Sunday night @ the Globe: Luis Verde Trio - March 17

(© Ken Drew)

Luis Verde (alto sax); John Pope (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

Over the years I've been in the presence of greatness. Sometimes by musicians reliving past glories as well as others who were on the cusp of it.

Most of these greats were American, some British, but, apart from that wonderful pianist, the late Tete Montoliu who I heard at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival back in the early nineteen seventies, I can't think of any other Spanish jazzmen of such eminence.

Until last night that is.

Luis Verde had already built up a following from his occasional sit-ins at the Black Swan jams and those knowing coves headed towards the Globe irrespective of any public transport problems or shillelagh brandishing celebrators of St Patrick's Day. 

They were well rewarded for their efforts. The Selmer Mark VI alto wasn't a mere saxophone, it was part of him, rather like those people who are born with six fingers on each hand and, as he blew the complex Monkish changes, maybe he did have some extra fingers.

(© Ken Drew)

Of course, behind any icon there are also those approaching iconic status themselves and John Pope and Abbie Finn ensured that their names too will soon be carved in stone. Pope is one of those players who refutes the opinion that bass solos are boring. They're not whilst he's in the engine room. He plays solos that many a horn player would envy whilst adding his own distinctive voice to the ensemble. Abbie too is rapidly becoming a first call player coping brilliantly with the changes of mood and tempo demanded by the virtuoso saxophonist.

From the opening unaccompanied cadenza to the fun based singalong that closed the show the crowded room sat in hushed reverence (apart from the singalong) the silence only broken by the thunderous applause after solos and, of course, the often gentle concluding notes. 

The material was a mix of Monk numbers including We See, Epistrophy, Evidence, Well You Needn't and Ruby my Dear as well as a few originals.

This was truly a night to remember and if you missed it don't worry you can catch Luis next Sunday afternoon at Queen's Hall, Hexham for a 3:00pm start. Lance