If you would like to get a referral or speak to some of our previous clients, then please contact us and we would be happy to get references for you, here are some recent ones

JazzMain with Ben Shankland at the Langtoun Jazz Festival , Kirkcaldy June   2023

We were looking forward very much to having JazzMain play at Langtoun Jazz Festival this year since their reputation goes before them, having played together for 20 years!

But when their piano player, Steve Grossart had to drop out and young musician, Ben Shankland, stepped in it promised to be a very exciting collaboration between 3 veterans and a ‘young gun’ fresh on the scene.

After his Trio gig on Saturday night I asked 19 year old Ben if he had had a chance to rehearse with the band and he said ‘No, but it will be fine! I’m really looking forward to it’ The confidence of youth and one who has been learning his craft at Birmingham Conservatory and will continue his studies there after the summer.

His confidence was well founded and all of the musicians worked magnificently together to produce a scintillating set of standards.

JazzMain at the Garioch Jazz Club , Inverurie April  2023

JazzMain performed at Garioch Jazz Club on the night of 28th April and they once again proved to be highly popular. They enthralled the audience with exciting and popular tunes played with verve and professionalism. They are obviously enjoying what the do and it shows, the anecdotes about the composers just adds to our enjoyment. Well done Jazz Main

JazzMain at the Globe, Newcastle April  2023

We have been to the Globe in Newcastle a number of times now and always really enjoy our gigs there, the Globe is an award winning venue run by volunteers and has a wide range of music on offer. 

JazzMain at the Ayr Jazz Club February 2023

Our first outing to Ayr was a fun night , a very welcoming venue and patrons. Here’s a wee review from Stuart

Though our members and supporters at Ayr Jazz Club prefer and are normally used to music of the New Orleans style, the visit of JazzMain to the club really took them by surprise. However, as the evening went on the appreciation of this different type of music really took hold and the frequent spontaneous bouts of applause told the full story.

Nick Gould’s band are, as mentioned at the end of the evening, a bunch of “cool cats”, and presented their programme of modern jazz with great aplomb.  Some of the tune titles were unknown to us and the ones we did know were presented brilliantly and the odd requests which the band received were handled in an excellent manner, even although they hadn’t played them before.

The solo work from every member of the band was handled in a very professional manner, much appreciated by the audience.

Looks like you will be coming back to Ayr boys!

JazzMain at the Kendal Jazz Club February 2023

This was our first time playing at this long established jazz club, here’s what they posted in the club blog.

We have hosted quite a few Scottish bands over the years, but Edinburgh band JazzMain rank with the best.   From the moment they launched into their first number (Tangerine, with the rarely-played verse) I could tell we were in for a treat.   Nick Gould’s big smooth tenor sound wove its way confidently and acoustically around the tune and the changes, propelled by the hard-driving rhythm section, and the rest of the first hour was over before we knew it.   Congratulations are due on their eclectic choice of material:  ‘Have You Met Miss Jones’ and ‘St Thomas’ you might expect from this sort of band , but ‘Tea for Two’ you wouldn’t, and the standout for me was the gorgeous ballad ‘My One and Only Love’ – only a rung or two below the classic Webster/Tatum version.    And speaking of Art Tatum, big compliments are due to keyboard man Steve Grossart – maybe not quite so many notes as the master and in a later style, but inventive and harmonically interesting. His solo on ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams ‘ in the second set was exceptional.   And that set again featured a wide array of tunes, with the quartet displaying good internal understanding as well as fine solos from bass guitarist Iain Harkness and expert drum breaks from Kevin Dorrian.   Overall this was a melodic and swinging evening, with brief but informed introductions from Nick, complementing his great sound and fluent improvising.   We will certainly be asking them back.

JazzMain at the Dunoon Jazz Festival September 2022

We were delighted to be invited back to play at the lovely Burgh Hall as part of the Dunoon Jazz Festival, here is the feedback we received from the festival committee

JazzMain were the headliners on Saturday evening 17^th September and lived up to their reputation. It is said life is lot like jazz – it’s best when you improvise, and the group certainly showed that. They played and improvised music with a soul – their professionalism, their nuances, their feel and their use of dynamics and interaction between musicians was a joy to behold. If you have not heard them then you have missed out.

