Dean
Stockdale (piano), James Birkett (guitar), Neil Harland (double bass) &
Paul Smith (drums)
(Review by Russell.photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
Heavy rain all day long, the taps
ran dry late afternoon. The break in the weather augured well for Dean
Stockdale’s appearance at the Lit & Phil. A good number of folk made the
effort to get along and were rewarded with a first rate concert of jazz piano.
Oscar Peterson was in the house
in the guise of Dean Stockdale. The Teessider presented an evening of music
written by or associated with the legendary Canadian virtuoso. Quite an
undertaking. Would Stockdale rise to the challenge? He gave himself every chance
by enlisting the help of James Birkett (guitar), Neil Harland (double bass) and
drummer Paul Smith. Blues Etude, When Summer Comes and from OP’s Canadiana Suite, Wheatland – a diverse mix of tunes affording the quartet the
opportunity to stretch-out in style. The Lit and Phil’s Kawai piano the focus
of attention, Stockdale spoke between numbers, giving a potted history of
Oh, Lady Be Good! sizzled (Dr Birkett knew this one inside out) and
Stockdale’s left hand worked overtime as Harland and Smith stoked the engine on
OP’s signature Night Train. An
excellent first set concluded with Hallelujah
Time. Yes, Sir!
The second set replicated the
first in being pretty damn good! Night
Time, Sushi, a quartet take on Body and Soul and a swift Cakewalk (lots of left hand) led one to
conclude Dean Stockdale had the measure of the Great Man. Thanking his fellow
musicians for making a great job of the music placed in front of them,
Stockdale took it out on Hymn to Freedom.
As an encore Stockdale played a solo piece – Love Ballad.
The north east’s jazz scene is in
rude health with an abundance of top class piano players. Dean Stockdale is up
there with the best of them.
Russell.
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