Graham Hardy (trumpet), Alastair Lord (trumpet), John Wheeler (tenor), Eddie Bellis (trombone), Don Fairley (trombone), Alex Tustin (snare drum), Brendan Murphy (bass drum & percussion), Paul Susans (sousaphone).
I was on the horns of a dilemma - to go over to Blaydon to catch Roly's gig or go into town to hear Graham Hardy's new outfit?
Hardy's Horn Dogs and the promise of a topnotch pint won the day. The Isle of Skye Brewery's ''Skyelight'' proved to be a good choice - would the music?
The eight piece band filled the small stage of the upstairs room; the room itself was standing room only as the opener, an uptempo ''Tears of a Clown'' drew rapturous applause from an excited, expectant crowd. Rainbow's ''Since You've Been Gone'' (not exactly familiar jazz material) worked well as did a quickfire slew of film, television and cartoon theme tunes; the theme from the ''A Team'', ''Banana Splits'', ''Flash!'' and a sci-fi medley! The first set rattled along with a couple of bona fide jazz numbers thrown in to appease the Jazz Police (such appeasement wasn't necessary - the JP weren't in attendance) - the Youngblood Brass Band's ''Brooklyn'' (a feature for Eddie Bellis) and the timeless hymn ''What a Friend We Have in Jesus''. These latter tunes demonstrated the band's jazz credentials; the disciplined ensemble work of the brass band and the flawless technique of each and every one of the jazz musicians on the stand.
The joint jumpin', the band cookin', the interval offered the welcome opportunity of a refreshing pint. The Bridge Hotel has some of the best beers to be found anywhere and tonight's selection was particularly good. A new barrel had just been introduced in time for the interval - the Big Lamp Brewery's ''A Brew for Bobby''. Tiptop, as they say.
The second set proved to be every bit as good as the first. Bright and breezy, a consistently high standard of performance and real enthusiasm shown by all, not least the rhythm section (Tustin, Murphy & Susans). Graham Hardy contributed two original compositions - ''Big and Brassy'' and ''The Melon Felony''. Hardy can write. He should produce and perform more of his own material. At the end of the night the band won an encore. Quite right too. Horn Dogs sent us on our way with ''Hey Jude''. All together now...next time we'll get along to a Horn Dogs gig.
Russell.
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