Keith Nichols' Blue Devils with Jeff Barnhart @ The Saville, North Shields.

Enrico Tomasso, Ben Cummings (tpt/vcl), Keith Nichols (tmb/pno/vcl), Mark Foulkes (alt/clt), David Hornblower (alt/bar/sop/clt), Johnny Boston (ten/clt), Jeff Barnhart (pno/vcl), Martin Wheatley (bjo/gtr), Jerome ? (bs), Richard Pite (dms).

An hour and a half later I'm beginning to get my breath back - talk about exhilaration! Keith Nichol's Blue Devils gave a very well attended Saville Exchange audience exhilaration to spare.

The delights were many - too many to list - although, high on at that list if there were such a list would be Jeff Barnhart's rendering - rendering as in tearing apart - of "Sweet Georgia Brown". This was simply the best two fisted piano playing I've heard for many a long year. The effortless way he strode through the keys in the manner of pianists past was truly awesome.

He also chanted that old twenties Bing Crosby classic "I Left My Sugar Standing in the Rain (and my sugar melted away"), "Sunday" and others although perhaps the most amazing piece was the four hands, one piano, duet with Keith Nichols on "I Can Dream Can't I?".

Then there were the two trumpets - Enrico and Ben. Both featured extensively; Enrico in the fine old Armstrong tradition, Ben marginally more modern. Top class technicians and full of the joys of swing.

Jonny Boston - perfect name for a musician (or a private eye!) he did BG on clarinet and Hawk on tenor brilliantly. A singer/composer in his own right I'd also like to hear Jonny in a small band more modern setting.

Mark Foulkes had a lovely round Johnny Hodges sound on alto. Unmiked, as were all of the front-line, it was purity personified. David Hornblower (another fine name) played excellent bari as well as alto, clarry and sop.

Keith himself had his moments on trombone whilst the rhythm of Martin, Jerome (or was it Jeremy?) were idiomatically perfect.

Richard Pite? What can I say except "Is there a better drummer for this style of band?"

I don't think so.

Is there a better band playing in this style?

I don't think so.

Is there a better band?

That's a hard one.

Photos.

Lance.