Jazz Preview: Rolling back the years as another veteran blows in to Leeds

They may be in the autumn of their careers, but octogenarians have brought class as well as durability to Yorkshire jazz in recent weeks.

A fortnight ago we had Acker Bilk and Stan Tracey – both in their 80s –performing at Marsden's annual festival, Stan having already played at Scarborough in September.

Now it's welcome to Kenny Wheeler on his 80th birthday big band tour at the Venue at Leeds College of Music on Sunday.

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The quality of the band recruited for the tour indicates the respect with which Wheeler is held by his peers.

Stan Sulzmann and Evan Parker in the saxophone section, Henry Lowther and Derek Watkins among the trumpets, trombonist Mark Nightingale and pianist John Taylor typify a classy line-up.

Wheeler moved from Canada to this country in 1952 and since then has become firmly established as one of the world's most creative trumpeters and composers. His tone veers from delicate to devastating and his career over the years has embraced free-jazz as well as mainstream modernism.

Pete Churchill is the conductor in a programme which will include new arrangements of some of Wheeler's most admired works and compositions written specially for the occasion.

The concert is part of a six-date tour ending in Belfast next Thursday.

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