Hannabiell Sanders (trombone, percussion), Mercedes Philips (sax, percussion), Luke Gaul (guitar), James Robson (bass), Joe Hawke (drums), Yilis Suriel (percussion), Mark Barfoot (percussion).
(Review by Steve T)
Sunday nights in out of the way places seem to be becoming as commonplace as elongated reviews, swipes at mass media pop icons and imbibing, a splendid word that's slipped into my own personal parole, courtesy Mr Edis senior.
The Trimdons: Village, Colliery and Station are part of the old coal-mining community in County Durham and this was the closing event of Trimfest, an eleven-day 'celebration of art, music and cultures from across the world', funded by Gem Arts and the lottery.
The club official who introduced the band guessed we weren't in for Whiskey in the Jar - only from the bar - but promised 'Afro-Caribbean and Latin percussion, Jazz, Afro-beat and reggae' wondering out loud 'God knows what that is'.
Stage cluttered with more percussion than Keith Moon had onstage completely out of his reach (oops, there I go again), part of a hefty rhythm section with a guitar uncompromisingly set to 'heavy'.
A lively, chatty, charismatic leader, seriously impressive on trombone and percussion, and an amazing saxophonist with real feel for Jazz, repeated solos never becoming boring, great horn section work with the leader and terrific exchanges with the guitar.
It could have slipped into 'streets of brass' but never did, because of the level of musicianship, including people who know how to play percussion and aren't just banging away at something while resting their first instrument, solid fusion style bass and Santanaesque guitar.
Featuring all original material, the highlight for me was Pacos Funk.
Wah wah guitar, Mark Barfoot slapping his djembe like ' Master' Henry Gibson with Curtis Mayfield, pumping hot bass-line, horns in unison then sax slipped into solo, 'Master' Mark upping the pressure, guitar solo continuing a tradition of rock guitar in funk going back to Eddie Hazel (Funkadelic), Ernie Isley and Drac (Slave).
The horns came back in behind the solo, the whole band 'cookin' and the audience of well over forty 100% attentive, clapping along and cheering and whooping at the end.
They're a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic band, mostly former students of Newcastle University and led by the ever energetic Hannabiell, with a PHD in Protest Culture, which gives their album its name.
As multi-culturalism seeps through the farthest reaches of Britain, expect to see them at the most unlikely places. She's on a mission to save the world with music and who's to say she won't succeed.
Steve T.
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