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| © Sheila Herrick |
Alice Grace Trio: Alice Grace (vocals); Joe Steels (guitar); Ben Lawrence (keyboards)
The Sele, that's Hexham's splendid Victorian park, is the ideal setting for a Sunday afternoon concert. Except when it rains. And it rained. The first of Sunday afternoon's two Northumberland Jazz Festival concerts (the second would be in Hexham Library) presented a scratch trio comprising vocalist Alice Grace, guitarist and Northumberland Jazz Festival programmer Joe Steels and pianist Ben Lawrence.
Occupying the bandstand, Alice Grace opened the show with If I Should Lose You. So good was it, many in the sheltering audience (brollies, tree cover) wouldn't have known they were listening to a scratch trio. One Note Samba, Teach Me Tonight and more, considering we were outdoors, the sound couldn't have been bettered. AG apologised for being in the dry of the bandstand as a large crowd sought shelter. No one was complaining, it was shaping up into excellent set.
Joe Steels' solo on Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise caught the ear, ditto Ben Lawrence's solo on But Not for Me. And then there was AG. Singing Blame it on My Youth, our SSBB vocalist (catch the Strictly Smokin' across the road in Queen's Hall on Friday June 14) sang beautifully. Closing the set with Billie's Bounce sent us on our way to Hexham Library for the second concert of the day.
Tyne Valley Youth Big Band (MDs Joe Steels & Evan Abell)
Earlier, the town's pride and joy played a short set to an appreciative audience. A frontline four of brass and reeds (including MD E. Abell, baritone sax) and a four strong rhythm section (including MD J. Steels and pianist Ben Lawrence), the Tyne Valley Youth Big Band provided a glimpse into the future. Give 'em just a few short years and some of the talented young musicians performing here at the Northumberland Jazz Festival are likely to emerge onto the local jazz scene. Russell
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