Stu Finden - tenor sax ; Fiona Littlewood - vocals, tenor sax ; Tim Knowles - guitar ; Jim Crinson - double & 5 string bass ; Omid Ramak - drums (standing in for Eric Stutt)
A jazz rock solid debut for the reinvented Budvivar - Fiona launched her jazz vocal career tonight with such panache we'll all be queuing outside Zoe's new Low Fell door for singing lessons! Such a joyful mellow voice for jazz standards she danced confidently through the verbal prestidigitation of Love Me or Leave Me and Get it Straight (...no Chaser) occasionally recharging her vocal chords with a blast on the tenor in several instrumental numbers, including Stu's own Stoo's Blues - a lively piece with some great tenor solo work from both Stu and Fiona. In fact Stu Finden is the solid backbone to this band with his understated but well-crafted solos really drawing you in - the perfect side man for Fiona's lively vocals, which we expect to grow in strength and maybe, in a couple of numbers, in pitch, to keep the band in their place.
This was the first time I'd stepped into the classic ambience of the Jazz Cafe, no, seriously! There's a nostalgic heady vapour like the leather and petrol of an old American car - the ones with the flying rear wings and huge rear lights. To give the band a chance to set up, we watched them and the enigmatic Keith Crombie - flashes of the film Cabaret still playing on his face - through the windows of The Forth opposite: reflections of a silent movie like two Edward Hopper paintings on opposite walls playing tricks in bar mirrors!
And so with Keith's determined yet friendly pessimism still ringing in my ears - "Jazz is dead in Newcastle!" - Fiona launched into the second set with the acid nostalgic funk of Dexter Gordon's Psychedelic Sally as Omid jumped up to the plate with a passion and the place started to fill up with punters. An engaged couple danced an improv tango as Keith rearranged the furniture like a kindly uncle, so we could all join in. Jazz not dead then, just occasionally poorly!
Some steady well-executed Wes Montgomery-esque guitar work from Tim as he dealt with the lively West Coast Blues. Then later, a friendly gesture to Mark Williams, who's admiration of Tim's lovely Ibanez 175 won him an impromptu place in the band while Tim took five in the still-expanding late shift in the audience pit. Mark really took off with the inspiration of the Ibanez seeming to forget that he was only passing through - no complaints!
Although Omid was only standing in for Eric Stutt he made an impressive impact and paired up well rhythmically with the confident versatility of Jim Crinson on sometimes double, sometimes 5 string electric bass. Overall a great night, in for me, a fantastic venue. Other numbers we remembered: You Go to My Head and But Beautiful. If we're allowed to quote lyrics?
Love is funny, or it's sad, Or it's quiet, Or it's mad. It's a good thing, Or it's bad, But beautiful...
George M
Photos Chiaroscuro - i.e. impossible to make out what's there!
But Beautiful
You Go To My HeadStoo's Bloos - Orignal by Stu
Love Me or Leave me
Straight No Chaser
Well You Needn't
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