Hexham Jazz Festival: Jo Harrop + Freddie Benedict @ Hexham Abbey - May 13

The second day of this year's Hexham Jazz Festival and the sun shone. Hallelujah! Hexham Abbey, the principal venue, once again drew a large crowd, no real surprise given that top of the bill was none other than Jo Harrop. What's more, Jo shared this evening's double bill with the up-and-coming vocalist Freddie Benedict. Festival MC Nigel Williams read out the parish notices, not forgetting to plug his own late night jazz DJ set in the Great Hall. 

Jo Harrop (vocals); Emma Rawicz (tenor sax, soprano sax); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Steve Hanley (drums) + Freddie Benedict (vocals)

Jo Harrop is riding the crest of a wave; a non-stop gig schedule, invaluable media coverage, important career visits to Los Angeles and New York, and now, a welcome return to this weekend's Hexham Jazz Festival. Here in Hexham Abbey Jo was in the company of friends on and off stage. A programme incorporating standards (Henry Mancini's Charade arr. P. Edis, Cole Porter's Just One of Those Things) and original compositions, many of them from last year's superb Jo Harrop-Paul Edis album When Winter Turns to Spring, our Chester-le-Street to London superstar knew she was singing for an on-side crowd. 

Jo's band, what a band! MD Paul Edis at the grand piano, the award-winning Emma Rawicz (coming soon to Sage Gateshead) playing both tenor sax and soprano sax, and the unbeatable bass and drums pairing of Andy Champion and Steve Hanley. A voice to die for, intimate, late night material reaching out to the far corners of the ancient, imposing building here on Beaumont Street. Jo Harrop and band couldn't have wished for a better reception, chalk it up as another successful gig!             

 

Earlier, the first of two concerts introduced Guildhall School of Music and Drama graduate and ex-NYJO singer Freddie Benedict. 

Freddie Benedict (vocals, flugelhorn); Emma Rawicz (tenor sax, soprano sax); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Steve Hanley (drums)

Young, dapper (see those shoes!), charming, confident, there is little doubt that our vocalist won himself an abbey-full of new fans. Taking a loan of Jo Harrop's amazing band, Benedict let the audience know he appreciated working with them, some he'd known for a while, Steve Hanley, up from Leeds, he'd known 'for a few minutes'! 

Opening with No More Blues sung in Portuguese, Benedict's tenor voice hit home, a baritone is in his vocal armoury, as is an upper register delivery - most impressive. One or two standards, including One Note Samba, were interspersed with a range of original compositions including Star-Crossed Lovers, not to be confused with Billy Strayhorn's composition. As if vocal talent weren't enough, Benedict plays more than half decent flugelhorn. Some guys have all the talent! Messrs Edis, Champion and Hanley, and Ms Rawicz, proved to be the ideal musicians for Benedict's 'up north' debut. There's no doubt about it, we'll be hearing more of Mr Freddie Benedict. Russell