I wasn't sure about this gig. I knew all the musicians individually but I'd never heard them collectively. I needn't have worried - it was a gas!
Stu blew great baritone, I'd always liked his work on tenor and he applied the same dexterity on baritone - Mulligan Lives!
Mrs Finden - Fiona - gets an almost Johnny Hodges' alto sound on curved soprano. Fi also chipped in with a couple of good vocals - more please.
However, the biggest surprise of the evening was front man Barrett. He played knockout guitar and, as the lady sharing my table said, "There's a new kid on the block"!
The "new kid" also contributed several originals including a vocal inspired by some graffitti he encountered whilst out walking. Liam Loves Jazz it said. It didn't matter that Jazz may have been a truncated form of Jasmine (or James) it was enough to inspire Keith to write and sing a clever lyric. When he's not playing guitar, singing or composing Keith sculpts and one off his creations adorned the stage.
Andrew Porritt did the biz on bass impressing with some bass-drum exchanges with the ever present John Bradford who was extensively featured - you can hear him again tonight at the Central Bar across the river in Gateshead (7:30pm - £5).
The music itself offered great variety ranging from Latin funk to pure bebop with quite a lot of other stuff in between. On one of the Latin numbers every one wielded an array of percussion instruments including a bodhran and you don't see many of them on a jazz gig outside of Dublin!
This may be the band's last gig as the East Coast Quintet. In future they plan to go out as Panharmonia. I think the jury may still be out on that one...
Nevertheless, whatever the name, it's a band to look out for - Lance
ECQ; So Long Eric; Song For Bilbao; Liam Loves Jazz; Friday Night at the Cadillac Club; 7 As Usual; Stu's Blues; ?; Copus; Nica's Dream; Lockdown Lydia/Tap Tap; ?; Groovin' High.
3 comments :
Many thanks for that review Lance. I’m really pleased that you enjoyed the evening so much. We had a blast playing and are looking forward to many another gig. New material to come as PANHARMONIA. Just hoping we can win you round on the name as well. Whichever way, we plan to go from strength to strength with the music!
I've just caught up with the recording and the gig was very enjoyable. I was wondering where the Findens had got to. I have a problem with the name Panharmonia as it is a bit difficult to say, too many syllables, though it describes the music well, sort of universal harmony (nothing to do with the harmony you would get from banging pans together!) People may start shortening the name I suppose to such as Panhar or Pannyhar
Here's an idea...call the band the East Coast Quintet.
Post a Comment