Songs from Porgy and Bess

A new jazz suite from Chris Coull, featuring award winning vocalist Imogen Ryall, playing the music of George Gershwin in an engaging and enthralling story that is both accessible and permeates the traditions of the post bop jazz movement. Embark on a story through time as we take you to 1930’s Charleston and a love story between down on his luck ‘Porgy’ and the sassy ‘Bess’. Featuring songs instantly recognisable (Ain’t Necessarily So, I Love You Porgy and of course Summertime) unhackneyed classics (I’ve Got Plenty Of Nothing, There’s A Boat Leaving Soon For New York) and rarely heard gems (Buzzard Song, Prayer, Strawberry Woman). In this project, Chris has brought together three of the finest rhythm section player London has to offer, one of the finest vocalists on the UK scene and his own skills to create a dynamic, swinging and above all thoughtfully hip jazz suite, that swings from hard bop grooves, sumptuous ballads, toe tapping Latin grooves and orchestrally inspired harmonies: Using the original 1935 Gershwin score, influences from the seminal record from Miles Davis and Gil Evans and nuggets of gold from BlueNote’s heyday, the result is a narrated concert full of twists and turns in both plot and form.