Ntshuks Bonga (alto & soprano sax); George Burt (guitar); Andy Champion (bass).
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
This was the first occasion that these 3 musicians had played together, by the end of the evening anyone in the enthralled audience unaware of this fact might have thought they had been playing together for years. The collective improvisation was a marvel each member of the trio seemed to be able to react and build upon what their partners had just been playing.
Champion, fresh from headlining the North East Chilli Festival the night before with his soul-funk band Smoove & Turrell was on fire not only using the bow to great effect but also employing the double bass as a very effective instrument of percussion.
Burt was captivating, playing every style that seemed to be possible on a guitar although I’m sure that changing a string in the middle of a piece was probably not part of the plan.
Bonga moved seamlessly between soprano and alto providing a constant stream of fascinating sounds and rhythms from both instruments. However, despite the individual skill of each musician, it was the sum of the parts which made this JNE gig such an enjoyable and uplifting experience.
Steve H.
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