Sirkis-Bialas IQ @ King's Hall, Newcastle University - Nov 14

Asaf Sirkis (drums, percussion, konnakol); Sylwia Bialas (vocals, waterphone); Frank Harrison (piano, keyboards); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar). 
(Review by Russell).

The IQ's second album featured during this afternoon's King's Hall concert. Our New Earth serves to showcase the compositions of the two principals - Asaf Sirkis and Sylwia Bialas - with committed contributions from pianist Frank Harrison and bassist Kevin Glasgow. Drummer Sirkis did the talking, Bialas did the singing, all four did the playing to an attentive audience.

Sirkis' fizzing sticks, Bialas' soaring, at times near-operatic vocals, Harrison's mature piano playing, Glasgow's precise six-string bass playing, IQ (that's the International Quartet) is a working unit of five years or so and it shows - a glance, a nod, a smile, they knew where they were going. 

Bialas' Nocturnity pressed the Polish vocalist's waterphone into action. Consisting of a resonator bowl, cyclindrical neck and brass rods, the waterphone or 'ocean harp' emitted a range of resonant sounds as Bialas first scraped across the rods with a bow then struck with a rubberised hammer. As Sirkis, Harrison and Glasgow picked up on the sounds echoing around the room Bialas' vocal explorations encompassed lyrical expression in the form of scat and vocalese. 

For those unfamiliar with the work of Asaf Sirkis, the Israeli born, London resident musician is a fine drummer. A treat on some of his gigs, as was the case here in Newcastle, is to hear him launch into konnakol Carnatic (south Indian) singing. Applause should have reverberated around King's Hall but, somehow, Sirkis' vocal dexterity met with silence - perhaps, on this occasion, it wasn't the done thing to show appreciation.

A two-part suite - Rooting and the new CD's eponymous Our New Earth - concluded the performance which went down well with the public and student audience alike.
Russell.