Omid's Express & Take It to The Bridge @ The Chilli

Omid's Express: Omid Ramak (drums), Andrew Porritt (electric bass), Alan Law (keyboards), Matthew Office (guitar), Stuart Finden (tenor saxophone) & Fiona Littlewood (vocals). Take It To The Bridge: Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Dougie Fielder (tenor saxophone), Jim Crinson (guitar), Barrie Ascroft (keyboards), Ivan Scutt (electric bass) & Rob Bates (drums) + Gaby (vocals) On a chilly night at the Chilli there was much entertainment on offer. Downstairs in the bar, with a perfect pint of Workie Ticket at hand, there was the satisfying spectacle on the big screen of Tottenham Hotspur being torn apart by Inter (some of us had backed the Milanese). then at half time it was time to go upstairs to hear some jazz. Seated in time to hear the first number, Weisser & Co. gave it to us just as we like it - Straight No Chaser. Dizzy's Woody 'n You was a good one with Dougie Fielder on form. Dave Weisser announced that he had recently celebrated a birthday. As the audience started to sing Happy Birthday Dave said 'Please, don't' - he'd prefer to look ahead and duly started to sing Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. The Chilli being a jazz cats' haunt, this was an unwelcome development, which, thankfully, was cut short by bassist Ivan Scutt's plea - 'Let's play some jazz'. Dave said 'Okay, guys' and we got Jobim's classic bossa nova Wave with good vocals from the Main Man and Scutt soloing sympathetically. This week's guests Omid's Express, formed recently by young drummer Omid Ramak, was making its debut performance and we heard a varied programme with some interesting arrangements. Budvivarians Fiona Littlewood and Stuart Finden were out front and the back line was marshalled with good humour by band leader Ramak. New Budvivarian Alan Law played a blues-drenched intro and guitarist Matthew Office constructed the first of several tasteful solos as Ms. Littlewood opined Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You with tenorist Finden blowing authoritatively throughout. Other tunes included Well You Needn't, once again featuring good work from Littlewood and Law and bassist Andrew Porritt and the tired old warhorse Summertime was reinvigorated by the band and Finden got it just right - Paul Desmond with an edge. This was a promising debut. Ramak is one to watch, so too Office. A rapid return visit to the Chilli by Omid's Express seems more than likely. The evening's entertainment concluded with TITTB's late second set. Mainstay Barrie Ascroft played good piano on Bob Mintzer's Three Views of a Secret and Jim Crinson was in fine form all evening, not least on Tadd Dameron's Good Bait. An unexpected highlight (the unexpected is one of the highlights of a Chilli session) was a late, late appearance from Gaby. We heard her sing two classic tunes - Love Me Or Leave Me and Lady Sings The Blues. Excellent. Next week's guests: Alan Glen Trio. Russell