Leah Gough-Cooper / Hanna Paulsberg Quartet and Julian Arguelles Quartet. EJF, July 2014.

[rhythmaning]

I hadn't seen Julian Arguelles play for several years, and then I get to see him twice in a week...

First up though was Leah Gough-Cooper and Hanna Paulsberg Quartet. I saw Gough-Cooper play in last year's festival with a sextet, and whilst I thought the playing was excellent, the compositions didn't work for me - they seemed took busy, as if trying to fit in everything she could do.

The tunes she and Paulsberg brought to the party this year were of a different order - simpler, but with more depth; essentially more mature. With Gough-Cooper on alto and Paulsberg on tenor, they had gutsy voices, ably helped by Calum Gourlay on bass. They played a really enjoyable set.

Arguelles set which followed was something else, though. A different league. Confident and assured, subtle and unshowy, the music was engrossing. They started off with several pieces from a suite and finished with a piece called "Iron Pyrites" apparently abstracted from a Stone Roses' tune (with any of the Roses elements well and truly disposed of), and in between played a wealth of exciting music.

Arguelles was helped by his band - Kit Downes on piano, Sam Lasserson on bass and James Maddren on drums. Downes is always a pleasure and Maddren, who regularly plays in Downes' trio, was a revelation - he could let rip in the less intimate, amplified setting. Together, the quartet were an excellent unit.

This was a wonderful gig, one of my favourites of the Festival, and I'm looking forward to seeing Arguelles again in Playtime's Fringe programme on August 20!