Live Concert Reviews
Reviews from our Cadogan Hall shows (including many for the London Jazz Festival) as well as other London concerts, UK theatre shows, international jazz festivals and much more
Alyn Shipton, BBC Radio 3, The Times:
"...The musical equivalent of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, in which none of the major musical soliloquies gets left out..."
Jon Hancock – Author, ‘Benny Goodman – The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert’:
“...Pete Long and his musicians have gone to great lengths to re-create this concert... The result is an evening of fabulous music that swings like crazy, it’s a great night out not to be missed..."
The Times - ****
John Watson Jazz Journal: "...An immaculate performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue – the clarity of the piano sound was quite perfect in the acoustics of the Cadogan Hall..."
Jack Massarik, Evening Standard:
"...The big-band arrangements, with snappy section-work and brassy “pow” trumpet punctuations, sounded remarkably fresh. Sparkling nostalgia..."
Alan - Audience Member
"Unless someone tells me differently, there's no-one else out there doing what you do. The respect for all genres of jazz shines through. You must by now be the best jazz band in the world. Sincere thanks for keeping the flame alive...."
Peter Vacher, London Jazz News
"Deep in the Leytonstone think-tank where the Jazz Repertory Company draw up their plans, great minds work tirelessly to devise new enterprises and projects, or as we know them, to create themed concerts designed to tickle the fancy of the Cadogan Hall’s happy band of faithful followers..."
Dick Laurie, Hot News International:
"...How do the organisers of such concerts manage to get all these terrific musicians together for performances, let alone gather them up for rehearsals? It’s a miracle..."
Alison Kerr, Jazz Matters (writing on the Edinburgh Jazz Festival):
"...the highlight of the festival thus far… sensational playing by all concerned..."
Peter Vacher, London Jazz News
There wasn't really any need for kitchen performance anxiety tonight. One of the cast-iron certainties in British jazz is that a band directed by Pete Long will cook. This remarkable phenomenon...
Be-Bop Spoken Here:
"...The final trumpet battle 'twixt Tom Walsh and George Hogg meant the concert ended on a high and I use the word intentionally. Top C was merely the starting point for these guys and I've been on a high ever since!"
Peter Vacher, London Jazz News
"It says much for the musicianship of Long’s crew and his other star soloists...that their replications eschewed parody or pastiche. And that’s not to overlook the vivacious dancers...or the expert percussionists...added for Dizzy’s Latin numbers. Numerous and clearly purposeful, this cheery collective set out to take the music off the page and give it renewed life. As Long said, “If this [music] doesn’t turn you on, you haven’t got a switch!” Quite."
Swanage Jazz Festival Round-Up Review: Brian Blain
Always one of the treats for me when he is booked for the Festival as is Keith Nichols' Blue Devils Orchestra, this year presenting early Fletcher Henderson arrangements as well as creaky novelty numbers such as Skeleton in the Closet an old Armstrong number from an early Bing Crosby film. Keith always has some historical gem up his sleeve and in introducing this old piece he pointed out that the song was banned by the BBC until...
Peter Vacher London Jazz News:
"...He looked triumphant and so he should but then that goes for the whole presentation. Look for this package to live again - it was that good..."
Alyn Shipton, London Jazz News:
"….few events have had quite so much uninhibited joy as Richard Pite's Jazz Repertory Company paying tribute to the four members of the Benny Goodman Quartet."
Philip Buttall, Arts & Culture Magazine:
"...The Echoes of Ellington Big Band was in scintillating form, producing a wonderful array of sounds and colours, and showing off the improvisatory skills of a number of soloists, all emulating their illustrious predecessors from the original Ellington band of the late 50s..."
Alyn Shipton, The Times:
"...Playing entirely acoustically, in the manner of the 1930s, the orchestra excelled…on this showing the rest of the season should be well worth seeking out..."
Peter Vacher, London Jazz News
Richard Pite’s Jazz Repertory Company has cornered the market for large-scale celebratory excursions into past jazz history. Remember their successful replication of Benny Goodman’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert?
