Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Alex 'Honey' Boulton (guitar, vocals); Alex Gilson (double bass, vocals)
Adrian Cox last appeared at St Augustine's all of six years ago. This long overdue return visit attracted a large crowd with all seats occupied half an hour before the down beat. The first four numbers in this afternoon's set list mirrored the trio's set list twenty four hours earlier up the road in Newcastle, with New Orleans Stomp all but blowing the roof off the Larchfield Street venue. Those in the audience hearing Adrian Cox for the first time - and everyone else - were all but blown away.
Makin' Runs, the title track from Cox's 2014 EP, introduced material other than on the trio's current album, Club Croco. Similarly, Rosetta (Cox clarinet and vocals). The arrangements honed to a tee, the performance one of spontaneity, we were listening to three master musicians at work - Cox in his element, Honey Boulton's magical guitar playing, double bassist Alex Gilson playing acoustically. Très bon!
As the first set drew to a close, bandleader Cox hadn't stepped down from the stage when a queue formed with members of the audience clamouring for a copy of the new album - CD or vinyl.
Second set, Tears, Petite Fleur (a feature for Honey Boulton), bassist Alex Gilson singing, in French, J'attendrai, the full house hanging on the Parisian's every word. Introducing Rehearsin' for a Nervous Breakdown (Cox, Boulton and Gilson were to take it at a breakneck tempo), as an aside to his bandmates, Cox said: See you on the other side. Hot? You bet!
Cox took time to talk about several key figures in the history of New Orleans jazz: Louis Armstrong, Lil Hardin, Sidney Bechet and others. As the concert approached its end, Cox sang I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None o' This Jelly Roll, during which he dug deep on clarinet, so much so, mid-solo, a voice to your correspondent's left exclaimed: Oh, God! A moment of musical brilliance, eliciting a heart felt response, will live long in the memory.
Cox and co went out on Buddy's Habit and an anticipated encore (Cox bold enough to suggest we would demand an encore!), Two Deuces. Simply wonderful. And there's more over the next forty eight hours: Sunday: Queen's Hall, Hexham (3:00pm); Newcastle Jazz Co-op @ the Globe (8:00pm); Monday: Yamaha Music School, Blyth (1:00pm); Blaydon Jazz Club (Black Bull, 8:00pm). The Adrian Cox Trio is one of the bands. Don't miss these guys! Russell
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