Milltown Barney digs his jazz roots

POP pianist Barney Williams has teamed up with his new jazz trio and his wife Lisa for a project to bring top quality jazz nights to Burnley.

Under the name The Jazz Box, the evening will be held at the Inn on The Wharf, Burnley, and will feature established artists headlining the event with the Barney Williams Jazz Trio as resident house band.

Despite being perhaps best known for his work with pop outfits the Milltown Brothers and The Rubbish, Barney studied a four-year degree course in Jazz at Leeds University.

Speaking from his Barrowford home, he revealed he had always loved jazz music and it had been his ambition to have an opportunity like this.

He said: "The idea is to have quality artists playing in a quality environment."

"It's not a money-making project, although we don't want to lose money.

"The plan is promote jazz in the North West."

Although he is still totally committed to the wacky popsters The Rubbish, Barney has teamed up with their drummer Chris Precious and John Hufferdine, who plays bass, after seeing an advert for the new project in Dawson's music shop window.

With both Barney and John having a jazz background, it's a new step for Chris, who admitted he was nervous at the amount he had to learn in a short period but was equally looking forward to the first night. The opening night is on Friday, May 28 and prominent North West jazz outfit the Nat Birchall Quartet will headline.

Doors open at 7.30pm and last admission is 10.30pm for the show, which also has a late bar until midnight.

Admission is £4 with ticket or £4.50 on the night.

Tickets are available from The Inn on the Wharf, Dawson Music or call Lisa on 07887 855596.

Band battle

LOCAL groups can win a full day's recording time and 20 copies of their own work on CD if they win a battle of the bands hosted by a town centre pub.

Staff at the Borough Arms in Blackburn are holding a contest in July and want bands to send tapes in.

The prize is a full days recording at MJM Studios in Oswaldtwistle. For details call Matt on 0961 541616

Slim's picking

UPTEMPO guitar popsters Slim are set to play one of Manchester's top venues this week.

Slim, including Shamrock Studios mainman Seamus Heffernan on guitar, play Manchester Roadhouse on Tuesday.

The band made their debut last year opening for the Milltown Brothers at the Brooks Club in Accrington, and have written more than a dozen new songs in the last year.

They are set to play alongside North West bands Bughouse and Kaluta, and doors open at 9pm. Tickets cost £3, although people with a flyer can get in for 50p less. Call the venue on 0161 228 1789 for details. People wanting flyers, call Seamus on 01254 812131.

Comfort of noise

NOISY young upstarts Element, from Pendle, are joined by fellow youngsters Scapegoat and Flux when they play the Keirby Suite at Burnley's Comfort Inn tonight.

Element bill themselves as "DIY, winky-wonky noise pop", while Scapegoat play grunge rock. Hyndburn-based Flux model themselves on indie bands including Pavement, Mercury Rev and The Fall.

DJs Tom and Greg are set to play afterwards and the event runs from 8pm to 2am.

Admission is £2 but two people can get in for £3.

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