Zoe Gilby Trio @ The Lit and Phil

Zoe Gilby (vcl); Andy Champion (bs); Mark Williams (gtr).
(Review by Lance.)

This was a class gig - they even had programmes. Don't see that very often apart from, say, at the Albert Hall. However, this was the Literary and Philosophical Society and they know how put on a Recital - particularly when Paul Edis is at the helm.

It was a well attended event requiring extra seats to be drafted in. To get artists of the calibre of the above three for a quid each is a mega bargain.

They were worth more - considerably more.

Zoe's program was, by and large, a tried and tested one but, like all good jazzers, the tunes may have been familiar but the interpretation was rarely predictable. . 

Of the Zoe/Andy originals, as always, my favourite was Midnight Bell. the song inspired by Patrick Hamilton's Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky. Surprisingly, bearing in mind we were in the Literary and Philosophical Society, when Zoe asked if any one was familiar with Patrick Hamilton's work there was no response!

However, I digress, getting back to the music Zoe looked and sounded great - she seems to get better each time around - the air in Finland must have purified her vocal chords - or should it be the other way around for a jazz singer? Andy and Mark displayed the mastery of their instrument that we've come to expect and the 60 minute set simply flew by.

What a lovely way to spend an hour on a Friday lunchtime - and the bottled ale is only £2.50!

Next in the series is on March 8 and features the Paul Edis Trio.

Lance.

PS: Jazz North East present Alister Spence Trio with Raymond MacDonald plus Trevor Watts and Veryan Weston tonight at the Lit and Phil. Details in today's listings.