JazzMain at the Bude Jazz Festival September 2022

We  had a great trip to this lovely venue, here is what the festival director had to say

On the 1^st and 2^nd of September 2022, JazzMain Quartet had their first visit to Bude, Cornwall, the band being one of the highlights of the Bude Jazz Festival.

What a fabulous group of musicians, they engaged with and read the audience well, enabling them to play music to suit.

They were friendly and passionate about their music, providing a good variety to each of their sets.

We are hoping to have JazzMain back in Bude, if they can fit us into their busy schedule.

Blue Note Nights -JazzMain at the Edinburgh Fringe 

This year we played three evening shows at the Jazz Bar with the theme of Blue Note music from the classic era of this great label. 

Here are a couple of reviews, first up from Kay C who writes for the excellent BeBop Spoken Here blog 

Wednesday night was to be a Blue Note Night at the Edinburgh Jazz Bar as JazzMain prepared to play their third and final concert on the Fringe. The omens were good, two sell out concerts and a long queue on Chamber Street when I arrived 30 minutes early. The international flavour of the fringe evident as I queued with a young couple from India, a visitor from Spain, and another from Sweden. The Jazz Bar runs a tight ship over the Fringe (affording lots of choice) and when saxophonist Nick Gould welcomed the audience at 8.30pm prompt, all seats, and standing room, were taken.

Up first This I Dig of You, swiftly followed by For Minors Only, the international audience already grateful, that out of the hundreds of concerts on offer, this was the one they had chosen. 

A sublime piano solo from Steve Gossart on Darn That Dream, a breath taking rendition of Tin Tin Deo that included moments of spellbinding intimacy, before the swinging blues Sandu with accomplished solos from each of the four (this my favourite) closed to rapturous applause and shouts of ‘fantastic’ and ‘ole’. 

Rain Check, Tadd Dameron’s Ladybird, one of the era’s classics, and all too quickly we had arrived at the closing Invitation.

JazzMain’s hallmark passion and integrity for the artists and music they pay homage too, and that they are each masters’ of their craft laid the foundation for what was an exceptional concert. Their gutsy decision to play a completely new set at each performance added an edginess and vibrancy that captivated and thrilled their audience.

This was JazzMain at the top of their game.

I’ll leave the last word to one of my Aberdonian kin not known for high praise… ‘that’ she declared, ‘was excellent’!

Thanks to Hemant and Tanaya for their valuable insight into the technical processes of jazz composition. Good luck with the mini bagpipes.
Kay C

Here is one from Terry Murden who writes for the Daily Business Magazine

✭✭✭✭

Local jazz fans will need no introduction to the JazzMain quartet and their occasional guests who have been performing at The Jazz Bar to good sized audiences looking for something soothing at the end of the day.

Tenor saxophonist Nick Gould is joined by Steve Grossart (keyboards), Iain Harkness (bass) and Kevin Dorrian (drums), who share a passion for the 50s and 60s Blue Note jazz style that emerged from downtown New York.

They take us back to an era which was defined by artists such as Joe Henderson (Mamacita), Horace Silver (Hippest Cat in Hollywood) and Billy Strayhorn (UMMG).

Whereas most artists do the same set each time, JazzMain are doing five shows in 10 days with different tunes. They have one further gig this Fringe, so catch them while you can.

JazzMain at the Globe Newcastle February 2022

If you dig Dexter or jump for Joe Henderson there are two options. Either check out their old Blue Note albums or go to a JazzMain gig.

Edinburgh tenor maestro Nick Gould has absorbed many of the elements of the above two legends in his playing and thrown in a few of his own for good measure much to the delight of all present and those who stayed in out of the rain and watched on livestream.

This was one of those “what’s not to like gigs?” with ne’er a banjo in sight. Driving hard bop as good as anything that currently subscribes to that label and better than most.

Piano, bass and drums played their part to perfection soloing and comping as required.

Come back again soon – Lance

_________________________________________________________________________

Blue Note Nights – JazzMain on the Fringe  August 2021

Kenneth Byron

Sunday Night @ The Globe: JazzMain – April 25

(Photo by Debra Milne)

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (keys); Iain Harkness (5 string electric bass); Kevin Dorrian (drums).

