John Warren's Splinter Group: Paul Edis (keyboards), Andy Champion (double bass), Adrian Tilbrook (drums), Mark Williams (guitar), Graeme Wilson (tenor saxophone), Keith Robinson (alto saxophone), Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugel horn) & Alex Leathard (trombone).
Splinter @ The Bridge promotes the best of the north east's established and emerging improvisers. Splinter Group was and is the foundation stone of the weekly session at the Bridge Hotel. Splinter Group, an offshoot of Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra, is an eight piece band exploring the music of eminent composer John Warren. Band members bring their own writing skills to the table and last night's menu was a veritable banquet of the best of jazz.
Free Wheeling, first performed in the north east several years ago in Durham by Northern Brass, a unique collaboration of jazz quintet and brass band players, opened proceedings; solos from Leathard, Champion and new recruit altoist Keith Robinson set the standard.
Warren introduced Some Sketchy Spanish. It was an homage to Gil Evans' work on Sketches of Spain. How remarkable that the music heard was more like that of Miles' electric period some ten years or so on from the Davis-Evans era. Graham Miles Hardy blew his socks off on this one and guitar virtuoso Mark Williams stripped the paint from the newly decorated walls of the Bridge Hotel.
Splinter Group (the tune not the band) had a swinging bop feel to it with telling solos from Robinson, Leathard and the incomparable Andy Champion.
The second set featured another outing for pianist Paul Edis' opus first heard in the same room earlier this year. It was untitled on its premiere and so it remains. Edis suggested that because it is a suite in three parts it could be called Three Piece Suite ! I reckon that's as good as anything. Solo opportunities were many; in a slow tempo section Hardy played flugel, Scot Graeme Wilson played flawlessly, Edis the composer featured, then the action accelerated with Hardy switching to trumpet, Wilson upped the ante and Edis saw it home. The band played Graeme Wilson's tune Remora with the composer soloing, followed by Williams and Hardy. John Warren's compositions Holiday Snaps and Bed Rocks In(n) (this was Basie big band swing with drummer Adrian Tilbrook in his element!) rounded off yet another wonderful eveing at the Bridge.
Next Sunday's session (October 10th) features Yorkshire's current big noise If Destroyed Still True. Those who heard the band earlier this year at the Cluny will testify that this will be one hell of a gig.
Russell.
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