited to jazz, the ensemble has a significant amount of Latin Jazz from composers like Gerald Wilson, Mario Bauza and Dizzy Gillespie.
The nonet has received several commissions including “The Coventry Suite” from the City of Coventry which was premiered at the 2002 Coventry Jazz Festival as well as “Agent W5” from the Borough of Ealing and performed at the 2005 Ealing Jazz Festival. Another work “Nine Tales for Nonet” was commissioned by Brunel University in 2000 and premiered at an improvisation symposium there that year
The nonet has recorded two CDs- “Live at Ealing – 2000” for Hep Records (www.hepjazz.com) and “The Coventry Suite” (2003) for 33 Records (www.33jazz.co.uk).
Meet the band
The Northern Lights Nonet will include a stellar cast of NW based players like Eryl Roberts on drums, Richard Wetherall on piano, Ed Harrison on bass, trumpeters Danny Miller and Martin Smith, trombonist Matt Horner and saxophonists, John Padfield and Phil Shotton.
Do come along and experience this exciting and eclectic group as it’s bound to have something for everyone.
The Sefton Park Cricket Club. Sefton Park, Liverpool, L17 1AP
For more information ring 07481 155077