Day Three dawned and after several pints of Guinness the previous evening the prospect of an early start - half past ten in the morning - was a challenge to some festival goers.
Things got under way with a ninety minute workshop session and in no time whatsoever the clock had struck twelve and the bar was once more open for business.
A workshop performance followed and then it was time for the competition to resume.
The Schools' Section was preceeded by a performance by the Tees Valley Music Service Big Band competing in the Youth Section.
The band had a prior engagement the previous day and in a kind of time-shift manoeuvre competed twenty four hours after the others! It worked. So much so that in running through 'Take the 'A' Train', 'Just in Time', NYJO's 'Dog House' and Stan Kenton's 'Intermission Riff' a Special Prize was awarded to the double bass player, the rhythm section took the Section Prize and the band shared the prize of Best Band with Saturday's winners - Durham County Youth Big Band.
The Schools' Section comprised of four bands. Tudhoe Grange School Big Band, previous winners of this competition, played two numbers heard earlier - 'Just in Time' and 'Dog House' together with 'Cry Me a River'. The band's vocalist - Tara Sweeting - received tumultuous applause for her performance on the latter piece. Prudhoe Community High School Big Band offered 'River Rat Shuffle', 'Where Do We Go From Here?' and others. Northumberland Intermediate Youth Jazz Orchestra (directed by Stuart Davies - bassist with Extreme Measures) played three short numbers and had a gem of a player in the ranks - of which more later. The Little Big Band, under the auspices of Gateshead Music Service, boasted no fewer than eight saxophones and all of them were female. The other sections swelled the numbers to twenty or more. 'Little Big Band' - a misnomer if ever there was one! The band breezed through the theme to 'Peter Gunn', 'Sax in the City', 'Lil Darlin'' (another good interpretation) and 'The Judge'. The Best Section prize went to the rhythm section of Prudhoe Community High School Big Band, the Outstanding Soloist prize was awarded to Tara Sweeting and the Best Band prize went to Gateshead's Little Big Band. Oh, yes...the Northumberland Intermediate band's diminutive drummer - Daniel Massey - was deservedly awarded a Special Prize.
A Small Bands Section concluded the weekend's activities. Three bands entered the competition. First on the stand were Ben Richards and the M Cats. A line-up of alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, guitar, bass and drums played a few tunes including 'All the Things You Are' (good alto from Callum), 'Freddie Freeloader' and Horace Silver's 'Nica's Dream'. Following Ben & co. was a band with a great (?) name - Part Time Left Foot. PTLF are a quartet of double (& electric) bass, drums, guitar and tenor saxophone. Original compositions and well-chosen numbers by established composers such as Joshua Redman produced an interesting set. Matthew Forster on tenor (soon to graduate from Newcastle College) penned 'When in Rome', guitarist Andrew Simmonds is a writer of tunes with a John Zorn-like brevity (27 seconds in one instance!), bassist Jack Lowe (heard in other bands across the weekend) and a good drummer marked this band as one to watch or should that be hear? The final band, the Tees Valley Jazz Quartet, led by Loretta on tenor saxophone set a groove and went with it - 'Cantaloupe Island', a blistering 'Billie's Bounce' (great tenor on this one) and Hancock's 'Chameleon' brought to a close a fantastic feast of music. Altoist Callum from Ben Richard's band won the prize for Outstanding Soloist and the Best Band prize went to Part Time Left Foot. The weekend was a great success. Many, many musicians, many, many family, friends and supporters - all had a great time. Soloists great and small, in stature or ability, were cheered to the rafters - all will grow from the experience. The event was supported by Sunderland University, Sunderland University Students' Union, the Sunderland Partnership, the Musicians' Union, Jazz Action and others. The competition adjudicators were Mick Donnelly and Paul Jones. Organiser Bill Watson received a well-deserved vote of thanks. Apologies for any incorrect spelling of names.
Russell.
One minor correction: The Northumberland drummer was Sam Steemson, Daniel Massey was on trumpet. Both did a fantastic job!
ReplyDeleteDavid - thanks for correcting the names. Copious notes, often illegible etc...!
ReplyDeleteRussell
I enjoyed reading your post regarding the Great North Jazz Festival. However it would have been nice for your readers to know that The Little Big Band won the Schools Section and their director is David Blakey of Gateshead Schools' Music Service.
ReplyDeleteHi Gateshead Youth
ReplyDeleteYes, an oversight on my part(too much Guinness over the three says of the festival!). A very good band, without doubt.
Russell