The Brubeck Project @ Gateshead Town Hall - The Liam Noble Trio

Liam Noble (pno), Dave Whitford (bs), Dave Wickens (dms). Let's be honest for a change! I was bored stiff for most of the first half. This wasn't the Brubeck I knew and loved and where was the Paul Desmond clone? Where was the note repeated 100 times - as famous in jazzlore as Louis' long note in Mahogany Hall Stomp. No this wasn't Dave Brubeck. However, during the interval I had time to reflect and, perhaps it was talking to longtime friends Neil and Jim about Tai Chi that saw me view the second half differently! This WASN'T Dave Brubeck - it was Liam Noble and Liam is his own man. If he'd chosen to play Irving Berlin you wouldn't expect him to sound like Irving Berlin! I erased Brubeck from my mind and let the music be its own judge and jury. Although not given to angular lines Noble produced some juicy chords and phrases and, in Dave Wickens, he has a drummer as sympathetic to his playing as Morello was to the master. Not only did the drummer display some imaginative touches on an array of percussive instruments but he also bore a marked resemblance to Phil Seaman! The resulting re-think meant that I enjoyed the concert thoroughly and wished I could have heard the first half again! A Jazz North East presentation in association with Gateshead Council, jazzaction and the PRS foundation. Photos. Lance.