(Review by Russell).
Trumpeter Laura Jurd returned to Tyneside to play a
gig at Sage Gateshead. The girl was impressed with the place. It’s really nice Newcastle…have I got that
wrong? enquired an embarrassed
bandleader. Stop digging she told
herself. Jurd couldn’t claim geography as a strong suit, but, with sincerity, praised
Sage Gateshead’s unparallelled facilities.
The trumpeter’s core working band – Elliot Galvin
(keyboards), Conor Chaplin (bass) and drummer Corrie Dick – was in the groove
from the off.
An fx filtered horn straight out of Bitches Brew-era Miles heard
Laura Run the Voodoo Down. This was Opening
Sequence from Jurd’s Human Spirit project, the electric Miles signature
sound, interrupted abruptly but temporarily by Gil Evans’ late ’50s
orchestrations until once more being thrust into a barren fx winter landscape. Seb Swing – a nod to Seb the Polar Bear
– featured the always excellent Corrie Dick. Happy Sad Song and Hardanger gave
space to pianist Elliot Galvin and bassist Conor Chaplin. The pianist filled
the space with many notes, the bassist stood his ground as the minimalist
engine room fulcrum. Finnland, with two‘t’s said Jurd, was the set
closer, quickly correcting herself: With
two ‘n’s. So, the girl can’t spell, geography isn’t a strength, it’s just
as well she can play the trumpet!
Laura Jurd’s Dinosaur: Laura Jurd (trumpet & fx),
Elliot Galvin (keyboards), Conor Chaplin (bass) & Corrie Dick (drums)
Earlier the Early Bird Band opened as the support act
to Laura Jurd. The teenage sextet of Saturday morning workshop students has
come a long way in a short time. Assembled by pianist Paul Edis, coached and
encouraged to write material, this Sage Gateshead concert performance hit new
heights. Bassist Dan Lawrence wrote A
Jazz Musician Always Lies. He and his band mates played it and played it
well. Guitarist Francis Tulip writes material too – Effortless Presence, Blues
for Big Steve and Ballad for Mr GW. Three tunes worthy of being heard in
such a prestigious setting. Drummer Matt MacKellar transcribed Late Spring, a number often associated
with the Jazz Messengers, so, it was, perhaps, fitting that MacKellar was dressed
as if auditioning as Art Blakey’s successor. Sartorially and musically he would
probably have been offered the job! The Early Birds went out on an absolute
corker. A Radiohead inspired re-write – Everything
in its Wrong Place – fizzed and crackled, and best of all, they nailed the
ending!
Russell.
The Early Bird Band: Ben Lawrence (trumpet), Nick
Caughey (tenor saxophone), Andrew Hedges (trombone), Francis Tulip (guitar),
Dan Lawrence (bass guitar) & Matt MacKellar (drums) + Paul Edis (piano).
2 comments :
What's this 'the girl' all about
Mr.PC
I refer you to an earlier review - Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Dec 19 - 'the brass boys'.
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