Music / Jazz
Review: Andy Hague Big Band
Andy Hague first put this band together as a birthday present to himself, gathering together his favourite collaborators from the local scene, and there is thus a sense of a party about their all too rare gatherings that infuses the music throughout. They kicked off this sell-out show with a blast of Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca, a fast Latin explosion which brought out rip-roaring solos from trumpeter Nick Malcolm and Jim Blomfield’s piano, rounding off with Jake McMurchie’s more placatory tenor sax. It was a bold starter that showed that, despite a lack of rehearsal time and some last-minute recruiting, this was a tight ensemble that knew where it was going.
With a few exception the rest of the show featured Andy’s own compositions, on the whole strongly melodic numbers with rich arrangements pitting the various horn sections against each other. Friday Night at the Bebop Club told its own story, Ben Waghorn’s assertive alto sax brightly picking up the up-beat theme, Mark Whitlam providing the inevitable drum solo with aplomb, while the rising and falling chords of Downhill Struggle (another autobiographical title, Andy claimed) gave Gary Alesbrook a framework for an elegant flugelhorn outing. After a baritone sax intro from the (apparently) ailing Kevin Figes Amber unfolded in a more spacious way, with the rhythm section working the piece out and Jim Blomfield wringing every last drop from his piano solo.
Though there was a nice variety among the tunes it was clear that one person was behind them, and, as with his long-established quintet, Andy Hague’s blend of jazz insight and wry humour underpinned both his original stuff and the arrangements, including the raunchy blues of The Bucket’s Got A Hole In It with vocals from Denny Ilett and a smouldering tenor sax solo from Ruth Hammond. And, if the audience we’re enjoying themselves as much as the enthusiastic applause suggested, it was clear the band were having a great time too, with smiles and laughter on stage throughout. It may have started as a present to himself, but Andy Hague’s Big Band is a fine gift to the Bristol jazz-loving community and one that should keep on giving.
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
