Sector 7.
Ken Mathieson (dms/arr); Alan Barnes, Dick Lee, Martin Foster, Konrad Wiszniewski, (reeds) Billy Hunter (tpt); Phil O'Malley (tmb); Roy Percy (bs).
(Photo courtesy of Bill Shakespeare.)
Sarah Ellen Hughes, Emma Smith, Billy Boothroyd, Paddy Clarke (vcl); George Moore (pno); Tim Thornton (bs); Chris Draper (dms)..
Well seen that Mike Gordon is a working jazz musician. He can program a festival like he would play a jazz solo. Grab your attention in the opening bars then allow the tension to build until you hit the final chorus and go for the jugular. That's how it worked this year anyway.
With Sector 7 you have two well-known girl singers and two not so well-known, but equally capable, guys, a swinging rhythm section and then pow!
The four singers actually opened up sans rhythm section for an a capella version of My Favourite Things. Rich harmonies and interesting interwoven lines. Stevie Wonder's Superwoman had some outstanding contributions from the two guys whilst Sarah impressed on Be Still My Heart. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child had more harmonic gravity. But Not For Me dug deep and came up LHR. Spain and Centrepiece rounded things off after a set that was even more remarkable when you discover that this was the first time this particular lineup had appeared together!
Catch them again at The Sage, Gateshead for the final date of their tour (this was the first one.)
Lance.
Jim Birkett Trio + Alan Barnes (alt), Konrad Wiszniewski (ten).
Have You Met Miss Jones? In the words of a Benny Carter composition - this was a Doozy (see next set) in other words, possibly the best number of the whole weekend with the Jim Birkett Trio. The two sax players blew their socks off and Jim was up there with them not at all daunted by having to follow Jim Mullen.
Alan Barnes is a household name in the jazz world and so would Konrad be if anyone outside of Poland could pronounce his surname!
Alan Barnes with Ken Mathieson: Music of Benny Carter.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Shakespeare.)
And so it came to pass that, as my spirits were flagging - 18 concerts in 3 days + the Birkett sessions, I was suddenly refreshed and realised that this was what it had all been building up to - a tribute to Benny Carter, a name to be placed alongside any jazz hero past and present. The solos - not least from Barnesy in the title role but also from the other guys who all chipped in handsomely. The sax section was mellifluous and wonderful in their phrasing they just gelled together so beautifully. As I said earlier it was a Doozy! (Benny Carter number).
This, the Tenth Scarborough Jazz Festival, was, I would guess, an unqualified success both musically and attendance-wise.
Chapeaux Mike.
Lance.
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