Steve Glendinning (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Joel Brown (piano); Abbie Finn (drums); Beth Roberts (alto); Matthew MacKellar (drums); Francis Tulip (guitar).
(Review by Lance).
The numbers may have been down on and off stage (Easter hols?) but the quality on stage was most definitely up.
Steve Glendinning, this week's, host, got the ball rolling with It Could Happen to You; God Bless the Child and All the Things You Are. Guitar sounded good as did bass, for whom it would be a long night, and drums, for whom it would be a short night!
"Any jammers in?" asked Steve.
There were in the form of Joel Brown and Abbie Finn. The two took their places at piano and drums respectively and, before you knew it, we were 500 Miles High in North East Corea.
These two young musicians are wonderful examples of the talent emerging on the jazz scene in all of our major cities with Newcastle being no exception.
In a Sentimental Mood and Stella by Starlight followed, both played to perfection with Joel and Abbie displaying a maturity that belied their years and which matched that of elder statesmen Steve and Paul.
The young blood continued to course through the veins as Francis Tulip took over from Steve and Berklee bound Matt replaced Abbie. Paul's quest for a bass player to give him a spell. however, fell on stony ground.
Like Someone in Love kept the standard high and when Beth Roberts brandished her alto on Work Song and the appropriately titled Ladybird it was maintained.
Interval and time to recharge the gluten free bottles of Grainger Ale before we were off again with Just Friends. Joel, Steve, Paul and Abbie doing the necessary. The smiles on the faces of Paul and Steve showed just how happy they were with the injection of youth on the stand.
Nica's Dream and Darn That Dream were just beautiful. Beth and Francis returned for Now's the Time and Moonlight in Vermont. No guitarist in the world will ever better the late Johnny Smith's solo on the latter tune but tonight young Francis ran him pretty close!
Quite a night!
Lance.
Photos.
Quite a night!
Lance.
Photos.
1 comment :
What a session! Superb playing by all. Joel, Francis, Matt, Abbie and Beth. The 'veteran' house trio did canny too. Were it not for the fact that the drum kit was Rob's, he could've gone home early! Let's see a young bass player or two at the session - PG worked non stop.
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