Darlington Jazz Festival: Darlington Big Band - May 2

Tony Eales reports

Bebop Spoken Here’s County Durham correspondent likes big bands, he likes Darlington, so it was a no-brainer to send our man along to Darlington and Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club on the first night of this year’s Darlington Jazz Festival. TE reports a very large turnout, far more than usual at this weekly big band session. Clearly, the word had got out, there’s a festival going on in Darlington!

TE’s highlights included Richie Emmerson’s tenor playing on What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? trumpeter Bill Watson featuring on Benny Golson’s I Remember Clifford and bass trombonist Chris Hibbard’s reading of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.

The Darlington Jazz Festival continues this evening (Thursday 3rd) with Matt Roberts’ workshop in Crown Street Library (registration at 5:30 for 6:00pm) and tomorrow night Roberts’ stonkingly good sextet will tear it up playing a Kenny Dorham set at the Voodoo Café (8:30 doors, 9:00pm first set). For full details visit: darlingtonjazzfestival.co.uk

Russell