JazzMain @ Whigham's, Edinburgh - Jan. 26

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (keyboards); Iain Harkness (bass): Kevin Dorrian (drums)

Whigham's, just off Princes Street, is a long established Edinburgh jazz venue. A wine bar with a couple of handpulls and an extensive food offering, the place is invariably busy on a Sunday evening.

If it's a Sunday evening, it's jazz night here at Whigham's. This evening it just so happened one of the co-founders of Whigham's Jazz Club was sharing the stage with his JazzMain bandmates. The man himself, drummer Kevin Dorrian, arrived in good time to set up his kit, likewise pianist Steve Grossart, opting to play a recently acquired keyboard, rather than the house upright. Five-string bassist Iain Harkness and bandleader Nick Gould were ready to go at a moment's notice. 

Down the years KD has booked the likes of Lianne Carroll and Jim Mullen to play at Whigham's, little wonder then that there is a loyal following at the Hope Street venue. As for JazzMain, for much of the two sets, the Blue Note record label would supply the 'go-to' material. A quartet of twenty plus years' standing, Dexter Gordon is a touchstone for bandleader, tenor saxophonist Nick Gould. A well-honed unit, JazzMain mixed it up with standards, Dexter 'Long Tall' Gordon standards, and the occasional ballad. Alone Together, an excellent reading of Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, Long Tall's Fried Bananas (pianist Grossart impressing, indeed, impressing throughout the evening), we were listening to a varied, nicely paced set.

Three O'clock in the Morning (recorded by DG), a spritely Joy Spring (Grossart soloing, bassist Harkness as nimble as they come), a swinging Have You Met Miss Jones? with Gould leading from the front, JazzMain were on form, that's for sure. Stevie Wonder's I Can't Help It approached the finishing line, with a winning encore in the shape of Horace Silver's Liberated Brother (KD hitting a groove). It had been a thoroughly entertaining evening at a top class venue (excellent staff), a supportive audience and, of course, two fine sets courtesy of JazzMain.     

                      

JazzMain will be in concert at the Lit & Phil, Newcastle on Friday 21 February. It's a Jazz at the Lit & Phil lunchtime concert (1:00-2:00pm) and it's been sold our for some time. To enquire about returns, call the Lit & Phil on 0191 232 0192. Russell

Set list included: Alone Together; Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most; Fried Bananas; Soul Eyes; Three O'clock in the Morning; Star Eyes; Joy Spring; Have You Met Miss Jones?; I Can't Help It; Liberated Brother.