Jim Birkett (gtr), Sue Ferris (ten/flt), Neil Harland (bs), Rob Walker (dms).Delightful, the word that springs to mind. Refreshing is another.
No furrowed brows required tonight this is good, honest, straight down the middle jazz and no cheating - as a certain Mr Basie was once quoted as saying when asked to define his kind of music - it's mine too.
The band sans Sue opened up with, to quote Jim, "Stomping at the Cherry Tree" or should it have been "Chomping at the Cherry Tree" because, as I have said before, the food is very chompworthy.
Sue came on and blew "All of Me" shades of Lester or Zoot and the perfect accoutrement to Scottish Smoked Salmon with Shallots, Capers, Sour Cream and Lemon Rye Bread. I'm not sure if Sue influenced my tastebuds or the Scottish Salmon coloured my eardrums - either way they worked well together.
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore" - not true in my case - had some very masculine tenor from Sue and I hope she will treat that as a compliment and not an overtly sexist remark. What I mean is the sound was big and booting as befits the song.
Paradoxically, on "Killing Me Softly With His Song", played on flute the feeling was totally feminine - OMG! Lance, when you're in a hole stop digging! Just shut up and eat your main course.
Let's talk turkey.
Roast turkey breast or should I say chest? Chipolata sausage, Winter Vegetables, Cranberries and Red Wine Sauce. In its own sweet way as palatable as "All The Things You Are". Jim had some flowing lines that dovetailed around Sue in a most fugue like fashion.
Interval time.
All of the tables appeared to be taken and the diners were generous with their applause. On the next table a guy was making a pass at his girlfriend by which I mean he was name-dropping Joe Pass then looking in the direction of Jim Birkett - knowledgeable crowd tonight.
Ron - the man who Barbicaned Rollins - was in, along with good lady and son. We chatted about Gunther Schuller's conclusion that Rollin's "Blue 7" from his "Saxophone Colossus" album was the perfect jazz solo - maybe.
Now Sue Ferris would be the last person to compare herself to Sonny Rollins - she's prettier for a start - but there were times during her solo on "On the Sunnyside of the Street" when I felt it would be impossible to select a better combination of notes.
Being Xmas, the obligatory seasonal tunes were played. "Xmas Song" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" being the chosen ones.
Now Xmas songs are much maligned among musicians but generally speaking they are darn good tunes that with different words would be year round standards.
The final "Wee Small Hours" delivered on flute was positively poetic and bore comparision to the Mulled Fruits and Ginger Ice Cream that I finished off with - both hit the spot.
A couple remarked as they left, "This place has a buzz about it."
I think she's right.
Lance.
PS: Not forgetting 'Mister Perfect' on bass and the sensitive drumming of Rob Walker - he too had an almost melodic solo on "Sunnyside of the Street".
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