Paul Jones-Mick Donnelly Quintet: Paul Jones (alto saxophone), Sue Ferris (tenor saxophone & flute), Stuart Collingwood (keyboards), Anth Ord (bass) & Adrian Tilbrook (drums)
(Review
by Russell)
The twelfth
annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival opened with the Paul Jones-Mick
Donnelly Quintet. The line-up wasn’t quite as anticipated. Mick Donnelly
(tenor) begged leave of absence to give his services to a high profile charity
event, thus a last minute dep was sought. Sue Ferris – damsel to the rescue –
stepped into the breach. The band’s bass player – Neil Harland – was
unavailable, so, one of the new generation of north east jazz musicians got the
job, Mr Anth Ord. Not quite a scratch band, how would they fare?
The quintet’s
audience included the Festival Big Band (an ensemble comprising some of the
north east’s finest young musicians) and first time visitors to Sunderland, Altrincham Grammar School Union ! Truly great tenor
playing. American star names – past or present – would have been left trailing.
Sandu followed. We weren’t aware that
Ferris had merely been warming up; more absolutely killing tenor saxophone! Peri’s-Scope – guess what? Ferris did it
again! Mick who?
Stevie Wonder, The Song is You, a Sonny Rollins’
calypso… pianist Stuart Collingwood threw in a couple of solos, Jones again,
Anth Ord (on the money all night) did a grand job and Adrian Tilbrook (drums)
was in fine form throughout.
The Festival Big Band performed
material developed over several months in workshops led by Bill Watson. Catch As Catch Can, The Londonderry Air and Blue Skies. A varied programme
showcasing, in particular, a nine-strong saxophone section, deservedly won
applause. Bill Bailey featured a
sixty four bar reeds intro. Watson appeared satisfied, the audience liked it.
Pianist Alice Buhaenko premiered a her
composition – The Festival Overture –
with, in parts, a Spanish feel to it. Trombonist Hugh Morris is an arranger – composer and arranger are definitely
ones to watch out for.
Festival guests Altrincham Grammar School for Boys Swing
Band closed the first night of this year’s Great North Big Band Jazz
Festival. The boys are making a weekend of it; participating in a Saturday
morning workshop and on Sunday they will be taking part in the schools’ section
of the competition. This Friday evening short set introduced a band
well-schooled by MD Colin Myers. Adrien Re, Sammy Nestico and Pharrell Williams
– three markedly different composers – put the spotlight on the band’s
sections. Trumpets (all six of them) impressed and Sam Myers stood up for
the trombones. Happy, Williams’ tune
of the year (was it 2013? 2014?), concluded a polished performance. The boys
are sure to enjoy the weekend – win, lose or draw. Note: Mick Donnelly will be
back (in tandem with Paul Jones) on Saturday and Sunday to act as competition
adjudicator. Russell.
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