June 4, 2009 (From The Northern Echo)

June 4, 2009

5:49pm Thursday 4th June 2009 in

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WHAT'S ON

Tonight Gwilym Simcock, St Andrew's Church, Grinton, 01748-880019. Saturday, Steve Melling/Clark Tracey Septet, Darlington Arts Centre, 01325-486555.

CD REVIEWS

Scottish National Jazz Orchestra/Rhapsody in Blue (Spartacus STS013)

Gershwin's ever-popular Rhapsody in Blue, but not as you've heard it before.

It contains all the familiar music but it's been re-orchestrated and greatly extended by SNJO director Tommy Smith to feature the orchestra and pianist Brian Kellock, who turns in a compelling performance.

Amazingly, this live, and indeed very lively, performance was made at the work's premiere in Edinburgh in 2006. The whole band simply oozes with confidence.

Available from: spartacusrecords.com.

Zoe Rahman Trio/Live (Manushi Records (MANUCD003)

Another lively recording, this time from the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho.

Zoe, on piano, is accompanied by her regular group - Oli Hayhurst, bass, and Gene Calderazzo, drums, with her brother, Idris, on clarinet, guesting on some tracks.

In a refreshingly different programme, I particularly enjoyed The Stride and Tuang Guru by Abdullah Ibrahim and Friday 13th and Egyptian Tune Dance by Rahman's mentor Joanne Brackeen