Local trumpet player, guitarist and composer Nick Dewhurst led his newest musical venture through a set of inventive fusion tunes, some alternative arrangements of older material and some new pieces.
He was supported through the evening by drummer Carl Hemmingsley, Simon Peter King on fretless and fretted bass guitar, and keyboard player Matt Ratcliffe.
The music they played ranged from the opening Grooving High by Dizzy Gillespie and Rain Dance by the pianist Jeff Lorber, as well as the jazz standard Fly Me To The Moon.
The shuffle of Blues For Dave saw some fine playing from Nick on guitar and some deep funk grooves on bass, and Heatwave – played here on guitar instead of the more usual trumpet – was the closing number of the first set.
With the exception of an opening number of a swinging Happy Birthday, a closing Oleo by Sonny Rollins and Room 335 by Larry Carlton, the rest of the second set was originals written by Nick and arranged for a smaller ensemble.
Bird Street Blues and Fusion Line were both well played, but a highlight was Breaking the Circuit, with the insistent rock riffs and pin-sharp drumming keeping the energy of the evening going.