Miles Watson (tpt/vcl); Terry Dalton (tmb); Tony Winder (ten/sop/clt); George Laing (pno); Robin Douthwaite (gtr); Stan Nicholson (bs); Laurie Brown (dms). Brian Lynam (hca/vcl), Derek ? (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
(Review by Lance.)
I've never made an entrance quite like it! I strolled casually into The Porthole with seven women in attendance. Allen Eager? This was Peter Stringfellow and counting!
Central among this bevy was Eileen - close friend of the late Eric Delaney and this week was the anniversary of the great drummer's death.
You may remember a couple of years back Eileen, Eric and I went over to the Porthole where Eric sat in for a couple of numbers. One of those was Cute and, at Eileen's request, they played it again with ex Squadronaire Laurie doing his best to emulate Eric. Later they played Oranges and Lemons with Laurie's tymp beaters re-creating that famous tymp sound on tom-tom.
Perhaps it was the thought that Eric Delaney was looking down (or up) at them from wherever he is but the band seemed to be playing above themselves today. Roy was absent today but fortunately George Laing was there to fill in for a couple of numbers. He looked and played as immaculately as ever.
He mentioned that he was interested in getting in touch with guitarist George Gosling so if you're reading this George...
Interval time had harmonica wizz Brian Lynam stepping up to sing and play I Love You For Sentimental Reasons - nobody round here does this better than Brian. There was also a rather risqué number - My Big Ten Inch (Record). Recorded initially by Bull Moose Jackson and later Aerosmith this double entendre song had my party of ladies - now well into the wine - in hysterics. All good clean(ish) fun!
Yes it was a grand afternoon and I think Eric would have been delighted to have been celebrated in such a convivial way although Eileen did, briefly, shed the tears we all felt as we remembered a Jazz Legend. She also dished out some memorabilia in the form of place-mats with embedded photos of Eric with Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson.
This weekend is the Wigan Jazz Festival. A year ago Eric was all packed and ready to play at the Festival.
He never made it.
Lance.
I was at the Porthole last Wednesday 11th July.
ReplyDeleteIt was choca bloke full. I was sorry to see that Roy on keyboards was not there but it made little difference to the sound. It was very entertaining as usual. I commented a while back about the bass player not getting a mention or getting solo's. Well that seems to have changed. He played some excellent bass solos, which I can appreciated as I am a bass player. I found out that his name is Stan Nicholson. Does anyone have his email address, I would like to contact him. I was going to talk to him on Wednesday but I couldn't get near the place was so full and I had to leave before the end.
I liked all the stuff they played except "Oranges & Lemons" as a tribute to Eric Delaney
Nobody played it like Eric.
Over all a fantastic day. None of the other bands in the area play the variety that the Jazz Esquires play, good old standards.
And well done Stan I will try to speak to you (if that's OK) next time I come to the Porthole.
T.H.