Darlington Jazz Festival: Matt Roberts Sextet plays the music of Nat Adderley. April 22

Matt Roberts (trumpet), George Grant (alto saxophone), Leo Richardson (tenor saxophone), Sam Watts (piano), Simon Read (double bass) & Dave Ingamells (drums)

(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Shaune Eland.)

Darlington’s Matt Roberts returned from his London base to make his now customary big contribution to the Darlington Jazz Festival. This year’s event, the fifth, featured a superb sextet assembled by the amiable trumpeter. The Leeds College of Music graduate made a few calls – some of them to fellow LCoM alumni – and the band that turned up on Friday evening at the Voodoo Café played a gig that will forever live in the memory.

Last year Matt Roberts played the music of Fats Navarro, this year, Nat Adderley. Six of the best musicians to be found anywhere on the British jazz scene were at it from the down beat. Tenor man Leo Richardson tore the place apart on the opener Movin’. The crowd – a standing room only affair – whooped and hollered. Every solo, all night long, cheered to the rafters. 52nd Street is but in the imagination for most, this gig at the Voodoo Café on Skinnergate surely captured something of how it was back then.

Altoist George Grant, teased by Roberts for being in semi-retirement at thirty-something (in reality a heavy teaching commitment restricting his gigging opportunities), did just as Richardson did – he tore the place apart. Then there was Roberts, he did the same thing.

Blue Brass Groove, Little Joanie Walks (slow burning alto, walking talking bass playing by Simon Read) and a New Orleans’ marching groove with Richardson’s incendiary solo on The Popeye. Pianist Sam Watts played another blinder here at the festival. Drummer Dave Ingamells drove the band a lá Art Blakey, generating such levels of excitement that some of the more senior members of the audience were, perhaps, in danger of a cardiac arrest! Sister Caroline, Stoney Island and Bohemia After Dark maintained the momentum across two sets. More? Dizzy’s Business, Fun, Games, tune after tune. Of course the Matt Roberts Sextet finished with Work Song. Perfect.

All seats taken, any number stood at the back and down the sides of the room with a pint in hand A noticeable feature of the Darlington Jazz Festival is the level of support shown by other musicians and this gig on Skinnergate was no different. The gig was staffed by a group of young volunteers. Musicians themselves, they ran the show and did a great job. One day some of them will follow in the footsteps of Matt Roberts. Easy going, obliging, Roberts is a cracking trumpet player. Gig of the year? You bet! Next year, Matt Roberts plays the music of…

Russell.