The Zoë Gilby Quartet: Zoë Gilby (vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by Ann Alex/Photos by Pam Young)
Unlike the previous set (reviewed below) there were no problems hearing Zoë's well-thought-out lyrics and excellent introductions to the songs - full marks to Zoë for audience communication. An entertaining well-rounded performance brilliantly supported by Mark: adventurous, cleverly echoing Zoë's scat. Andy: doing, well what basses do, and Russ giving the performance that we expect, on sticks, brushes and hands.
Hazem
Mohammed (drums); Tobias Illingworth (vocals, piano)
This
earlier set was billed as FCT but the relevant personnel weren't all available so they unexpectedly became a duo, with recent music graduate Tobias giving us his, mostly, original songs. 
Thereby hangs a problem. Original songs often need to be
heard a few times to be fully appreciated. Plus the fact that the vocal
mic. over the piano wasn't used until the last 2 or 3 numbers meant some of the words and titles escaped me.
The style wasn't jazz but closer to
contemporary folk. Lines of song alternating with short piano statements, and
drums cleverly beating to the song rhythm. The voice, high-pitched and
pleasant, the songs, I think, mostly love songs.
A cover of a
Michael Hurley number, Animal Song, about the natural world preceded the piece I
liked best, an instrumental with very long, slow piano chords which were played
so that you heard each sound until it became silence. Really interesting as the
notes actually seemed to change pitch just before the silence. The drummer simply
made faint rumbling sounds on the cymbals, then ended the piece with a
cymbal
oriental sound
Oh,
and the raffle was won by Pam Young, a worthy winner, who will surely enjoy the
Dizzy Gillespie CDs and the free pass to two JNE gigs. Enjoy!
Ann
Alex
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