Simon Woolf Sextet @ Pizza Express, Dean St., London.

Simon Woolf (bs); Gareth Lockrane (flutes/picc); Henry Armburg-Jennings (tpt/flug); Mark Crooks (clt/bs clt); Colin Oxley (gtr); Matt Home (dms).

(Review by Lance.)

Two visits to Pizza in three days - I'll be looking like a Pepperoni soon! But, with the collapse of the gig at Ronnie's (from my point of view) it worked out fine.

Simon Woolf has opted for a line-up from which you expect nothing less than perfect and that's what we got. Arrangements by Simon ensured a tightly knit front-line that was, at times, reminiscent of '50s west coast jazz whilst at others it brought to mind earlier groups such as the Johnny Kirby Sextet or some of Raymond Scott's pieces - albeit scored in a contemporary manner.

Gareth Lockrane is the nonpareil on flutes of whatever size he chooses and Woolf, as I've commented before produces some wonderful arco lines. Oxley has long been at the forefront of post-Christian guitarists and Matt Home is probably the best all-round percussionist on the current scene. Mark Crooks had some nice moments on clarinet (he also blew bass clarinet) whilst Henry Hyphon is surely the next Fats or Clifford about to burst from the pack.

Pizza was well attended and the band went down well. I met up with a friendly chap called Craig as well as a band called Gypsy Fire - more of later.

Craig bought a Waltone Guitar on the strength of an article by Ron Chapman that appeared some time back on this blog so we had a thing or two in common.

Over all it was a good gig although, at times, I thought "This is just too perfect" Is that possible? Don't get me wrong Simon but I'd have liked a few wrong notes along the way! Maybe there were but, if there were - they were well disguised!

The program was good although, Love Potion No. 9 needs words to be truly effective, good as the tune is.

Minor points. Simon Woolf's Sextet are worth checking out.

Lance.