Zoë Gilby (vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy
Champion (double bass); Richard Brown (drums)
(Review by Russell)
A bank holiday weekend with, for once, glorious
sunshine all the way. Where to take the kids? Shopping? The seaside? Nope, a
sprawling country estate, that's where! No cries of: I'm bored! Can we go? Not
when jazz means prizes!
Zoë Gilby's Family Jazz All Stars set up in the
Francis Thompson Room at Ushaw College. Daddy...who was Francis Thompson? Er...I
don't know, sit and listen to the jazz. Jazz? But I don't like...Listen, you
could win a prize...
GASbook, Pannonica, Watching Sideways, there's many
a string to Zoë Gilby's vocal art. To open the final day of this year's Ushaw
Jazz Festival Ms Gilby brought along not just her jazz all stars, this was our
APPJAG nominee's Family Jazz All Stars. We were sitting comfortably, let the
story begin...
The Lady is a Tramp, the
kids were diggin' it. Does anyone know what this is? enquired Gilby, pointing
to one of Richard Brown's cymbals. RB looked puzzled, it was as if he hadn't
seen one before and the big kids in the audience didn't have a clue. However,
the very youngest knew, a forest of hands shot up keen to tell Ms Gilby that
they knew the answer. And so the afternoon went on, the big kids clueless
(dunce's hats donned) as the Bright Young Things (age 5-9) here at Ushaw
waltzed off with all the prizes.
Juan Tizol's Caravan (RB's
party-piece!) to a classy You Turned the Tables on Me, Ms Gilby's
Teaching Assistants more than played the game - guitarist Mark Williams the
principal (toned down!) soloist on this warm summer's afternoon. Drummer Brown
and bass-playing side kick Andy Champion enjoyed the occasion (there would be
little point if they didn't), sneeking in some nifty jazz chops stuff when the
kids weren't looking. All the while Head Teacher Ms Gilby engaged with a room
full of new jazz fans. Does anyone know what this part of Mark's guitar is
called? The dunces sat mute as the smart kids piped up hoping to a win a goody
bag.
The Family Jazz All Stars' show is ideally suited
to a festival audience (it's been a big hit elsewhere including the Gateshead
International Jazz Festival and the London Jazz Festival) with the balance just
about right - the kids vie for prizes and the big kids get to hear some
jazz. Straight No Chaser, Nick Cave's Red Right Hand (one
dunce thought the composer was Nick Drake!) and, to close the show, Harry
Edison's Centrepiece. Day three at Ushaw was under way.
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