Jazz at the Lit & Phil: Noel Dennis salutes Miles Davis - May 26

© Ken Drew

Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums) 

My first attempt to sally forth since my recent mishap was well worth the effort. How could it not be when a team of north east big hitters got together to perform the  music of Miles Davis?

The 2 x 45 minute sets touched upon several different periods of the trumpet legend's career ranging from the 1949 groundbreaking Birth of the Cool album through to the jazz/fusion of  Bitches Brew with, naturally, a couple of numbers from, Davis' legendary best selling jazz album Kind of Blue. And it was with So What from that latter album that the concert began. Champion's extended bass introduction setting the mood for the solos that followed.

© Ken Drew

Everyone was up for it. This train (Trane?) don't carry no passengers. Miles actually composed Boplicity using his mother's name, Cleo Henry, as a pseudonym. Miles wasn't usually as magnanimous in fact in that respect he wasn't magnanimous at all Blue in Green, for example, belonged as much to Bill Evans as it did to Miles. However, last night it most certainly belonged to the Noel Dennis Sextet.

Bitches Brew, which closed the first set with a bang had all six in contention for the Musician of the Match award. A difficult choice but for me, on the day after the passing of Sonny Rollins and the forthcoming Coltrane centenary it has to be Harry Keeble. This young man has come on in leaps and bounds since last I heard him and has successfully assimilated the attributes of both legendary saxophone giants. I suspect he's got more of himself preparing to burst from the bell of the tenor.

The second set followed in the same vein with Victor Feldman's Seven Steps to Heaven. Jean-Pierre - a tune that I wasn't familiar with that was named after the child of Francis Taylor from a previous marriage. Miles described Francis as "his favorite wife!";  E.S.P.; Stella by Starlight - an emotional tribute to Noel's father played by just trumpet and bass - and, to finish, a roaring Decoy. Mark Williams, who'd been relatively subdued throughout the programme went to town on this one along with Andy and Dean and, well er, everyone.

One thing I feel, as a member of the audience, to comment on the new seating arrangement. It's great but, something needs to be done about the lighting (or lack of it) in the playing area. Even sitting front row, at times, the musicians appeared as vague shapes.

Nevertheless, it was still a great night, the standing ovation well-deserved and I can't wait for Miles' 200th! Lance

So What; Boplicity; Blue in Green; Solar; Bitches Brew; Seven Steps to Heaven;  

Jean-Pierre;  E.S.P.; Stella by Starlight; Decoy