 |
| (© Ken Drew) |
Rebecka
Edlund (vocals); Norman Willmore (alto sax); Tara Cunningham (guitar); Caius
Williams (bass); Corrie Dick (drums)
Well, what a way to celebrate International Jazz Day, which is good timing as it also marks the anniversary of Jazz.Coop owning the Globe and this year marks 9 years of ownership. So it was anticipated that it would be busy - and it was!
The afternoon was kicked off by 'More Jam' with a house trio keeping the music flowing as various instrumentalists and vocalists stepped up from the floor to join in. Then a free jazz buffet party was laid on before the evening concert, which was an International Jazz Day co-promotion between the Jazz.Coop and Jazz North East, so the room was quite full well before the start.
Corrie Dick is well known in Newcastle thanks to Jazz North East's previous promotions with him - from his collaborative work with Laura Jurd's band ‘Dinosaur’ (also alongside Jurd at Sage Gateshead) then with the Elliot Galvin Trio for the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music at The Lit and Phil and most recently with Glasshopper at Bobiks. So, bringing a project with a new crop of emerging London-based talent (see list above) meant anticipation was high and especially exciting as we looked forward to seeing a new band with new faces, and we weren’t disappointed.
Corrie Dick's 'Sun Swells' Band were equally eager and ready to get started in front of a growing and eager audience. Some chose the chairs 'up close and personal' at the front near the stage whilst others chose the cabaret-style table + chairs arrangement further back. Either way the music sounded great. The brief introduction to the band also included a particular mention to pay our respects to the recent passing of Steve Horowitz who was such a keen jazz follower of concerts by both Jazz North East and Jazz.Coop.
The first set was very enjoyable and varied in style throughout - no surprises there! These were generally quiet tunes with good solos played around the band, and many with folk-based style mixed, fused and melded with several others, but on occasion Dick let rip and raised the volume adding to the dynamics of the set.
Of note, in the middle of this set, was a ballad written by Dick for his departed mother with words written by Edlund. It was astonishingly quiet, reverential and beautifully portrayed. And it belonged nicely with this first set, showing further dynamics of the band.
The second set began similarly, but the overall volume and energy in general was soon raised into what turned out to be a segue of two tunes lasting almost 10 minutes each, giving quite a submersive feeling to the music. More extended solos flowed, hearing more of Willmore, Williams and Cunningham this time round. The set ended with the last song (as they often do) followed by rapturous applause and a brief encore to round off the night.
What an invigorating performance, in many ways, by a band led by Corrie Dick and comprising relatively young yet competent musicians. The range of styles was delivered with finely honed cohesion from its disparate elements, which made the music all the more appealing. The sound of surprise is still alive! Ken Drew
No comments :
Post a Comment