Moonlight Saving Time @ Jazz Café – June 30

Emily Wright (vocals); Nick Dover (tenor sax); Dale Hambridge (keyboards); Will Harris (bass); Mark Whitlam (drums)

(Review by Steve H)

It’s not often that an indoors gig can be affected by adverse weather conditions but the tropical temperatures in Newcastle on Tuesday night resulted in many absentees from this very fine concert.  However, the Bristol Based Quintet, led by Emily Wright, couldn’t have been more magnanimous towards the select audience celebrating those in attendance rather than bemoaning the stayaways.

The bulk of the music was from MST’s forthcoming album Meeting at Night but there were also a couple of tunes from their previous eponymous EP. Many of the lyrics are either written or inspired by Wright’s family. The opener, Clouds, penned by her poet father; Arthur’s Dance, originally a lullaby for her new born nephew and Silence Is Here, inspired by her mother’s garden. Although the music revolves around Emily’s eclectic vocals the rest of the band really do the biz. A special mention should go to Nick Dover, playing his first gig with the band, gelling with the 3 guys from that well known firm of solicitors, Hambridge , Whitlam  and Harris. The music, which swung from hard driving contemporary jazz to almost folksy ballads, was encapsulated by the interpretations of the last 2 songs of the evening Chic Corea’s Open Your Eyes and You Can Fly and Calvin Harris’s Not Alone. A very enjoyable evening from a delightful set of people who had that rare ability to make everyone feel good about themselves.
Steve H.