WSP: Dave Morecroft (keyboards), Conor Chaplin (electric bass), Neil Blandford (drums), Tim Ower (saxophones) & Raphael Clarkson (trombone)
Synkoke: Kristian Harnes (keyboards), Ellen Andrea Wang (electric bass), Kurt Andre Aase (drums), Erik Nerheim (soprano saxophone), Ole Adland (guitar)
Pianist Dave Morecroft's World Service Project impressed at Splinter @ The Bridge last year and this return visit to Newcastle at the Star & Shadow Cinema was as a double bill with Norway's Synkoke. A motorway accident en route to Newcastle resulted in band members hastily booking a hire car and making Newcastle in time for a slightly delayed start. Musicians and instruments were unscathed, the vehicle...that was another matter. Synkoke struck a pose and determinedly stuck to it. A groove, at times trance-like, with sledge hammer drumming and soprano sax (a similar approach to that of Polar Bear's Mark Lockheart) dominated the performance. WSP offered leftfield tunes with a humourous streak running through them. Trombonist Raphael Clarkson caught the ear with some inventive lines and a big sound to boot. The evening concluded with a two-band mash-up; ten musicians blowing for all they were worth, smiles all round.
Russell
0 comments; click to add more:
Post a Comment