Matt MacKellar Trio with Julija Jacenaite @ Empty Shop - August 13

Joel Brown (keyboards), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Matt MacKellar (drums) with Julija Jacenaite (vocals)

(Review by Russell)

A mid-August late Sunday afternoon gig at Durham’s Empty Shop. Would anyone show up? The first floor speakeasy with its paint-splattered mix and match tables and chairs, floorboards and a minimalist lighting rig, slowly but surely filled up with a mix and match audience of regulars, jazz musicians (established and emerging) and first time visitors. The band, fronted by vocalist Julija Jacenaite, made a first visit to Durham, and in so doing said farewell to a young man destined to perform at the world’s great jazz venues.

Lithuanian born, Newcastle resident, Julija Jacenaite is a welcome addition to the north east’s A- list of, almost exclusively, female jazz singers. Misty, All of Me, a premiere of a Jacenaite-penned number titled By the River, our vocalist worked hard to generate a late night jazz club atmosphere in a sun-dappled, white wall room. Summertime (note to BSH Editor, calm your apoplexy!) given a new treatment with a drum ‘n’ bass/funk groove worked surprisingly well as Jacenaite’s energetic, dynamic performance engaged the audience. JJ never gives less than 100%, immersing herself, body and soul, in the tune at hand. None better than Angel Eyes, a drama played out before our very eyes. The boys in the band (‘boys’ being an accurate description of two young men making a name for themselves – pianist Joel Brown, 17, and drummer Matt MacKellar, 18) were given more than enough space to do their thing. Joel improvises a solo for fun, frequently glancing at the man at the helm, Mr Paul Grainger, seeking reassurance, and receiving it.  A smiling PG indicates that all is well. To our bassist’s left, Matt had everything covered and, for good measure, knocked out a superb solo on There Will Never Be Another You.

The Steam Machine Brewing Co has established a summer-long tap takeover at Empty Shop. The new (retro) thing, beer in a can, was on offer. It’s enough to make you drink pink lemonade!

A Mood Indigo like you’ve never heard before featured a Joel Brown intro and JB soloed on A Train as only he can. Wave introduced a Latin element to the set, and Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love – Julija inquired if any rock fans were in the house…surprisingly few hands went up – kind of rocked out. By way of contrast, How High the Moon? refocused on the jazz with bassist Grainger grabbing a solo. The audience demanded an encore. Julija’s whispered intro to What a Wonderful World put the world to rights on a sunny Durham afternoon.                   

The young man destined for great things, Matt MacKellar, is heading to Berklee in a matter of days. We wish him well, and he is sure to return to play a few gigs during, as his American friends would say, ‘vacation’. Bon voyage!

Russell.