Modern and contemporary jazz generally does not get a great look in around the Highlands, with a few honourable exceptions.

WHILE still basking in the glow of a superb concert at Eden Court featuring Bobby Wellins and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, it is hard not to be a bit frustrated at what November has in store.

On the credit side, audiences in Inverness and environs can look forward to hearing guitarist Graeme Stephen’s new project involving live music for his quintet as accompaniment to F. W. Murnau’s classic silent film, Sunrise; the wonderful Brass Jaw; a splendid Rick Taylor Sextet; a solo concert from guitarist Nigel Clark; a duo featuring trumpeter Colin Steele and pianist Dave Milligan; and a visit from trombonist Dennis Rollins’ London-based Velocity Trio.

Brass Jaw (photo by Stuart Dreghorn)

The problem is that, with the sole exception of the last named, they are all taking place on the same weekend. Ruth Fisher’s inaugural Jazz Space event at Merkinch (11-12 November) accounts for Brass Jaw and Rick Taylor, Graeme Stephen is at Eden Court (12 November), Nigel Clark at Glenurquhart Hall in Drumnadrochit (12 November), and the Steele-Milligan duo at The Stables in Cromarty (13 November).

Talk about feast and famine…. Virtually nothing for months, and then a deluge. It is amazing how often clashes of this kind occur, and not only in jazz, but it is always bad news. The audience for this music is not huge in these parts at the best of times, and dividing it even further in this way is highly unfortunate, to say the least, especially when it is becoming clear that people are thinking hard about their spending.

The moral? More contemporary jazz, please, but let’s try and make sure everybody is keeping an eye on each other’s diaries …. And let’s hope they all get the audience they merit. Dennis Rollins, by the way, is at Eden Court Theatre on 25 November.

Some interesting theatre with a very direct Highlands & Islands connection can also be seen this month, with Vision Mechanics’ Dark Matter on tour in the early part of the month, and the National Theatre of Scotland’s dramatisation of Calum’s Road (warmly reviewed by Mark Fisher) also out and about in the region.

I liked Mull Theatre’s production of Hamish MacDonald’s Singing Far Into the Night rather better than Mark did, but his review sparked the most lively and interesting discussion we have yet had via the comments facility on the website (and possibly generated greater interest and attention than a more positive review might have done on its own).

My thanks to Hamish MacDonald for his measured contribution, to Mark for taking on the discussion, and to all who participated. This is exactly the kind of debate we hoped for when we introduced the facility, and much more like it would be very welcome.

© Kenny Mathieson, 2011