Ray Dales w. The Jeremy McMurray Trio @ The Cherry Tree Restaurant

Ray Dales (alt); Jeremy McMurray (pno); Peter "Tubby" Ayton (bs); Mark Robertson (dms).

(Review by Lance.)

The Cherry Tree was very well booked tonight and the diners were in for both a gastronomical treat and a musical one too. What more could one ask for - don't answer that!

Ray Dales was minus his trade-mark hat tonight, opting for a rather flamboyant shirt that complemented his scintillating alto playing which had a piquancy comparable with my starter - Continental Charcuterie, Caponata and Grilled Ciabatta - which I ate to the tune of It Could Happen To You. Both went down a treat.

My Foolish Heart - is there a better ballad? Well of course there is but when you hear it you don't think so. Ray played with the passion such a song deserves and Jeremy too poured out his cardiacal imprudences with a sensitive solo.

My favourite Bavette Steak Fries, Garden Salad and Mustard coincided with my favourite bossa nova - Agua de Beber. Claire Kelly sang it on Saturday at the Jazz Café and now these guys were doing it - and doing it good.

They stayed in Latino Land for a couple of numbers that I didn't recognise, before a swinging Stella By Starlight and that most romantic of tunes, When Sunny Gets Blue, brought us up to half time and Elderflower Jelly with Rosewater Ice Cream.

The band sounded good with Ray and Jeremy on top form, Peter, who doesn't look that tubby, Ayton had moments to cherish whilst Mark behaved like all good drummers should behave in these situations - discreetly and sympathetically.

I only caught a couple of items in the second set but The Nearness of You was Jeremy at his balladic best whilst Dizzy's Manteca kept the 52nd St. flame burning. As I left Ray was blowing that Art Pepper/Frank Sinatra favourite Everything Happens To Me. I wanted to stay but The Metro beckoned, luring me into a hole in the ground - bit like Alice in Wonderland and, I must confess, our rapid transit system frequently has a few Mad Hatters aboard. Fortunately tonight wasn't one of those occasions so I was able to relax and reflect on an evening of good food and good music.

Lance.