Derek Nash Quartet wows Hadleigh Jazz Club audience

David Newton (Picture credit: Alex Carr)

With an expectant buzz in the air and the sound of Champagne corks popping at Hadleigh Jazz Club, a mild Spring evening got hotter for the sell-out audience once the Derek Nash Quartet had taken to the stage.

The energetic rendition of the opening classic, You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To, exemplified what was to follow. Dynamically performed, Derek Nash (sax) and David Newton (piano) launched into exhilarating solo pieces within the ensemble performance. Geoff Gascoyne (double bass) and George Double (drums) followed suit, which introduced the audience to the talents of the group members.

I was delighted that Derek and his Quartet performed a particular favourite of mine, Grover Washington's Winelight. Their video of this smoothest and coolest of pieces can be viewed on dereknash.com – log on and enjoy. We were also introduced to other Derek favourites – Hank Mobley's Soul Station and Neil Hefti's Li'l Darlin'.

Derek Nash took the lead (Picture credit: Alex Carr)

A rhapsodic piece by David was a stand-out moment of the show when he performed his arrangement of Moonlight in Vermont. The stylish sixteen times winner of the Best UK Jazz Piano Player award has created a sublimely beautiful and sensitive addition to the jazz genre.

Another strand of multi-talented Derek's musical gifts is his composing. Commencing with his joyful Latin tune Blue House Samba, inspired by the artist Frida Karlo, not only did he introduce his soprano sax, but augmented the others' solos by playing a range of 'shakers' to accompany them.

More numbers from his album Down on Frenchman Street followed - My, But You Make That Dress Look Lovely and Gmail Special. And for the encore, Voodoo Rex, the audience was encouraged to participate in Bo Diddley style rhythmic handclapping (if you can imagine it) to end the evening on an upbeat note.

Geoff Gascoyne (Picture credit: Alex Carr)

Improvisation played a great part in making the entire evening so enjoyable, and this aspect came to the fore in the way that Derek inspired the other three to play to their utmost limits. He encouraged them to fully express themselves; none more so than Geoff on bass and (would you believe) bass ukulele, giving one of the most accomplished and sparkling displays - to match his shirt - I have seen at the Club.

Club regulars will need no introduction to George Double, who continues to provide the most dependable of rhythm section backings, interspersed with virtuoso drum solos. Derek rightly praised him for promoting outstanding shows, putting in loads of demanding work and making it all happen, on top of playing lengthy stints on stage.

It's six years since I last saw the Quartet performing at the Town Hall and, to my mind, the foursome has developed into an even more excitingly supertight combo.

Derek Nash combo has got tighter (Picture credit: Alex Carr)

Next up at HJC on Saturday 18 June is Jazz at the Philharmonic starring legends Art Themen (sax) and John Etheridge (guitar).

Tickets will be available from the Ticket Source box office on the Hadleigh Jazz Club link at georgedouble.com Advance information about HJC gigs can be obtained by asking to be added to the club's mailing list.

Contact George at [email protected]; go to his website; or phone him on 07941 360890.

He'll be pleased to hear from you.