Scarborough Jazz Festival: Sunday Afternoon Session - Sept. 26

First up, one of the men of the moment in UK Jazz, Scotland’s Fergus McCreadie and his fine band. ‘Just bairns Mrs T observed as they came out, which is Scottish and northeastern for children, making the level of musicianship even more remarkable.

 

A display of virtuosity straight out, all cymbals and bowed bass which resolved into a Scottish style folk melody, which would prove a big part of what they do. A bass solo from David Bowden brought a lighter touch, contrasting nicely with the frenzy of the piano and the powerhouse drumming. Very much about the juxtaposition of light and shade, gentle and powerful, tranquil and noisy, the odd jig thrown in and all building up to a resounding climax.

 

At one point, well into the journey, I saw the pianist give a nod to drummer Stephen Henderson and somehow from somewhere he found yet another gear.   

 

I was beginning to think they were going right through with a single piece when it ended to rapturous applause, whoops and hollers.

 

If I have a criticism it’s that they seemed to repeat the process and I’d have liked something more familiar as jazz to break it up.

 

As if to demonstrate how ubiquitous they are right now, they’re playing the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music this weekend on Sunday 0ct. 3 and are highly recommended although I'm informed it may well be sold out.

 

Time for some more of that old really real jazz. Tony Kofi played the very first Scarborough Festival I went to, paired with Alan Barnes and when I’ve seen him since he’s always been great. Cannonball Adderley is a bit of a sneaky favourite of mine. One of those names, when you think about your favourite jazz artist, saxophonist or alto player, you tend to overlook him, until one person mentions him and everyone piles in with their approval.

 

He swings with the very best of them and there’s a joy to his music lacking in much jazz.

 

Kofi brought forceful blowing, chops and some honking, more akin to his accomplice on sax on Kind of Blue, John Coltrane, a jazz artist, saxophonist, (mostly) tenor player everybody always remembers.             

 

Victor Feldman’s The Chant, Portrait of Cannonball by Kofi’s pianist and co-conspirator Alex Webb and Kofi’s Bread Basket and a narrative written by brother and cornet player Nat Adderley and delivered by Kofi, outlining eight qualities Cannonball brings to jazz, conceding  there could be someone better at each, but that would be eight people.

 

T Neck by Nat, Oscar Pettiford’s Bohemia After Dark and a narrative delivered by Webb about Cannonball’s arrival in New York and Sack o' Woe which features on the Mercy, Mercy, Mercy live set; the first album I ever heard by him.

 

They reduced to a trio for Stars Fell on Alabama and trumpeter Andy Davies would remain absent for Things are Getting Better played as a quartet.

 

He then payed tribute to Pee Wee Ellis who died at the weekend and who he described as a mentor. Ellis was a mainstay of James Brown’s backing band the JB’s and they played a funking Chicken. They finished with a Kofi original Another Kind of Soul and seemed to have abandoned the Cannonball Adderley theme.

 

I’d have preferred it if they’d either gone further into Cannonball’s story or ignored it altogether and just played the music. The music was stunning.  Steve T