Pete Tanton (trumpet/flugelhorn/vocal); Graham Hardy
(trumpet/flugelhorn); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass/bass guitar/acoustic
guitar); Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by
Lance/Photos courtesy of Pam).
Mondo
Trumpet or World Trumpet grew from an idea born in a bar in Brasilia (Brass-ilia?) –
or was it Byker? – where our two trumpeting toreadors thought it would be a
worthwhile conception to compose and arrange music depicting various parts of
the world.
The
room was comfortably filled, the trio primed for action on the floor level
stage and an expectant hush descended as we waited, and waited and waited
until, after a fanfare that sounded a bit like Rule Britannia – was this going to be a Brexit Bash? – the co-leaders
emerged from the wings and we were transported to sunnier climes, the cats and
dogs that were peppering the pavement outside forgotten.
I
didn’t catch all of the titles but what’s in a name? Shoe Tree Blues, composed by Hardy referred to a tree in
Armstrong Park which, I gather, has boots and shoes dangling from its branches.
Moral Compass featured a vocal by Pete
Tanton. The amiable American has a way with words (check out his novel Johnny
Lonely) and he delivered the song in an easy relaxed style.
Nothing
relaxed about the next number. Hardy was growling, Edis was on fire, Morgan
dispensed with sticks and used his hands whilst Champion fiddled as Tanton
burned. This was wild, the rhythm section building up the tension until the
brassmen took it out in a blaze of glory and this was just the first set!
During
the interval I got the chance to chat with no less a person than Peter Fielding’s
son. Fielding, whom local music historians of a certain age will remember as bandleader
at the Oxford Galleries, Newcastle, during the 1930s, has oft been a topic for
discussion on BSH and hopefully we will get the opportunity sometime for a longer
chat with his son.
Set
two began with the two trumpet players making a theatrical entrance, as befits
the venue, working their way towards the stage, the sound reminiscent of the
music at a Mexican plaza de toros. However, once the quintet hit their stride,
there wasn’t any bull from the horns although, on this number, the coup de
grace was delivered by Edis at the upright. Always good to hear a real piano and never better than when it’s
being put through its paces by Paul.
If you’re in Norway, it’s on the cards that Eddie Grieg will show up and
tonight was no exception with Hardy exquisitely blowing flugel on Solveig’s
Song from the Norwegian composer’s Peer Gynt Suite.
Champion moved on to acoustic guitar (he's a contender in that area too!), piano and drums exited stage
right, and the trumpets played what Tanton described as a Texas Mariachi
piece by Dizzy Gillespie.
And so the evening enfolded as our global tour continued ending up in
Tokyo with a piece titled Japanation. It had been a fascinating
journey and one well worthy of repetition.
What a wonderful mondo!
Lance
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