A Few Words with…Reedman Alan Barnes

Clarinetist Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year. The list of his session and side-man work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Jools Holland, and Jamie Cullum. He has toured and played residencies with Freddie Hubbard and Conte Candoli.

So he’s basically done it all…other than being interviewed for The Syncopated Times of course. I had a few minutes to set down with Alan and set that right.

How did you get into jazz?

I first got into jazz at the age of 12 via the music of clarinetist Acker Bilk. A promotional single came through the front door with his hit “Stranger On The Shore” on one side. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard, featuring his lovely chalumeau register. Mantovani was on the other side so things could have taken a different turn if I’d played that first!

I joined a local traditional band. I couldn’t improvise so they told me to play the tune in my own way on my chorus. It’s still pretty good advice I think.

Why the clarinet?

To be honest, I wanted to start on saxophone, but my father had a friend who said I should learn clarinet first. I still don’t know why.

I was given a Selmer MKVI alto saxophone on my 15th birthday. It’s the instrument I still play today. It’s a bit like the world’s oldest hammer, with three new heads and three new handles. It’s been re-padded many times and had three sets of pearls but it’s still the same horn. Playing a lot of clarinet has been very helpful in the tricky business of earning a living in Jazz.

Do you play (or have you played) anything other than jazz over the years?

Yes, I’ve played all kinds of music. In my early days in London I played a lot of klezmer at Jewish weddings. I was involved with a couple of popular bands “The Tommy Chase Quartet”, described as “industrial Bop” and “The Jazz Renegades” who came under the umbrella of “Acid Jazz”. I still don’t know what that is. I had two stints with Bryan Ferry. I left after the first time and was fired the second time!

What’s your typical week like? Gigging, teaching?

A typical week would include working for other bandleaders in projects like “The Pocket Ellington” or deputising with Ronnie Scott’s Big Band. I also do guest-spots and run my own ensembles, quartets and a duo with pianist David Newton. I teach about once a month for Jazz School UK and am involved in three different summer schools. I’m out most night so I’m very lucky and happy with the situation.

You’ve performed shows featuring music and literature – likening Charlie Parker to Sherlock Holmes. Can you tell me more about the idea and inspiration for that?

I discovered Sherlock Holmes at the same time as I found jazz and the two became inextricably linked. To me, 52nd Street seems to run parallel with Baker Street. I came up with the strap-line “The Sound of the Baskervilles” and began writing. I love writing music around the characters in Literature and reading from the novels between tunes at the gigs.

Once I’ve got the title of a piece, the mood and form of the music takes care of itself. Titles such as “The Tiger of San Pedro,” “The Baker Street Irregulars,” and “Moriarty: the Napoleon of Crime” are just gifts to a composer. I dress up as the great detective for performances and also have a Scrooge costume for my “Jazz Christmas Carol.” I’ve also written “Copperfield” based on the Dickens classic. It pulls people into the music who would not normally be attracted by titles such as “Abstract Improvisation #93.”

It goes with my philosophy that jazz is a branch of the entertainment industry, with no need to compromise the music as a result.

What’s the state of British jazz at the moment?

British Jazz is very robust and covers a huge variety of music. The music colleges here produce many startlingly good players with all the executive skills to have a great career. More players than gigs of course, but I’m sure the young ones will find a way.

There are also many players who have been at it for years. Saxophonist Art Themen recently celebrated his 85th and is playing as well as ever. Pianist Jack Honeybourne recently performed at a gig to mark his 96th.

When is the next album out?

Next album out is with trombonist Mark Nightingale and trumpeter James Davison, both superb virtuoso players. It’s called “Jazz Classics with a Twist” and features Mark’s brilliant rethinks of very well-known tunes. It’s a challenging read and I hang on by the skin of my teeth but the results are very rewarding. It’s on my Woodville record label which has had 56 releases over a 23 year period.

Visit Alan Barnes online at www.alanbarnesjazz.com.