Darlington Jazz Festival, Various venues

THIS was the fourth annual festival, spread across the town, and the most ambitious so far.

Altogether more than 120 musicians, from individual artists to big bands, gave eight performances at six venues. I managed to catch three, each representing a different type of jazz.

The first, at the Voodoo Café, was the Matt Roberts Sextet playing music of the legendary bop trumpeter Fats Navarro. Now based in London, trumpeter Roberts was clearly delighted to be back in Darlington, especially in front of a full house of enthusiastic supporters.

With a group of former colleagues from Leeds College of Music, he presented a wide selection of classic bebop tunes which respected the original recordings but with a contemporary awareness.

Saturday evening brought a big band evening in a sold-out performance in Central Hall. An opening set by the 22-piece Durham County Youth Big Band, led by festival organiser Shaune Eland, set the standard with impressive performances ranging from Satin Doll to Matt Roberts’ arrangement of Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

Then the Durham Alumni Big Band showed why it won this year’s Great North Big Band Festival.

Guests Al Wood, leading and soloing on saxophone, and trumpeter Bruce Adams, were the icing on the cake in a lengthy performance which showed the band’s many individual talents and consistently impressive ensemble playing.

Closing the festival at St Augustine’s Parish Centre at teatime on Sunday was the Simon Read Octet which, again, included a number of players associated with Leeds College of Music.

Apart from a sensitive version of the Charles Mingus classic, Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love, the programme consisted of Read’s own attractive compositions and arrangements. His use of different combinations of trumpet, trombone, two saxophones, electric guitar, piano, bass and drums was particularly enjoyable.

There’s no doubt the festival was a great success both musically and in popularity which must be gratifying to the many volunteers who run it, and to their sponsors.

Peter Bevan