Sunday afternoon's session at the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival featured six bands in the youth section. Six bands drawn from across County Durham and Yorkshire, all keen as mustard to put on a show and, hopefully, take home an award or two. The bands' MDs were familiar faces, the young musicians less so, let's see what they have to offer.
Durham Music Service Youth Jazz (MDs Billy Bradshaw & Amy Thompson) started the ball rolling, the Durham Music Service MDs taking it in turn to conduct the ensemble. A straight ahead set bookended by Freddie Hubbard's Blues for Duane and Blood, Sweat & Tears' big hit Spinning Wheel, the young musicians were a credit to Durham Music Service. It is quite possible that in just a few short years the likes of young trumpeter Jenson Dunn will be playing in the Durham Alumni Big band!
Musica Holme Valley Big Band (MD Gavin Brown) visits Chester-le-Street on a regular basis. This year Gavin Brown's enthusiastic ensemble presented a wide range of material - Strike Up the Band (Reuben Williamson, alto sax, soloing), Astor Piazzolla's engaging Libertango, big band favourite Count Bubba, Li'l Darlin' and, out of leftfield, Britney Spears' Toxic. An enjoyable set.
Harrogate Youth Jazz Orchestra (MD, James Heaton) walked onto stage in boilersuits or were they overalls? Either way, it looked like the band meant business. A couple of Sammy Nestico charts for openers - The Queen Bee and Katie. Excellent soloists, Earth, Wind and Fire's Fantasy upped the ante and Gordon Goodwin's Count Bubba showcasing Harrogate's trumpet section, the money went down on a north Yorkshire victory.
Musica Colne Valley Big Band (MD Peter Simons) is another of the Huddersfield area big bands which regularly visit Park View Community Centre. The Chicken (a popular number at the GNBBJF!) and Stevie Wonder's Superstition (good tenor sax on both numbers) rattled along, heads nodding and feet tapping in the audience. An entertaining set, would adjudicators Mick Donnelly and Marcus Brown be impressed?
Scissett Youth Band (MD, Johnny Beevers) maintained the Huddersfield area takeover. Scissett adopted its now familiar semi-circular formation, more street brass band than formal big band set up. A confident ensemble, Ruby Walker momentarily stepped out of the ranks to sing Yebba's Evergreen. Walker and band were well received. A contender.
The final band at this year's GNBBJF, yet another Yorkshire outfit, Musica Youth Jazz (MD, Adam Kingham) came up with a real mix of numbers. Bobby Timmons' Dat Dere (arr. Erik Morales) featured an excellent trombone solo, Mr. Zoot Suit (comp. Mark Cally; arr. Roger Holmes) included vocals by Lucy Dolling and an excellent trombone section and Doug Beach's A Nasty Bit of Blues brought the curtain down on the 21st Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. It had been a great weekend of big band jazz. The adjudicators' work done, Bill Watson read out the results as follows...
Adjudicators' award: Ruby Walker, vocals for Evergreen (Scissett Youth Band)
Adjudicators' award: Bassist (Musica Youth Jazz)
Adjudicators' piano award: Trumpeter (Durham Music Service Youth Jazz)
The Mark Jon Bolderson Percussion Foundation award: Drummer (Durham Music Service Youth Jazz)
Best Programme: Musica Youth Jazz
Best Section: Trumpet section (Harrogate Youth Jazz Orchestra)
Best Soloist: Tenor saxophonist for The Chicken (Musica Colne Valley Big Band)
Best Band: Harrogate Youth Jazz Orchestra
Russell
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