(Review by Lance).
The first of a 3 band set in this Jazz North East/Sage Gateshead collaboration which was also part of a bigger picture - The Festival of the North East.
All the compositions were by Graeme and had been heard earlier in the month at the Lit and Phil. Not that this diminished the content, in fact, if anything, familiarity brought greater understanding.
Street of Furs (in New York) saw Wilson hit the ground running - his angular, Coltrane-like lines setting the mood for the set. Remora featured a blistering bass solo by "The Champ". He blistered at the Lit and Phil too but this time he hadn't just stepped off a plane from China instead, he was bright eyed and bushy tailed and doing things with the bass Yehudi couldn't even accomplish on a violin!
The Sycamore, that's the evocative piece about the derelict cinema in Blyth which now has a tree growing out of the roof, was emotional and melancholic.
Later numbers included a rocky organ blast - the tenor player could have walked the bar on this one - didn't catch the title.
The final number may have been Honolulus. It was a fast, post bop swinger that brought Sinclair to the forefront with a take no prisoners solo. He had no choice - the next band up had David Carnegie on kit!
A good start that the crowd at this well attended event appreciated.
Lance.
(In the above photo taken after the final concert Graeme Wilson is on the far right. Others are (l-r) Neil Newton, Stefan Walcott, Zoe Gilby and David Carnegie.)
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