Claire Martin & Montpelier Cello Quartet @ Sage Gateshead. Sept. 22

Claire Martin (vcl); Dan James (also double bass); Sarah Davison; Joe Giddey; Sirial Hugh-Jones (cellos).

(Review by Lance).

I'd never heard a cello quartet and in truth I haven't heard that many solo cellists in recent years. What a sheltered life I've led! So, given my misspent senior years, how would tonight pan out? Well I guess there were others with reservations about this concert as Hall Two was sparsely populated and normally a Claire Martin gig pulls the punters - deservedly so as there are few British jazz singers of her calibre.

Perhaps some decided on the evening's other attraction - Lloyd Wright with James Harrison at the Cherry Tree - I was torn between the two myself. For those who didn't do either then the only word I can think of is SAD.

Last night at Sage Gateshead was superb and so was Claire, cellos notwithstanding, she gave a professional performance that clarified her position as numero uno.

My Ship (Kurt Weill?) isn't heard as often as most standards - it should be, providing the singer can bring the feeling to it that Ms Martin does! Now I know why we don't hear it that often! Too Much in Love to Care (inspired by Carmen McRae); Night and Day (James arranged this one and also played bass); one of the less hackneyed songs from Porgy and Bess, My Man's Gone and a knock-out version of Cole Porter's Let's Do It. just how many verses did Porter write in this lyric? I'm sure I've heard hundreds of different ones! Makin' Whoopee complete with the verse was another delight (the cellos played a snatch of the Bridal March!) A Geoffrey Keezer arrangement of Like a Feather Falls (I think); Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World and Carly Simon's You're So Vain meant our cup was overflowing  and there was still more to come!

A tribute to Frank (he'd have been 100 next year) with All the Way; 'Round Midnight; Two Grey Rooms; Joni's Lost For Words; She's Leaving Home (one of the better Beatle numbers) by this time I'd stopped taking notes and instead just let the sound of four cellos and a voice envelop me.
The aforementioned violoncelli had a couple of features sans vocal and sounded good.
A grand evening that deserved greater support.
Lance.