All You Jazz Singers Out There – Be Prepared For Anything! Jazz Esquires, The Porthole, North Shields, Wednesday September 12

Miles Watson (tpt/vcl); Tony Winder (sax/clt); Terry Dalton (tmb); Roy (pno); Robin Douthwaite (gtr); Stan Nicholson (bs); ? (dms).

(Review by Ann.)

There was I at a meeting with three others at the Porthole.  This was about a possible jazz project, yet to be launched.  We could hear the Jazz Esquires in the next room doing their stuff admirably, an enjoyable and appropriate background.  Peter Morgan, MD of the Customs House Big Band even came and sold us raffle tickets which is rather like Duke Ellington doing the same at The Cotton Club. A bottle of wine (vintage late August 2012) was the prize, but we didn’t win, (weep, weep).

One of the band, trumpet player Miles (are all trumpet players called Miles?), asked me if I’d like to sing – does a bird like to fly?  Not sure how he knew that I sometimes burst into song, but it may have been something to do with having sung last week at Ruth Lambert’s Bell and Bucket buskers’ night.  Luckily, I had my repertoire with me, i.e. the relevant keys scrawled on a piece of paper (it helps!), so I entertained with Every Time We Say Goodbye and It Don’t Mean A Thing. This just goes to prove what I and the others at Lindsay Hannon’s Sage Jazz Singers class have been told many times.  Always have at least a few songs you can do instantly, and know which key you want to sing in.  Ideally have a music copy of the song with you. You never know when you might get the call. Anyway, after rapturous applause, bouquets of flowers and recording contracts were thrust before me (dream on Ann) I stayed and heard some of the second half, and I can tell you that this band is doing a grand job.  There’s quite a sense of community among the audience.  First there was Happy Birthday followed by There’ll Be Some Changes Made and You’re My Everything, which included solos from most of the band.  Each musician has thick files of lead sheets, so they all must have been playing for about a hundred years!  The audience didn’t even wince when the keyboard played a few lines with a banjo effect!  Very competent musicians, sorry I didn’t know your names at the time, but you made a lone singer very welcome.
Photos.

Ann Alex

PS: Earlier, I’m told, George Laing had played Misty and Brian Lynam blew some nice harmonica on, among others, South of the Border.

I’ll be back – you’ve been warned.