Noel Dennis (trumpet & flugelhorn), Paul Edis (keyboards), Andy Champion (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell/photos courtesy of Roly & Jerry)
The year is 1966…Miles Davis, discarding his mute, addresses the audience…
That was ‘Blue in Green’. We’ve come to our last number this evening, but first…Herbie Hancock [applause], Ron Carter [applause] and Tony Williams [applause]. We hope you have enjoyed your evening here at the Blue Note, we’ll leave you with ‘Now’s the Time’.
The following day’s New York Times: Miles Davis – triumphant at the Blue Note!
The year is 2016…Noel Dennis, discarding his mute, addresses the audience…
That was ‘Blue in Green’. We’ve come to our last number this evening, but first…Paul Edis [applause], Andy Champion [applause] and Russ Morgan [applause]. We hope you have enjoyed your evening here at the Black Bull, we’ll leave you with ‘Now’s the Time’.
The following day’s Chronicle: Noel Dennis – triumphant at the Black Bull!
One of the great trumpet players was in town last night co-leading a band with one of the great piano players. Working with a dream team bass and drums pairing made this one of the memorable nights in the history of the club. For three decades and more thousands of jazz fans have made the pilgrimage to listen to the finest musicians on the scene at one of the legendary venues. Yes, Blaydon Jazz Club knocks the Blue Note into a cocked pork pie hat!
Forget the East River, forget the Hudson, the Black Bull covers the waterfront at Blaydon on Tyne. Perched on high, looking out over the Tyne, the Tyne Valley commuter railway below brushing past the terrace, the sounds of jazz ride the still summer air. The sound of Beautiful Love. Noel Dennis plays jazz at the Black Bull. Lyrical, endlessly inventive, the Teessider returning to the Bridge Street venue – a simple blackboard at the door read Sun. Jazz. 8pm – to renew acquaintance with club impresario Roly Vietch.
Grab a blank sheet of paper. Write down the names of your fantasy quartet. It won’t ever happen, just for fun, you understand:
Trumpet/flugelhorn…Noel Dennis ✓
Piano…Paul Edis ✓
Double bass…Andy Champion ✓
Drums…Russ Morgan ✓
Roly Veitch: How about a hand for the boys in the band? On trumpet and flugelhorn… Noel Dennis [applause], on piano…Paul Edis [applause], Andy Champion, double bass [applause] and Russ Morgan, drums [applause].
Tom Harrell featured – Dennis doesn’t do other than choice material. Little Dancer and Moon Alley to start, Edis’ piano solo on the latter setting the early pace. There would be more Harrell later. There is no Greater Love (Dennis, trumpet) and My Funny Valentine (Dennis, flugelhorn). The first set closer – Nostalgia in Time Square – bridled; Mingus’ rumbling masterwork veering from restrained opening statement to careering solos, first trumpet then piano.
Love for Sale opened the second set. A funk, behind the beat trumpet, rim-shot rhythmic pulse, a different take on a standard. Wayne Shorter’s Fe Fi Fo Fum, Harrell’s Sail Away (Dennis, flugelhorn) bossa style. And then there was Blue in Green. Morgan’s brushes, a muted Miles Davis/Noel Dennis leading a round of solos (Edis, then Champion). It really doesn’t get any better than this. Dennis thanked Veitch for putting on the gig and keeping the jazz flame burning at the Black Bull. The Noel Dennis-Paul Edis Quartet went out on Now’s the Time. Andy Champion wielded the bow to put the New Yorkers in their place (that’s on bended knee) and Russ Morgan’s whirlwind solo swept through a stunned 52nd Street. Hear that? It’s NYC’s drumming fraternity running for cover, later to be found in their loft studios wood-shedding ’til dawn. The jazz flame burns brightly in Blaydon.
Russell.
Photos.
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