The Ushaw Ensemble @ King's Hall, Newcastle University - Sept. 29

(© Ken Drew)

Paul Edis (piano/composer/MD); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Graeme Wilson (tenor sax/ bass clarinet/flute); Emma Fisk (violin); Andy May (Northumbrian pipes); Paul Susans (bass); Rob Walker (drums).

Magnificent! Or possibly St. Cuthbert would have preferred Magnificat, whatever, this did what it said on the tin or, to be more precise, in the programme notes.

Normally, most of the pre-gig notes (if any) merely consist of brief biographies and quotes from such august publications as DownBeat, Jazzwise and even (on rare occasions) Bebop Spoken Here!

However, this afternoon on Newcastle Uni's headed notepaper we had the life and times of St. Cuthbert documented up to his death in 687AD. And, possibly of greater interest to the assembled throng other than the students of Divinity, details of the soloists which enabled us to keep track of where we were in the holy man's inspirational journey throughout the then Northumbria.

Edis' eleven movement suite must surely rank very close to those of Ellington, Tracey, Dankworth, Westbrook and others who have tread this ambitious path.

(© Ken Drew)

Apart from the writing and the themes, the soloists kicked in with, in no particular order, Wilson, Hardy, Fisk, Susans, Walker and, of course the leader himself - all worthy of jazz sanctification. One listener observed that she would have liked to have heard more from the Northumbrian piper which, I suppose, is fair comment but I personally found he slotted in just fine giving it the right amount of that folksy feel to keep it within the original remit which of course was to commemorate the life of St. Cuthbert. Lance 

Ps: From a personal point of view, I was married in St. Cuthbert's Church in Hebburn although  Cussie himself wasn't present - at least not in the flesh! I'd have loved to have had that opening theme played.