‘We love this music so much – getting to play it and share what excites us about it is always a treat.’

Ahead of him bringing his trio to Steamin’ Jazz Club, Wednesday 18th November – a night which will see a celebration of Sidney Bechet, I chatted with internationally acclaimed clarinettist Adrian Cox to find out more about what we can expect from the gig, how he approaches arranging music, and who would be in his time-travelling jazz line up. 

Hi Adrian, thanks for taking the time to chat. Let’s start with how you and your fellow musicians early musical experiences led you to jazz?
In the case of myself, it was a combination of my father being a banjo player, which meant I grew up around the style, and the influence of my clarinet tutor, Jack Gilbert – a jazz star who lived in the town I grew up in. I was pretty lucky to have this start and at 15 I left home and went straight on tour. For double bassist, Alex Gilson, it was when a friend made him listen to Django! It was a real turning point. Contrastingly, for guitarist, Honey Boulton, it was when his English teacher introduced him to Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell! Before then he was into hardcore and punk music. An absolute life-changer. 

In your tribute tour to Sidney Bechet, how will you be introducing the audience to lesser known pieces of his?
Sidney Bechet and his music are, I believe, still so current – most people have heard a tune or two of his. We have found some really great tunes for this tour that people may not have heard, so I think it’s important to get it out there that he was working with many different people. Even in 1932, he put a band together in New York to play tunes like they used to back in New Orleans years ago. Although at his time, Bechet was already talking about the music of New Orleans as “the old days”. I think that really highlights how much the music had evolved in just the 10 or 15 years before that.

‘Quiet, high-register practice in a hotel room really builds up the lip.’

Given the familiarities, how will you approach taking some of his most famous music into a new guise?
The main thing for us is that this tour isn’t about recreating him note for note; it’s about celebrating him as a musician and really just keeping his music out there. His big tunes are always instantly recognisable, but how we approach them changes each night. I feel it would have for him too. The audience and the setting all contribute to the music, and it’s something we chat about after a concert. It’s what keeps the concerts exciting, and it proves the versatility of the compositions.

Out of the many clarinettists from the New Orleans/Swing era, why did you select Sidney Bechet to focus on?
Bechet has to be the best-known saxophone and clarinet players to come out of New Orleans. I’ve spent a lifetime listening to his music, and I think that familiarity with his name might just bring someone extra to a concert, who discovers a deeper love for jazz, or even just for going out to hear live music.

How important do you feel smaller venues, such as Steamin’ Jazz Club are when it comes to introducing a new generation to jazz music from the past?
The smaller clubs are so important. I’ve been a professional musician for nearly 30 years now, and I remember that even back then, people were worried about the scene and how it would continue. I’ve always had faith that places open and close, and people discover this music when it’s right for them, whatever their age. I find the music we’re touring is super inclusive – it’s welcoming and there for everyone to enjoy.

So, what can people expect from the gig on Wednesday 18th November, and other nights of the tour?
The music we play is for everyone. If you’ve never been to one of our concerts, it’s informative, but not in a boring way (I hope!). We love this music so much, and getting to play it and share what excites us about it is always a treat. I always say that if I can pass on even 1% of how much we love and respect this music to one person, that’s a job well done.

Looking at the scene as a whole, which woodwind performers are standing out right now?
On the scene now, there’s my old mate Giacomo Smith – always so consistently good, with a great sound and amazing ideas, and we have just the best time playing together. We approach the instrument differently, which means that when we play together, it’s something unique. There’s also Evan Christopher, just an absolute don of clarinet playing in the style I love. He’s great, and we have some amazing chats. He’ll sometimes contact me out of the blue and tell me things about my playing I could work on – things he’s noticed over the years that could be of use to me. It’s very much welcomed!

As a woodwind player myself, I know warming up is key. What warm up regimes do you have before performing?
I’m glad to hear you’re one of the family! For me, I’m always a long-note person; I want to know everything is going to sound OK. I always warm the outside of the clarinet by just holding it for a while, so that when I blow, it’s as happy as it can be.

‘The tour is about celebrating Sidney Bechet as a musician and really just keeping his music out there.’

Does the frequency of a practice technique depend on how it is used within a set?
Matching how often I practise something to how it’s used in a set isn’t something I do consciously. I mean, I’ll of course go over all the bits I felt didn’t go great the night before, or the bits that catch me out. I like to play the first tune and the last tune of the night all the way through, just so the start and end of the set will be good, ha ha! I do have lots of training exercises, though: long notes, the high register, playing quietly… that’s the best. Quiet high-register practice in a hotel room really builds up the lip.

How do you feel creating your own arrangements change the connection of a piece with the audience?
As a trio, we’re often taking tunes that were recorded by six or more people, so it becomes really interesting making sure we reference all the parts of a recording. But how we get there is the most interesting part: they evolve while we’re on tour.

Having played across the world, what are some of the biggest differences/similarities you’ve experienced in the varying music scenes?
We’ve been so fortunate to tour worldwide as the trio, and I think it’s a duty: if people show up for you, you should be grateful and thankful. As the trio, we meet everyone and sell merch, and we try to make wherever we play super friendly and inclusive, and hopefully a memorable evening. Scenes vary, but I think the overall result is the same – there’s always a lot of joy in the room.

And finally, if you could travel back in time, who would be in your dream line up to perform alongside?
My dream line-up would be playing with Louis Armstrong and Trummy Young, with Edmond Hall on clarinet – the best front line ever. To be honest, I would dep the gig back out to Edmond Hall and go and sit in the front row!

Thanks Adrian Cox for chatting with Listen to Discover
Photo 2 Credit : Ron Milsom