 |
| © Roly Veitch |
Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (keyboards); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)
The Black Bull's Christmas tree and decorations framed the stage. In one corner of the room an interval buffet awaited (thanks to the Black Bull and Blaydon Jazz Club). Blaydon Jazz Club's final concert of the year would feature the Sue Ferris Quintet. At a little before eight, Blaydon's many regulars had taken their seats, joined by a few new faces. Old Speckled Hen the pick, the first set was about to begin.
Sue Ferris is a favourite at Blaydon Jazz Club. This evening our multi-reeds star would restrict herself to playing tenor sax. Opening with Clifford Brown's Sandu, for the next couple of hours or so we would be living in a 'jazz world', the 'outside world' could wait. Sue's cast iron 'Blue Note' tenor sax, frontline partner Graham Hardy's assured trumpet and flugelhorn, the piano player in the corner, Ben Lawrence, and the ace bass and drums pairing of Andy Champion and drummer John Bradford guaranteed an evening of first rate jazz.
Horace Silver is a touchstone for the SF5 - first Nica's Dream, later, The Jody Grind. Ben Lawrence's harmonic invention is quite something, a composer, contributing charts, this evening Beurrage and Chiquita*, our pianist is an emerging talent, that's for sure.
Solos from all five musicians were spot on, all with an ear to the melody. At a gig, any gig, bandleader Ferris isn't one for grandstanding, what you get is straight ahead tenor playing. And this is what we got this evening: head-solo-head, simple but so very effective. Roy Hargrove's Soppin' the Biscuit, a favourite end-of-set number, brough the curtain down on another successful year here at Blaydon Jazz Club. Next year (Blaydon Jazz Club's 42nd year!) gets underway on Monday 16th February. See you there!
* Chiquita is one title, it changes from gig to gig! Russell
No comments :
Post a Comment