Philip Clouts (pno); Tom Ward (alt/sop); Tim Fairhall (bs); Dave Ingamells (dms).
(Review by Lance/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley.).
The streets were awash with Draculas, Frankensteins, Ghouls, Wizards and Witches - the children too were dressed for the occasion which of course was Halloween.
No such frippery at the Jazz Café - the Werewolf was well and truly kept from the door.
Fortunately, the Philip Clouts Quartet were allowed through the portals en route to Carnegie Hall (Dunfermline).
Apart from leader Clouts, the personnel differed from that on their impressive CD The Hour of the Pearl although much of the material played was from that album, an album inspired by a passage from Steinbeck's Cannery Row - "It is the hour of the pearl--the interval between day and night when time stops and examines itself."
However, I digress. The music was varied and never less than compelling. The compositions were all by Clouts who played powerful piano coaxing the best out of the 87.5 keys on the upright. At times he reminded me of Cecil Taylor but that may have been due to the idiosyncrasies of the beast he was taming. Maybe Mike, in the time honoured Jazz Club owner tradition, will offer to get it painted!
Tom Ward excelled on both alto and soprano, Tim Fairhill proved to be a rock on bass and impressive on his occasional solo flights ,whilst Dave Ingamells gave a display that told us his graduation from Guildhall (a First) was no fluke and likewise his Yamaha Scholarship award. At 24, fame and fortune await him. Alternatively he may continue a career in jazz.
Clef Mona, apart from its multi-inspirational sources ie Flamenco/European Folk/African etc., also had some additional effects from the Espresso machine!
On West Hill had a gospel flavour - didn't know whether to clap or to yell "Hallelujah"! Dreamy Driving was cool as was Walking in Starlight - dedicated to Nigerian activist and multi-instrumentalist the late Fela Kuti.
The final Flamingo-ing was calypsotic with a tension building climax that left me breathless. The audience demanded more and got it.
Just time to catch the Metro.
Well, as it turned out, like in Cannery Row and The Hour of the Pearl, time had indeed stopped and examined itself at Central Station where delays on The Metro (Tyneside's 'Rapid Transport System') meant an additional 20 minutes wait before the last train arrived - possibly a Broomstick had broken down.
But this was but a minor irritant (like the noisy revellers) totally eclipsed by the evening's music.
Catch the quartet in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and other kilted communities including the aforementioned Carnegie Hall.
Lance.
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