Preview: The Collaborations Trio & Sonsale @ Sage Gateshead, Thursday November 28.

(Preview by Russell).

Veteran reeds player Chris Biscoe visits Sage Gateshead on Thursday (Nov 28) working with long-time collaborator Roger Turner (drums) and Tyneside’s John Pope (double bass). The Collaborations Trio – Biscoe, Turner and a guest musician – tours Britain into December, stopping off in Glasgow to take part in GIOFest. North east fans get the chance to hear the trio in the acoustically perfect Northern Rock Foundation Hall at Sage Gateshead, an intimate space allowing a real connection between musician and listener. Older readers will be familiar with Biscoe’s work alongside Mike Westbrook, Harry Beckett, Chris McGregor, Andy Sheppard and countless others. His association with Turner dates back to 1968 and the duo have worked together on and off ever since. 

Turner’s pedigree is first class – Lol Coxhill, Phil Minton, Cecil Taylor, Charles Gayle and a whole lot more. John Pope, on home territory, got the gig thanks to Turner’s attuned ear at an earlier Tyneside gig at which the bassist played a support set. Recommendation, word of mouth, right place, right time, Pope takes a quantum leap at Sage Gateshead. You can bet he’ll seize the opportunity!    

As if Biscoe, Turner, Pope weren’t enough, how about a double bill with Sonsale? Yes, the new Anglo French quartet – conceived here on Tyneside – returns to the region from a recent London Jazz Festival appearance before heading up to GIOFest. The quartet – Derby’s Corey Mwamba (vibes) a frequent visitor to Geordieland and fulsome in his praise of Sage Gateshead, Gateshead’s own double bass supremo Andy Champion, Frenchman Valentin Ceccaldi (cello) and compatriot Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums) – hit it off on a date put together last year by Jazz North East. The meeting of musically compatible minds determined to do it all again and this 2013 reunion promises much. It will be interesting to see and hear developments. Sage Gateshead tomorrow night is the place to be to find out what’s been happening. For tickets tel: 0191 443 4661.          

Russell.