Brass: Durham International Festival - Jon Faddis w. Andy Champion Quintet

Jon Faddis (tpt); Chris Hibbard (tmb); Graeme Wilson (ten); Paul Edis (pno); Andy Champion (bs); Adrian Tilbrook (dms).

(Review by Lance/photo by Zoe Gilby).

It had been many years since I'd heard the late Dizzy Gillespie - until tonight that is! In the form of Jon Faddis Dizzy was alive. The falsetto singing, the corny jokes and, most of all, the fantastic trumpet playing! Faddis starts his solos where mere mortals aim to finish i.e. those rarely explored notes that dwell above and beyond top C!

However, the visiting American has more than one metaphorical string to his bow. An impressive West End Blues revealed a sound that was big, bold, and brassy, filling every corner of the hall. In a sense Faddis is a throwback to that golden age when jazz musicians weren't just that - they were also entertainers and tonight our man entertained.

As befits a Brass Festival, there was no shortage of trumpet players in the audience and I spoke to several who were understandably awestruck!

I'm sure the trombonists present also allowed their jaws to drop too for this was no one man show but six men swinging and Chris Hibbard, less flamboyant than many, proved that laid back can be cool too. A slide sound to die for!

On tenor, Graeme Wilson slotted in nicely 'twixt the two brass men. His feature on My One and Only Love alongside Hibbard's My Foolish Heart was outstanding as was our star's duet with Edis on 'Round Midnight.

Paul Edis!

The pianist never fails to delight. The north east has currently hit a purple patch for jazz piano playing and in Paul the shade is positively magenta plus!

Adrian Tilbrook kept things swinging and his Caravan reminded us just how good a drummer he is.

On bass, Andy Champion (aka Zoe's husband) played an amazing intro to All Blues (don't all bass players do just that? Yes but this was something else! Chapeau to the still undefeated Champion.)

Tunes? Apart from those already mentioned, others included Oleo, Black Orpheus, Night in Tunisia (Interlude) and Confirmation all played to perfection.
One could say this was the Durham Major's Gala!(groans all round!)
Lance.