Always good to hear JazzMain when they make their occasional forays south of the border down Railway St. way.

Sunday in New York was an appropriate starter. Admittedly we weren’t in New York but it was Sunday and, being Sunday, we were virtually in The Globe which is the next best thing to being in Birdland. Indeed, on a Sunday night in Newcastle, it’s the only game in town. Lockdown or no lockdown these guys hadn’t neglected their chops.

Johnny Mandel’s Cinnamon & Cloves; Dizzy’s Tin Tin Deo and a luscious version of Darn That Dream kept things at a relatively high level before the ante was lifted with Friday Night at the Cadillac Club. This Bob Berg number would have had the crowd shakin’ it and letting it all hang out had there been a crowd to do such lascivious things … in about 3 weeks I think/hope.

Hank Mobley provided Funk in Deep Freeze, Tom Jobim came up with the inevitable bossa nova – Favela – which made space for sax and bass to flex their muscles and Grover Washington added Mr Magic.

By the time we reached the last number which, in time-honoured show business tradition, turned out  not be the last number at all, I had made a few reflections.

(Photo by Debra Milne)

That they managed to get through a gig without the meaningless round of fours that most bands today seem to regard as a rite of passage was a distinct plus. Steve Grossart played some excellent solos although, personally, I’d have preferred to have heard them played with a more traditional piano sound rather than the tinkle-tinkle electronic sound. As ever Harkness was as sound as a Scottish pound and Dorrian, although restricted solowise, seized the moment when it thrust upon him – impressively. Oh yes, and there’s also Nick Gould who can hold his own in any company on his great tenor sound alone!

The final final number, Horace Silver’s The Hippest Cat in Hollywood, could easily have been re-named as The Hippest Cats in Holyrood!

Come back soon.

_________________________________________________________________________

JazzMain at the Globe Newcastle 19/01/20

JazzMain at the Voodoo Rooms 2019

We  played a special gig at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh featuring some of the fabulous music originally played and recorded by The Jazz Couriers (Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott). We had a full on night of hard swinging up tempo music.

Here is the feedback from an audience member  “I have to say, having been at the gig on Sunday night, what an-experience!!
Ellie, Myself and Angus my son we’re just blown away.
“Jazz Main were amazing and the guys were brilliant . Special mention to your pianist who for me was studying the whole progression of each piece intently and doing that thing that jazz piano does.“

_________________________________________________________________________

Diggin’ Dexter at the Edinburgh Fringe

Thank you Russell for making the trip up from Newcastle to see us.

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (piano); Iain Harkness (double bass); Kevin Dorrian (drums) 

(Review by Russell)

South of the border it was a public holiday, in Scotland’s capital city it was just another work day Monday. Edinburgh’s countless tourists were enjoying/enduring sweltering temperatures while down a flight of stairs on Chambers Street the basement Jazz Bar offered some relief from the burning sun. On this, the final day of this year’s Fringe Festival, Nick Gould brought in JazzMain to play a mid-afternoon Dexter Gordon set.

No time to lose at a Fringe gig – one hour, hit the ground running and, as Gordon himself would have said…Go! Straight in with Sticky Wicket. Steve Grossart at the Jazz Bar’s Yamaha piano put down a marker on You Stepped Out of a Dream with bassist Iain Harkness stepping up and Kevin Dorrian covering everything behind the traps as JazzMain’s main man, tenor saxophonist Nick Gould, took on the challenge of doing justice to the music of the quartet’s subject, the legendary Dexter Gordon.

The American left behind a vast amount of material for tenor players like Gould to work with and on a one hour gig like this tough choices had to be made. From You Stepped Out of Dream to Darn That Dream, JazzMain held the attention of an attentive Fringe audience. Mrs. Miniver again showcased Grossart’s fine ‘old school’ piano playing and again on a couple of Latin treatments including Catalonian Nights.

The Dexter Gordon years on Blue Note and Prestige featured alongside SteepleChase cuts and, as Gould remarked, he simply had to play Cheese Cake from Go! In doing so our tenor saxophonist observed that the Van Gelder Studio recording was made on August 27, 1962…all of one day short of exactly fifty eight years ago! Back then it was Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins working with Gordon, here at the Jazz Bar Messrs Grossart, Harkness and Dorrian gave sterling support to Gould.

