Nikki Iles – piano; Stan
Sulzmann - Tenor Saxophone; Pete Turner
– Bass; Luke Flowers - Drums
(Review by Hugh C/Photo courtesy of Stu Taylor of Credere Media).
It
was with strains of Gabriel Fauré's In Paradisum from the evening's
performance of his Requiem by
the Festival Chorus and Orchestra that I ascended from the Abbey itself via the
Late Night Stairs to the Great Hall in an adjoining building. Comfortable chairs were set out in neat rows
with a few early bird punters already seated prior to the official opening time
of 10pm. Members of the festival chorus
and orchestra, bow ties loosened or removed headed, justifiably, to the well-stocked
bar. The gig was scheduled for a 10.30
start. In the absence of a convenient
green room Nikki Iles and Stan Sulzmann were seated patiently to one side,
adjacent to the piano, talking; Pete Turner was checking his bass and amplification
system and Luke Flowers using the drum stool as a silent practise pad.
The
Late Night Jazz session was something of a coup for Festival co-director Martin
Hughes who had managed to persuade Nikki Iles that Hexham was only slightly
further North than Scarborough where the Quartet had played a lunchtime gig
that afternoon at the Jazz Festival. The
move was repaid with a near capacity crowd of approximately one hundred
souls. As is often the case in these
circumstances the front row of seats on each side was empty and I was able to
pick the best seat in the house. This
also meant I was in a position to have a brief word with Nikki and Stan before
the gig.
At
10.30, as scheduled, the band took their places in the performance space (no
stage) at the end of the hall. A quality
Kawai piano, lid raised, awaited Iles fingertips. A microphone placed over the piano strings
did not appear to be working – all the better, perhaps. Apart from the bass mic, the band played
completely unplugged and were richly rewarded by the resonant acoustic of the
room.
The
Quartet opened with Kenny Werner's Compensation. Sulzmann's full tenor sound dominated initially
followed by solos from Iles' piano and Turner's bass. This sequence more or less set the pattern
for the evening. Come Rain or Come
Shine followed, beautifully delivered by Sulzmann's mellow tenor. Drummer Luke Flowers (depping for the
advertised Dave Walsh, who was unable to make the gig due to ill health) was
allowed off the leash during this number in short bursts, interspersed by
melodic ensemble playing, a very effective form of drum solo, I find. The announcements between tracks were shared
between Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles. It
was now Nikki's turn to announce that the next number was from Gershwin's Porgy
and Bess: “My Man's Gone Now” drew
an audible “ahhhh” from the audience – to which Sulzmann immediately quipped “Good
riddance!” Solo piano commenced the
number with progressive addition of selected bass notes and a rhythmic tapping
on the cymbal using the base of the brush handle and finally we were away with
the quartet in full swing.
After
a short interval allowing replenishment of glasses we were treated to Too
Young to Go Steady - equally applicable to all members of the band, as Stan
Sulzmann wryly observed. During this
piece we were treated to an exposition of New Orleans style, second line
drumming. This was followed by Nobody
Else but Me, allegedly the last tune written by Jerome Kern. A fine extended bass solo from Pete Turner during
this piece. We were now nearing the
witching hour when the licence declared NO MUSIC! There ensued some discussion as to what the
quartet would finish with. Body and
Soul was suggested; a few valedictory words from Festival co-director,
Martin Hughes thanked the band and the audience and then we were off into a
rip-roaring Ladies in Mercedes (Steve Swallow) - short solos all round, Sulzmann pointing at
drummer, Luke Flowers to remind Nikki Iles to leave him a bit of space. And then it was all over, a fantastic
evening: short, but very sweet –
fine musicians, and such nice people too!
Hugh C.
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