Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival Day 3 - Afternoon

Barrelhouse & Boogie: Jeff Barnhart & Paul Asaro.

Cecile McLorin Salvant with Jean-Francois Bonnel & his Band: Cecile McLorin Salvant (vocals), Andy Woon (cornet), Jean-Francois Bonnel (reeds), Martin Litton (piano), Paul Munnery (trombone), Roly Veitch (guitar), John C. Hallam (bs), Josh Duffee (drums).

Fidgety Fingers: Tom 'Spats' Langam, Martin Wheatley, Keith Stephen, Roly Veitch, Philippe Guignier (guitars).

The last in the one hour piano concerts featured Americans Jeff Barnhart and Paul Asaro playing barrelhouse and boogie. From first note to last this was a treat. Our pianists are great communicators offering incisive comment on the players and styles developed one hundred years ago and more. Barnhart, a big man, played Eubie Blake's Charleston Rag (dating from 1899), a masterful version of High Society (!), Chattanooga Choo Choo and others. At the conclusion of each piece there was thunderous, well deserved applause.

Paul Asaro, the other half of the recital, is a young man of prodigious talent. At one point he claimed to 'dabble' in certain aspects of the music. Well, if that's the case, I bet the audience wished they could turn their hand to whatever took their fancy. Asaro can play, no two ways about it. Blind Pig Blues, Alligator Crawl and Juan Tizol's Caravan were executed quite brilliantly. Barnhart and Asaro rattled off any number of tunes (James P Johnson's Riffs and Meade Lux Lewis' Honky Tonk Train Blues were highlights) and as a finale they went out with St.Louis Blues as a four-hander.

On leaving the One-Cent Club the word was out that a 'must see' was Cecile McLorin Salvant. Arriving at Kelly's Stables it was impossible to get into the joint. It was packed to the rafters. Fortunately the door was kept open (it was rather warm!). I, together with thirty or forty others, stood in the corridor, faces pressed up against the glass. The sensation that is Cecile performed a programme comprising tunes associated with Billie Holiday. Phrasing, interpretation of the lyric, everything about the perfromance was flawless.

The band, led by Jean-Francois Bonnel, was hand picked for the occasion. All were stars but none more so than Cecile McLorin Salvant.

Meanwhile, back in the One-Cent, the afternoon was winding down with four then five ace guitarists on the stand. An all acoustic show, Langham, Wheatley, Stephen and Veitch played a wonderful set - each guitarist taking the spotlight in turn and appreciating the skills of the others. It wasn't competitive, just relaxed, no egos here.

Riverboat Shuffle, I Saw Stars (Veitch taking the vocal) and Stompin' at the Savoy were a joy, then the boys were joined by the Hot Antic's Philippe Guignier. He called Come to Me My Melancholy Baby and so we had it - just like that, no problem. Then Sweet Sue Just You (another relaxed vocal by Veitch). A finale, with an astral theme, saw each take a two-chorus solo and so we got, variously, Stardust, Moonglow, Blue Moon, Stella By Starlight etc. Perfect.

Russell.

Click here for wonderful clip of Cecile McLorin Salvant's Billie Holiday tribute. From Lena of Miami.

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