DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival: Haircut, Wash & Dry - June 3

(Review by Russell)

One of the attractions of DJazz is the use of quirky Durham City locations as festival venues. The unexpected and unusual spark interest; Durham Castle, for example, Empty Shop is anything but empty and disused, and then there is a barber’s shop and a launderette. Sunday’s schedule at the festival hub in Fowler’s Yard ran from noon ’til late with some choosing to base themselves there for the duration. Others, including your BSH correspondent, attempted to catch performances, or part performances, at other venues. This meant departing midway through Niffi Osiyemi’s set with the firm intention of returning to catch some of Stu Collingwood’s set (see Fowler’s Yard review).

A stroll over Framwellgate Bridge, up North Road, turn into Neville Street and a few doors up the festival’s smallest venue was open for business. The Barber of Neville offers a haircut, of course,   art on the walls (printmaker Anja Percival), and a bar. During DJazz there is jazz at the Barber of Neville. It isn’t the biggest space – a duo, trio at best – and on the final day of this year’s sold out festival John Pope and Faye MacCalman set up in the shop window to play two short sets.

Sporting a crew cut, double bassist John Pope would later pay a visit to the launderette – more on that later – but for now he stood alongside Faye MacCalman (tenor sax and clarinet) to play a few numbers by some of their favourite composers including Billy Bang’s Nothing But Love, JuJu from Wayne Shorter’s all-star 60s outfit, and the title track from Thelonious Monk’s 1962 album Monk’s Dream. The interval provided an opportunity to slip away and head over to Empty Shop to catch a set by the Durham University Jazz Soc Septet. A review will follow, however, it seems sensible to skip ahead to Alan Glen’s Old Cinema Launderette gig because John Pope was also on that gig!

Hot foot from the barbershop. John Pope teamed up once again with Paul Wight to support pianist Alan Glen at the Old Cinema Launderette in Gilesgate Moor. BSH caught up with Maestro Glen at the midway point in the cycle. Sorry! The venue is a working launderette (see photo…Daz, Persil!), although on the evening no one was washing their smalls, during the day customers sit in front of the machines, this evening they were sitting right in front of Messrs Glen, Pope and Wight. ‘Hello’ to Paul Wight, and ‘hello’ to Alan Glen. JP was out front taking the air.

The second set: typical Glen, no announcements, simply play the tune and let the music (modern jazz) speak for itself. Fresh from his earlier duo gig, JP focused on Glen’s setlist, drummer Wight excelled in his use of brushes (at a lick when called upon), the bass and drums partnership more than up to the job of accompanying Alan Glen. Someday My Prince Will Come, Rollin’ Sid and All Blues were at the heart of a fine performance and at the end of the cycle, sorry, evening, the Old Cinema Launderette patrons showed their appreciation.   

Russell