The hour was just about up as JazzMain wound up with Soy Califa from a favourite Dexter Gordon album of Gould’s, A Swingin’ Affair (Gould’s diligent pre-gig research noted the Blue Note recording followed two days on – same line-up, same studio – from the Go! session). If your kind of tenor playing is swinging, straight-down-the-middle tenor, then look no further, Nick Gould is your man.

JazzMain at the Ilkley Jazz Festival

This was a lovely gig in a great place. Thanks Beverley.

Jazz Mains performance at Ilkley Jazz Festival was a fantastic start to our main days events at our main venue The Winter Garden. The Dexter Gordon material is a joy to listen to and they are such a tight group of musicians that their energy lifts the room. The audience were thrilled by Nicks solos and the whole set got the rapturous applause that this band truly deserve.’ (Beverley Beirne, Artistic Director, Ilkley Jazz Festival)

_________________________________________________________________________

JazzMain @ The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 

We played at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh in the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in July. Here is a review from Dick Playfair of our Blue Note celebration.

“I really enjoyed The Silver Project a few years back when JazzMain put a celebration of Horace Silver numbers together.

I haven’t seen JazzMain since although this must be one of the hardest working quartets on the circuit, popping up at this and that in Scotland (and Ireland), and leader, my jazzy chum Nick Gould, finding every available opportunity to deliver some tenor madness – at home, in France and beyond.

So, I knew what to expect, and wasn’t disappointed – not least because I actually knew some of the tunes. Their set for the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 2019, in what looked like an as good as sold-out Jazz Bar, promised an all too brief dip into the Blue Note catalogue. And that’s what it was – almost.”

1. Iain Harkness and Nick Gould

JazzMain play and swing hard. Kevin Dorrian, uncompromising on drums, and Iain Harkness on electric bass hold the backline solid allowing Nick and Steve Grossart on piano to show their mettle. But you can tell too that these very smart gents (there might even have been a tie) have spent far more time in the studio fine tuning their repertoire than spent at the tailors having their inside leg measurements taken.

We were treated, in an hour that flew by all too swiftly, to renditions of Hank Mobley’s Funk In The Deep Freeze to open, then You Stepped Out Of A Dream as on the wonderful Dexter Gordon album, Go (which everyone should own, or at least listen to, if only once), followed by Wes Montgomery’s hard, swinging Full House.  And this is where JazzMain broke the rules, because this was on the Riverside label, not Blue Note, as was admitted from the stage.  But nobody cared.  Nick told how they had played this first with the great Glasgow-born guitarist Jim Mullen at the Voodoo Rooms last year and decided to keep it on the playlist, despite the lack of guitar.

 

Then followed a change of tempo with Recado Bossa Nova (from Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan’s Dippin’ album) and a welcome,  laid-back and stunning rendition of Coltrane’s Central Park West (three key centres and a 10 bar form explained for the aficionados).

Things then motored toward the finish line with Cheesecake (Dexter Gordon, Go again), Wayne Shorter’s Speak No Evil, and some Silver to finish in the form of Liberated Brother.

You get the impression that JazzMain give it everything they’ve got. Technically it’s exceptional, there’s a ton of energy, and they bop hard, hard, hard.

 

Bill Kyle received a credit, which was great. The Jazz Bar and its continuing success are his legacy and the jazz scene in Edinburgh owes him so much.  Equally there was a mention for the great sound set-up for which this venue is famous with the dexterous ear and touch of Alasdair Kampff on duty at the desk.

Too right that these smart Edinburgh jazz ambassadors have a place in the Festival programme.  I gather they have been doing what they do very well for a long time. And they know how to dress properly. Long may that continue.

We played at the Globe Jazz Club in Newcastle on 3rd February 2019. This is a review published in the award winning blog BeBop Spoken here by Lance Liddle.

_________________________________________________________________________

JAZZMAIN  at The Globe, Newcastle

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (keys); Iain Harkness (bass); Kevin Dorrian (drums).

(Review and photo of Nick Gould by Lance/Band photo courtesy of Sheila Herrick).

