Sage, Gateshead

THIS has been a good couple of weeks for tenor saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes with the release of her second CD and a national tour supported by Jazz Services.

There have been favourable features in a number of jazz magazines and, to crown all this, it was announced, just before her Gateshead performance, that she will be a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist for 2012-14.

Having heard her CD (available on Basho Music) and then this concert, it’s easy to see why, for she is an extremely accomplished musician with an impressive technique and considerable skill as a composer, especially in her ability to write for both jazz and classical players.

The first half was by the Tangent Nonet, comprising Clowes on tenor saxophone, Gwilym Simcock piano, Chris Montague guitar, Calum Gourlay bass and James Maddren drums.

From the opening number, On/Off, it was clear this was thoughtful and deliberate music, albeit with an insinuating beat. It was a piece for the whole group with individual voices emerging in turn.

For the second set, a string quartet was added, or perhaps integrated into the group. They, too, featured individually as well as collectively, with the group’s attention to dynamics enabling each voice to be heard clearly.

The final piece, The Master and Margarita, produced perhaps the most animated solos of the evening from tenor saxophone, piano and guitar, but this only served to emphasise that subtlety and concentration were this group’s forte.