Alexia Gardner Quintet
The Alexia Gardner Quintet hails from Northumberland, Tyneside and County Durham. Over the last year or so Ms Gardner has made quite an impression on audiences across the region. Having travelled the world, vocalist Alexia Gardner currently resides in Northumberland. A chance meeting with bassist Jude Murphy led to the formation of a hand-picked band. Gardner, Murphy, tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble, pianist Alan Law and drummer Abbie Finn took to the stage to play for seventy five minutes in front of a Sunday lunchtime full house.
A bright and breezy St Thomas opened the set with a smiling Gardner encouraging her instrumentalist bandmates. Gardner singing Cheek to Cheek, with an extended Harry Keeble solo, sealed the deal - Scarborough Jazz Festival liked the Alexia Gardner Quintet! Keeble had a blast on Seven Steps to Heaven, Gardner sang more than one note on One Note Samba, followed by Great Day (as sung by Sarah Vaughan). One sensed album sales would be brisk!
The Lady is a Tramp, Gardner phrasing in her own inimitable way, Mo Better Blues featuring sensitive playing by all (Alan Law doesn't do anything other than sensitive, likewise Abbie Finn), Stand by Me tempted the audience to sing along, then Devil May Care. On this sunny Scarborough afternoon, the Alexia Gardner Quintet could do no wrong.
Five-Way Split
As heavyweight quintets go, Five-Way Spilt is right up there with the best of them. Before the down beat, the thought occurred that the two-horns front line of trumpeter Quentin Collins and tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos would be worth the admission money alone. The rhythm section - Rob Barron, Matyas Hofecker and Matt Home - playing as a trio would also be worth paying good money to hear. As a contemporary bebop quintet - wow!
New material would feature alongside one or two cuts from Five-Way Split's 2021 album All the Way. Vasilis Xenopoulos' Out of Wayne's Bag (W. Shorter the 'Wayne' in question) opened the set, a set of straight-ahead 21st century bop. A brand new one, Rob Barron's Dr Stol (referencing the address of a south west London jazz club) slotted in nicely, as did another new one - Modus Operandi.
A brace of new tunes - Two Little Alphas (comp. VX), Soho Soirée - Five-Way Split will soon be releasing a new album. Contemporary bebop, live or on CD, has an audience, that's for sure. Scarborough a case in point.
Billy Marrows’ Grande Família
Sunday afternoon's closing set presented contemporary jazz without concession. Guitarist Billy Marrows had been on BSH's radar for some time. Marrow's Grande Familia here at Scarborough was the opportunity to hear MD Marrows (he grew up in nearby Sherriff Hutton) and his orchestra live, in concert.
The presence of French horn (Anna Drysdale) and viola (Teresa Macedo) in the ranks suggested Marrows would depart from the conventional big band sound. He wouldn't be the first - Stan Kenton, Gil Evans and many others ploughed a similar furrow.
An all-original set of unfamiliar material demanded much of his audience. However, Marrows' thoughtful commentary (including candid thoughts regarding the untimely death of his mother) drew the audience into his (compositional) world. Chris Williams, Tom Ridout and Mike Soper were three names known to BSH, most of the others were but names.
Speedwell, Nights Are Drawing In, the titles were new to the BSH ear. No matter, listening was the order of the day. Marrows didn't grandstand, nor did the members of Grande Familia. As the spotlight shone on the various soloists, they too didn't shout, playing the charts was the thing. Hearing Billy Marrows' Grand Familia a second time is on the 'to do' list. Russell
No comments :
Post a Comment