Jazz Café Jam

From the Central I boogied over to the Jazz Café Johnny B Goode still adding a spring to my step. Who, I wondered, would be in Keith's Kaff today?

Well there was Ian Forbes on drums, Alan Law at the piano and Paul Grainger clutching his bass as if it were his mistress. Stu Finden unwrapped his tenor and Fiona Littlewood - displaying Pink Lane chic in a rakish woolly hat got the show on the road with Bird's Now's The Time. Stu blew great tenor on this one. Close Your Eyes and Softly As In A Morning Sunrise followed - Fiona did good.

Next up was Tanya Fahey - a broth of a girl who also sings with the Newcastle University Big Band.

Tanya (pictured) did My Funny Valentine and Summertime producing some nice inflections that had a good jazz feel to them.

Fi returned for Love Me Or Leave Me. Why? I ask, does every girl singer these days do this tune so fast? The whole meaning of the lyric is lost.

It's a plaintive cry from the heart - not a Wham Bang Thank You Mam song!

However, Fiona redeemed herself with a brilliant There Is No Greater Love ably abetted by a guy called Paul who played some Djangolic guitar. Beautiful Love also scored heavily.

Gaby did All of Me and suddenly the hordes descended - Lindsay, Mark, Claire, Doug Fielder. I wanted to hear more but The Bridge beckoned so I bid farewell to Keith and wandered off into the night.

Lance.