Trinity Jazz - It's a Sin to Tell A Lie but Fats Lives!

Mike Durham (tpt/vcl/narration), John Crocker (Ten/clt), Keith Nichols (pno/org/vcl), Keith Stephen (bjo/gtr), Bruce Rollo (bs), Pete Soulsby (dms).

A tried and tested formula by the musicians involved pleased another well-attended session at Trinity Church, Gosforth - this time held in the church itself to enable Keith Nichols to play "Sugar" on the mighty church console.

This was an evening, devoted to the life and times of Fats Waller, that rolled pleasantly along. The legends and annecdotes related by Mike and Keith Nichols, old-hat to regular jazzianardos, were new to many of the parishioners and rewarded with the appropriate chuckles and occasional guffaw - not too many of the latter as, after all, we were in church.

Musically there was much to offer. I've already mentioned Nichol's organ-playing but it was his stride piano and the workout's he gave to such Waller comps. as "A Handful of Keys", "Viper's Drag" (but surprisingly not "Alligator Crawl") and others that hit the jackpot.

John Crocker, romped happily through "Honeysuckle Rose" on tenor and "Sweet Sue" and "Dinah" on clarinet. His tenor-playing has that richness Waller's man Gene Cedric had and is totally in period.

Mike Durham provided the trumpet lead necessary to recreate the sound of Fat's Rhythm as well as donating some throwaway vocals.

Perhaps the relatively unsung heroes of the night were the rhythm section. Keith Stephen did the Al Casey bit to perfection with Bruce and Pete solid in both support and solo.

Fats wrote some lovely tunes and tonight they were given the treatment they deserved.

"I've Got My fingers Crossed", "Blue Turning Grey", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Milkman", "Louisiana Fairytale" etc. all gems.

Photos.

An ambitious program has been proposed for next year including an unmissable Daryl Sherman with Digby Fairweather - March 13.

Up next is the New Century Ragtime Orchestra on Dec.5.

Well done Trinity Church, maybe jazz is 'parochial' after all.

Lance.