(Review by Russell)
Newcastle, rain. Twelve minutes later
(East Coast mainline train) Durham, rain. The organisers of this year's DJazz:
The Durham City Jazz Festival implemented a simple plan to abandon its outdoor
stage and move day two indoors. The recently completed Riverwalk complex
offered the ideal solution with two vacant shop units functioning as pop-up
alternatives, but first, a short walk up Saddler Street to keep an appointment
at Durham Castle.
The Norman chapel in Durham Castle is a simple, dimly lit, stone-built space. It would be difficult to make a
dungeon less inviting! Cellist Maja Bugge sat in front of her
congregation to perform a set of compositions/improvisations. The Norwegian
musician prefers site-specific venues in which she can respond to and work with
the acoustics. A set of some three-quarters of an hour engaged the crowded room
- how many of them would later go in search of some jazz?
DJazz evolved from the immensely
successful student-run jam sessions in the now disused Empty Shop venue on Framwellgate
Bridge. The adjacent Riverwalk development with its shops, pubs and restaurant
offered an alternative platform, one which Carlo, Nick, Heather and co embraced
with typical enthusiasm. Fittingly the Durham student band Jazz
Soctet opened the day's programme in the temporary DJazz Bar. The
eight-piece outfit presented a challenging programme - jam session material it
wasn't! - to which the full house gave its full attention.
Just around the corner from DJazz Bar
the Pop-Up was about to be shaken to its newly laid foundations. AKU! (pictured above) is
a three-piece assembly from Scotland. Festival publicity listed influences as
diverse as Sons of Kemet and Fela Kuti. If the 'hard-boiled' trio (that's how
AKU! describe themselves) are yet to check out these guys - The Hub, trio VD
and Taupe - they'd find fellow travellers. Punk-jazz, noise, skronk, from the
off AKU! went for the jugular. Killing stuff, brilliant musicianship, at one
point Harry Weir remarked he hoped it wasn't too loud. Pardon?
Some used ear-plugs (wimps!), this was a glorious assault on the senses.
We'll be hearing more, literally and metaphorically, from Harry
Weir (tenor sax, baritone sax, fx), Liam Shortall (trombone,
fx) and Graham Costello (drums).
Local hero Matt
MacKellar flew three thousand miles to play a gig at this year's DJazz
and the Pop-Up was full for this closing set of the afternoon. Currently
studying at Berklee, Boston, USA, Matt reunited with Ben Lawrence,
keyboards (a Durham Uni student!), Andy Champion, bass and
soul-jazz diva, Niffi Osiyemi, vocals. The Matt MacKellar Band's
gig earlier in the year up the road in Newcastle proved to be a revelation and
this Durham appearance offered further evidence of a cracking band thoroughly
enjoying itself. Neo-soul, nu-soul, label it how you like, Matt is currently
into all sorts and we got more of Robert Glasper, Moonchild etc. Friend and
fellow student Francis Tulip, guitar (Birmingham
Conservatoire) was in town and joined Matt on a couple of numbers. An
excellent set.
Late afternoon the rain finally
relented. Time to wander up to Redhills. Flass Street's student-occupied
flat-shares were sitting down to evening meals (of the liquid variety?)
in, one wonders, not-so-blissful ignorance of what was about to occur at the
top of the street. The Pitmen's Parliament opened its doors for a double bill
- Noize Choir and DJazz 2019 headliners Moses Boyd's
Exodus - which would surely attract a large crowd.
Newcastle based Noize Choir isn't yer
every day choral group. The name - 'Noize' - goes some way in describing what
the ensemble does. Is that a bird? Ah, running water...a steam train. Bizarre,
musically and visually, the only way to understand what Noize Choir can do is
go hear them!
Redhills filled up in anticipation of
the headline act, drummer Moses Boyd. Zara McFarlane, Binker and
Moses, anyone who had heard Boyd at Sage Gateshead or elsewhere had a good idea
what to expect...they weren't to be disappointed. Tenor sax, trombone, guitar
and keyboards joined Boyd on stage to play a one set performance of
approximately 75 minutes. Hip and happening yet conventional - solo, head, solo
(some of them lengthy) - this was Art Blakey driving the band 21st
century-style.
Artie Zaitz, guitar, stung as only a
Telecaster-toting axeman can and Boyd made full use of his talents. Tenor sax
and trombone soloed, occasionally outstaying their welcome although, it should
be said, the Pitmen's Parliament passed a motion overwhelmingly in favour of
what they heard. Bone man (and ace arranger) Nathaniel Cross blew
and blew and blew yet, it wasn't 'til the finale - Rye Lane
Shuffle - that Exodus led us to the promised land. The blistering
collective work made it all worthwhile. The delegates rose as one to acclaim
Moses Boyd.
Russell
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