First Tuesday in the month is the regular rehearsal night for the Customs House Big Band in the function room of the New Crown Hotel. The large public house overlooks the North Sea, offers a small selection of good beers (on this occasion Marston's EPA went down well) and the duty manager simply allows the band to get on with it.
MD Peter Morgan welcomed the return of Gordon Marshall to the trumpet section and sitting alongside him was none other than veteran Dixielander Alan Smith. The first hour saw Morgan put the band through its paces in clinically dissecting Gordon Gooodwin's High Maintenance. This was a bar by bar examination of the tune - ''from bar 17''...''take it from the first crotchet at bar 69'' and so on. This was a fascinating insight into the preparatory work undertaken by a big band prior to concert performance.
Ruth Lambert, the band's vocalist, was on hand to run through a few numbers including The Man I Love, Love For Sale, Alright,Okay,You Win and a winning version of At Last. Altoist Jill Brett played some siren alto on Jazz Police and all the sections were up to scratch throughout the evening.
The next rehearsal night is on Tuesday 1st March (7:30 pm) and with free admission what more could you want? Stay tuned to Bebop Spoken Here for news of the band's forthcoming performances in Sunderland and Blaydon.
Russell
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