There have been many Scottish invasions – Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts but, with the possible exception of the Bay City Rollers, few of the marauders have made their mark – until last night that is. Last night, JazzMain took the Jazz Coop’s groundfloor Jazz Bar by storm.

A hard-blowing session in the best Blue Note tradition with pieces by Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, George Coleman, Tubby Hayes and many others proving that, for one night only, the Hippest Cat in Hollywood was actually in Newcastle. Tomorrow he/they will be the hippest cat(s) in Holyrood.

The opener, Sunday in New York became, for me, Sunday in Newcastle and what a Sunday it turned out to be!

The four from Edinburgh don’t take any prisoners. Dorrian, in goal, leads from the rear, driving hard, pushing the soloists to the limit. Defender Harkness, solid in support and adventurous in attack when given the nod. Pianist Grossart feeding the striker with chords and nonlinear lines via various combinations of sounds from the Roland keyboard and the JazzMain man himself, Nick Gould blowing tenor like Joe Henderson was his brother.

Secret Love; Soul Eyes; Bob (Bird of Beauty – Stevie Wonder); My Move, Your Groove; Cheesecake and Amsterdam After Dark. Here endeth the first lesson. It had been a blast although, at 75 minutes, perhaps a shade too long bearing in mind the need for comfort breaks and the recharging of glasses.

The above needs attended to we were soon back in Hackensack via Frith St with Soho Soul; Come Rain or Come Shine; Nobody Else But me; Tin Tin Deo; Joyspring; the obligatory Jobim number the title of which escaped me; Afterburner; A Weaver of Dreams and finally, more Silver into Gould with Liberated Brother.

It’s early days to say ‘Gig of the Month’ but with the bar set this high, the rest have it all to do!
Lance.

18th August 2018

_________________________________________________________________________

JAZZMAIN IN CONCERT

DUNOON JAZZ FESTIVAL AUGUST 2018

JazzMain were booked to play at the first revitalised Dunoon Jazz Festival after 20 years.

There concert was at 8 pm on the Saturday evening and their whole approach was one of sheer professionalism. They had a relaxed approach and an extremely close relationship between each other. Their performance was tight and dazzling – a joy to behold. They were also asked by the organisers to include a blind, autistic jazz pianist and their sensitivity and ability to allow him to lead was typical of this highly talented ensemble.

He finished the first half by himself to enormous accolade and this shows the that they live their music and were only too keen to give this pianist centre stage without detracting from their experienced and exciting renditions of jazz classics.

Don McNeil – Cowal Music Club

_________________________________________________________________________

Doonbeg Jazz Festival

Every two years we head over to Eire for the Doonbeg international Jazz Festival, we have been over  a few times now and always have a great time there.

JazzMain are always a delightful addition to the festival programme. They have
played at the Doonbeg International Jazz Festival five times now and they are VERY
popular. All excellent musicians, their set is highly entertaining and they are very easy
to deal with and will definitely be back by popular demand.

Thank you Philippa for that!

_________________________________________________________________________

Garioch Jazz Club

14th April 2017

We have enjoyed playing at the Garioch Jazz Club, a friendly place with a long history of playing the music we love.

Garioch Jazz Club has had the pleasure of having JazzMain at the club twice over the
last couple of years – once for the Inverurie Jazz Festival and for one of our regular
club nights. Not only are these some of the nicest guys you will meet who ooze charm
and friendliness, their choice of material is second to none and the delivery is flawless

Elaine Crichton, Organiser – Garioch Jazz Club, Aberdeenshire

______________________________________________________________________

Callander Jazz and Blues Festival

30th March 2017

Thank you Graham for the nice testimonial from the Callander Jazz and Blues Festival

It is always a pleasure to attend a live performance from a band with such a diverse repertoire and overall versatility. A band that connects with both their chosen genre and with attendant audiences.

Great musicians, great music, great attitude

I would recommend this band for any function or event.

Graham Oliphant

Festival Director

Callander Jazz and Blues Festival

____________________________________________________________________

26th June 2016

From Philippa the festival organiser for the Doonbeg Jazz Festival

“It is always a pleasure to have Jazz Main appear at the Doonbeg Jazz Festival, they are such a great band! Excellent musicians, good, varied set list and really nice people”

Philippa Siegrist

______________________________________________________________________