Blue JarPelican Crossing [album]
“Introducing
Twenties
style jazz sounds with a
modern twist, Blue Jar’s
enchanting Pelican
Crossing CD album makes
you long for the easy-
going, less rushed life of
yesterday...”
ATMOSPHERIC, EVOCATIVE MUSIC WITH A PASSION slips out easily from the creative
ability of Blue Jar, who has played throughout Africa and Europe — including
Cyprus and Italy — and is still playing at gigs in England and Ireland.
Pelican Crossing is their second album and the band members come from
a variety of backgrounds.
The band line-up is: Lesley Dennison on violin, viola and vocals; Tommy Locke,
who has been a much sought-after guitarist in Ireland for the past thirty years;
Scott Heron on cello and whistle; Ivan Black, accor-dion, saxophone and piano;
Rod Patterson on bass and Andrew Lavery on drums and percussion.
Having clocked up twenty years on the music scene, Blue Jar has come together
to share and flaunt their talents and they have recently sig-ned a three-year
management deal with WOA International which will include India, Asia and The
Middle East. Their very first gig was a garden party for HRH The Prince of Wales.
Their main thrust has been corporate work — but they are now working the
live event and festival circuit, including a performance at the Cork Jazz Festival
and an invitation to appear at The Marbella Film Festival.
Tommy studied at the Ulster College of Music and has played a wide range of
music, including rock, jazz and country. He has six albums under his belt.
Having studied at Trinity College of Music, London, Lesley Dennison
has played with major orchestras in the UK and Ireland. As part of the Dennison
String Quartet, she performed for television, radio and film and has made a
number of recordings.
Scott Heron has an equally impressive music cv. He studied cello at The Royal
Academy of Music and has a Master of Performance at The Royal Scottish Academy
of Music and Drama. He has also played with many orchestras, including The National
Symphony Orchestra of Ire-land, and has toured extensively — at one time
as part of The Dennison String Quartet.
Blue Jar has such an understanding of mixing music styles in a subtle, understated
way. Gypsy and Russian sounds, blues and raw folk are overlaid onto the unashamedly
quality Jazz groundwork. The band's new airing of After You've Gone and
Blue Moon are superb.
With such success and sound credentials, it is easy to see why the predictions
are that Blue Jar is going places — just don't listen too
hard to the cracking good Pelican Crossing, or you may be whisked along
with them!
• Blue Jar's CD album release Pelican Crossing
is available now.
Tracklist: I've Found A New Baby; Hey Mr Pelican; Czardas; Love Song Without
Words; After You've Gone; Gymnopedie No 1; Dark Eyes; Blue Moon; Tango Por UnaCabeza;
Meditation; Moonlight in Vermont; El Relicario; The Swan From Carnival of the
Animals; How Can It Be?
“Introducing
Twenties