Jazz at Progress: Pigfoot Play Ellington
Friday 15 September 2023
• Chris Batchelor - trumpet/cornet
• James Allsopp - baritone sax/bass clarinet
• Liam Noble - piano/keyboard
• Paul Clarvis - drums
Chris Batchelor, recently seen at Progress with the Gary Willcox band, created Pigfoot in 2013 to play 1920’s New Orleans material, spontaneously re-invented through the band’s wild musicality and wry humour. Their exploration of repertoire then led them further afield and through a series of gigs entitled Pigfoot Play… they extended in all directions, with sets dedicated to Opera, Motown, Elvis, and Bacharach.
Now they present a brand new programme: Pigfoot Play Ellington, an imaginative reworking of a range of Duke Ellington’s iconic compositions, from the early Cotton Club blues material to Swing hits and through to the exotica that was inspired by Ellington’s extensive travels.
The members of Pigfoot are all devotees of the Ellington sound – the muted rasp of trumpeter Cootie Williams, the poised grace of Harry Carney’s baritone, the dense crunch of Duke’s piano voicings and the buoyant bounce of drummer Sonny Greer are all reflected in the engaging and individual approaches of these superb musicians.
An entertainingly riotous, swinging, delicate and atmospheric account of Ellington’s legacy is promised.
“Taking these classic tunes, creating an entirely different atmosphere from what you might expect, Pigfoot lures you into a world where you can hear it’s not safe to go out at night, but you’re gonna have a heck of a good time if you do” – Kai Hoffman londonjazznews.com
Friday 15 September 2023
7:30pm - 10:00pm
£19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16)