Alan Barnes - 60th Birthday Celebration (New Takes on Tunes from '59) (2019)

Alan Barnes, the prolific multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist, celebrates his 60th birthday with this album that features eleven classic compositions from 1959 arranged by Mark Nightingale. Included are compositions by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Horace Silver and Gerry Mulligan, amongst others.

Even though it is set in an exceptionally fertile decade, 1959 still stands out as a remarkably fruitful year for Jazz albums. 'Kind of Blue', 'Giant Steps', 'Mingus Ah Um', 'Thelonious Monk at Town Hall' and Dave Brubeck's 'Time Out' are all iconic recordings from that year, as is Alan's personal favourite, 'Art Pepper +11', in which the altoist's quicksilver improvisations are highlighted in Marty Paich's peerless arrangements of modern jazz standards. To celebrate his 60th birthday, Alan wanted to record an album with a similar concept.

The jazz compositions here will be well known to most jazz listeners - all from classic albums of the period. There is also one standard, Mancini's "Dreamsville" from the album 'The Music from Peter Gunn' and one of the earliest Jobim bossa-nova compositions "A Feiicidade" from the film 'Black Orpheus'.

Alan Barnes is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers. His range and brilliance have made him a "first call" for studio and live work since his precocious arrival on the scene more than thirty years ago.

Personnel: Alan Barnes (alto and baritone saxophones, clarinet and bass clarinet), Pat White (trumpet), James Copus (trumpet and flugelhorn), Mark Nightingale, Gordon Campbell (trombone), Howard McGill (alto saxophone and clarinet), Robert Fowler tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet), Andy Panayi tenor saxophone, flute and clarinet), Mick Foster (baritone saxophone and bass clarinet), Robin Aspland (piano), Sam Burgess (bass), Matt Skelton (drums)