Gateshead International Jazz Festival – Jam Session @ Central Bar. Saturday March 24.

Round midnight Gateshead’s Central Bar hosted the Gateshead International Jazz Festival’s late night jam session. The house band – Lindsay Hannon Plus – warmed-up with a few numbers before the first of the sitters-in was invited to get up and have a blow. Veteran Dave Weisser had brought along his flugelhorn, Andy Lee was keen as mustard to blow alto, then flute and Jazz Café resident bass player Paul Grainger took a spell in the engine room.Vocalist Lindsay Hannon kept things moving along (Joni Mitchell’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns a highlight) until the Beats and Pieces big band arrived hotfoot from their late-night festival gig across the road at the Sage.. A packed room kept the bar ticking over as the musicians opened cases, found a reed to their liking before being welcomed to the stand by Hannon and co. Hannon’s first rate piano player Alan Law swung it ferociously , bassist John Pope and drummer Mark Robertson worked like Trojans and were pleased to welcome the newcomers (a chance to visit the bar!). The boys from the big band (Royal Northern College of Music alumni) took it in turn - first keyboards man Patrick Hurley, bassist Harrison Wood and drummer Finlay Panter then numerous horn players had a blow. A good night. Twenty four hours earlier (ie. 3:00am-ish Friday) as the first of the two jam sessions was winding down in walked violinist Olivia Moore (a new name on the Tyneside jazz scene and a real talent). Watch this space for a review of Olivia’s CD.

Russell