Blue Note Nights - JazzMain on the Fringe @ The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh - August 17.

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (piano); Iain Harkness (bass guitar); Kevin Dorrian (drums)

Wednesday night was to be a Blue Note Night at the Edinburgh Jazz Bar as JazzMain prepared to play their third and final concert on the Fringe. The omens were good, two sell out concerts and a long queue on Chamber Street when I arrived 30 minutes early. The international flavour of the fringe evident as I queued with a young couple from India, a visitor from Spain, and another from Sweden. The Jazz Bar runs a tight ship over the Fringe (affording lots of choice) and when saxophonist Nick Gould welcomed the audience at 8.30pm prompt, all seats, and standing room, were taken.

Up first This I Dig of You, swiftly followed by For Minors Only, the international audience already grateful, that out of the hundreds of concerts on offer, this was the one they had chosen. 

A sublime piano solo from Steve Gossart on Darn That Dream, a breath taking rendition of Tin Tin Deo that included moments of spellbinding intimacy, before the swinging blues Sandu with accomplished solos from each of the four (this my favourite) closed to rapturous applause and shouts of ‘fantastic’ and ‘ole’. 

Rain Check, Tadd Dameron’s Ladybird, one of the era’s classics, and all too quickly we had arrived at the closing Invitation.

JazzMain’s hallmark passion and integrity for the artists and music they pay homage too, and that they are each masters’ of their craft laid the foundation for what was an exceptional concert. Their gutsy decision to play a completely new set at each performance added an edginess and vibrancy that captivated and thrilled their audience.

This was JazzMain at the top of their game.

I’ll leave the last word to one of my Aberdonian kin not known for high praise… ‘that’ she declared, ‘was excellent’!

Thanks to Hemant and Tanaya for their valuable insight into the technical processes of jazz composition. Good luck with the mini bagpipes.
Kay C