Jazz Preview: A wonderful weekend treat for saxophone lovers

Saxophonists rule the weekend in Yorkshire, with Jerry Bergonzi, Peter King, Benn Clatworthy and Jason Yarde performing in Leeds, Sheffield, and Wakefield.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Oct 2010, 13:05 BST
Updated 29th Oct 2010, 13:05 BST

Leeds College of Music is staging a saxophone festival today and tomorrow which features master classes and concerts by Bergonzi and King at The Venue.

Bergonzi's reputation among his peers was summed up by fellow saxophonist Michael Brecker. Asked if he still practised daily, Brecker replied: "As long as Jerry Bergonzi is around, no tenor player can rest on his laurels."

The American virtuoso leads his Bluebonics Trio tonight.

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He is followed tomorrow evening by another world-class performer in King, widely regarded as Britain's finest alto-saxophonist, who will appear with a quartet.

Clatworthy, born in London but a Los Angeles resident since 1980 , is a swashbuckling tenor player with a loyal following on both sides of the

Atlantic.

Cecilia Coleman (piano), Simon Thorpe (bass) and Gene Calderazzo (drums) complete his quartet at Sheffield's Millennium Hall tonight and Seven Jazz in Leeds tomorrow.

Alto saxophonist Yarde's postponed appearance at Wakefield Jazz tonight was a casualty of last winter's Arctic chaos.

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He performs as a duo with pianist Andrew McCormack and also with Trio Wah!

All of which leaves scant space for the other jazz event of the week – Claire Martin at The Venue on Thursday. Apologies to Claire.

It's always a delight to hear this splendid interpreter of quality songs.

Related topics:YorkshireLeedsSheffield