Paul Edis (piano), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Adam Sinclair (drums)
(Review by Russell).
(Review by Russell).
The Exchange Café in Hexham’s
Queen’s Hall Arts Centre attracts the Guardian reader, the novel reading couple (each reading a
different title – now that’s what I call a good night out), the coffee drinker
and the beer drinker. The latter, initially disappointed at the absence of a
hand-pull, took solace in a small selection of bottled beers (at Guardian
reader prices) behind the bar. The house beers, supplied by the Tyne valley’s micro brewery up in the hills at Allendale,
included APA (Allendale Pale Ale, 5.5%). It proved palatable. A good number of
Arts Centre patrons settled down for an evening of jazz (next week they will get
along to a folk gig, the week after a string quartet will tempt them to have a
run out in their Tyne Valley Tank - aka 4x4).
Pianist Paul Edis has been
researching the music of Bill Evans. This Queen’s Hall gig was the trio’s
second opportunity to play Evans’ music following a highly successful first
outing earlier this year at a Splinter session at the Bridge Hotel in Newcastle . Edis has taken
to talking about Evans the man, his life and music, in so doing putting into
historical context each tune. Some of the stellar names of modern jazz were
musical associates of Evans; George Russell, Scott La Faro, Paul Motian, Jim
Hall, Miles Davis, Philly Joe Jones. Some of them became his junkie friends…
The Edis trio (Mick Shoulder – double bass, Adam Sinclair – drums) played one
wonderful tune after another; Bill’s Hit
Tune, Very Early, Funkallero (cookin’), Waltz
for Debby, Person I Knew
(excellent combination of brushes and bass drum accents from Sinclair). The
audience listened reverentially, seemingly frightened to respond. Well…someone
had to act as cheer leader – let’s have some applause! That’s better!
Peace Piece had this listener thinking
Satie until Edis corrected such thinking telling us it owed something to
Chopin. Peri’s Scope, Turn Out the Stars
(a lament for La Faro, killed in an automobile accident), all great tunes, all
handled with the utmost sensitivity. Evans experienced much tragedy in his life
– the deaths of loved ones and the curse of hard drugs (heroin and cocaine to
name but two). Edis chronicled the highs and lows of his subject’s life – the
good times of the Riverside years, the lows of
addiction. The music lives on and Edis’ project is a joy to listen to. B Minor Waltz, 3/4 Skidoo, Laurie, We Will Meet
Again, Five – all great tunes played by the superb Paul Edis Trio.
Russell
1 comment :
As a member of the audience at this great gig and also a Guardian reader, I feel I must take issue with the reviewer's stereotyping of this fine group of people. Anyway, the person near me was definitely reading the Journal. True, at times the reverential listening could have been mistaken for somnambulance, but there was generous applause at the end. And if getting such a crowd in can make terrific gigs like this happen, then that's fine by me.
PS - Anyone know the answer to 14 across in today's cryptic crossword - Jazz musician who was also B-grade illusionist (8 letters)?
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