We spotted Predicate in early 2011, playing at a farewell party for bassist Dom Lash, who was about to depart for a year's residence in New York. We were bowled over by the energy and imagination of the band, but we've had to await Dom's return from the Big Apple before we could bring them to Tyneside.

The band is led by Alex Ward, whose previous visits have generally been with clarinet in hand, but who has also become one of the most exciting improvising guitarists in UK jazz, as well as developing increasing skills as a composer. He formed Predicate as a means of combining his compositions with improvisation, with a repertoire of dramatically complex tunes that leave ample room for all four members to stretch out. The instrumental line-up offers a clear delineation between a lead instrument (Tim Hill on saxophones) and a rhythm section of bass & drums, with Alex himself occupying the middle ground, sometimes driving the melody, sometimes stirring the rhythmic stew behind the sax. The overall mood is pretty high-energy (although not quite as ferocious as Alex's near-rock duo Dead Days Beyond Help), but with stretches of more contemplative playing that set off the fury to brilliant effect.

Although this is Alex's band, it is anything but a one-man showcase. Solos from Tim Hill regularly match up to Ward's in power and imagination, and the A-team engine room of Dom Lash and Mark Sanders is as good and responsive a bass & drums team as you could find anywhere in Europe. This is music that takes the formal structures of jazz - theme, solos, reprise - and invests that with a whole new exhilarating energy. It's been a bit of a wait, but we're proud to be revealing it to the Tyneside audience.


This gig is a co-promotion with Schmazz, and is made possible through financial assistance from Newcastle City Council.