Alan Glen (pno), John Pope (bs), David Carnegie (dms).Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl/whistling), Barrie Ascroft (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms) + Tom Dibb (gtr), James ? (gtr), David Carnegie (pno).
There simply isn't enough superlatives left in 'Mr Webster's Dictionary' to describe the Alan Glen Trio. Nor his rarely repeated selection of tunes.
"On Green Dolphin Street", "Over The Rainbow", Clifford Brown's "Sandu", "Four", "Darn That Dream", "Thou Swell" and a semi-original called, appropriately enough, "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" a piece composed by Alan that leans, he told me, in places on possibly a Hampton Hawes composition.
The ideas flowed faster from the Glen fingers than the rain that was 'stair-rodding' outside did from the heavens. It was a roller coaster ride we wished would never end. When it did end, after an encore on "If I Were a Bell", the adrenalin was coursing boy was that 'drenny' coursing!
John Pope has slotted in well with the trio the rich fullness of sound providing a solid foundation. He also solos with humour and invention.
On drums, David Carnegie drove things along - awesome power, agility and kickass confidence are his middle names. Trading punches in the "Fours" routine that inevitably concluded the swingers he kept his compatriots on their toes and, as ever, his featured solo was dexterity personified.
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Earlier, Take It To The Bridge had created the relaxed Chilli ambience with Dave in good voice on "A Foggy Day" he also threw in some whistling on "Well You Needn't" (but he did!).
Tom Dibb (say hello to your folks for me Tom - we met at East Rainton), who is currently foregoing the charms of his native Rotherham, sat in and played some fine guitar culminating in a wild blast on "Billie's Bounce" in the later Jam Session. Drummer Carnegie played piano on this one - his solo was pretty outré too.
Former regular James took over on guitar for "Beautiful Love" and "Stella By Starlight" a couple of tunes he is not totally unfamiliar with.
Eric Stutt booted things along before and after the main event as did Jim and Barrie on bass and piano respectively.
It was a good night topped off by my winning of the raffled CD - a compillation of Bob Berg tracks some of which featured Mike Stern on guitar. I'm sure this was arranged by Roly Veitch and God from their distant habitats - Roly over there in Blaydon and God up there sheltering from the rain - as Roly and I had been talking about Mike Stern only a couple of days previous and I'd confessed my unfamiliarity with the guitarist's work. R and G move in mysterious ways their wonders to perform. In Roly's case those wonders will be performed when he presents and hopefully sits in with Roy Williams and Johnny Barnes at tonight's (Thursday Dec. 17) Xmas Party at Blaydon - another unmissable event. Be there.
Talking Xmas parties - next Wednesday is party night at the Chilli with Budvivar.
Lance.
(As a show of respect a photo of the late Darren Grainger was displayed at the back of the stage. Nice gesture Dave.)
Hi Lance
ReplyDeleteFor me Billie's Bounce was the highlight of the evening.
Russell