Acting on Jerry's advice - he's a guy who knows which knife and fork to use at a clambake - I made my way to Beiderbeckes. Nice background music and some good jazz images on the walls but! - I was too early for the restaurant so had to make do with a Beef Baguette and salad which I must admit was succulence personified (and so it should be!)
I meandered back to the Ocean Room and was pleased to note that, despite the Festival being completely sold out, the Festival Jazz Bitter hadn't.
My Funny Valentine - Mike Maran (narrator), Colin Steele (tpt), Tom Gibbs (pno).
This was the third time I'd seen this entertaining play written and narrated by Mike Maran - the last time only a month earlier so I just about know the script - the story of Chet Baker's decline and fall - backwards.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it - Colin Steele's trumpet playing is always easy on the ear. Tom Gibbs on piano was new to the play but he played well.
If you still haven't seen it catch it whilst you can. I understand Mike Maran has another jazz play on the starting blocks - more later.
Alan Barnes Plays Alan Barnes. Alan Barnes (alt/bar), Robin Aspland (pno), Jim Hart (vbs), Mark Hodgson (bs), Paul Clarvis (dms).
The last session of another - the 8th - successful Scarborough Jazz Festival. Mike Gordon and his team had everything co-ordinated with military precision and it was perhaps appropriate that the finale should feature 'Barnesy' playing his own things.
Alan is a man of many talents ranging from creole clarinet on a tune called Pickles, authentic tributes to Sonny Criss and Joe Harriott and wild contemporary alto playing on the finale - then there's his sense of humour - priceless!
Not that it was all Alan. Once again Robin Aspland excelled and Jim Hart on vibes is also something else - is there a better living vibes player anywhere in the world? If there are there can't be many.
Farewell Scarborough - see you next year.
Lance.
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