Sam Newbould Quintet – Traverse Theatre

The Sam Newbould Quintet, based in Amsterdam, arrived in Edinburgh to perform the second night of their week-long Scottish tour.  Playing original jazz pieces composed by Sam Newbould, this quintet captivated the Traverse’s audience with their smooth and persistent sound.  Combining both simple yet relentless licks and flowing, heavily layered textures, the Sam Newbould Quintet had the audience entranced.  Xavi Torres on piano played with beautiful clarity of tone and a delicacy that was refreshing to hear – his solos were incredibly captivating, playing with a heartfeltness that really struck a chord with me (no pun intended). 

Keeping the pace and groove was Guy Salamon on the drum kit giving us flow and drive.  Salamon’s drumming style feels incredibly intuitive with him using experimental techniques such as hitting the drums with his palms rather than using sticks at times – he seems completely in tune with his instrument.  On the double bass was Jort Terwijn Ӧnder providing structure to the band and blending seamlessly in the mix – with only one solo throughout the set I would have loved to see him showcased more! 

Finally, was Bernard Van Rossum and Sam Newbould himself on the saxophones.  This duo gave us lilting, playful melodies with a light and airy sound which produced the band’s signature feel. Altogether, they created an exceptional set showcasing each member’s incredible talent.

The set was well presented by frontman Newbould who had many a charming backstory behind his songs – telling us how he came to befriend a Polish homing pigeon, researched the broadsides of the 19th century, and found inspiration for a song title in sea bells.  Newbould’s charming addresses to the audience left a very personable impression on us.  My favourite song title of course had to be the closing piece, Barba Tenus Sapientes, roughly translated from Latin to mean ‘just because a man’s beard is long does not mean that he is intelligent.’  Sam Newbould does in fact have a very long beard, and while I can’t say for certain if he is a wise man, I can say that he sure knows how to play and compose some incredible work.

Reviewer: Jessie Martin

Reviewed: 7th April 2025

North West End UK Rating: