Northern Monkey Brass Band @ The Cumberland Arms. July 14

(Review by Russell)
It was a dog day afternoon up on the hill. The Cumberland’s summer beer festival was in full swing – rumour had it supplies were running out! The barbie similarly packed-up too soon as a crescent moon rose in the still burning blue sky. The strains of a Crescent City jazz band could be heard in the distance. A marching band wound its way into view along James Place Street. Graham Hardy’s Northern Monkey Brass Band entered the arena to impart the good news…we have a friend in Jesus! More good news…the beer continued to flow. 
Trumpeter Hardy used to be a Horn Dog, these days he’s a monkey, a Northern Monkey. His brass band of A-listers – Mark Webb (trumpet), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), David Gray (trombone), Mark Ferris (trombone), Phil Rosier (tuba), Nik Alevroyiannis (percussion) and Brendan Murphy (percussion) – gave it everything. Phil Rosier’s tuba the ensemble’s workhorse, the flailing arms of Alevroyiannis and Murphy the percussive motor, Gray (trombone) and Toms (tenor) the loose cannons, prone to firing a broadside. The A Team, Thriller, Monkey Blood (a Hardy original), the tunes came thick and fast. So fast Hardy added a number to the set list. Now there’s a first! Cumberland regulars – a motley crew of Confederate deserters, the bearded, the beaded, the good, the bad and… – were up dancing. A good time band, but make no mistake, these guys are seriously good.  Check out www.northernmonkeybrassband.com    

Russell.