The Martin Speake Quartet @ The Globe - July 23

(© Sheila Herrick)

Martin Speake (alto sax); Francis Tulip (guitar); Tommy Fuller (double bass); Steve Hanley (drums)

The fourth and final engagement of Martin Speake's tour of north east venues. First Bishop Auckland, then Darlington, followed by Hexham and onto this evening's gig at Newcastle Jazz Co-op HQ. The Globe's advance bookings indicated a good number of folk would be making their way to Railway Street. As the rain finally relented the hordes (it's all relative) descended.

(© Sheila Herrick)

Four familiar faces - bandleader, alto saxophonist Martin Speake, local hero, guitarist Francis Tulip, Switzerland based bassist Tommy Fuller and Leeds based drummer Steve Hanley - took to the stage without fanfare. 

Speake's post bop, razor-sharp alto lines didn't tear it up (they weren't designed to), the opener, Toxicity (based upon I Got Rhythm), signalled where he was coming from. To his right, the mightily impressive Francis Tulip. As a local lad, north east jazz fans know that Tulip can shred with the best of them. This evening we heard a restrained - dare one say 'refined'? - Francis Tulip. Playing on the edge with one foot firmly planted on the inside, resisting the temptation to take it outside, this was Tulip the maturing guitarist. 

(© Sheila Herrick)

Francis T's old pal, bassist Tommy Fuller divides his time between Switzerland and the UK. Four gigs with Martin Speake seems like nice work if you can get it and Fuller got it! Thinking about it, like Tulip, Fuller showed commendable restraint. One sensed the influence of one M. Speake. Tucked away in the corner, Steve Hanley, a drummer for any and every occasion, a 'listening' musician. 

Most of the compositions were from the pen of M. Speake with a couple of standards thrown in for good measure and you couldn't spot the join. Speake brought along copies of any number of CDs he's recorded over the years, however, one chart he never got round to recording - Universal Connections - received an airing right here on Railway Street. Several times during the course of two sets Speake and Tulip played lines in unison, most impressive! It had been an evening of top class jazz. Next week (Sunday 30 July) it's David Gray's Flextet, eight o'clock start.                       

Set list included: Toxicity; Twister; Dancing in the Dark; Bouncy; 4/4; Hildegard; Universal Connections; Where Are You?.