GIJF Day Three: A couple of Duos on The Concourse

Dean Stockdale (pno); Neil Harland (bs).
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Ken Drew).

I'd just had my mind blown by "The Cookers" and this was the ideal balm to bring me, if not down to Earth, at least within safe landing distance. I only caught the last three tunes that Dean and Neil laid down but it was enough to reveal what a class act these two are - Triste, Funky Mama and Oh Lady be Good. Catch Dean & Neil, along with James Birkett & Paul Smith at the Black Bull, Blaydon next Sunday evening April 19, 8.pm).

Belinda Voshtina (vcl); Ian Simpson (gtr).

Another lady who was good (very) was Belinda Voshtina. A faultless performance that showed just how much she's advanced in the months (maybe longer) since I last heard her. That she made such an impression on the acoustically challenging vastness of the Concourse and accompanied only by Ian Simpson (another whose star is rising rapidly) says much for her standing in the seemingly overcrowded world of girl vocalists.

With Simpson's ever sympathetic guitar gently weeping, Belinda gave us a magical half hour that began with George Delaras' Una Moneda Le Di sung in Spanish - not many nightingales open with that one, at least not in Gateshead - and continued with Oh What a Beautiful Morning â la Ray Charles, Lush Life, New Day, Yellow Moon and Bound For Glory.

Nice one.
Lance.