Paul Edis Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club - August 20

Paul Edis (piano), Andy Champion (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Francis Tulip (guitar)

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch).

Hello. Is that London’s world-famous jazz club?

Yes. How can I help you?

I know it sold out weeks ago, but, do you have any returns for tonight’s concert?

You’re in luck. We’ve just had a pair of tickets returned to the box office.

Great! I’ll take them.

That’ll be £25 per ticket plus our usual exorbitant booking fee.

That’s fine, it’s worth it to hear the Paul Edis Trio!

Meanwhile, ‘up north’, Blaydon Jazz Club secured the booking of the Paul Edis Trio for a modest fee, and the Black Bull faithful turned out, willingly paying the modest admission charge, knowing they were in for a treat. The trio was in full rehearsal mode long before the audience arrived. New material was to be premiered here on Tyneside, London would have to wait.

Whiskers for starters. Swift it was. Pianist Paul Edis subsequently apologised to Andy Champion and Russ Morgan, suggesting it was ‘a bit mean’ calling it as a first number! Edis added, ‘I knew they could do it’. The ‘whiskers’ referred, by way of Ellington, to Morgan’s brushes. Masterful. The new, and new-ish material, went down well; Snakes and Ladders, compositions inspired by Tyne and Wear’s light railway Metro network - The Coast and The Long Way Round - and It Ain’t Broke, a bluesy, lazy swing-feel chart recalling Ray Bryant or Junior Mance with bassist Champion taking a superb solo (nothing new there) and a round of fours taking it out. A Night in Tunisia raced along, the commissioned For Kathleen and Lucky took it down before Edis chose to close the set with the apposite Relentless. It was. Terrific.

Blaydon’s ‘best of jazz’ policy received the thumbs up from all present. The second set couldn’t be any better, could it? You Stepped Out of a Dream, Falling In Love with Love. Brilliant piano playing, and on the latter number (Rodgers and Hammerstein), Morgan, a most musical drummer, crafted a fine solo. From time to time a guest will be invited to sit-in on a couple of numbers. Well, an Early Bird alumnus was in the house. Currently studying at Birmingham Conservatoire, guitarist Francis Tulip joined the trio to play Alone Together (Schwartz and Dietz) and Blue Monk. 

Tulip, standing on the floor in front of the compact stage, ran through the changes with consummate ease on the first number and on Monk’s standard the augmented trio exchanged solos for fun. Tulip certainly didn’t out stay his welcome. Bandleader Edis suggested Donna Lee. Tulip: Yeah. Great, party time! The thrill of four top-class players tearing it up, just like that! It was time to go, but not before the Paul Edis Trio closed proceedings with the bandleader’s When All is Said and Done. Top class jazz on Tyneside, just the job.  

Russell

Hello. Is that Blaydon Jazz Club?

Yes.

When are you going to book the Paul Edis Trio again?

Well, you can hear the trio working with Vasilis Xenopoulos on October 22nd.

Vas who?

Xenopoulos. He’s a London-based tenor player.

Oh. Can I book in advance?

No, just pay on the door, but do arrive early as a full house is anticipated.

Right, I’ll be there.

Blaydon Photos.