The Great North Big Band Jazz Festival (GNBBJF) is back in business! Last year's event fell victim to the pandemic, fortunately this year's celebration of all things big bands was able to go ahead as planned. Saturday and Sunday would be competition days, this Friday evening session took the form of a concert double bill featuring Musicians Unlimited and the GNBBJF's Festival Big Band.
Mick Donnelly's Musicians Unlimited is the big band down Teesside way and the band's annual appearance here in Chester le Street guaranteed a great start to a jam-packed weekend. MD Donnelly opened the band's extensive pad to select an eclectic mix of instrumental numbers plus a few arrangements for vocalist Jan Spencelayh to take a look at. MU's sections are chock-full of big hitters: in the trumpet section we heard GNBBJF director Bill Watson in scintillating form (trumpet and flugelhorn) not least on Gordon Goodwin's Jazz Police, Mick Shoulder (electric bass) cruising on the GG chart, similarly alto saxophonist Mark Toomey. Band MD Mick Donnelly made no apology for including In the Mood in the set list, especially as it was Doc Severinsen's chart, the reeds excelling, likewise Watson and fellow trumpeter Kevin Eland.
Jan Spencelayh could be heard loud and clear on Lullaby of Broadway and a bold rendition of Cheek to Cheek. Musicians Unlimited's regular Sunday lunchtime engagement recently came to an end. The good news is the band will be be making a one-off return to the Park Inn on Park Road in Hartlepool. Subsequent dates, perhaps with a permanent venue, will be announced in due course. The initial date for your diary is Sunday 27 March (1:00pm).
Earlier in the evening, Bill Watson conducted the GNBBJF's Festival Band. The ensemble, comprising University of Sunderland students past and present working alongside established names on the regional jazz scene including Keiran Parnaby (trombone), and, making a guest appearance, pianist Marcus Brown, hit the ground running. What a great way to announce the return of one of the jewels in the big band jazz calendar! A Foggy Day in London Town, Louie Bellson's Brush Taps (a spotlight feature for the ever-impressive drummer John Bradford), Catch As Catch Can featuring an all-female reeds section, numbers from the NYJO pad, Bobby Shew's Blue (for Blue Mitchell), and it wouldn't be a big band concert without a Sammy Nestico chart. Yes, this was mainstream big band jazz at its best! Russell
No comments :
Post a Comment