Paul Edis
(piano), Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn), Graeme Wilson (tenor &
baritone saxophones), Kieran Parnaby (trombone), Mick Shoulder (double bass)
& Adam Sinclair (drums).
(Review by JC).
As BSH has already reviewed the Sextet's
Mr Hipster CD and the album launch at Sage Gateshead, there is not an awful lot left
to say except that everything Lance and Russell have said is true. What a great
band, playing great compositions!
Durham is Paul Edis's home town so
when the album review says that the opening number The Timothys has a township groove, this township is Durham. The band leader
was in chatty form and opened his remarks by explaining that this concert was
part of the Mr Hipster tour and
naturally enough asked how many hipsters were in the hall. Of course, the jazz
fans of Durham
are far too hip to respond to that kind of question and I would have thought
that less than half the audience put up their hands.
The sextet played most, if not all, of
the tracks from the album and what comes across is the complexity and diversity
of the musical inspirations for the pieces and the structure and coherence of
the musical composition. The musical fun of Mr.
Hipster, the exotic feel of Eastern, the
Spanish tinge to Knight Errant; all are played with solos of consummate
precision and a terrific ensemble sound. The track based on a twitter
interaction with John Prescott (can he really have 100,000 twitter followers as
PE suggested? who could they be?) Better
than a Punch in the Face is counter pointed by the Mingus inspired Ah Um who Edis said might wade in the
audience and punch someone who was talking too loud - better no talking than a
punch in the face, maybe? Then there was Serial
for Breakfast inspired by Arnold Schoenberg during which a moth appeared
fluttering over the stage, presumably the spirit of Schoenberg checking out on
how the band was doing. After about 30 seconds it flew off, no doubt more than
satisfied. Dorian Grey was a
cautionary tale about an ageing hipster and the sextet also played a tune from
the first album for Mr. Edis senior, Blues
for Dad, although surely it should have been Blues for Daddio in this context.
Throughout, the playing of Paul Edis was
exemplary, particularly on the romantic Missing
You and a touch of stride on Ah Um.
He also played an exceptional solo piece, The
Skye Boat Song, which was a nod towards the political excitement of the
Scottish referendum.
As has been said, the sextet is full of
great musicians and the solos from all of them were top drawer. At the end it
was announced that the trombone player, Kieran Parnaby, was deputising at short
notice and I have to say he did a great job. The setting of the Gala Theatre
was very good with the band filling the stage and while some recent jazz gigs
have featured multiple videos and all kinds of technological gizmos the Gala
outdid them all with the most dry ice I've seen outside of
a Tynemouth sea fret.
The sextet is on again in Hexham tonight (Saturday October 18). Not to be missed!
JC.
ps: The album is terrific!
1 comment :
Great gig in Hexham too. No hipsters in the audience. The only ice was wet, and was in the drinks.
Paul and the boys were on fine form. Being held in the Little Angel Cafe, rather than the Queen's Hall, there were one or two residual diners, who continued to talk through the music. No punches thrown though! Luckily for the rest of us, they left before the second set.
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