Customs House Big Band New Crown Hotel South Shields 2/11/10.

Peter Morgan (MD/bs tmb), Ruth Lambert (vcl), Ken de Vere, Paul Riley-Gledhill, Michael Lamb Joe Taylor (tpts). Chris Gurgit-Smith, Mike Fletcher, Eddie Bellis (tmbs). Jill Brett (alt/flt), Elaine Willis (alt), Alan Marshall, Tom McQuillian (ten), Christine Atkinson (bar). Bill Britain (pno), Tom Patterson (bs gtr), Roy Willis (gtr), David Francis (dms). The few brave souls who braved the monsoon and aquaplaned to the New Crown were rewarded with the usual cracking performance by the CHBB under the direction of the urbane Peter Morgan. In the rehearsal set were Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue, Keep The Customer Satisfied (a la Buddy Rich), and a Gordon Goodwin arrangement of O Tannenbaum (or The Red Flag or Maryland My Maryland, according to your beliefs.) In the Concert set the band reprised 5' 2'', and played Bright Eyes, a Bill Holman number not the one about rabbits, Samba For All Seasons and Witchcraft. Good jazz solos from Jill Brett, Alan Marshal, Eddie Bellis, Michael Lamb, Joe Taylor, Bill Britten and David Francis. The band then accompanied Ruth on I've Got The World On A String, My Heart Belongs To Daddy, Blue Moon with bass intro by Tom Pattison, finishing off with Well Alright OK You Win. Nothing I can say about Ruth that Lance hasn't said all ready - she was wonderful. Anybody who has ambition to play in a big band should dig these open rehearsals, they show that not only do you need instrumental and reading ability but also interpretation and this band has it in spades.

Photos. Miles