THE hard-working Nick Dewhurst Band brought a full house and some strong musicianship when they appeared at The Hub at St Mary’s.
With accompaniment from some of the finest local session and jazz performers, they played an exciting set filled with Nick’s own music and some interesting arrangements of numbers by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Dua Lipa and Moloko.
The band consisted of Nick on trumpet, flugelhorn and guitar, Beth Fisher-Dewhurst on alto saxophone, Chris Bowden on tenor saxophone, drummer Carl Hemmingsley, bassist Paul Robinson and Sam Craig on keyboards and vocals.
They started with Pick Up The Pieces by the Average White Band. The well-known saxophone refrain, solid beat and inventive soloing was a good start to the gig.
The original Bird Street Blues allowed for some good trumpet, before Dua Lipa’s One Kiss was an interesting blend of pop and jazz improvisation.
Precious Time by bassist Paul Robinson was a tone poem with an insistent bass motif and some more subdued playing.
During the second half, a new track – Supersonic – from the group’s forthcoming third album had its premier – and something slightly different was delivered with their arrangement of Libertango.
A slow take of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition was led by the keyboards and vocals of Sam Craig, with the concert finished by I Wish, which has become a staple in the ensemble’s set list.
