Paul Edis & Graham Hardy @ The Jazz Café. September 19

Paul Edis (piano) & Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn)

(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley).

It was busy in town; an Indian summer’s day, the Toon stung by the Hornets, university hopefuls by the thousand visiting our seats of learning and staying over, South Tyneside rockers the Wildhearts packing out the Academy. The ‘jazz institute’ on Pink Lane, the Jazz Café that is, offered a free course in the art of jazz playing. Lecturers Paul Edis and Graham Hardy were gratified to see their ‘students’ made the effort to be in attendance, some taking notes!

This was, of course, another duo concert performance at the Jazz Café. Pianist Paul Edis teamed up with dapper brass man Graham Hardy (see photograph). Saturday evenings in the Caff are intimate affairs; just the two of them and their audience. Brotherhood of Man and Black and Tan Fantasy (Hardy muted) opened the programme. A couple of originals followed – You Talkin’ to Me? (this one would have come in useful later in the evening) and Boot Tree Blues (referencing Heaton Park’s community arts creation). Pianist Edis, as usual, got the best out of the house upright Hyundai and Hardy reminded us why he is an in demand brass player, equally adept on flugelhorn as trumpet.

Kenny Wheeler’s For Jan, with a waltz-like feel, featured flugelhorn (the late Canadian’s compositions have, of late, featured in set lists at several gigs). Audience numbers grew, the garrulous prominent amongst them, as the first set culminated with a brace of tunes – the first of which prompted the question ‘Who wrote it?’ Edis’ sheet music said M. Davis whereas Hardy’s indicated W. Shorter. Your reviewer sided with the latter. Late night post-gig research suggested the latter, Wayne Shorter. Oh, the tune…ESP. The musicianship of the highest order, the duo upped the ante on Parisian Thoroughfare. Superb playing, worth the admission charge, had there been one.

Second set the place was heaving. A minor expletive deleted spat between two patrons – a rare occurrence indeed – threatened to get out of hand. Oh, for De Niro’s one-liner! In time honoured fashion, the band played on. And how! Passion Dance heard playing as if commanded by the Axeman of Jazz! The ‘You lookin’ at me?’ stand off at the bar a long-forgotten side show, an Edis/Hardy arrangement of My Funny Valentine took a new look at the classic number – impressive! Edis at the Jazz Café wouldn’t be Edis without Monk and trumpeter Hardy was more than happy to comply – flat cap in place of pork pie (see photograph). JS Bach made it onto the set list; a two part invention (no.4). Fantastic! In an instant we had a trio of improvisers – Edis, Hardy and Bach. The Baroque in a bar on a Saturday night. To close, Edith Piaf. La Vie en Rose. Huge applause. ‘You lookin’ for jazz? You got it at the Jazz Café.

Earlier a short visit to the Vermont Hotel found the place doing good business. A seven o’clock engagement with Ruth Lambert in the company of Teessider Jeremy McMurray served as an aperitif. Some Where over the Rainbow as defined by Ms Lambert. Perched on a bar stool, pianist McMurray the sensitive accompanist at her side, Lambert’s love of the Gas Book evident. A mischievous hotel guest asked: Do you know any Nirvana? Of course, replied Lambert, but not on this occasion. An interval chat with the duo; rugger, football, cliff-hanging houses, grand pianos and Dolly Parton. Lambert and McMurray had to get back to work, the Jazz Café beckoned. Lover Man. Class at the Vermont.            

Russell