Trefor Owen Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Jan. 30

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Trefor Owen (guitar); Andy Hulme (guitar); Ed Harrison (bass); Paul Smith (drums).

I didn’t expect many jazz fans to turn up tonight on what was a very cold January evening but seeing as I skipped the Sunday show due to the usual transport problems plus not feeling all that well, I thought, on this occasion, I'd better make it down to Stockport to see Trefor. He often uses Liam Byrne on tenor sax but this time he bought along  Paul Smith, a fine drummer who has often appeared at this venue sometimes with guitarist Derrick Harris. I’ve seen Andy Hulme who often works with Trefor many times and they attract various members of the guitar-playing community wherever they play.

One of the tunes in the first set was an original that Trevor penned entitled Beyond the Strait that he explained was inspired by his memories of Anglesey, a place I’ve never visited. I liked this number and so did the small but select audience judging by their applause.  Most of the other tunes were standards except for a couple of Wes Montgomery numbers and In a Sentimental Mood which is of course a part of the Ellingtonian repertoire. It was unusual to end the concert on a ballad but I would pick this as one of the high spots of the evening and  although a few of the regular jazz fans stayed away it was was still a satisfying night of music. At the Railway next on Sunday Feb 4 the Eddie Gripper Trio will be appearing. Mike Farmer

 

I Thought About You; Theme From Black Orpheus; East of the Sun; Beyond the Strait; Dreamsville; Alone Together; Yesterdays; Four on Six; How Insensitive; Road Song; In A Sentimental Mood.