Rather than compiling a list of my favourite albums or my favourite gigs of 2024, I’ve decided to take a different tack. Here are the eight best new albums by acts I saw during the year, with – in each case – some info about both the album and the performance. I’ve listed the albums according to the date of the gig.
All photos © Colin Muirhead.
Fergus McCreadie – Stream (Edition Records)
Stream is another step forward in Fergus’s original and engaging fusion of jazz and Scottish traditional music. Fergus was one of the many exciting talents from Scotland who took part in the SNJO’s ‘Nu-Age Sounds’ concerts this spring. Although Stream was not the focus of his performance, his virtuosity shone through brightly.
Favourite track: Stony Gate.
Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis – Feels Like Home (Ubuntu Music)
Seen at the Gala, Durham, 22 March 2024
Favourite track: Mikey’s Samba.
Seen at the Fire Station, Sunderland, 17 May 2024
Fully deserving of its 4- star rating by Jazzwise,
this album brings together the North East’s finest big band, expertly led by
Michael Lamb, with some of the UK’s top jazz musicians. Hearing three of these musicians – Paul
Booth, Alan Barnes and Bruce Adams – alongside the band at the album launch in
Sunderland was delightful.
Favourite track: Twitterbug Waltz (written by Paul Booth
for this album).
Drummer Stephen Henderson brought
his band to the Globe to showcase their debut album. Modern Vikings comprises Stephen and colleagues
in the Fergus McCreadie trio (including David Bowden on bass), together with Konrad
Wiszniewski on sax and Graeme Stephen on guitar. Their music is contemporary, infused with the
spirit and fire of people from an earlier time, and performed with brio.
Favourite track: Back Home.
Jo Harrop – The Path of a Tear (Lateralize Records)
From Chester-le-Street to
L.A.! Through her collaboration with legendary producer Larry Klein,
Jo is gaining increasing recognition on both sides of the Atlantic – fully
deserved, in my opinion. For her return to the North East, Jo was
joined on stage at the Glasshouse by Paul Edis and Mark Williams, who – along
with the whole band – gave excellent performances. Onwards and
upwards for Jo!
Favourite track: The Path of a Tear (written by Jo, together with Greg Soussan).
The Flame (Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles, Mark Sanders) – Towards the Flame, Vol. 2 (577 Records)
The names of the band and the album are very apt, given the fiery nature of this music. For the gig at the Lit and Phil, Olie Brice took the place of Neil Charles on double bass, but the collaboration with Robert Mitchell on piano and Mark Sanders on drums was every bit as cohesive and engaging as on the album.
Favourite track: Be Kind (Through It All).
Catriona Bourne – Triquetra (self-released)
An absolute revelation for me. The gig at the Globe was the first time I had
come across Catriona’s music and I was highly impressed by the way in which she
fused folk and jazz. There was also a
North East link, through Francis Tulip’s expert guitar playing. I will certainly be looking to see how
Catriona’s career develops.
Favourite track: Sligachan
Bridge.
Tim Garland – Moment of Departure (Ubuntu Music)
This album includes the strings
of the Britten Sinfonia and the London Studio Orchestra. However, for the concert at the Glasshouse,
Tim played alongside his longstanding Lighthouse Trio, featuring Gwilym Simcock
on piano and Asaf Sirkis on drums and percussion – a super line-up. Esra Kizir Gokcen’s artwork was displayed
behind the musicians during the concert and amplified the album’s themes of
moving from the known to unknown. An
ambitious and – in my view – successful meeting between music and visual art.
Favourite track: Winds of Hope.
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This list includes both my album of the year and my favourite gig of 2024. To find out more, tune in to my Review of 2024 on Jazz on the Tyne, coming soon on Mixcloud –- keep an eye on this blog for more details! Colin Muirhead
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