Paul Edis & Friends @ Musicwonders, Chester-le-Street - May 10

Paul Edis (piano, flute); Graham Hardy (trumpet, piano); Susan Sinclair (vocals); Adam Sinclair (snare drum)

Musicwonders is a new resource centre located just off Front Street in Chester-le-Street. Formerly home to Citizens Advice Bureau, the modest, discreet building is many things to many people. To quote from the venture's publicity material: Musicwonders is a not-for-profit community organisation offering inclusive music, arts and wellbeing sessions for people of all ages and abilities.

This evening's inaugural concert featuring four of the region's finest musicians attracted a select, capacity audience. Musicwonders' Adam Sinclair and Susan Sinclair invited two friends to join them to help raise funds for the project, Messrs Paul Edis and Graham Hardy. 

Thanks to their very busy schedules, Adam (one of the finest drummers one could wish to hear), Paul (one of the finest pianists...) and Graham (one of the finest trumpeters...) are rarely seen together in the same room. This evening was something of a reunion for the trio - back in the day they were 50% of the Paul Edis Sextet - and your correspondent sensed it was going to be a memorable occasion. 

An upright piano on the premises was a bonus (every venue should have one!) and it was down to pianist Paul to open the show. Jerome Kern's Nobody Else But Me, Paul's marvellous composition Vignette (there's a connection with Edith Piaf!) and Luis Bonfá's Gentle Rain were everything one has come to expect - brilliant! 

Trumpet ace Graham Hardy joined Paul to play a few numbers. In such a small space, Graham blew muted horn (plunger and tightly muted copper bottom) on Frank Loesser's Brotherhood of Man and Don Raye's You Don't Know What Love Is. Small venue, up close, there's nothing better.

Other than with Graham Hardy's Northern Monkey Brass Band, it's been a long, long time since Adam Sinclair has been heard on a gig - jazz or otherwise. The postage stamp space would allow for no more than a snare drum to sit alongside Paul and Graham. The trio playing Some Kind of Blues and Au Privave was one of those 'I was there' moments. Wow! Good Times as a duo featuring Paul and Adam took us up to the interval. 

Refreshments (there is a bottle bar on the premises), browsing in the Musicwonders' shop, a chat with whoever, a Saturday evening here on Church Chare proved to be a very good idea!

Second set: Adam couldn't resist telling the audience that Paul's appearance at the Royal Albert Hall with Jo Harrop some ten days ago was his warm up gig for this evening's concert. Quite right, too! Paul's Dig Deep and Jobim's One Note Samba featured yet more top class piano playing. 

Graham returned to the stage (floor, more like). Joy Spring, Graham superb, threatening to take the honours, a dancing Someday My Prince Will Come, then a surprise, a real surprise. Not so much Paul playing flute on Bill Lee's Mo' Better Blues, rather Graham sitting at the upright. Talented, eh?!

Susan Sinclair joined the boys to sing a soulful Summertime and an equally soulful Cheek to Cheek. Ah, just great! To conclude a wonderful evening's entertainment, Arthur Dent's Bring Me Sunshine featured, by way of Eric Morecambe and, perhaps, Les Dawson, Paul Edis. Brilliant!

Musicwonders is a welcome addition to the region's arts provision. Do take a look at the website - www.musicwonders.org - and, on the evidence of this evening's successful concert, there is the prospect of another, perhaps occasional, gig (jazz or otherwise) at 15 Church Chare, Chester-le-Street (DH3 3PZ). Russell