Introducing the evening, promoter Sam Legg of Elusive Jazz quipped that this was to be a night of creatures.
Cats, snakes, and wolves were conjured by the names of three acts: Catbandcat, Vipertime and Marco Woolf. He had even brought along bags of catnip for the merch stall. I didn’t take him up on his suggestion of hanging a catnip bag on the Christmas tree, images of feral cats invading and destroying the lounge running through my mind.
This was my first visit to Wharf Chambers, an intimate and friendly performance space. The venue runs as a private social club, so you must either be signed in by someone who is already a member or join. Membership annual fee is a snip at £2 and gives you access to their well-stocked bar where the cost of beer starts at £4 a pint. There is a relaxed bar area, with a library and an open-air courtyard to sit and enjoy a drink before the music starts. I may be back to use my membership to enjoy a drink whilst writing up a story.
Sam introduced Marco Woolf as the relaxing act of the evening. I now realise this was tongue in cheek. Whilst Marco’s singing and guitar playing were at times melodic, there were elements of dissonance, both musically and narratively. Marco is a storyteller; he wove tales around us, tales of a beautiful woman called Odessa. His tales are not fairy stories, or perhaps they are, in the original Grimm dark style. Danger seemed to lurk, whether on urban streets, at home or from a submerged hippo in Africa. His stories, informed by his life in Manchester and Malawian roots, kept us engaged but gave no neat endings.
Although relaxing might not be the right word, Marco Woolf’s music was sedate when compared to Vipertime. Ben Powling on tenor saxophone, Matías Reed on bass guitar alongside Luke Reddin-Williams and George Hall on drums provided pure energy. The band was born from Leeds house parties and clearly has a strong local following, the dance floor filling with fans for their set.
The double drumming creates instant energy. Powling’s rhymic tenor sax playing then takes it to another level. Having played with a variety of local bands, Powling has been continuously developing his skills since graduating from Leeds Conservatoire in 2013. John Coltrane is a clear influence, but I was reminded of the fierce playing of Gilad Atzmon. The band took the opportunity to try out new material which went down well.
Back to the Manchester scene for the headline band of the night, Catbandcat. The evening was promoted as jazz. All three acts were experimental, but Catbandcat are a long way from most people’s understanding of a jazz quintet, or a folk group, or a rock band. They included elements of each form, plus some almost classical choral singing. The experimental group consists of bass, synth, guitar, vocals, violin, accordion, and a drum machine, coming together to create something completely new.
For me, this combination was challenging. I appreciated the compositions when vocals were at the fore. This is music where instruments and voices challenge each other rather than unite. I think I would need to listen to more to fully appreciate it. There are certainly some fine musicians involved. Violinist Marla Broadway particularly impressed me. They proved their versatility by ending with adaptations of some Christmas songs to send us out into the December night.
I think everyone will have found something they enjoyed in this diverse offering. Throughout the evening, the screen behind the performers filled with continually changing graphics. These were being live-streamed from Jamaica. The production and promotion showed real enthusiasm for developing new music. Mikey Cottom, from Catbandcat, ended the evening by thanking promoter Sam Legg, whose belief in the music he promotes is clear for all to see and appreciate.
Photography by Debbie Rolls. Main image Catbandcat.
