Alter Ego Knockout at Side Café

Even though guitarist Andy Pattinson was absent and Ian Paterson was subbed by Andy Champion this was a cracking night. Although everyone soloed at length, they didn't all solo on every number which was like a breath of fresh air. Nor did every number end with that often meaningless exercise known as 'fours'. Instead we had tight arrangements, albeit with occasional bursts of contrapuntal freedom, and imaginative solos.

Dave Hignett, mellow on flugel, reached for the stratosphere on trumpet whilst Niall Armstrong played good post bop tenor as well as a couple of flute features. Keith Robinson on alto comfortably covered the ground from Charlie Parker to Ornette and Andy Hawking proved a good advert for Roland pianos - he swung.

Plenty swinging from Dave Francis on drums. Andy Champion, on bass guitar this time round, slotted in effortlessly both in the section and solowise.

I can't remember all the tunes but I particularly dug, "Compulsion" by Miles and Hank Mobley's "Roll Call" as well as the quaintly titled "Episode From A Village Dance".

Come back soon.

Photos.