Inconsistency is the only thing that is consistent at the Chilli Arms Wednesday night sessions. Sometimes the music is great, sometimes it's lousy; often during the same number. It's rarely indifferent. The one thing you can count on is variety. Tonight, wild man Ian Trewella was absent. He was said to be doing some gardening so, if you were overtaken by a speeding lawnmower on the A19, that was probably Ian. John Rowland depped on tenor and ensured a degree of sanity prevailed. Highlight of the first set was a nice arrangement of Victor Feldman's "Bloke's Blues." After the break there were more treats in the form of guitarist Daniel and his sister, Michelle (if either of you read this, please let me know your surnames.) Michelle, who was also celebrating her 18th birthday, sang delightfully on "Love Me Or Leave Me" and "Straighten Up And Fly Right," then moved up a gear with "Summertime" before, backed by most of the band, belting out Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke". One to watch out for. Alex Hall, who'd played the first set on guitar, moved over to keyboards for this one.
Another one worth watching and listening to is David Carnegie, first on keyboards for a rocking "Killer Joe" that also had Daniel going into overdrive, then on drums for "Pent-up House".
John Pope (bs), Eric Studd (dms) and Barry Ashcroft (kbds) completed the line-up.
Whoops! I almost forgot Dave Weisser--talk about Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark or should I say Hamlet without the Jacques Lousseur Trio? Remember "Air on a G String?". That was one advert that almost started me smoking cigars. Pierre Michelot's bass line was really evocative.
Back to Dave; he scatted, lyricised and blew his brand of East Coast (Cullercoats) jazz with his usual nod towards Art Farmer, Nat Adderley etc.
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