Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl), Derek Fleck (clt), Malcolm Armstrong (pno), Alan Rudd (bs), Tommy Graham (dms), Olive Rudd (vcl) + Peter ? (tpt).There couldn't have been a greater contrast to last night at the Chilli yet the Monk influence was still there. Perhaps it came in with me. During "Royal Garden Blues", Derek slipped in a quote from "Blue Monk" that did not sound out of place.
It was the usual stomping good afternoon with the usual happy crowd. A trumpet man - Peter - sat in for "That's A Plenty" "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Bill Bailey" and "Georgia on my Mind". He may have been auditioning. Such is the dearth of trad trumpet players these days that if you are competent enough to open the case you're in with a shout.
Again, Malcolm Armstrong did the barrelhouse proud with his two-fisted approach. The complete opposite to young Harley yet equally effective in it's own right.
Derek, facile as ever, delivered the goods ably supported by bass and drums.
Our favourite Thursday afternoon girl Olive was in good voice pushing out "Some of These Days" with more than a hint of Sophie Tucker. She also organised a backing trio with her cohorts during Herbie's vocal rendition of "Baby Doll" (You called me baby doll a year ago - 'baby doll, baby doll, baby doll'.)
Herbie wailed like an Ellingtonian slider on "Beale Street Blues", duetted on the 'do-wah-do-wahs' with Olive during "It Don't Mean a Thing", bent it like Bauer (Chris) on "Some of These Days" and went into a dance when Armstrong shouted "Feet!" (shades of the River City Jazzmen).
It was a fun afternoon with the crowd in good spirits to the extent that, after a rousing "Bill Bailey" someone shouted 'Play something lively'. They don't come much livelier than that!
In between tunes I chatted to a guy called Leo. Didn't catch his second name but I think it began with a K! He's a tenor sax man (Selmer Mark 6 no less) and a former member of the Gene Mayo band that played at Sunderland Rink Ballroom back in the 1960s. The late Bobby Carr was also in that band. Leo and I proved lucky for each other - I won a prize in the raffle as did his lady.
Lance.
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