The Real Maine Street Jazzmen @ The Porthole North Shields.

Ray Harley (tpt); Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl); Jim McBriarty (clt/vcl); George Richardson (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Paul Smith (dms); Olive Rudd (vcl).

Don't get me wrong, even without Ray Harley the Maine Street mob put on a show every Thursday at Rosie Malone's but, cross over to the north side and hear them with Ray Harley on trumpet and it's even better. Plus today they had super-sub Paul Smith on drums which made for a very worthwhile ferry ride 'cross the Tyne.

Add to this the pleasure of meeting Alan's mum, wife of the late great ex Panama Jazzmen Pianist Norman Rudd, made the afternoon complete.

They'd pulled a good crowd of  "Silvers" and played some numbers we don't get on the South Side such as Riverboat Shuffle, At a Georgia Camp Meeting, Moose March and, from Olive, My Blue Heaven.

Very enjoyable afternoon which has set me up for a couple of days break in the capital.

Lance.