The reborn Hexham Jazz Festival had been long in the planning. Pre-pandemic, discussions were had, musicians sounded out, it was all ready to go, then, bang!, lockdown. Now, more than two years on, the weather gods saw to it that the sun shone, and shone, and shone on the Saturday afternoon outdoor stage. Divine intervention? Well, we were in the grounds of Hexham Abbey...
A scratch quartet, for the occasion going under the name of the Core Music Jazz Quartet*, entertained a deck chair crowd on an ever-so green lawn. Opening with Sam Rivers' Beatrice, the degree of talent on show was quite something: Ferg Kilsby (trumpet), all of sixteen/seventeen, played as if a thirty-something pro, guitarist Joe Steels (guitar), Paul Susans (double bass) and drummer John Hirst. Monk's Ugly Beauty (Kilsby's choice) tested the quartet, our young trumpeter not in the least fazed by the chart. Paul Susans' ballad Gamblin Man, written in memory of the sadly missed guitarist Paul Gamblin, evoked memories, a poignant moment. Guitarist Steels' Remerge, written pre-pandemic, seemed rather apposite, living, as we do, in strange times. And to close a most enjoyable set, Dave Hignett joined the quartet for a two-trumpet blowout on an excellent farewell blues with John Hirst reminding us just how good he was and is. Let's hope we hear more of him in the coming weeks and months.
* Core Music is Hexham's CIC music development agency, take a look at the organisation's website: www.coremusicshop.co.uk. Russell
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