Two years ago, the Fergus McCreadie Octet was the outstanding gig of the 2022 Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. So when they commissioned new work from McCreadie for this year’s festival, expectations were running high. McCreadie and the octet didn’t disappoint, perhaps even surpassing their previous show.
Featuring a similar line up to that earlier performance, the band was comprised of bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson, McCreadie’s longstanding partners in his trio, together with a front line of Matt Carmichael (tenor saxophone), Harry Weir (tenor sax and bass clarinet) and Paul Towndrow (alto sax and low whistle), with Sandy Watkins standing in for Laura Jurd, who was unable to make the gig – McCreadie paid special thanks to Watkins who had only seen the music that day. Lastly, Henderson was joined on drums by Graham Costello, the two kits facing each other and the drummers clearly relishing the opportunity to play together.
The music was played straight through, with no breaks or introductions: a single suite of over seventy minutes. McCreadie has previously taken inspiration from the Scottish landscape for his competitions, particularly on his latest album Stream. With the octet it felt like he was taking us on a journey through that landscape. The music ebbed and flowed, taking us to precipitous heights and exploring trails. There were passages of slowly building intensity and solos of wild freedom.
There were themes familiar from the trio’s performances. The inclusion of folk motifs worked to the players’ strength – both Towndrow and Carmichael are well versed in folk forms. Some segments were reminiscent of a raucous foot-stamping ceilidh, the exuberance fading to quiet. Elsewhere the drummers brought the sound of marching, with McCreadie’s own playing finding hypnotic, repetitive patterns; he played gently and quietly that it seemed the audience held it’s breath to hear it all; he played energetically and forcefully that he lifted himself from the piano stool with the power of his block chords.
He directed the band from behind the piano, indicating musicians join in certain pieces.
The suite finished with a melancholy tone, Towndrow playing a haunting theme on low whistle as the other horns swirled around, fading to leave McCreadie playing a quiet, gentle piano solo until the music was gone.
The sold out audience rose as one to show their heartfelt appreciation. It had been some journey, at times emotional and intense. A powerful experience.
(Fergus McCreadie Trio play Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld on 8 September, Scarborough Jazz Festival on 27 September, and Kings Place as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival on 15 November.)
EJBF continues until 21 July
