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| (© Ken Drew) |
The octet featured most of those who had appeared on Colour of Sound album which came out earlier this year, however, Tori Freestone and Camilla George had been called off the bench for the tour. This was not the sort of second team you put out for the League Cup! In fact it was the first gig that featured Camilla George; her and Tori Freestone are the sort of quality players that would grace any team, both having impressive reputations, live and on disc.
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| (© Ken Drew) |
Rahman writes strong tunes and her arrangements for the
octet allow for both extended solos and extended ensemble playing. I always
think that an octet is about the perfect size group for jazz, neither too big
nor too small. No one hides and there are no longeurs where fifteen people are
stood counting bars whilst the rhythm section backs a soloist. And she knows
that there is no point in having eight voices if you don’t let them sing
together.
For the second piece, For
Love, Rahman donned a fetching pair of bejewelled long sleeved fingerless
gloves that would catch the light during the rest of the show, especially
during her more energetic solos. For Love
opens with the whole octet before Freestone comes to the fore with a
wistful, yearning solo; Rahman’s solo dances as her sleeves catch the light,
her right hand rings out like bells. A brass, reeds and flute charge lead to
the close.
Little Ones is dedicated to Zoe’s children and opens with a
delicate piano solo. The complex melody is embellished by Freestone on soprano,
the two of them waltzing over bass and drums. Sweet Jasmine is an opportunity for Turton to declaim like a town
crier on trombone before attention moves to the other end of the stage for
Rahman’s sliding blues piano. It mixes sixties' soul with rolling rhythm and
blues with Armstrong’s trumpet punching holes in the roof. Calderazzo’s furious
solo using brushes is beaten by the acoustics; he would have fared better with
a couple of lump hammers!
Peace Garden is named after a garden at Rahman’s children’s school
in High Barnet that was created during lockdown. It’s an elegant lullaby with
rolling bass and cymbals. A flute solo of flights and trills leads into the
return of the full band to ride into Conversations
with Nellie, a storming closing dance to end the first set.
Part 2 opens with Roots with just the trio on stage.
Plucked and strummed piano strings lead into an intense, brooding, stormy solo
with heavy, ominous chords in the left hand while the right hand rings out its
struggles to escape. It’s very dramatic and would, IMHO (again), work as a
brilliant sound track to the right sort of animation, (Fantasia 3 anyone?)
Go With The Flow simply sings with the flute set up in opposition
to the brass and reeds, a charging trumpet solo and thunderous drumming. By way
of contrast, Maya, is all warmth and
fondness with soft flute and buzzing muted trumpet. It’s a song of home and
hearth, the security of place and family.
Unity is the last tune played from the album and captures the
feeling of musicians being able to play together again after lockdown in its
spring-like re-awakening blowing away some of the dark undercurrents in the
opening bars.
This is a great band poorly
served by the echoey acoustics which not all the musicians were able to
overcome. Still, a great night out and a big win for the Newcastle Festival of
Jazz and Improvised Music. Dave Sayer
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