Steve Waterman (tpt/flug), Derek Nash (sop/alt/bar), Dave O'Higgins (ten), Dave Newton (pno), Mark Hodgson (bs), Steve Brown (dms).Only change from the announced line-up was the replacement of Andy Cleyndert with Mark Hodgson on bass. In the photo, Mark sits between Dave Newton (left) and Steve Brown (right). Looking on is the Darlington Jazz Co-ordinator, whose name escapes me for the moment (Roly has since reminded me that it is Peter Bevan - a nice guy totally committed to jazz). They had just finished a pizza.
The sextet kicked off to an almost capacity house with Mobley's "This I Dig of You" setting the mood for an evening of what, these days, could be described as the modern side of mainstream. Personally, I prefer to refer to it as, simply, "good music that swung, jumped, rocked and caressed the soul."
O'Higgins had some rare mid period Getzian moments, Waterman blew with seemingly effortless technique but the undoubted crowd-pleaser was the animated Derek Nash. I must confess I'd never heard him before but he blew some fiery alto, powerful baritone as well as displaying an out of character tenderness on a curved soprano (sax). his body language was something else!
Dave Newton proved once again that he has nothing left to prove - he is simply as good as it gets.
Having said that, one of the most outstanding numbers of the night was "Five Brothers" which didn't use Dave at all. Instead we had Derek on bari and Steve W on trumpet recreating the Mulligan Quartet.
Steve Brown wore his usual Cheshire Cat demeanour and drove things along nicely whilst Bassman Mark was no passenger either - he contributed mightily to the rhythm section.
It was a good gig and I drove home with "Funky Mama" still blowing my mind; by bedtime, it was "Nostalgia in Times Square" providing the lullaby.
Lance.
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