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| Photos © John Lyons |
Alex Hitchcock (tenor sax): Bruno Heinen (piano) Freddie Jensen (double bass); Ananda Brandão (drums)
The Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music - NFOJAiM to its many followers, several of whom were present last night - offers a broad church of contemporary jazz as typified by the Alex Hitchcock Quartet. Four super-talented musicians playing a programme of extended original compositions.
Two pieces each from the fertile musical brains of Hitchcock and Heinen that weren't quite straight ahead jazz nor were they totally on the outside but somewhere to the right of centre which isn't a bad place to be.
I didn't catch the titles of Heinen's originals - maybe they weren't given or have yet to be named. However, Heinen's many albums have been reviewed on BSH over the years so I was attuned to his sometimes percussive approach.
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| © John Lyons |
On the opener, like serpents getting 'acquainted', Heinen and Hitchcock played some intricate entwining lines sans bass and drums. When les tout ensemble assembled it was explosive. The aforementioned percussive piano, the tenor in full flight (a sticky G# key not withstanding), Freddie Jensen as effective as Heinen's previous bass playing Jensen (Henrik) with Ananda Brandão a powerhouse behind the kit whether on sticks, brushes or mallets, the music ebbed and flowed with the tension at times unbearable. The highs, the lows, the in-betweens all creating a potpourri of sound.
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| © John Lyons |
The second set comprised two pieces from leader Hitchcock - Pull up a Line* and Rio. The former, after bass and drums had set a high bar, Hitchcock had his moment - he was absolutely flying! Rio didn't conjure up an image of bossa novas and beaches although it did have lyrical moments before the storm and it was all hands on deck. Four individuals, musicians of outstanding ability, pulling in different directions, yet ending as one in a moment of serene tranquility.
I'd be lying to say I loved every minute of it. I didn't but there were moments to treasure. Check them out, either as a band or individually, at a venue near you.
In the meantime a word of thanks to Wes and the NFOJAiM team for presenting such a varied program over this weekend and next. Lance
* I may have misheard the title.
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