Jazz flying high at the Electric Theatre

I've said it before but I'll say it again - The Electric Theatre in Guildford pulls in some amazing musicians. Last night's jazz session included Mark Crooks (sax, clarinet), Colin Oxley (guitar) and Matt Skelton (drums) - all members of the great John Wilson Orchestra and in great demand. And modestly backing them with incredible musical dexterity on her double bass was Guildford's own Marianne Windham. 

Mark Crooks 

Mark studied clarinet at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and then at the Guildhall School of Music having won the Young Jazz Player of the Year Competition in 1991. He is now sought after in a wide variety of musical settings including classical work, sessions and shows on saxophones and clarinet but his real love is for jazz clarinet. His playing is simply mesmerising - Last night his Gershwin was so smooth it slinked its way around the room in a hypnotic haze. A bluesy tune, 'Lowlife' by Johnny Mandel, revealed his incredible handling of the tenor sax - and Skylark was so cool I couldn't stop myself grinning. As with many jazz musicians, Mark is totally lost in his music, eyes closed, seemingly miles away yet actually still right here with us as his band wait for a nod or a slight change in posture and join him in some incredibly tight, yet sensuous tunes.

Colin is a regular side-kick of Mark's, again, a man lost in his music and moving his way around his guitar with incredible skill and passion. He was voted Jazz Musician of the year in 2001 by the worshipful Company of Musicians and we can see why. And on the drums we had the laid back Matt, a drummer with an amazingly diverse range of musical bands and orchestras up his sleeve, including the BBC Concert orchestra and The Britten Symphonia. Intriguingly, Matt sometimes looks like his mind has wandered - his eyes gaze into the distance, his sticks gently patter on the drums. But do not be fooled - he is absolutely right here and with a nod from mark he is off into the most incredible drum roll and complex rhythms that brings gentle whoops of support from Mark. I rather like that surprise element in jazz.

And behind this great trio Marianne plays her double bass with real gusto. Incredibly she is relatively new to the music scene. She was a director of a thriving software company until she packed it in only a few years ago to play the double bass full time. She has worked with some of the leading names on the UK jazz scene, plays for big bands in London and the Southeast and is a member of the Surrey Mozart Players, one of the top non-professional chamber orchestras in the country. Importantly she works hard to keep jazz alive in the Guildford area and runs Guildford Jazz, which hosts some of the finest jazz musicians in Britain. Thrown in at the deep end at these Electric jazz nights (and many others) she looks as if she has been playing all her life, fingers whipping up and down the fret board and the pizzicato hand a blur as it pluck the strings. After last night's gig I congratulated Marianne on playing with some incredible musicians, many of who she has never met before. "Well most musicians are very nice," she says, "and I know that before I invite them to play. Apart from that it's a case of terror really, and that's maybe what makes jazz so great."  I am learning the double bass myself, so I will remember that little nugget next time I play - terror is a good thing!

Info on further jazz nights at The Electric Theatre - www.guildford.gov.uk/electrictheatre
For more information on upcoming jazz gigs and jazz related info contact Marianne via email at marianne@mariannewindham.co.uk and at www.guildfordjazz.org.uk