Paul Edis Sextet @ Gosforth Jazz Club - April 13

Paul Edis (piano), Graeme Wilson (tenor saxophone & flute), Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn), Chris Hibbard (trombone), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Adam Sinclair (drums)

(Review by Russell/photos courtesy of Ken Drew (b & w) and Jerry E)

Gosforth Jazz Club. Gosforth where? you say. Yes, a new venture in the leafy suburb of Gosforth. As you come out of Regent Centre Metro station it's a right turn, enter Gosforth Civic Theatre, you have reached your destination. 
Don’t you mean Gosforth Civic Hall? Well, yes, but Austerity Times dictate that a once proud publicly owned amenity is now a ‘social enterprise’, hence Gosforth Civic Theatre. Tonight’s attraction: the Paul Edis Sextet.
Back in the day Gosforth Civic Hall (as was) presented a number of jazz concerts including a USA superstar in the form of Jay McShann. To the present – a north east supergroup was invited to play at Gosforth Jazz Club’s inaugural event. Of late, little has been heard of the Paul Edis Sextet. They are busy people involved in myriad projects; gigging, touring, teaching, recording. Bandleader Paul Edis decided ‘Now’s the time’. The set list opened and closed with familiar material – Administrate This and Angular with a couple of new tunes at the heart of the set. The book-enders feature Adam Sinclair’s imperious in-the-pocket groove. It must be like riding a bicycle, he didn’t forget.

Mr Hipster to Missing You, the latter featuring Graham Hardy on flugel, to a blowing Blues for Dad to The Timothys, the sextet picked up where it left off. Tenor (and flute!) master magician/musician Graeme Wilson drove down from Edinburgh to play the gig and the boys in the band were happy to play a new Wilson chart titled Brand New Mountain. The composer laid down the first solo followed by Edis at GCT’s piano, the sextet effortlessly in and out of swing-time sections. Edis introduced a new tune of his own – Muddle Through. Anything but a muddle, anything but a struggle for the Paul Edis Sextet. Further dates are in the diary, it’s only a matter of time before NYC is on the itinerary.

Gosforth Jazz Club is up and running. Stay tuned to BSH for news of the next concert.  

Russell.