Sue Ferris/James Birkett Quartet, Roly Veitch. Black Bull, Blaydon April 21.

Sue Ferris (tenor sax & flute), James Birkett (gtr), Neil Harland (bass), Dave Francis (dms), Roly Veitch (gtr & voc)

(Review by Ray Robson)

This was our first visit to Roly's "new" Blaydon venue of the Black Bull - an excellent full house of over 50 packed the back room creating that more intimate "jazz" atmosphere we all crave, albeit without the drifting smoke a la 1960's jazz club's. A good local pint went down well too!

Sue's visit in March had been lost due to the snow of our first days of Spring, but thankfully she made it safely this time.....she led the line marvelously, showing a delicate touch to make each track a joy. The talents of the JB quartet are well known, tonight they fitted seamlessly to give superb backing.

The opener of Don't Get Around Much Anymore set the scene I thought, with excellent sax work but sooooo melodic rhythm work. On the Sunny Side of the Street, Blue Monk, My Romance followed....then Manha de Carnaval from the film Black Orpheus featured Sue on Flute. The Billie Holiday number You're a Lucky Guy preceded All of Me & took us to the break.

The second set opened with an electric guitar duet with James & Roly, then back with the full band for Sonny Rollins' Doxy, before You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me & A Nightingale sang in Berkley Square.

The classic Clifford Brown track Sandu illustrated what a loss his early death in the 1950's was. Next was the 1944 Jack Teagarden number Stars Fell on Alabama. Then It can Happen to You took us to the final number - Jerome Kern's jazz standard All the Things You Are.

Credit is due to Roly for continuing with the Blaydon Jazz Club, & to The Black Bull's managers Carl & Jackie for making us all so welcome - everyone had a great evening, & I'm sure the support will continue for these Sunday night monthly sessions (next session 19th May Jeremy McMurray quartet).

Ray Robson